Before serving as chancellor

Lü Yin was born in 712, around the time when Emperor Xuanzong became emperor. His family was from Pu Prefecture (蒲州, roughly modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) and traced its ancestry to the ruling Jiang clan of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period. Lü himself was said to be ambitious and studious in his youth, but was poor and could not support himself. A wealthy man from his locale, Cheng Chubin (程楚賔) was impressed with Lü's talent and believed that he would one day be successful, and Cheng decided to give his daughter to Lü in marriage. After the marriage, both Cheng Chubin and his son Cheng Zhen (程震) supported Lü financially, allowing Lü to visit the Tang Dynasty capital Chang'an.

Early in Emperor Xuanzong's Tianbao era (742-756), Lü passed the imperial examinations and was made the sheriff of Ningling County. The surveyor of the circuit, Wei Zhi (韋陟), was impressed with Lü's talent and recommended him to serve as deputy surveyor. Later, Geshu Han, the military governor (jiedushi) of Longyou (隴右, headquartered in modern Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai) and Hexi (河西, headquartered in modern Wuwei, Gansu) Circuits invited him to serve on staff as treasurer. While serving under Geshu, it was said that Lü was careful and hardworking, and at times, when his colleagues would be spending time out of the office, Lü would be in his office to review the files. This diligence caused Geshu to favor him more.

In 755, the general An Lushan rebelled at Fanyang Circuit (范陽, headquartered in modern Beijing) and quickly attacked south, capturing the Tang eastern capital Luoyang and establishing a new state of Yan. Geshu was commissioned to try to block Yan advances at Tong Pass, but was defeated there in 756, forcing Emperor Xuanzong to flee Chang'an to Chengdu. Emperor Xuanzong's son and crown prince Li Heng, however, did not follow him to Chengdu, but instead fled to Lingwu, where he was proclaimed emperor (as Emperor Suzong), an action that Emperor Xuanzong later recognized. Lü, who had been still serving under Geshu at the time Geshu was defeated, fled to Lingwu as well. After the eunuchs Zhu Guanghui (朱光輝) and Li Zunzou (李遵驟) recommended him, Emperor Suzong met him and was impressed with him, and thus made him deputy chief imperial censor (御史中丞, Yushi Zhongcheng), often listening to his advice. After Emperor Suzong moved his headquarters to Fengxiang (鳳翔, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi) in 757, he made Lü the deputy minister of defense (武部侍郎, Wubu Shilang) and further allowed Lü to wear a gold and purple robe, generally reserved for higher-ranking officials. After Emperor Suzong recaptured Chang'an and Luoyang later in 757, Lü was one of the officials, along with Li Xian and Cui Qi (崔器), who adjudicated the cases of former Tang officials who had submitted to Yan as subjects. It was said that both Lü and Cui were harsh while Li Xian was more merciful, and that Lü's harshness brought much disdain for him.

As chancellor

In spring 759, Lü Yin, then still deputy minister of defense, was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, making him a chancellor de facto, and he was also made in charge of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng) even though he carried no official responsibility at the examination bureau. (This was part of a reorganization of Emperor Suzong's administration, as Emperor Suzong simultaneously also made Li Xian, Li Kui, and Diwu Qi chancellors while removing Miao Jinqing and Wang Yu.) In summer 759, after his mother died, he left public service briefly, but was recalled to the same posts three months later, and was additionally given the office of special taxation emissary (度支使, Duzhi Shi). He was also created the Count of Xuchang and made Huangmen Shilang, the deputy head of the examination bureau. In early 760, Emperor Suzong gave him the greater chancellor de facto designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin and awarded him a ceremonial ji (halberd). Lü, believing it to be inappropriate to receive such honors in mourning clothes, took off his mourning clothes—and this drew much criticism from others.

During the time that Lü served as chancellor, he drew further criticism by making his father-in-law Cheng Chubin a deputy minister and brother-in-law Cheng Zhen a junior official. Further, he had a close association with the eunuch Ma Shangyan. When Ma received the bribe from a reserve official who sought to be the sheriff of Lantian County (藍田, near Chang'an), he requested Lü to make that person the sheriff of Lantian County. Lü did so. When this was discovered in summer 760, Emperor Suzong, in anger, battered Ma to death and had Ma's subordinates consume his flesh. Lü was not killed, but was removed from his chancellor position, to serve on the staff of Emperor Suzong's crown prince Li Yu instead.

After serving as chancellor

Two months later, Lü Yin was made the secretary general at Jing Prefecture (荊州, roughly modern Jingzhou, Hubei), as well as the military governor of the five surrounding prefectures. Once he was at Jing Prefecture, he requested that Emperor Suzong designate the prefectural capital Jiangling as a special municipality and the southern capital. Emperor Suzong agreed and converted Jing Prefecture into Jiangling Municipality, making Lü its mayor. Further, at Lü's request, he also ordered 3,000 soldiers to be stationed at Jiangling to block off any potential rebellions in the region. Further, he also added seven prefectures to Lü's area of responsibility.

Prior to Lü's arrival, his office was occupied by the general Zhang Weiyi. Zhang, however, was often intimidated by his subordinate Chen Xi'ang -- who controlled his own private army at his home prefecture of Heng Prefecture (near modern Hengyang, Hunan) and ruled it as a private fief. On one occasion, Chen, who had an enmity with his colleague Mou Suijin (牟遂金), took his own soldiers into Zhang's mansion, demanding that Zhang order Mou beheaded. Zhang, in fear, ordered Mou's execution, and thereafter, Chen dominated the affairs at headquarters. When Lü arrived at his post, he initially ingratiated Chen by recommending him for promotion, and then killed him by a surprise attack. Lü was thereafter able to control headquarters.

On another occasion, there had been a sorcerer Shen Taizhi (申泰芝), who ingratiated the powerful eunuch Li Fuguo by using sorcery on Li Fuguo's behalf. Through Li Fuguo's influence, Shen was made a commanding army officer at Dao Prefecture (道州, in modern Yongzhou, Hunan). Shen was corrupt and extorted much wealth from the local non-Han population. Pang Chengding (龐承鼎), the prefect of nearby Tan Prefecture (in modern Changsha, Hunan), had long been angry about Shen's corruption, and on one occasion, when Shen was in Tan Prefecture, Pang apprehended him and seized the ill-gotten gains, and then submitted an accusation against Shen. Both Shen and Pang were taken to Chang'an, and because of Shen's association with Li Fuguo, Li Fuguo cleared him and accused Pang of false accusations. He ordered Lü to investigate. Lü had his subordinate Yan Ying (嚴郢) investigate and submit a report clearing Pang and confirming Shen's guilt. Emperor Suzong, influenced greatly by Li Fuguo, however, ordered Pang executed and Yan exiled. Lü strenuously objected, despite the dangers in doing so, but was unable to save Pang or Yan at that point; this, however, made people much more respectful of Lü, and ultimately, Shen's guilt was shown, and he was executed while Pang was posthumously restored.

While Lü was chancellor, he had a poor relationship with his colleague Li Kui. As Lü gained a good reputation while at Jing Prefecture, Li Kui was displeased. Li Kui therefore proposed that armies under Lü's command be disbanded, arguing that the region did not need soldiers, and also often sent examiners to Lü's region of responsibility, seeking to find Lü's faults. Lü reported this to Emperor Suzong and defended himself. As a result, Li Kui was removed from his chancellor position and demoted to be a prefect. Lü died in 762 and was given posthumous honors.

The New Book of Tang had this commentary about Lü:

While serving at Jing Prefecture, Lü also heard about the talents of the officials Du Hongjian and Yuan Zai and recommended them. Both later became chancellors.

