Wei Mo


Wei Mo , courtesy name Shenzhi, was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong.

Background

Wei Mo was born in 793, during the reign of Emperor Dezong. He was a fifth-generation descendant of the famed early Tang chancellor Wei Zheng, who had served a distinguished career under Emperor Taizong. Wei Mo's great-grandfather Wei Yin, grandfather Wei Ming, and father — whose name was variously given as Wei Feng or Wei Ping all served as county magistrates.

During Emperor Wenzong's reign

Wei Mo passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class in 833, during the reign of Emperor Dezong's great-great-grandson Emperor Wenzong. When the official Yang Rushi served as the prefect of Tong Prefecture, he invited Wei to serve as his secretary in his capacity as Tong Prefecture's defender. Later, when Yang was recalled to the capital Chang'an, he recommended Wei to serve as You Shiyi, a low-level advisory official at the legislative bureau of government. Knowing that Wei was a descendant of Wei Zheng's, Emperor Wenzong treated him specially. He was also much favored by the chancellors Li Guyan, Li Jue, and Yang Sifu.
After the Ganlu Incident — an incident in 835 in which Emperor Wenzong and his close associates Li Xun and Zheng Zhu unsuccessfully tried to slaughter the powerful eunuchs — Li Xun's associate Li Xiaoben, a member of the Tang imperial Li clan, was executed. Li Xiaoben's family members were seized to be servants in the army, but under Emperor Wenzong's orders, Li Xiaoben's two daughters were taken into the palace, leading to belief that Emperor Wenzong wanted to take them as concubines. Wei Mo submitted a petition in which he pointed out that even the suspicion that Emperor Wenzong would consider it — which would be a violation against Confucian regulations against endogamy — would appear inappropriate. Upon receiving Wei's petition, Emperor Wenzong immediately sent Li Xiaoben's daughters out of the palace, promoted Wei to the higher office of You Bujue, and issued an edict in which he greatly praised Wei and compared him to his ancestor Wei Zheng.
In 838, Wei was promoted to be an imperial chronicler with the title Qiju Sheren. When Wei met with Emperor Wenzong to thank him, Emperor Wenzong asked him to submit Wei Zheng's old writing tablet. The chancellor Zheng Tan made the comment, "It was the man, not his tablet." Emperor Wenzong, however, responded, "I am requesting the tablet in the spirit of the poem Gantang ."
In 839, Wei was given the additional title of Jianyi Daifu, and continued to serve as Qiju Sheren. On one occasion, Emperor Wenzong requested that Wei submit the records that he had written of Emperor Wenzong's acts, claiming that by reviewing them, he would be able to review his own actions. Wei pointed out that historians were supposed to record with honesty, and that if they had to be concerned about whether emperors would be pleased or not about the historians' views of their actions, the historians could not record with honesty. Emperor Wenzong relented and did not insist on viewing the records.

During Emperor Wuzong's reign

Emperor Wenzong died in 840 and was succeeded by his brother Emperor Wuzong. Almost immediately after, Li Jue and Yang Sifu were removed from their chancellor positions and sent out of Chang'an, and their political rival Li Deyu became the leading chancellor. As Wei Mo had been favored by Li Jue and Yang, he was sent out of the capital as well to serve as the prefect of Fen Prefecture. Subsequently, after Li Jue and Yang were further demoted and exiled, Wei was further demoted to be the secretary general of Xin Prefecture.

During Emperor Xuānzong's reign

After Emperor Wuzong died in 846 and was succeeded by his uncle Emperor Xuānzong, Li Deyu, in turn, lost power, and Bai Minzhong became the lead chancellor. Thereafter, Wei Mo was promoted to be the prefect of Ying Prefecture, and then moved even closer to the capital to be the prefect of Shang Prefecture. In 848, he was recalled to Chang'an to serve as imperial attendant, and then to be deputy chief imperial censor. While serving as deputy chief imperial censor, he submitted an accusation of corruption against Emperor Xuānzong's brother-in-law Du Zhongli, which shocked the nobles and caused them to fear him. Later, he was made the deputy minister of census as well, and in that capacity was to serve as the director of taxation. He submitted a petition in which he pointed out that it would be inappropriate for him to oversee matters of money and continue to serve as censor, and by his request, he was relieved of his censor duties.
In 851, Emperor Xuānzong made Wei a chancellor de facto with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, and continued to have him oversee taxation. At that time, Emperor Xuānzong was already relatively old, but had not designated a crown prince. Given his sensitivity about the matter, however, the officials largely did not dare to speak to him about the subject. When Wei met with Emperor Xuānzong to thank him for the commission, he took the chance to point out that that was the main worry that he had about Emperor Xuānzong's governance. While Emperor Xuānzong did not thereafter create a crown prince, the people at the time were nevertheless impressed with Wei.
In 852, Li Ye the military governor of Hedong Circuit caused disturbances on the border by allowing the Han people to pillage the non-Han and also by killing those non-Han who had surrendered. However, Li Ye was not punished because he had backing of powerful people at court. Only Wei dared to submit an accusation against Li Ye, asking that he be relieved of his duties entirely; Emperor Xuānzong did not do so, but replaced Li Ye with Lu Jun and transferred Li Ye to Yicheng Circuit.
While serving as chancellor, Wei was also in charge of editing the history of Emperor Wenzong's reign, and after he submitted a 40-volume history of Emperor Wenzong's reign, he and the key editors under him were rewarded. It was said that while the chancellors spoke with Emperor Xuānzong on policy issues, they all spoke in roundabout manners in order not to displease the emperor, but Wei dared to speak his mind with no regard for the such. It was said that Emperor Xuānzong often commented, "Wei Mo acts in the same way his ancestor did, and I respect him greatly." However, it was also said that because of this, Wei was resented by the lead chancellor Linghu Tao. In 857, Wei was therefore sent out of Chang'an to serve as the military governor of Xichuan Circuit, but Wei, citing his illness, requested an office with little responsibilities, and therefore was made acting You Pushe and advisor to the Crown Prince. He died in winter 858 and was given posthumous honors.