He Chong (292 – 21 February 346),

courtesy name A courtesy name ( zh, s=字, p=zì, l=character), also known as a style name, is an additional name bestowed upon individuals at adulthood, complementing their given name. This tradition is prevalent in the East Asian cultural sphere, particula ...

Cidao, was a Chinese minister of the

Eastern Jin dynasty Eastern or Easterns may refer to: Transportation Airlines *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 192 ...

. After the death of Prime Minister

Wang Dao Wang Dao (; 276 – 7 September 339), courtesy name Maohong (茂弘), formally Duke Wenxian of Shixing (始興文獻公), was a Chinese politician during the Jin dynasty who played an important role in the administrations of Emperor Yuan, Empe ...

in September 339, He Chong became one of Emperor Cheng of Jin's most influential advisors. He Chong feuded with the imperial uncles,

Yu Bing Yu Bing (234 – 280), courtesy name Shiwen, was an official of the Jin dynasty (265–420), Western Jin dynasty of China. He previously served in the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. Life Yu Bing was the eighth son of Yu ...

and Yu Yi over the successions of Emperor Cheng and Emperor Kang, as He Chong backed the emperors' respective sons to take the throne while the Yu brothers supported their nephews. In 345, following the deaths of the Yu brothers, He Chong played an instrumental role in Huan Wen's rise to power when he recommended him to succeed Yu Yi's position of Inspector of Jingzhou.

Life

Early life and career

He Chong hailed from Qian County (灊縣; northeast of present-day Huoshan County,

Anhui Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...

) in Lujiang Commandery (廬江郡; around present-day

Lu'an Lu'an ( zh, c=, p=Lù'ān), is a prefecture-level city in western Anhui province, People's Republic of China, bordering Henan to the northwest and Hubei to the southwest. As of the 2020 census, it had a total population of 4,393,699 inhabitants ...

) and was renowned for his writings and virtue. He first served as a secretary of Sima Rui's commander,

Wang Dun Wang Dun ( zh, c=王敦) (266 – early August 324), courtesy name Chuzhong (處仲), nickname Ahei (阿黑), was a Chinese military general and warlord during the Jin dynasty. Having brought Emperor Yuan (Sima Rui) to submission with his mili ...

. Wang Dun had a brother named Wang Han (王含), the Prefect of Lujiang. Wang Han was notoriously corrupt, but Wang Dun once praised him in front of his officials. He said, "My brother is an excellent official in his commandery. The people of Lujiang adore him." Hearing his statement, He Chong openly and sternly replied, "I am from Lujiang myself, and what I've heard is different." Wang Dun could not respond to this but was resentful towards He Chong and had him demoted. After Wang Dun died in August 324, He Chong became an Imperial Secretariat. He Chong had strong ties in the Jin administration. His mother was an elder sister of Cao Shu (曹淑), the wife of the prominent minister Wang Dao while his wife was the younger sister of Emperor Ming's empress, Yu Wenjun, and brother-in-law,

Yu Liang Yu Liang (庾亮; 289 – 14 February 340), courtesy name Yuangui (元規), formally Marquess Wenkang of Duting (都亭文康侯), was a Chinese military general and politician of the Jin dynasty who impressed many with his knowledge but whose ina ...

. Because he was on good terms with Wang Dao and Emperor Ming, he managed to secure a high-ranking position early in his career. After Emperor Cheng ascended the throne in 325, He Chong became an Attendant Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. He sided with the loyalist coalition during Su Jun's rebellion between 328 and 329. For helping in the fight against Su Jun, he became Marquis of Dunxiang and a Cavalier In Regular Attendance. He Chong successively serves as Prefect of Dongyang, General Who Establishes Might and Prefect of

Kuaiji Shaoxing is a prefecture-level city on the southern shore of Hangzhou Bay in northeastern Zhejiang province, China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou to the southeast, Jinhua to ...

. In Kuaiji, He Chong became noted for his virtuous administration and recommendation of talents such as Xie Feng (謝奉) and Wei Yi (魏顗). Both Wang Dao and Yu Liang were impressed with his performance, so the two urged Emperor Cheng to promote him. He Chong rose to Minister of Personnel and Champion General, holding command of the army in Kuaiji. Before Wang Dao died in 339, he told Emperor Cheng to use He Chong as his advisor. After Wang Dao's death, the Emperor made He Chong the General Who Protects The Army and Manager of the Affairs of the Masters of Writing.

