Background

Li Cheng was probably born in about 766. He was a fifth-generation descendant of Li Shenfu (李神符) the Prince of Xiangyi, who was a cousin of Tang Dynasty's founding emperor Emperor Gaozu. His grandfather Li Bo (李柏) served as the minister of husbandry, and his father Li Su (李鷫) served as a prefectural prefect.

In 796, Li Cheng passed the imperial examinations as a Jinshi, and further passed a special examination in grand speech. Thereafter, he served on the staff of several military governors (Jiedushi). In 804, he returned to the capital Chang'an to serve as an imperial chancellor with the title Jiancha Yushi (監察御史), and later that year became an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi). After then-reigning Emperor Dezong died in 805 and was succeeded by his son Emperor Shunzong, Li was pushed out of the office of the imperial scholars by fellow imperial scholar Wang Shuwen, a trusted advisor to Emperor Shunzong, and he thereafter served three terms as low-level officials in various ministries.

During the reigns of Emperors Xianzong and Muzong

During the middle of the Yuanhe era (806-820) of Emperor Shunzong's son Emperor Xianzong, Li Cheng was sent out to Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan) to serve as the military commander of the circuit. In 815, he was recalled to Chang'an to serve as the deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and also became in charge of drafting imperial edicts. When the general Han Hong was made the overall commander of Emperor Xianzong's campaign against the warlord Wu Yuanji that year, Li was sent to the battlefront to declare Han's commission. In 816, he was made Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), as well as acting mayor of the capital municipality Jingzhao (京兆). In 817, he was responsible for the imperial examinations that year. In 818, he was made the deputy minister of rites (禮部侍郎, Lǐbu Shilang), but was soon made the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of Eyue Circuit (鄂岳, headquartered in modern Wuhan, Hubei), as well as the prefect of Eyue's capital E Prefecture (鄂州). At a later point, he was recalled to serve as the deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Lìbu Shilang, note different tone), and created the Baron of Weiyuan.

During the reign of Emperor Jingzong

In 824, shortly after the death of Emperor Xianzong's son and successor Emperor Muzong and succession by Emperor Muzong's son Emperor Jingzong, Li Cheng, who was then still the deputy minister of civil service affairs, was given the additional designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. (It was said that Li Cheng was named because Emperor Jingzong inquired of another chancellor, Li Fengji, of who might be appropriate chancellors; Li Fengji listed a number of officials, and of Li Fengji's list, Li Cheng was listed first, and so was made chancellor.) At that time, Emperor Jingzong, who was young, wanted to build and rebuild many palaces. Li Cheng pointed out that Emperor Jingzong was still new to the throne and still in the mourning period for Emperor Muzong, and that it was inappropriate for him to undertake these construction projects. Under his suggestion, the raw material that Emperor Jingzong had gathered were diverted to repair the various imperial tombs. Li Cheng also suggested, along with Wei Chuhou, that the senior official Pei Du, who had been ejected out of the capital due to discord with Li Fengji, be honored, and under Wei's and Li Cheng's suggestion, Emperor Jingzong gave Pei an honorary chancellor title. Li Cheng also suggested that imperial scholars be appointed to attend to Emperor Jingzong in his studies. It was said that Li Cheng was eloquent and calculating, and he was able to change Emperor Jingzong's mind. He was soon made Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau, and created the greater title of Duke of Pengyuan, while continuing to serve as chancellor.

In 825, there was an incident in which one Wu Zhao (武昭) was accused of threatening to kill Li Fengji. Previously, after Wu had served as a prefectural prefect, he sought a better appointment, but was given the largely powerless position of serving as secretary general to Emperor Jingzong's granduncle Li Shen (李紳) the Prince of Yuan. Li Cheng, who was friendly with Wu, wanted to give Wu a more useful position, but Li Fengji, who by that point was no longer friendly to Li Cheng, opposed, and Li Cheng's relative Li Rengshu (李仍叔) informed Wu of this. Once, when Wu became drunk, he made the remark to his friend Mao Hui (茅彙) that he was going to kill Li Fengji. When this was reported, Wu was arrested. Li Fengji's follower Li Zhongyan suggested to Mao that, if Mao was willing to implicate Li Cheng, he would be rewarded. Mao refused. As a result of the subsequent investigations, Wu was executed by caning; Li Rengshu was demoted; and Li Zhongyan and Mao were exiled.

