Background

Lou Shide was born in 630, during the reign of Emperor Taizong. He was from Zheng Prefecture (郑州, roughly modern Zhengzhou, Henan). When he was young, he passed the imperial examination and was made the sheriff of Jiangdu County (江都, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) – a formally low post that was, however, regarded as important as Jiangdu was one of the largest cities of the empire. While serving there, his superior Lu Chengye (卢承业) the secretary general of Yang Prefecture (扬州, roughly modern Yangzhou), was greatly impressed by him, and stated, "You are material to be an emperor's assistant. I should entrust my descendants to you, and how can I treat you as a subordinate?"

During Emperor Gaozongs reign

During the reign of Emperor Taizong's son Emperor Gaozong, when Tang was having recurrent wars with Tufan. Emperor Gaozong sought volunteers to serve in the army against Tufan, and Lou Shide volunteered. Emperor Gaozong was pleased, and gave him the honorific title of Chaosan Daifu (朝散大夫) and allowed him to serve in the army, and it was said that he had much achievement in the army. In 678, when the chancellor Li Jingxuan suffered a major defeat against the Tufan general Gar Trinring Tsendro ("Lun Qinling" (论钦陵) in Chinese) and Li's deputy, the general Liu Shenli was captured by Tufan, Emperor Gaozong sent Lou to reorganize Li's disorganized troops, and further then as an emissary to Tufan. Lou met with Trinring's brother Gar Tsenba ("Lun Zanpo" (论赞婆) in Chinese) and was able to enter into a peace agreement with Lun Zanpo. In addition to his censor post, he was also made the military advisor to the commander at Heyuan Base (河源军, in modern Xining, Qinghai) and put in charge of the agricultural affairs of the base. By 682, however, Tufan was said to be again attacking Heyuan, and Lou prevailed over Tufan forces eight straight times. Emperor Gaozong gave Lou the position of a deputy minister but made him the deputy commander at Heyuan, stating to him in the edict, "You have both civil and military talents. Do not decline these posts."

During Wu Zetians reign

By 693, Emperor Gaozong's powerful wife Wu Zetian had become "emperor" of a new Zhou Dynasty, interrupting Tang. (Emperor Gaozong had died in 683, and his sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong had successively served as emperor, but Wu Zetian deposed them both and in 690 claimed the title of emperor.) In 693, Lou Shide was referred to as the minister of defense (夏官尚书, Xiaguan Shangshu), when she gave him the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi (同凤阁鸾台平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. It was said that he was tolerant, honest, and careful. Once, when he was set to go with fellow chancellor Li Zhaode to meet Wu Zetian, he was walking slowly because he was obese, and Li had to repeatedly stop to wait for him. Li, in displeasure, yelled at him, "You country bumpkin!" Lou smiled and responded, "If I am not a country bumpkin, who can be a country bumpkin?" Around that time, his younger brother was made the prefect of Dai Prefecture (代州, in modern Xinzhou, Shanxi). Before his brother departed, Lou asked him, "I am now a chancellor, and you are a prefect. These are high honors and will draw jealousy. How can you avoid disaster?" HIs brother responded, "From now, even if someone spat at my face, I will just wipe it off. Hopefully I will not cause you worries." Lou instead responded:

(This response, however, drew heavy criticism from the modern Chinese historian Bo Yang, who opined that Lou's comment showed a lack of self-respect and willingness to stand for what was right, for the purpose of protecting his position.)

In 694, while still a chancellor, Lou was made the commander of several bases, including Heyuan, but was later recalled to be the minister of justice (秋官尚书, Qiuguan Shangshu) and was created the Baron of Yuanwu. In 696, he was commissioned to be the deputy commander of an army to attack Tufan, assisting Wang Xiaojie. 15 days later, he was made the imperial censor reviewing central government affairs (左肃政大夫, Zuo Suzheng Daifu), and he continued to serve as chancellor with the Tong Fengge Luantai PIngzhangshi designation. Two months later, he and Wang were defeated by a Tufan army commanded by Trinring and Lun Zanpo at Mount Suluohan (素罗汗山, in modern Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu). As a result, Wang was demoted to commoner rank, while Lou was demoted to be the military advisor to the prefect of Yuan Prefecture (原州, roughly modern Guyuan, Ningxia). It was said that when the paperwork of the demotion was given to Lou to sign, he was initially surprised and stated, "Do not have a single office left?" But he then immediately stated, "This is fine, this is fine."