Succession of Emperor Cheng and Emperor Kang

Emperor Cheng was deathly ill in 342, and there were debates over who should succeed him. His sons, Sima Pi and

Sima Yi Sima Yi (; ; 179 CE7 September 251 CE), courtesy name Zhongda, was a Chinese military general, politician, and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He formally began his political career in 208 under th ...

were both still infants. Yu Liang's brothers, Yu Yi and

held considerable influence within the state as uncles of Emperor Cheng. They worry that if one of Cheng's sons succeeds him, their ties to the throne become distant, allowing another family with closer blood ties to the emperor to take their place. Yu Bing advocated for his nephew and Emperor Cheng's brother, Sima Yue, to succeed him, but He Chong opposed this. He remonstrated to Yu Bing that the role of the emperor should be passed down to the emperor's son if possible, but Yu Bing ignored him. Sima Yue ascended the throne and became later known as Emperor Kang of Jin, with He Chong and Yu Bing serving as his advisors. After his ascension, Emperor Kang thanked He Chong for allowing him to take the throne, but He Chong told him, "Your Majesty could only soar like a dragon thanks to Yu Bing. If I had been listened to, you would never have reached such heights." Emperor Kang felt ashamed because of this. Emperor Kang later made Chong General of Agile Cavalry, Chief Controller of

Xuzhou Xuzhou ( zh, s=徐州), also known as Pengcheng () in ancient times, is a major city in northwestern Jiangsu province, China. The city, with a recorded population of 9,083,790 at the 2020 Chinese census, 2020 census (3,135,660 of which lived in ...

and Jinling in

Yangzhou Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, East China. Sitting on the north bank of the Yangtze, it borders the provincial capital Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou, Jiangsu, ...

, and Inspector of Xuzhou. Chong moved himself to Jingkou to avoid confrontation with the Yu brothers. In 343, Yu Yi held a northern expedition against Jin's rival state, Later Zhao. Yu Bing requested the court to relocate him to Wuchang so that he could support his brother, which they permitted. However, after Yu Bing left the capital, the court summoned He Chong back and appointed him Chief Controller of Yangzhou, Yuzhou and Langya in Xuzhou. They also assigned him acting Inspector of Yangzhou, Chief of the Palace Secretariat and Manager of the Affairs of the Masters of Writing. A familiar scene arose in 344 as Emperor Kang grew ill. Yu Yi and Yu Bing suggested that the Prince of Kuaji and their nephew,

Sima Yu Sima Yu (; 278 – 27 April 300), courtesy name Xizu (熙祖), posthumous name Crown Prince Minhuai (愍懷太子), was a crown prince of the Chinese Western Jin dynasty. Sima Yu's father Sima Zhong was developmentally disabled, and before h ...

take the throne, as the emperor's son, Sima Dan, was still a child. However, He Chong approached Emperor Kang and successfully persuaded him to make Sima Dan his heir. Emperor Kang died shortly after, and Sima Dan ascended the throne, later known as Emperor Mu. Because of this, the Yu brothers hated He Chong. After the emperor's ascension, He Chong kept his role as Chief of the Palace Secretariat and Manager of the Affairs of the Masters of Writing. However, He Chong placed more importance on the latter position, so he voluntarily relinquished the former and became a Palace Attendant.

Elevating Chu Pou and Huan Wen

He Chong believed that Chu Pou, father of the Empress Dowager, Chu Suanzi, should hold more prominent offices in the capital. He Chong started a petition to relieve Chu Pou from border command and have Chu Pou serve as his assistant. The court appointed Chu Pou as Palace Attendant, Guard General and Manager of the Affairs of the Masters of Writing while allowing him to keep his current offices. However, Chu Pou feared that some court ministers would accuse him of exploiting the court since he was Emperor Mu's grandfather, so he asked to remain at the border. The court agreed and instead appointed him Guard General, Inspector of Xuzhou and Yangzhou and stationed him in Jingkou. Yu Bing died in 344, and Yu Yi died in 345. Yu Yi had been in command of Jin's western borders in

