李吉甫

李吉甫（758年—814年11月18日），字弘宪，赵郡（今河北赵县）人，唐朝政治家、学者。

生平

李吉甫在唐德宗时期出任太常博士，从此步入政坛。后历任屯田员外郎、明州员外长史、忠州刺史、柳州刺史等职。宪宗时期被召入京城，任考功郎中、翰林学士、中书舍人等。宪宗元和二年（807年）任中书侍郎同平章事，策划讨平镇海节度使李锜叛乱；六年再任宰相。他于唐德宗时期被宰相陆贽贬至明州，随后当陆贽也遭遇同样命运时，他不计前嫌，待之以礼，传为佳话。

李吉甫死后赠司空，谥号据两《唐书》传记为忠懿，但郑亚《会昌一品集序》称他为“先太师忠公”，且其孙李烨及李烨女李悬黎墓志都称李吉甫谥忠，未详孰是。

成就

李吉甫的主要政绩，是帮助宪宗削弱藩镇的势力。同时，在整理官员系统方面也有成效。李吉甫聪明勤奋，学识渊博，主持编纂了《元和郡县图志》。这是中国现存最古老的一部方志地理著作，全书40卷，详细记述了宪宗八年（813年）以前的唐全国10道所属的府、州、县的沿革历史和地理资料，并且附有详细的地图。

《元和郡县图志》的插图部分现在已经遗失，文字部分相对完整。

家族

出自赵郡李氏西祖，其父李栖筠，代宗时代曾任御史大夫，长子李德修官拜楚州刺史，次子李德裕则于武宗时代拜相，是牛李党争中李党的领袖。

后代

李德修，楚州刺史、兼御史中丞

李从质，解县榷盐使、守右庶子

李庆之，睦州参军，妓张氏所出

李承庆，宣州旌德县丞，妓张氏所出

李小娘子，妓张氏所出

李尚夷，小娘子弟

李同，潞州涉县主簿

李德裕

Li Jifu (李吉甫) (758 – November 18, 814), courtesy name Hongxian (弘憲), formally Duke Zhongyi of Zhao (趙忠懿公), was a Chinese cartographer, historian, and politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xianzong.

Background

Li Jifu was born in 758, during the reign of Emperor Suzong. His family claimed ancestry from Li Mu, a prominent general of the Warring States period state Zhao, and traced its ancestry through a line of officials of Qin dynasty, Han dynasty, Cao Wei, Jin dynasty (266–420), Northern Wei, and Sui dynasty. His grandfather Li Zai (李載) was not recorded to have carried any official titles, but his father Li Qiyun (李栖筠) was a prominent official during the reign of Emperor Suzong's son Emperor Daizong and served as chief imperial censor, carrying the title of Duke of Zanhuang. Li Jifu himself was said to be studious in his youth and capable in writing.

During Emperor Dezong's reign

In 784, during the reign of Emperor Daizong's son Emperor Dezong, when Li Jifu was 26, Li Jifu became a Taichang Boshi (太常博士), a consultant at the ministry of worship (太常寺, Taichang Si), and became known for his knowledge, especially the past Tang tradition, and was often praised for it. In 786, when Emperor Dezong's wife Empress Wang died, the regulation on the proper rituals were missing – as there had not been an empress who was mourned since the times of Emperor Suzong's father Emperor Xuanzong. Li Jifu planned the mourning ceremonies for Empress Wang, and was much praised by Emperor Dezong.

Later, in addition to his Taichang Boshi title, Li Jifu was also made Tuntian Yuanwailang (屯田員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of public works (工部, Gongbu); he later became Jiabu Yuanwailang (駕部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of rite (禮部, Lǐbu). He was respected and treated well by the chancellors Li Mi and Dou Can, but after Lu Zhi became chancellor, he suspected Li Jifu of engaging in partisanship and had him demoted to serve as the secretary general of Ming Prefecture (明州, in modern Ningbo, Zhejiang); later, after a general pardon had been issued, Li Jifu was promoted to be the prefect of Zhong Prefecture (忠州, in modern Chongqing). When Lu was himself exiled, it was said that Lu's rival chancellors wanted to harm him, and then intentionally had him demoted to be the secretary general of Zhong Prefecture – i.e., to serve as Li Jifu's subordinate. Lu's family and friends were concerned deeply, but Li Jifu showed respect to Lu as if Lu were still a chancellor and caused him no harm. The two eventually became friends. Li Jifu served as Zhong Prefecture for six years without further movement, and was later removed on account of illness. He later served as the prefect of either Liu Prefecture (柳州, in modern Liuzhou, Guangxi) or Chen Prefecture (郴州, in modern Chenzhou, Hunan), before serving as the prefect of Rao Prefecture (饒州, in modern Shangrao, Jiangxi). Previously, after four successive prefects had died, the fort that served as headquarters of Rao Prefectures had been abandoned as there were rumors that it was cursed. When Li Jifu arrived, he removed the thorns that had grown up around the fort and moved in with no ill consequences, and the people were comforted.

During Emperor Xianzong's reign

Prior to chancellorships

After Emperor Dezong's grandson Emperor Xianzong became emperor in 805, Li Jifu was recalled to serve as Kaogong Langzhong (考功郎中), a supervisorial official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Lìbu, note different tone than the ministry of rites) and put in charge of drafting edicts. Shortly after he arrived at the capital Chang'an, he was made Hanlin Xueshi (翰林學士), an imperial scholar, and soon was further made Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). During that time, he made several suggestions that caused him to gain further approval by Emperor Xianzong: