Background

Lu Wenji was born in 876, during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang. He was from Tang Dynasty's capital Chang'an. His grandfather Lu Jianqiu (盧簡求) served as a military governor (Jiedushi), while his father Lu Siye (盧嗣業) served as You Bujue (右補闕), a low-level consultant at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng).

During Later Liang

At some point, Lu Wenji passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class. (It is not clear whether this was while Tang still existed, or during the succeeding Later Liang.) In any case, he eventually served as the deputy minister of justice (刑部侍郎, Xingbu Shilang) and imperial scholar at Jixian Hall (集賢殿).

During Later Tang

During Li Siyuans reign

In 926, during the reign of Li Siyuan, the second emperor of the succeeding Later Tang, Lu Wenji was commissioned as the deputy chief imperial censor (御史中丞, Yushi Zhongcheng). (He had, prior to that, served as the deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang). At that time, the customs were that the other officials would go the office of the imperial censors to congratulate the new deputy chief. The circuits' liaison officers at the capital were expected to go, present their name cards to the clerks of the deputy chief, and receive tea and wine from the deputy chief to thank them for coming, without actually meeting with the deputy chief. Lu's staff members, however, informed him that the previous Tang regulations were that the liaison officers were to actually meet with and bow to the deputy chief to congratulate him. Lu, wanting to emulate proper Tang customs, had the clerks escort the liaison officers into the hall, where Lu was seated, and bow to him. The liaison officers felt humiliated, and they complained to Li Siyuan's chief of staff (Shumishi) An Chonghui. An pointed out that he himself was unfamiliar with Tang regulations, and referred them directly to the emperor. When they went to complain to Li Siyuan, Li Siyuan, after consulting with the chancellor Zhao Feng, who pointed out that these liaison officers were merely low-level officers at their circuits entrusted to deliver messages, stated in anger, "These are just functionaries and soldiers. How dare they disrespect my judicial official!" He had them caned and ejected. At Lu's request, Li Siyuan also issued an edict reinstating the Tang regulations for performance review for officials — which also included self-evaluations for generals, chancellors, and the emperor himself. However, the edict was not actually implemented.

After about a year, Lu was made the minister of public works (工部尚書, Gongbu Shangshu). Thereafter (apparently in 928), the chancellor Cui Xie, with whom Lu had a contentious relationship, made the official Yu Ye (于鄴) the deputy minister of public works. Lu was angered, because Yu Ye's name coincided with that of his own father Lu Siye. When Yu reported to the ministry of public works and tried to meet with him to greet him, Lu refused to receive him, and avoided meeting him by repeatedly taking off days. Thereafter, there was an occasion when Yu was sent by Li Siyuan to be an emissary to Zhangwu Circuit (彰武, headquartered in modern Yan'an, Shaanxi); even before Yu departed then-capital Luoyang, however, Lu resumed his duties. Yu, in anger at this disrespect, committed suicide by hanging after he fell drunk. When this incident became known, Li Siyuan exiled Lu by demoting him to be the military advisor to the prefect of Shi Prefecture (石州, in modern Lüliang, Shanxi).

At a later point, Lu was recalled to Luoyang, and he thereafter served successively as the director of the archival bureau (祕書監, Mishu Jian), and then the minister of worship (太常卿, Taichang Qing). In 933, as of which time he was again serving as the minister of public works, he and Lü Qi were sent as emissaries to Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan), then ruled by the major warlord Meng Zhixiang, to create Meng the Prince of Shu. On their journey to Xichuan, they went through Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi), where Li Siyuan's adoptive son Li Congke was then serving as military governor. Lu impressed Li Congke with his impressive appearance and ability to speak.

During Li Congkes reign

In 934, Li Congke overthrew then-emperor Li Conghou (Li Siyuan's biological son and successor), and became emperor. At that time, the leading chancellors were Liu Xu and Li Yu, but they were often arguing with each other and not getting much done in terms of governance. Li Congke was not happy about this situation and considered replacing them. When he consulted with his close associates, they recommended Yao Yi, Lu Wenji, and Cui Jujian (崔居儉). Because Yao, Lu, and Cui each had their strengths and weaknesses, Li Congke could not decide on whom to commission. He therefore wrote their names on pieces of paper and placed the paper in a crystal bottle. After offering incense to heaven, he used chopsticks to take the paper out of the bottle. Lu's name was taken out first, followed by Yao. He therefore commissioned Lu and Yao as chancellors (with Lu's commission coming first). In the commission, Lu received the titles of Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎, deputy head of the legislative bureau) and the chancellor designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi.