Jingzhou Jingzhou ( zh, s=, c=荆州, t=, p=Jīngzhōu) is a prefecture-level city in southern Hubei province, China, located on the banks of the Yangtze River. Its total residential population was 5,231,180 based on the Seventh National Population Censu ...

for some time and was supposed to be succeeded by his son Yu Yuanzhi (庾爰之). The court favoured this, but He Chong thought that Yu Yuanzhi was too young and inexperienced to defend a vital region such as Jingzhou. He instead recommended Yu Yi's subordinate, Huan Wen, who he claimed had more calibre, to take the task. He Chong was confident that Yuanzhi would be willing to give up his position to Huan Wen. Indeed, as Huan Wen succeeded Yu Yi, Yu Yuanzhi did not object and was relocated with his brother Yu Fangzhi (庾方之) to Yuzhang (豫章郡; around present-day

Nanchang Nanchang is the capital of Jiangxi, China. Located in the north-central part of the province and in the hinterland of Poyang Lake Plain, it is bounded on the west by the Jiuling Mountains, and on the east by Poyang Lake. Because of its strate ...

Jiangxi ; Gan: ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = , translit_lang1_type3 = , translit_lang1_info3 = , image_map = Jiangxi in China (+all claims hatched).svg , mapsize = 275px , map_caption = Location ...

). He Chong died at the age of 55 (by East Asian reckoning) in February 346. The court posthumously appointed him Minister of Works and named him Duke of Wenmu. As he had no children, his nephew He Fang (何放) succeeded him.

Character

He Chong was a subject of both praise and criticism during his time. Although Chong was a prominent minister, he had no actual power to carry out reforms and sort out the government. However, he was dedicated to his work and refused to practice nepotism. He often chose capable officials over him and his family members to carry out offices, such as in the case of Huan Wen. On the other hand, some also accused him of surrounding himself with mediocre and untrustworthy people. He Chong was an ardent Buddhist and loved giving a large portion of his wealth to monks and temples. On the contrary, he also refused to give his wealth to his family members and friends who struggled financially. He Chong's attitude attracted criticism and mockery from his

Confucianist Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, religion, theory of government, or way of life. Founded by Confucius ...

peers. Ruan Yu (阮裕) once taunted He Chong by telling him, "Your ambition is greater than the universe. Your bravery surpasses all time." When He Chong asked what he meant, Ruan Yu said, "I painted a county of thousand households, which I did not even get yet. You want to attain

Buddhahood In Buddhism, Buddha (, which in classic Indo-Aryan languages, Indic languages means "awakened one") is a title for those who are Enlightenment in Buddhism, spiritually awake or enlightened, and have thus attained the Buddhist paths to liberat ...

. Is this not much more enormous?" While He Chong and his brother, He Zhun (何準), were obsessed with Buddhism, another pair of brothers,

Xi Yin Xi Yin (; born December 1983 ) is a Chinese-American theoretical physicist. Biography Yin was accepted to University of Science and Technology of China in 1996, at the age of 12, and completed the (then) 5-year bachelor program in 2001. He gain ...

and Xi Tan were adamant followers of the

Way of the Celestial Masters The Way of the Celestial Masters or the Heavenly Masters Sect is a Chinese Taoist movement that was founded by Zhang Daoling in 142 AD. Its followers rebelled against the Han dynasty, and won their independence in 194. At its height, the movemen ...

. Xie Wan once mocked them by saying, "The two Xis flattered

Dao The Tao or Dao is the natural way of the universe, primarily as conceived in East Asian philosophy and religion. This seeing of life cannot be grasped as a concept. Rather, it is seen through actual living experience of one's everyday being. T ...

. The two Hes flatter Buddhism."

References

* Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). ''

Book of Jin The ''Book of Jin'' is an official Chinese historical text covering the history of the Jin dynasty (266–420), Jin dynasty from 266 to 420. It was compiled in 648 by a number of officials commissioned by the imperial court of the Tang dynasty, ...

'' (''Jin Shu''). * Sima, Guang (1084). ''

Zizhi Tongjian The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...

''. {{DEFAULTSORT:He, Chong 292 births 346 deaths Jin dynasty (266–420) government officials