It is not known when Doulu Zhuan was born. His family was, according to the Old Book of Tang, from the Hedong region — i.e., modernShanxi — but, according to the New Book of Tang, from Henan Municipality — i.e., the region of the Tang Dynasty eastern capital Luoyang. All that was recorded about his ancestry was that his grandfather Doulu Yuan and father Doulu Ji passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class, as the table of the chancellors' family trees in the New Book of Tang did not include his family, as it only listed, among the Doulus, the earlier chancellor Doulu Qinwang, and did not indicate that there was any relations between Doulu Qinwang and Doulu Zhuan.
Doulu Zhuan passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class himself in 859, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong. Little was said in his biographies about his subsequent career, however, until the end of the Xiantong era of Emperor Xuānzong's son and successor Emperor Yizong, when he became Bingbu Yuanwailang, a low-level official at the ministry of defense. He thereafter served as Hubu Langzhong, a supervisory official at the ministry of census, and was put in charge of drafting edicts. He thereafter was made an imperial scholar and Zhongshu Sheren, a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government. During the Qianfu era of Emperor Yizong's son and successor Emperor Xizong, he was made deputy minister of census and chief imperial scholar.
Chancellorship
In 878, when Emperor Xizong decided to remove the chancellors Zheng Tian and Lu Xi over a violent argument that Zheng and Lu had with each other, both Doulu Zhuan and Cui Hang were made chancellors to succeed Zheng and Lu, with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi. After Lu was restored to the chancellorship in 879, though, Lu was clearly the leader among the chancellors, and Doulu was described as simply following Lu's lead on policies. Further, when Cui would have policy suggestions, Doulu often stopped him from presenting them. By this point, Tang was facing the increasing threat of the agrarian rebel Huang Chao. By late 880, Huang had crossed Huai Riverfrom the south and was heading toward Luoyang and Chang'an. Prior to Huang's doing so, Doulu had suggested agreeing to an offer Huang had made — that he be given the military governorship of his home territory, Tianping Circuit — and then, once Huang went to Tianping to take over the circuit, attack him there. Lu opposed this proposal, however, believing that the Tang forces at Huai River would be sufficient to stop Huang's advance, and Emperor Xizong agreed with Lu. Instead, though, Tang forces were repeatedly defeated by Huang, who then captured Luoyang. Doulu and Cui suggested sending forces to defendTong Pass to stop Huang's advance toward Chang'an, but both of them were also suggesting that the contingency plan made by the powerful eunuchTian Lingzi — that Emperor Xizong flee to the Sanchuan region be implemented. After Huang captured Tong Pass and approached Chang'an, Emperor Xizong fled toward Xichuan Circuit, where Tian's brother Chen Jingxuan was military governor. Doulu and Cui, for reasons unknown, were unable to follow Emperor Xizong's flight, and they, along with the former chancellor Liu Ye, hid at the mansion of the general Zhang Zhifang, who had outwardly submitted to Huang upon Huang's entry into Chang'an but was hiding many Tang officials at his mansion. As Qi forces sought to find hiding Tang officials, however, Liu, Doulu, and Cui tried to flee, but were captured. Refusing to submit to Huang, they were executed. Doulu Zhuan's nephew Doulu Ge later served as a chancellor during the succeeding Later Tang.