拜相前

呂諲生于唐玄宗登基前後的先天元年（712年），蒲州人氏，是春秋時期姜姓齊國的後裔。呂諲年少時有大志，好學，但家貧不能自給。同鄉富人程楚賓被呂諲的才華打動，相信他將來能出人頭地，把女兒嫁給了呂諲，並和兒子程震一起資助他，使他聲譽日廣，也得以在開元末年遊歷京城長安。

玄宗天寶（742年 - 756年）初年，呂諲中進士，調授寧陵尉。採訪使韋陟欣賞呂諲的才華，署任他為支使。天寶十三載（754年）三月，隴右、河西節度使哥舒翰邀請呂諲任度支判官。累兼衛佐、太子通事舍人。在哥舒翰手下，呂諲謹慎而努力地工作，在當時就知道諸將的長處和短處。有時同僚們都出去游賞了，他還在官署複查文件。他的勤勉使哥舒翰更喜歡他了。累兼虞部員外郎、殿中侍御史。

十四載（755年），安祿山在范陽叛亂並迅速南進，攻陷唐朝東都洛陽，建立大燕。哥舒翰奉命前往潼關阻擊，卻在十六載（756年）戰敗，唐玄宗只得棄長安逃往成都。但太子李亨沒有隨駕，而是逃往靈武稱帝，即唐肅宗，唐玄宗後來也予以認可。當哥舒翰戰敗時，呂諲仍在他帳下，至德元載（756年）七月也騎馬西逃到靈武行在。在宦官中人尉朱光輝和李遵驟推薦下，肅宗召見了呂諲，欣賞他有才，超拜他為御史中丞，對他的進奏無不允准。呂諲與逃奔靈武的奉先令崔器關係好，引為御史中丞兼戶部侍郎。二載（757年），肅宗移駕鳳翔府，任呂諲為武部侍郎，允許他穿高官的金紫袍服。十月，肅宗收複長安、洛陽，設置三司使，以御史大夫兼京兆尹李峴、呂諲、崔器、刑部侍郎兼御史中丞韓擇木、大理卿嚴向五人為之，處置投降大燕的原唐朝官員。呂諲又薦崔器為吏部侍郎、御史大夫。十二月，呂諲受命和時任禮部尚書李峴同為詳理使，與崔器等官員一同負責處置陷燕罪臣。呂諲和崔器嚴厲，上言都應處死，肅宗幾乎同意，而李峴比他們識大體，也較為仁慈，爭執稱「諲、器守文，不達大體」。最終肅宗從李峴議，對這些官員以六等定罪，保全了很多人，如因故宰相張說于肅宗有舊恩，其子燕中書令張均得免死。呂諲的嚴厲為自己招來了多人的鄙視。李峴也因此聲譽高于呂諲、崔器。

呂諲為河隴判官時，善于看相的金梁鳳也在河隴，對他說：「判官的骨相，應該做宰相。吃一大驚怖，就得。」大約乾元元年（758年），呂諲至驛站，責讓驛長，笞打之。有驛吏是武將，性粗猛，持弓箭突入射呂諲兩箭，幾乎中其面，呂諲跳牆得免。報知金梁鳳，金梁鳳說：「這必是要入相了。」

拜相

乾元二年（759年）三月，呂諲在武部侍郎任上被授同中書門下平章事，為實質宰相，知門下省事，儘管他本人並未在門下省任職。這是肅宗重組政府工作的一部分，肅宗同時也任李峴、李揆、第五琦為相而罷免了原宰相苗晉卿、王璵。累加銀青光祿大夫、東平男。李峴位望稍高，軍國大事公卿不敢言，都獨決于李峴，呂諲等因此不平懷恨。七月，呂諲薦時任太常卿的韋陟為禮部尚書、東京留守，判尚書省事，兼東京畿觀察處置等使。同月，呂諲因丁母憂而去職，但十月即被起複原職，十二月，兼任度支使，代第五琦。封爵須昌縣伯，任黃門侍郎。上元元年（760年）初，肅宗將呂諲的宰相銜升為同中書門下三品，賜門戟。有人對呂諲說不宜身著喪服接受如此吉慶之事，呂諲于是暫時褪去縗麻喪服，當中拜受，人們都笑他失禮。