In 826, Li Cheng was relieved of his post as chancellor (although he continued to hold the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi designation as an honorary title), and made the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), as well as the mayor of its capital Taiyuan Municipality.

During the reign of Emperor Wenzong

In 830, by which time Emperor Jingzong's brother Emperor Wenzong was emperor, Li Cheng was made the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) as well as mayor of its capital Hezhong Municipality, and he continued to carry the honorary Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi title. In 832, he was given the honorary title of acting Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies). Soon thereafter, he was recalled to Chang'an to serve as Zuo Pushe (左僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). Emperor Wenzong had, recently prior to the commission, issued an edict that when the Pushe took office, all of the imperial officials were to formally congratulate him, and the officials of the fourth rank or below (in Tang's system of nine ranks for officials) were all to bow to him, and Wang Ya and Dou Yizhi, who had recently received Pushe commissions, accepted the grand ceremonial bows. Li did not find this appropriate, and requested reconsideration. The executive bureau's secretary general Li Han (李漢) also found the ceremonies to be too serious, but Emperor Wenzong nevertheless ordered the ceremonial bows be carried out. Meanwhile, it was said that Li Cheng was talented and learned, but was seen as frivolous, careless, and overly humorous, and therefore did not have a good reputation despite his high position.

In 833, Li Cheng was again sent out of the capital to serve as the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan), as well as the prefect of its capital Bian Prefecture (汴州); he also continued to carry the honorary title of acting Sikong. In 835, he was again the military governor of Hezhong and the mayor of Hezhong, and was given the honorary title of acting Situ (司徒, also one of the Three Excellencies). In 836, he was recalled to Chang'an to serve as You Pushe (右僕射), the other head of the executive bureau, as well as acting minister of worship (太常卿, Taichang Qing). He soon thereafter also assumed the post of acting minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu) and was in charge of selecting officials. In 837, he was sent out to serve as the military governor of Shannan East Circuit (山南東道, headquartered in modern Xiangfan, Hubei) and the prefect of its capital Xiang Prefecture (襄州), carrying the acting Situ title. In 841 he served as defender of Luoyang. While he presumably died in office at the age of 76 before 842 when Niu Sengru was appointed as the new defender of Luoyang, it was not explicitly indicated when he died. He was posthumously honored as Taibao and given a posthumous name Miu (缪).

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 167.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 131.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 243, 244.

背景

李程可能生于大曆元年（766年）。他是唐朝開國之君唐高祖堂弟襄邑王李神符的五世孫。祖父李柏任太僕卿，父李鷫，滁州刺史。

貞元十二年（796年），李程中進士，又通過宏辭科考試，作賦《日五色》，以語言警策拔俗為士人所推，後擔任一些節度使的幕僚。調藍田尉，獨自宣判了積壓十年的案子。二十年（804年）因京兆府考功第一，回京城長安任監察御史，五月以承務郎監察御史里行身份參與祭奠御史中丞李汶，十一月又奉召充翰林學士。唐德宗季秋出獵，覺得冷，看著左右說：「九月穿衫，二月穿袍，不是順時。朕欲改月，怎麼樣？」左右稱好，唯獨李程說：「玄宗著《月令》，十月才穿裘，不可改。」德宗急忙停止。學士入官署，常觀察日影判斷時間，李程性懶，太陽過了八磚才到，時人號「八磚學士」。二十一年（805年），德宗崩，子唐順宗繼位，李程被順宗信任的同僚王叔文排擠出翰林院，三度遷為司勛員外郎。宦官劉貞亮等奏請立皇長子廣陵王李淳為皇太子，勾當軍國大事，順宗同意，劉貞亮便召學士衛次公、鄭絪、李程、王涯入金鑾殿，草立儲君詔。李淳即唐憲宗。