In 935, there was an incident where the official Shi Zaide (史在德), whose was said to be blunt and daring, submitted a number of petitions attacking the capabilities of a number of officials and generals, suggesting to Li Congke that he test these officials and generals and demote the ones who were not capable. This drew much anger among the criticized officials. Lu, as well as the consultants Liu Tao and Yang Zhaojian, all suggested that Shi be punished. Li Congke, however, believed that this would discourage open discussions about the affairs of state, issued an edict rejecting their request to punish Shi.

Meanwhile, Li Congke believed that the chancellors were not giving him good advice, and was often urging them to do so. Lu and the other chancellors blamed the situation on the fact that they did not, unlike the chancellors during Tang, get a chance to meet with just the emperor at Yanying Hall (延英殿), and asked that the Yanying Hall meetings be reinstated. Li Congke, however, found this to be unnecessary, and issued an edict stating that he would be willing to meet with them whenever they wanted, and that the Yanying Hall meetings would be unnecessary.

In 936, Li Congke's adoptive brother-in-law Shi Jingtang the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) rebelled, with aid from Later Tang's northern rival Khitan Empire. Li Congke sent the general Zhang Jingda against Shi, but the combined Khitan/Hedong forces defeated Zhang and subsequently put him under siege. Li Congke, distressed about the situation, stated to Lu, "We had previously heard that you, Lord, has the ability to be chancellor, and therefore we made you the leading chancellor despite opposition from others. Now we are facing this disaster. Where are your good strategies?" Lu only could apologize and had nothing further to say. Li Congke, at that time, was himself hesitant to engage Shi, and Lu, sensing this, proposed, along with Zhang Yanlang, that the chief of staff Zhao Yanshou be sent to rendezvous with his adoptive father Zhao Dejun the military governor of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing), to combat the Khitan/Hedong forces. Li Congke agreed. The result was a disaster, however, as Zhao Dejun was more interested in gaining Khitan support for his own desire to be emperor, and did not fully intend to aid Zhang. Eventually, Zhang's army ran out of food, and Zhang's deputy Yang Guangyuan assassinated him and surrendered. The Khitan/Hedong forces then defeated Zhao. Believing that all was lost, Li Congke committed suicide with his family, ending Later Tang. Shi, whom Khitan's Emperor Taizong had declared emperor of a new state of Later Jin, entered Luoyang and took over Later Tang's territory.

During Later Jin

Upon Shi Jingtang's entry into Luoyang, he largely pardoned the Later Tang officials and retained them in his government. Lu Wenji, however, was removed from his post as chancellor, and made the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu). He was later further removed from this relatively substantive post and given the ceremonial post of Taizi Shaofu (太子少傅). During the reign of Shi Jingtang's nephew and successor Shi Chonggui, he was given the higher ceremonial post of Taizi Taifu (太子太傅).

During Later Han

During the reign of Liu Zhiyuan, the founding emperor of the subsequent Later Han, Lu Wenji received the title of Taizi Taishi (太子太師). At that time, the capital was at Kaifeng, but many officials not directly involved in imperial governance were given offices at Luoyang. It was said that their conduct was often not proper, and that, while the branch government at Luoyang had imperial censors stationed at them, the imperial censors were not effective in correcting their behavior. Liu put Lu in charge of overseeing the situation and reorganizing these Luoyang officials more effectively. Subsequently, the imperial censor Zhao Li submitted a list of officials that he believed were not engaged in proper behavior, including taking excessive leaves on alleged illnesses. After Liu's chief of staff Yang Bin received this list, he forced the officials Zhao accused into retirement. As Lu was also overseeing the behavior of these Luoyang officials, he ran into frequent conflicts with Yang on this issue, and therefore Lu requested a leave on account of illness — and then was accused by the censors of improperly claiming a sick leave. He therefore was then ordered into retirement with the title of Taizi Taishi.

During Later Zhou

After Guo Wei, the founding emperor of the subsequent Later Zhou, took the throne, he sent an emissary to Lu Wenji's mansion to bestow the title of Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies) on Lu. Lu died later that year and was given posthumous honors. It was said that throughout his career, Lu accumulated great wealth, but upon his death, his son Lu Guiling (盧龜齡) spent it all within a span of several years, and that Lu Wenji thus became a cautionary tale for many, against excessive accumulation of wealth.

Notes and references

• Old History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 127.

• New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 55.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 278, 279, 280.