呂諲拜相時，任岳父程楚賓為衛尉少卿，內兄弟程震為員外郎，更加招致了批評，他本人又和出納詔命的宦官馬上言（或作馬尚言）關係親密。有人為了當藍田尉而行賄馬上言，呂諲在馬上言要求下就補那人為藍田尉。五月，事發，肅宗震怒，笞殺馬上言，讓其從官分食其肉。呂諲沒有被殺，但被罷相，貶為太子李豫的賓客。

拜相後

七月，授呂諲荊州大都督府長史、兼御史大夫，充澧、朗、忠、硤五州節度觀察處置等使。八月，他剛到荊州，便請求肅宗將軍部江陵改成府並定為南都。九月，肅宗同意了，于是升江陵為江陵府，以呂諲為府尹。在呂諲要求下，他還派置永平軍團練兵三千駐守江陵，以遏吳、蜀之衝，防當地發生叛亂。因呂諲稱本鎮無兵，在泌陽有兵的監察御史里行元結被進為水部員外郎，佐呂諲。呂諲又奏取有才者數十人總管牙兵，威惠兩行。二年（761年）正月，奏請將岳、潭、衡、連、道、邵、永、郴和黔中的涪州共九州劃給江陵府，增置永平軍萬人，獲准。又從江陵府析置長寧縣。

呂諲任相時與同僚李揆不合。二月，呂諲在荊州得到美譽後，李揆不快，擔心他再入相，聲稱湖南不需要士兵，建議解散呂諲手下的軍隊，還派人來刺探呂諲的過錯。呂諲上奏肅宗為自己辯解並彈劾李揆。最後李揆被罷相貶為袁州長史。

奏于灌陽縣故城複置其縣。

呂諲的前任荊州長史張惟一也是防禦使，被屬下司馬陳希昂威脅。陳希昂是衡州蠻酋，有私軍千人，把衡州當作自己的私人封地來管治。一次，他因和張惟一親將牟遂金不和，率部卒闖入張惟一的官邸，要他下令處決牟遂金。張惟一出于恐懼下令處決了牟遂金，從此陳希昂掌控了荊州軍政。呂諲到任後，先討好陳希昂，上表薦舉他去長安為侍御史，出為常州刺史、本州防禦使，卻在其行經江陵拜謁時伏兵突然將其襲殺，盡斬其部下數十人，積尸于府門。府中懾服，呂諲才奏其罪。呂諲自此得以控制江陵府。表大理司直嚴郢為判官。

當時又有妖人申泰芝以妖術諂事權勢宦官李輔國，被任為道州軍校。申泰芝為官腐敗，向當地群蠻勒索財物。鄰近的潭州刺史龐承鼎對他早有不滿，趁他來潭州時將他拘押，起獲贓物，上表彈劾。申、龐都被帶到長安，李輔國不但撇清自己，還反誣龐承鼎，命呂諲調查。呂諲命判官、監察御史嚴郢調查後上疏為龐承鼎辯白，証實申泰芝有罪。但肅宗深受李輔國蠱惑，下令賜死龐承鼎，流放嚴郢到建州。呂諲堅決反對，不顧危險，雖沒法幫到龐、嚴二人，卻贏得了百姓的尊敬，其守正剛斷不撓得到人們看重。最後，申泰芝罪行大白而伏誅，龐承鼎得以平反。

寶應元年（762年），肅宗召山南東道節度使來瑱赴京師，來瑱樂于在軍部襄陽，也為將士所愛，就指使所部將吏上表留之，行到鄧州，肅宗複令他還鎮。呂諲、淮西節度使王仲昇及往來中使說：「來瑱曲收眾心，恐久後難制。」于是肅宗割商、金、均、房四州另置觀察使，以來瑱為鄧州刺史，只領六個州。當時王仲昇被燕帝史朝義將謝欽讓圍攻數月，呂諲已久病，來瑱懷恨不救，三月，王仲昇兵敗被俘。之前，二月，呂諲已卒，贈吏部尚書，謚肅。時嚴郢為度支員外郎，請謚以二字「忠肅」，太常博士獨孤及堅議以「肅」字為當，獲准。呂諲治理江陵三年，號為良守。起初郡人為他立生祠，呂諲死後一年多，江陵將吏合錢十萬，于府西高爽乾燥的地方大立祠宇，四時祠禱。元結作《呂公表》以示哀悼。《輿地碑記目》卷二《江陵府碑記》有《唐江陵尹呂諲廟碑》《唐江陵尹呂公表》，並注引《集古錄》稱是元結所撰。