唐憲宗、唐穆宗年間

唐憲宗元和三年（808年）七月，知制誥，出為隋州刺史，因能治理，賜金紫服。五年後，除郎中。元和中期，被西川節度使李夷簡（813年—818年在任）闢為成都少尹、御史中丞、節度行軍司馬。十年（815年）三月，被召回長安任兵部郎中，知制誥。同年，憲宗伐自稱淮西節度使的軍閥吳元濟，以宣武節度使韓弘為淮西都統，李程被派往汴州前線宣賜官告。十一年（816年），他被任為中書舍人，不早于當年十一月權知京兆尹事。十二年（817年），權知禮部貢舉。同年，監察御史韋楚材被貶，因他與宰相裴度交好而裴度又與同僚宰相李逢吉不合，憲宗召給事中張賈及李程、御史中丞韋乾度、比部郎中兼侍御史知雜宋景及韋楚材、御史崔鄯訊問。十三年（818年）四月，李程拜禮部侍郎，左僕射鄭餘慶受任為禮樂詳定使，奏刑部侍郎韓愈與李程為副使。六月，李程出為鄂州刺史、鄂岳觀察使。十四年（819年）二月，白居易作詩《行次夏口先寄李大夫》。當年劉禹錫也曾作《為鄂州李大夫祭柳員外文》祭奠柳宗元。十五年（820年）韓愈作《除官赴闕至江州寄鄂岳李大夫》。三月，唐穆宗從李程所請，罷中州歲貢茶，減輕人力勞損。

唐敬宗年間

長慶元年（821年），劉禹錫又作《鄂渚留別李二十一表臣大夫》。二年十二月末，李程又被召回任吏部侍郎，封渭源縣男，食邑三百戶。

四年（824年），唐穆宗崩，正月，其子唐敬宗繼位不久，五月，李程以正議大夫、尚書吏部侍郎、上柱國、渭源縣開國男、食邑三百戶、賜紫金魚袋守本官，授同中書門下平章事，為實質宰相。當時，唐敬宗問李逢吉誰堪為宰相，李逢吉列舉了一批官員，將李程列在首位，故被拜為宰相。當時敬宗年輕，想建造和重建宮室。李程指出敬宗新立，尚在穆宗喪期，展開這些工程不妥。在他的建議下，敬宗收集來的木石被用來修皇陵。六月，李程還和韋處厚建議對因和李逢吉不和被逐出京的高官裴度加禮，在他們建議下，敬宗加裴度宰相榮銜同平章事。李程還奏請設置侍講學士。李程善辯且多智算，能改變敬宗的心思。不久拜中書侍郎，十二月進爵彭原郡公，仍居相位。

寶曆元年（825年）四月，敬宗受尊號，大赦天下。李程攝中書令、讀冊官，獲賜一子出身。同年，宰相李逢吉、竇易直、李程在延英殿談及鄠縣令崔發拖拽中人獲罪之事，奏稱崔發雖犯大不敬，但崔發母是已故宰相韋貫之的姐姐，年已八十，自崔發下獄以來積憂成疾，請求恩宥崔發。敬宗這才知崔發有老母，立即遣中使送崔發回家並撫問崔母韋夫人。十月，攝太尉，充使，于孟冬時節薦獻大聖祖于太清宮。

同年，陳留人武昭被控恫嚇要殺李逢吉。武昭先前曾任石州刺史，想尋求更好的任命，卻被授以權力少很多的敬宗叔祖父袁王李紳府長史。李程與武昭交好，想給他一個更有用的職位；但李逢吉此時已不複和李程為友，反對，李程的族人水部郎中李仍叔告知武昭。一次武昭喝醉了，對朋友左金吾兵曹茅匯說要殺了李逢吉。九月，事發，武昭被拘。李逢吉黨羽前河陽掌書記李仲言對茅匯說，如果供出李程和武昭同謀，可以得生，反之必死。茅匯拒絕。調查結束後，武昭被杖殺，李仍叔貶道州司馬，李仲言流放象州，茅匯流放崖州。

二年（826年），李程召同年進士鄭州刺史張仲方為右諫議大夫。二月，李程攝中書令受冊，于正衙宣詔。九月，李程被罷相，儘管仍保有同中書門下平章事為榮銜，出任檢校兵部尚書、太原尹、北京留守、河東節度使。任上，表侍御史盧簡辭為節度判官。

唐文宗年間

敬宗弟唐文宗太和三年（829年）六月，奏得自稱成德節度使的王廷湊書信，請納景州；又奏魏博叛將亓志紹自縊。四年（830年）三月，李程被任為檢校尚書左僕射、兼河中尹、河中晉絳慈隰等州節度使，仍保有同中書門下平章事銜。六年（832年），加檢校司空榮銜。七月，召回長安任左僕射。此前，文宗剛下令，僕射上任，所有朝臣正式歡迎，四品及以下官員要向他下拜，早先拜為僕射的王涯和竇易直都享受過了這種盛大的待遇。李程認為不妥，請求文宗重新考慮。八月，御史中丞李漢也認為這個儀式太嚴肅，但文宗仍命下拜儀式如此進行。李程能幹博學，為文宗所禮遇，文宗說他「高飛之翮，長者在前。卿朝廷羽翮也」。但儘管身居高位，卻落下了放蕩、不拘小節、過分滑稽的名聲。

七年（833年）七月，李程與御史大夫鄭覃奉命同去尚書省疏理諸司囚徒。當月，他又一次被遣出長安，任檢校司空、兼汴州刺史、宣武軍節度使。八月，兼充亳州太清宮使，修葺因水災損毀的太清宮。九年（835年）六月，再任河中晉絳節度使，加檢校司徒。開成元年（836年）閏五月，召回長安任右僕射，兼判太常卿事。為河東節度使李載義作紀功碑文。十一月，兼判吏部尚書銓事。二年（837年）二月（一作三月），授檢校司徒，出為襄州刺史、山南東道節度使。李商隱《樊南文集補編》有《上漢南李相公狀》。三年（838年），張祜作《戊午年感事書懷二百韻謹寄獻太原裴令公淮南李相公漢南李僕射宣武李尚書》。唐武宗繼位後，會昌元年（841年）二月，賜開府儀同三司、左衛上將軍兼內謁者監仇士良紀功碑，詔時任右僕射的李程作文。當年，為東都留守。任內加張季戎留守討擊使兼河陰鹽鐵留後。李程卒年七十七，贈太保，有司謚繆。而二年（842年）太子太傅牛僧孺被任為東都留守，李程或即在此前于任上去世。

作品

• 《李程表狀》一卷

• 《李程集》一卷

• :s:漢章帝白虎殿觀諸儒講五經賦（以「高會群儒，討論正義」為韻）

• :s:鳳巢阿閣賦（以「天下清泰，神物來萃」為韻）

• :s:華清宮望幸賦（以題為韻）

• :s:揠苗賦（以「時貴順成，非由速致」為韻）

• :s:漢文帝罷露台賦（以「百金休功，萬國從化」為韻）

• :s:黃目樽賦（以「禮尚治情，酌中形外」為韻）

• :s:迎長日賦（以「三王郊禮，日用夏正」為韻）

• :s:石鏡賦（以「清光內朗，稟之媚然」為韻）

• :s:太常釋奠觀古樂賦（以「聲淫及商，武亂偕坐」為韻）

• :s:大合樂賦（以「王者之政，備於樂聲」為韻）

• :s:披沙揀金賦（以「求寶之道，同乎選才」為韻）

• :s:金受礪賦（以「聖無全功，必資佐輔」為韻）

• :s:蒙泉賦

• :s:青出於藍賦（以「純粹積中，英華發外」為韻）

• :s:破鏡飛上天賦（以「青天流魄，玉戶失顏」為韻）

• :s:眾星拱北賦（以「人歸政德，如彼眾星」為韻）

• :s:眾星拱北賦（其二。以「人歸政德，如彼眾星」為韻）

• :s:攻堅木賦（以「學者攻藝，必求至精」為韻）

• :s:刻桐為魚扣石鼓賦（以「感通難測，萬里相符」為韻）

• :s:故鐘于宮賦（以「喻以鼓鐘，自中形外」為韻）

• :s:日五色賦（以「日麗九華，聖符土德」為韻）

• :s:匏賦（以五音克諧次用為韻）

• :s:竹箭有筠賦

• :s:衣錦褧衣賦（以「君子之道，暗然日章」為韻）

• :s:月照寒泉賦（以「秋月清明，夜泉澄澈」為韻）

• :s:河東節度使太原尹贈太尉李光顏神道碑

評價

• 《舊唐書》

　• 史臣曰：程不持士范，歿獲醜名。君子操修，豈宜容易！

　• 贊曰：程、（宋申）錫弼諧，于道難周。

• 《新唐書》贊曰：唐宰相以宗室進者九人。……李程和柔，在位無所發明。

子孫

• 武寧軍節度使、檢校工部尚書李廓

　• 李濟

　　• 李昌符，字巖夢

　• 萬年尉、直史館李書，字貞耀

• 華陽令李庇

• 太子中允李慶

• 祕書省祕書郎李庠

• 太子通事舍人李廡

注釋及參考文獻