Background and early career

Liu Zhuan was born in 796, during the reign of Emperor Dezong. His family was from Pengcheng. and originally claimed ancestry from the Han Dynasty prince Liu Kai the Prince of Hejian, a son of Emperor Zhang of Han. Liu Zhuan was a fifth-generation descendant of the early Tang chancellor and general Liu Rengui; his grandfather Liu Fan served on the staff of a military governor (Jiedushi), and his father Liu Wei served as a prefectural prefect.

Liu Zhuan passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class early in the Kaicheng era (836-840) of Emperor Dezong's great-great-grandson Emperor Wenzong. Subsequently, when the former chancellor Chen Yixing served as the prefect of Hua Prefecture (华州, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi), he invited Liu to serve as his assistant in his capacity as the commander of the Hua Prefecture-based Zhenguo Army. Liu was later recalled to the capital Chang'an to serve as Zuo Shiyi (左拾遗), a low-level advisory official at the examination bureau of government (门下省, Menxia Sheng). It was said that he submitted many petitions advising Emperor Wenzong's brother and successor Emperor Wuzong against believing in the claims of Taoist alchemists. Late in Emperor Wuzong's Huichang era (841-846), he was put in charge of drafting edicts, and was also made Zhongshu Sheren (中书舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau (中书省, Zhongshu Sheng).

During Emperor Xuānzongs reign

Early in the Dazhong era (847-860) of Emperor Wuzong's uncle and successor Emperor Xuānzong, Liu Zhuan was made an imperial scholar (翰林学士, Hanlin Xueshi). At that time, Emperor Xuānzong was conducting a campaign to recover the territory that had been lost to Tufan decades earlier, and there were numerous campaign-related edicts to be issued, sometimes numbering tens each night. It was said that Liu, while drafting them, was able to use appropriate language despite the large volumes he needed to draft. In 850, during a campaign against the Dangxiang, he was made the monitor of the troops against the Dangxiang.

After his return from the Dangxiang campaign, Liu was made the deputy minister of justice (刑部侍郎, Xingbu Shilang). While serving that role, he collected a large number of edicts that could be used as precedents for rulings, on 2,865 matters, into a collection titled the Collection of Precedents for Dazhong Laws (大中刑律统类), and it was said that legal scholars applauded the collection for its completeness. Liu later served as the mayor of Henan Municipality (河南, i.e., the region of the eastern capital Luoyang), and then the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan). It was customary at that time that there would be dancing women at feasts that governors held for the soldiers, but Liu considered it inappropriate for a military feast; he thus selected a group of 1,000 soldiers and trained them in the use of spears and shields, and had them serve as the ceremonial dancers. He also ended the night curfew for the people so that the people could be convenienced. It was said that the region was peaceful while he governed it. He was later transferred to Hedong Circuit (河东, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi). Soon thereafter, he was recalled to Chang'an to serve as the deputy minister of census (户部侍郎, Hubu Shilang) and the director of finances. It was said that because Emperor Xuānzong had respected Liu greatly, he personally wrote the edict recalling Liu, such that Liu's departure from Hedong Circuit came as a complete surprise to his staff and others.

In early 858, Emperor Xuānzong gave Liu the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, making him a chancellor de facto. After Liu was made chancellor, there was an occasion when his chancellor colleague Cui Shenyou, when discussing the policy priorities of the time with Emperor Xuānzong, mentioned that he wanted to make distinguishing officials' ancestries a top priority. Liu sharply disagreed and pointed out that the priorities should be to make sure that the officials' talents were appropriate for their positions, and Cui was unable to respond.

Liu, however, would only serve several months as chancellor before he fell seriously ill. Even when he fell ill, he was still writing policy suggestions to Emperor Xuānzong. After he died on June 20, 858, Emperor Xuānzong was saddened. He was given posthumous honors.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 177.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 182.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 249.

家世和早期仕途

刘瑑生于唐德宗年间的796年。，出自尉氏刘氏，是汉章帝子河间孝王刘开的后裔。刘瑑是初唐宰相、将军刘仁轨的五世孙；祖父刘子藩曾任河东节度掌书记、虞部员外郎；父亲刘煟曾担任雅州刺史一职。

刘瑑于开成（836年－840年）初年进士及第。前宰相陈夷行任华州刺史时，表他为以华州为军部的镇国军的判官。刘瑑后被召回长安为左拾遗，屡次上谏请罢唐武宗方士。武宗会昌（841年－846年）末年，累迁尚书郎，知制诰，正拜中书舍人。

唐宣宗年间

唐宣宗大中（847年－860年）初年，刘瑑被任为翰林学士。宣宗兴兵收复数十年前被吐蕃夺去的失地，有大量关乎战事的诏令要写，有时每夜数十。尽管要写的诏书量大，刘瑑一边起草，一边还能用合适的语句。大中四年（850年）十一月，在一场对党项的作战中，他被任为京西招讨党项行营宣慰使。

从对党项战役中归来后，刘瑑迁刑部侍郎，收集前朝敕令可用者，由武德乃至大中年间总计二千八百六十五事，分门别类，参考轻重，编为《大中刑律统类》（又作《大中刑法总要格后敕》）六十卷，于五年（851年）四月奏请实行，因详尽而受到法家的推崇。刘瑑又任河南尹，九年（855年）十一月又进检校工部尚书、汴州刺史、兼御史大夫、充宣武军节度、宋亳汴颍观察处置等使。当时，在节度使给士兵设的宴席上有舞女，但刘瑑认为这对于军中的饮宴是不妥的，因而选择壮士一千人，训练他们用矛、盾，让他们担当仪式舞者的角色。他停止宵禁，为百姓提供便利。他治下地区安宁。大中十一年（857年）五月，加检校礼部尚书、兼太原尹、北都留守、河东节度观察等使。十二月入朝，任户部侍郎，判度支。因宣宗很器重刘瑑，亲自写诏书召还他；刘瑑离开河东，幕僚和其他人都大惊。

大中十二年（858年）正月，宰相萧邺与同僚崔慎由有隙，引荐刘瑑，使其以朝议大夫、守尚书户部侍郎、判度支、上柱国、赐紫金鱼袋身份守本官，授同中书门下平章事，依前判度支，拜为宰相，而崔慎由随后则被外放。刘瑑累加兼充集贤殿大学士。刘瑑拜相后，一次崔慎由和宣宗议政时说对官员要甄别品流，以祖上为先。刘瑑尖锐反对，引西晋王衍的反面例子，指出应以官员是否适合各司其职为先，崔慎由无言以对。

当时宣宗正为女儿们挑选合适的驸马，要求宰相们观察中进士的官员，秘书省校书郎王徽被提名。但他不想与皇室结亲，就去见刘瑑，以年龄为由辞让，因为他已经四十多岁且多病。刘瑑在宣宗面前言说，王徽因而没有被命令娶公主。刘瑑之前和进士薛逢很友好，但因词艺不及薛逢，常被薛逢侮慢，大中末年，刘瑑升官，而薛逢不得意，两人结怨。薛逢时任侍御史、尚书郎，有人推荐他知制诰，刘瑑奏「先朝立制，两省官给事中、舍人除拜，需要先在州县任职。薛逢未尝治理州郡，应该先试试他。」出薛逢为巴州刺史。刘瑑又荐刘瞻为翰林学士。

但刘瑑拜相才数月即病重。他被罢相，仍保有同平章事，又任职于藩镇，在病中还写奏章给宣宗论政，于6月20日去世，宣宗感到惋惜。赠尚书左仆射。

刘瑑以名节自将，议论处事不徇私情，未尝察言观色和权贵套近乎。

注释及参考文献