家世

盧文紀出自范陽盧氏北祖第四房，祖父盧簡求，是唐朝的河東節度使；父盧嗣業，官右補闕。

後梁年間

盧文紀中進士（未詳當時唐朝是否已被後梁取代），事後梁為刑部侍郎、充集賢殿學士、判院事。

後唐年間

李存勖年間

同光元年（923年），後唐莊宗李存勖滅梁，任盧文紀為尚書兵部侍郎，依前充集賢殿學士、判院事。三年（925年），任為吏部侍郎。

李嗣源年間

後唐明宗李嗣源天成元年（926年）十月，盧文紀上言：「請求每年由有司明定考校內外文武臣僚，皇帝御筆黜陟將相，疏下中書省、門下省商量，由宰相奏請施行。」獲准。當月，改任御史中丞。按當時的習俗，其他官員要前去官署向新任御史中丞致賀，各藩鎮的進奏官也要去，通名，御史中丞以茶酒慰勞，並不相見。但盧文紀的台吏喬德威等卻告知他，按唐朝的規定，進奏官是要和御史中丞相見並贊拜致賀的。盧文紀想仿唐舊制，派小吏諭進奏官們入見，他自己拿著手板坐在床頭，受進奏官們通名贊拜。進奏官們感到受辱，向樞密使安重誨抱怨。安重誨稱自己不熟悉唐朝舊制，要他們直訴于皇帝。李嗣源諮詢宰相趙鳳，趙鳳說進奏官只是藩鎮派來送信的低級將領，李嗣源怒道：「他們只是吏卒，怎麼敢慢待我的法官！」將進奏官們都杖責驅逐。因盧文紀所請，李嗣源下詔恢復唐朝的中外官校考法，包括將相和皇帝都要自我考評。但詔書未能真正得到貫徹。

一年多後，遷工部尚書。三年（928年），宰相崔協除于鄴為工部郎中，因于鄴名與自己父親盧嗣業同音，盧文紀大怒，而中書省也因崔協與盧文紀不協而沒有因此按規定給于鄴改官。于鄴去工部就職參見盧文紀，盧文紀不見，連日請假。後于鄴被派遣為彰武軍官告副使，還未從都城洛陽出發，盧文紀就恢復工作，且說等于鄴回來就請求換崗，于鄴感覺遭到不敬，憤而在醉酒後上吊自殺。事發，李嗣源貶盧文紀為石州司馬。

後來，盧文紀被召回洛陽，任太常少卿，長興二年（931年）改秘書監。三年（932年），為工部尚書。四年（933年），與禮部郎中呂琦被派往大軍閥孟知祥統治下的西川軍為蜀王冊禮使，冊封孟知祥為蜀王，並拜孟知祥手下趙季良等五人為節度使。途中，他們行經李嗣源養子李從珂為節度使的鳳翔。盧文紀因形貌魁偉、語音琅然，為李從珂所奇。

李從珂年間

李嗣源子李從厚登基後，應順元年（934年）正月，將盧文紀由秘書監改任太常卿，充山陵禮儀使。四月，盧文紀請為李嗣源上謚號聖智仁德欽孝皇帝，廟號明宗，宰相馮道議請改「聖智仁德」四字，為聖德和武欽孝皇帝。同月，李從珂推翻李從厚，成為皇帝。盧文紀奏請給明宗廟酌獻舞曲命名《雍熙之舞》，從之。盧文紀並撰登歌樂章一首。為首宰相吏部尚書兼門下侍郎判三司劉昫、左僕射門下侍郎李愚意見不合，互相詬罵，政事凝滯。李從珂對此不滿，想換掉他們。六月，他向親近朝臣問代任宰相的人選，朝臣們推薦尚書左丞姚顗、時任太常卿的盧文紀、秘書監崔居儉，但論及三人才行，各有優劣。李從珂不能決斷任誰為相，于是寫下他們等十餘人的名字置于琉璃瓶內，在夜晚焚香祝天，用筷子將寫有名字的紙夾出。先夾出盧文紀的名字，再夾出姚顗的。他因而分別于七月和八月任盧文紀和姚顗為中書侍郎，加宰相銜同中書門下平章事。因連日下雨，李從珂命盧文紀與李愚、劉昫、姚顗去各寺觀祈求天晴。

當時兵部尚書李鏻和馬承翰分別作為正副使出使荊南節度使高從誨，李鏻自以為將被用為宰相，高從誨問及朝臣誰有望做宰相，馬承翰答：「尚書崔居儉、左丞姚顗，其次就是太常盧文紀。」高從誨笑著看左右，取來進奏官的報狀給李鏻看姚顗和盧文紀都已拜同平章事了。李鏻慚愧失色，回朝後，因李愚、盧文紀都是以太常卿入相，便也向盧文紀求為太常卿，中謝時說：「我得到了入相的資本。」朝士傳為笑談。

唐朝舊制，吏部選官時分為三銓，分別由尚書和兩位侍郎處理，一個官員只有經歷全部三個銓選程序才能受任。李嗣源末期，馮道認為後唐疆域不及統一時的唐朝，每年的待選官員只有數百人，三銓之法浪費時間且無益，建議合為一。于是李嗣源合三銓為一，讓吏部尚書和侍郎們一起選官。但姚顗和盧文紀拜相後，重新奏分三銓，選官手續又變得冗長。待選官員被造成不便，常公然攔截宰相抱怨。李從珂不得不親自下詔再度廢止三銓。

八月，李從珂御文明殿冊立妻沛國夫人劉氏為皇后，命使攝太尉宰相盧文紀和使副攝司徒、右諫議大夫盧損去皇后宮行禮，禮畢各給恩賜。十二月，改盧文紀為門下侍郎、平章事、監修國史。

二年（935年）二月，盧文紀等為李從珂母魯國太夫人上尊謚為宣憲皇太后，請擇日冊命，李從珂從之。三月，性狂狷的太常丞史在德上書譴責內外文武人士，建議李從珂對他們進行考試，把無能的貶了。宰相和朝臣都大怒。盧文紀和補闕劉濤、楊昭儉等都請求加其罪。李從珂認為這會阻塞言路，下詔駁回。四月，盧文紀兼太微宮使。

七月，李從珂責盧文紀等對時事無所規贊。盧文紀等宰相稱這是因為唐朝宰相能只和皇帝在延英殿相見，而他們不能，請求恢復唐朝延英殿問對舊制。李從珂認為這不必要，下詔稱宰相們隨時可以面聖，但不必在延英殿開會。

中書舍人王延權知貢舉，當時崔協之子崔頎也在舉子之中，盧文紀便對王延說自己曾在朝堂推薦他，要他取士要看真才實學，不要光看虛名。王延知道盧文紀意在阻止崔頎進身，退下後笑談盧文紀竟然把對崔協的怨恨波及到崔頎身上，仍秉公將崔頎錄為甲科。

三年（936年），李從珂的養妹夫河東節度使石敬瑭在後唐北面敵國契丹援助下反叛。李從珂以張敬達充太原四面招討使前去討伐石敬瑭，但契丹、河東聯軍打敗了張敬達，並將其圍困。李從珂為此沮喪，對盧文紀說：「朕曾聽聞卿有宰相材，所以排眾議用卿為首相，如今禍難如此，卿的嘉謀都在哪裡？」盧文紀只能下拜謝罪，無言以對。李從珂對是否親自迎戰石敬瑭猶豫了，盧文紀感到了，就和中書侍郎同平章事判三司張延朗一起建議派樞密使、忠武節度使、隨駕諸軍都部署、兼侍中趙延壽前去與其養父盧龍節度使趙德鈞會合，迎戰契丹、河東聯軍。李從珂准奏。但結果卻是災難，趙德鈞更熱衷于爭取契丹支持他自己當皇帝，並不完全想救援張敬達。最終，張敬達軍糧盡，副招討使楊光遠殺張敬達，投降。契丹、河東聯軍隨後擊敗趙德鈞。李從珂到河陽，盧文紀勸其扼橋自守，李從珂不聽，認為大勢已去，闔家自焚，後唐亡。石敬瑭被契丹太宗皇帝宣布為後晉皇帝，入洛陽，接管後唐領地。

後晉年間

石敬瑭進入洛陽，大赦後唐官員，將他們留在政府內。盧文紀卻被罷相為吏部尚書。天福二年（937年）五月，再遷太子少傅。石敬瑭侄石重貴繼位後，于開運元年（944年）八月改盧文紀為太子太傅。

後漢年間

後漢高祖劉知遠登基，天福十二年（947年）十月，盧文紀轉太子太師。當時，都城在開封，但很多不直接參與朝政的官員分司在洛陽，雖有留台御史，紀綱卻多不整肅。于是劉知遠敕盧文紀別令檢轄。侍御史趙礪上表列舉分司朝臣中有稱病過分請假者。盧文紀令朝士不得出城制置，趙礪懷恨，意圖以此歸咎盧文紀。樞密使楊邠聞之，怒，令趙礪所彈劾的官員致仕。盧文紀和楊邠在此事上有分歧，又因病請假，正好因此被御史彈劾，被令以本官致仕。

後周年間

後周太祖郭威登基後，遣使到盧文紀家，拜為司空。同年夏，盧文紀卒，贈司徒，輟視朝一日。盧文紀平生積財巨萬，但死後，其子盧龜齡不數年間就將其花完，于是積蓄很多的人多以他為戒。

注釋及參考文獻