《新唐書》如是評價呂諲：

「呂諲為相時，不稱職。但到了荊州以後，號令明確，賦稅合理。治理時崇尚威信，所以軍士用命，全境沒有盜賊，百姓也歌詠他。自至德（肅宗繼位初的年號，756年 - 758年）以來的幾十個地方官中，呂諲最有名聲。他在世時荊州百姓就為他建了祠堂，他死後下屬為他建了一個更大的。」

在荊州期間，呂諲了解到杜鴻漸和元載的才幹，舉薦他們，後來他們都成為宰相。其幕府還曾有時任尚書郎的源休等。呂諲去世當年五月，時任中書侍郎的元載即代其為度支使。元結後來作《舉呂著作狀》舉薦呂諲時任秘書省著作郎的侄子呂季重時，稱呂諲「立身無私，歷官清儉，身歿之後，家無餘財」。呂諲死後四年，有人提出給呂諲改謚號。

軼聞

• 《廣異記》記載呂諲曾夢見被地府追魂見判官，判官說呂諲功業高，不能為地府所用。呂諲說自己母親老，兒子小，家裡無主，請求放過。這時閻王得知蒯適可以代替呂諲為地府做事，就放了呂諲。呂諲醒後，和同住的妻兄顧況說了這件事。數十日後，蒯適攝吳縣丞，沒有疾病，顧況因而數次戲笑呂諲。一個多月後，蒯適罷官，在吳郡積善里修房子，忽然有走卒衝入，說已故的丁仙芝要傳他參見，蒯適請求讓其他人代替，未果，得了病，數日後死了。

作品

• 《蓂莢賦（以呈瑞聖朝為韻）》

• 《霍山神傳》

家庭

家世

• 六世祖：呂珪，河東太守

• 高祖：呂休，陝州副留、蒲台公

• 曾祖：呂徽，許州長社縣丞

• 祖父：呂貴成，贈尚書左丞

• 父親：呂藏元，贈鴻臚卿，開元二十四年六月四日（736年7月16日）卒，年六十八

• 母親：清河張氏，光州長史張策之女，以子貴封清河郡太夫人，乾元二年六月廿六日（759年7月24日）卒，年八十三。贈衛國太夫人

• 妻：程氏；顧氏，顧況妹

兄弟

• 兄：呂懷俊，趙王府諮議參軍，約寶應二年閏正月前過世，有墓誌銘

• 弟：呂儀，中大夫，蒲州司馬

子孫

• 子：呂仁本，磁州司馬

　• 呂璜，太子通事舍人

　　• 呂傆，吉昌令

　　• 呂傪，左衛兵曹參軍

　　• 呂俈，正平令

　　　• 呂伯禽，宣州司戶參軍

　　　• 呂時中，成武主簿

　　　• 呂絳，酇令

　• 呂琳，淄王府參軍

　　• 呂伸，試萬州長史

　　　• 呂緄，道州司功參軍

　　　• 呂綱，奉禮郎

　　　• 呂紓，左內率府兵曹參軍

　　　• 呂綸，試嘉王府參軍

　　　• 呂紡

　　　• 呂縝，奉禮郎

　　　• 呂纓

　　　• 呂綜

• 子：呂春卿，尚舍奉御

• 子：呂夏卿

• 子：呂冬卿，伊闕令

• 侄：呂季重，歙州刺史

• 侄：呂季卿，循州刺史

注釋及參考文獻