Du You

Du You (Chinese: 杜佑; pinyin: Dù Yòu; Wade–Giles: Tu Yu) (735 – December 23, 812), courtesy name Junqing (君卿), formally Duke Anjian of Qi (岐安簡公), was a Chinese historian, military general, and politician. He served as chancellor of the Tang dynasty. Du was born to an eminent aristocratic family in what is now Xi'an, Shaanxi, almost eighteen years before the abrupt rebellion of An Lushan.

Du is most often remembered for his thirty-six year compilation of the Tongdian, a historical encyclopedia of 200 sections (volumes) collecting laws, regulations, and general events from ancient times to his own. Robert G. Hoyland considers him a "political thinker on a grand scale," comparable to Ibn Khaldun.

Though he valued Confucian teachings on family relationships, Du believed they did not offer useful guidance for government policy. He was a legal specialist and expert in state finances, becoming Commissioner for Public Revenue and Salt and Iron. He is often described as a "Legalist" because of his focus on practical political planning and his strong interest in the Xunzi. He admired the ideas of Shang Yang and supported light taxation and a recommendation system for selecting government officials, similar to practices in the Han dynasty.

Writing of the Tongdian

Main article: Tongdian

Du You was inspired by a 35-volume book called the Zhengdian, written by Liu Zhi. He thought this book did not cover enough topics, so he decided to expand it. He added more information about important traditions, music, and writings from the time of Emperor Xuanzong. This new, larger book had 200 volumes. In the year 801, Du You sent his helpers with the book to the city of Chang'an to show it to Emperor Dezong. The emperor loved the book and praised it highly. The book became very popular and helped people learn about traditions, music, laws, and how the government worked. It was so detailed that it made information from the past thousand years easy to understand.

Background

Du You was born in 735 during the time of Emperor Xuanzong. He came from a well-known family in Chang'an, the capital of the Tang dynasty. His family had many leaders in government jobs going back many years in places like Chu, Qin dynasty, Han dynasty, Cao Wei, Jin dynasty (266–420), Northern Zhou, and the Tang.

Du You began his own job in government because of his family background. He first worked as a helper for the leader of a place called Ji'nan, now part of Jinan in Shandong. Later, he worked in Yan County, which is now in Shaoxing, Zhejiang. When he visited a city called Run Prefecture, now Zhenjiang in Jiangsu, he met a leader named Wei Yuanfu. Wei tested Du’s ideas and was very impressed. Wei then asked Du to help him, and Du worked with Wei in many important jobs. Eventually, Du returned to Chang'an to work in the government there. He held many different positions, including overseeing taxes and leading areas such as Nanchang in Jiangxi and Yulin in Guangxi.

During Emperor Dezong's reign

During the time when Emperor Dezong ruled, Du You was brought back to the capital city, Chang'an, by Yang Yan, who had become a top leader. Du You took on several important jobs, including overseeing food supplies from the areas near the Yangtze River and Huai River. He also helped manage the country's money.

Later, Du You was sent to lead different places. He first refused to go to one area because his mother was still alive. Then he was sent to lead Rao Prefecture and later became the military leader of Lingnan. During this time, Emperor Dezong had to leave Chang'an because of a rebellion, so some rules were not followed as usual.

Du You was called back to Chang'an in 787 to take on new duties. He led several regions and had to deal with problems when a nearby leader was killed by his own soldiers. Du You tried to take control but faced difficulties. Eventually, he was made a top leader in 802 after asking to be replaced, and he returned to Chang'an.

During Emperor Shunzong's and Emperor Xianzong's reigns

When Emperor Dezong died in 805, his son Emperor Shunzong became ruler. Du You helped guide the country for a few days until Emperor Shunzong was ready to rule fully. Du You was put in charge of the country's money matters, with another official named Wang Shuwen helping him. But when Wang Shuwen's mother passed away, he had to leave his job for a while, and his supporters lost their power.

Soon after, Emperor Shunzong, who was very sick, passed the throne to his son Emperor Xianzong. Du You reorganized how the country's money was handled, giving some duties back to other groups. After Emperor Shunzong passed away in 806, Du You again helped for a few days. Later that year, Du You asked to step down from handling the money and suggested someone else take over. He was also given an important title and made the Duke of Qi.

Because Du You was very old, Emperor Xianzong let him work less but still meet a few times a month to talk about important decisions. Du You lived in a beautiful place called Fanchuan, where he often invited other officials for meals. He advised the emperor not to attack certain tribes, suggesting kindness instead, and the emperor liked this idea.

When Du You got very sick in 812, he asked to retire for good, and the emperor agreed. Du You passed away later that year and was honored greatly after his death. His grandchildren also served important roles in the government later on.

Notes and references

The text lists sources about Du You from old books and records. These include the Old Book of Tang, vol. 147, the New Book of Tang, vol. 166, and the Zizhi Tongjian. There are also links to several volumes of the Zizhi Tongjian available online.