In 697, while still serving at Yuan Prefecture, Lou was recalled to be acting Fengge Shilang (凤阁侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau of government (凤阁, Fengge), and was again made chancellor with the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi. Later that year, in the middle of an attack by Khitan's khan Sun Wanrong, Wu Zetian commissioned Lou, assisted by the general Shazha Zhongyi (沙吒忠义), to command some 200,000 men to defend against the Khitan attack. Sun's army, however, collapsed when the Eastern Tujue khan Ashina Mochuo attacked his home base and captured it. In the aftermath, Wu Zetian sent Wu Yizong (武懿宗) the Prince of Henan (the grandson of her uncle Wu Shiyi (武士逸)), Lou, and Di Renjie to try to comfort the people of the region. Soon after this, at Lou's recommendation, Di was made chancellor as well and became a well-trusted advisor to Wu Zetian until Di's death in 700. However, Di was said to initially not know that Lou had recommended him and often suggested assignments out of the capital Luoyang for Lou. Wu Zetian intentionally asked Di, "Is Lou Shide capable?" Di responded, "When he served as a general, all he could do was to protect the border. I do not know if he is capable." She then asked, "Is Lou a good judge of character?" Di responded, "I have served with him, and I do not know him as a good judge of character." She then responded, "I trust you because he recommended you. I think he is a good judge of character." Later, Di was said to have commented, "Lord Lou has great grace. I have been tolerated him for so long, and I did not know his grace." Later in 697, Lou was made acting Nayan (纳言), the head of the examination bureau (鸾台, Luantai) and a post considered one for a chancellor. He was also created the Viscount of Qiao.

In 698, while still serving as chancellor, Lou was made the commander of the forces in the Longyou (陇右) region (i.e., modern southern Gansu). He died in 699, while still serving in that role, at Hui Prefecture (会州, roughly modern Baiyin, Gansu).

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 93.https://web.archive.org/web/20080210151403/http://ef.cdpa.nsysu.edu.tw/ccw/02/tan11.htm

• New Book of Tang, vol. 108.https://web.archive.org/web/20071011093344/http://ef.cdpa.nsysu.edu.tw/ccw/02/ntan15.htm

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 202, 203, 205, 206.

生平

早年以进士及第授江都县尉，扬州长史卢承业很看重他，曰：「子，台辅器也，当以子孙相诿，讵论僚吏哉？」累次迁官至监察御史。高宗上元初年，朝廷召「猛士」以防御吐蕃，他以文官应募，从军向西讨伐，并屡有战功，迁官殿中侍御史兼河源军（今青海乐都西南）司马，知营田事。

武周天授初，升为左金吾将军、检校丰州都督，仍旧知营田事。娄师德主管营田十馀年，取得了积谷数百万斛的巨大成就，获得武则天的嘉奖。长寿元年（692年），拜夏官侍郎判尚书事。次年同中书门下平章事。但是不久，武则天认为营田事关重要，又任之为河源、积石（今青海贵德西部）、怀远等地军队及河、兰、鄯、廓等州（今甘肃兰州以西、青海湟源以东地带）的检校营田大使。后又内迁秋官尚书，转左肃政台御史大夫。证圣元年（695年），吐蕃进犯洮州（今甘肃临潭），娄师德统军迎战，兵败，遂被贬为原州员外司马。万岁通天二年（697年），复官为同凤阁鸾台平章事。圣历元年（698年），迁陇右诸军大使，仍检校河西营田。次年，官为天兵军大总管，依旧充陇右诸军大使，专掌招抚吐蕃事。同年九月卒于会州（今甘肃靖远），追赠凉州都督，谥号为贞。

轶事

唾面自乾

娄师德前后在边疆总共驻扎了三十馀年，以谨慎忍让而闻名。「唾面自乾」的典故即来自师德：

深沉有度

《新唐书》描述娄师德样貌「长八尺，方口博唇」、性情「深沉有度量，人有忤己，辄逊以自免，不见容色」。

娄师德曾与李昭德一同步行，娄师德长得肥胖，不能走快，昭德嫌慢而抱怨：「我被乡巴佬拖累了！」娄师德笑答：「我不做乡巴佬，又有谁做呢？」

与狄仁杰

娄师德曾举荐狄仁杰辅政，狄仁杰本人不知道这件事。狄仁杰当上宰相以后，瞧不起师德，曾多次排挤其任外使。武则天察觉此事后，拿出娄师德举荐狄仁杰的奏章，狄仁杰看后十分惭愧，对别人说：「我被娄公宽容到这个地步，才知道我比他差远了！」

后代

子娄思颍，介休令；娄思颍子娄志学，千乗令。娄师德有曾孙娄图南。

参考

• 刘餗《隋唐嘉话·卷下》