Pei Judao


Pei Judao was a general and official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the first reign of Emperor Ruizong.

Background

It is not known when Pei Judao was born, but it is known his family was from Jiang Prefecture. His grandfather Pei Jingmin served as the minister of defense during Tang Dynasty's predecessor Sui Dynasty, and his father Pei Xizai served as a secretary general of the executive bureau of government.
Little is known about most of Pei Judao's career, other than that, at one point during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, he served as a general commanding the imperial guards, and that Emperor Gaozong took his daughter to be the wife of Emperor Gaozong's crown prince Li Hong.

During Emperor Ruizong's reign

As of 685, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong's son Emperor Ruizong, Pei Judao was serving as the minister of justice, when Emperor Ruizong's mother, the regent Empress Dowager Wu gave Pei the designation of Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin, making him a chancellor de facto. Later that year, he was made Neishi -- the head of the legislative bureau of government and a post considered one for a chancellor. In 687, he was made Nayan -- the head of the examination bureau of government, also a post considered one for a chancellor. Around the new year 689, Empress Dowager Wu, who had by that point taken up permanent residence in the eastern capital Luoyang, made Pei the official in charge of the capital Chang'an. Sometime during his service as chancellor, she created him the Duke of Yi.
In 690, just prior to Empress Dowager Wu taking the throne herself from Emperor Ruizong as the "emperor" of her own Zhou Dynasty, interrupting Tang Dynasty, she executed a number of officials and Tang imperial clan members, including Pei. For reasons lost to history, Pei was accused by secret police and imprisoned, finally executed.