Han Qi

Life

In 1027, during the reign of Emperor Renzong, Han Qi passed the jinshi examination.

Other accounts describe him as placing second in the jinshi examination in early adulthood or as passing in the jia division. He gained an early reputation; commentators compared his discernment to that of Zhou Bo and his administrative ability to that of Yao Chong.

His first appointments were jiangzuo jiancheng and tongpan of Zizhou; he then entered the Jixian Academy and supervised the Left Treasury.

His subsequent posts included Kaifeng fu tuiguan, Three Offices duzhi panguan, and you si jian, followed by qiju sherens and zhizhigao.

During famine in Yi and Li, he served as a tiliang anfu shi, easing tax levies, removing corrupt officials, reducing redundant service, and saving 900,000 people.

When conflict with Western Xia broke out in the Baoyuan era, he became Shaanxi anfu shi and was advanced to Privy Council Academician.

He later held the posts of Shaanxi jinglue anfu zhaotao fu shi, Qin-Feng jinglue anfu shi, observer, and Shaanxi jinglue anfu zhaotao shi. He spent years on campaign with Fan Zhongyan; their military and political prominence led to the pair being known as “Han–Fan.”

In 1043, Han Qi became deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs and joined Fan Zhongyan and Du Yan in directing the Qingli reforms.

After the reforms failed in 1045, he was sent out as prefect of Yangzhou and was subsequently transferred to Yunzhou, Chengde Command, Dingzhou, and Bingzhou.

In 1056 he became commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs, and in 1058 he was appointed a chief councillor through the office of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi.

During Renzong’s illness, he urged that an heir be designated.

At Yingzong’s accession, Han Qi remained a chief councillor. He was first made Duke of Yi and later advanced to Duke of Wei and Duke of Wei; when Yingzong became gravely ill, Han Qi again urged the establishment of an heir.

When Shenzong succeeded to the throne, Han Qi was appointed Sikong and Shizhong. He firmly sought release from the chief councillorship, went out to serve at Xiangzhou, built the Hall of Daytime Brocade, resumed responsibility for Shaanxi, and in 1068 again requested a return to Xiangzhou.

After earthquakes in Hebei and a breach of the Yellow River, he was transferred to administer Daming Prefecture and made an area pacification commissioner.

His opposition to the Green Sprouts Law brought him into conflict with Wang Anshi; in the sixth year of Xining he returned to administer Xiangzhou.

Han Qi died in the sixth month of 1075, aged sixty-eight, and received the posthumous name Zhongxian. In the fifth year of Zhenghe, he was posthumously elevated to Prince of Weijun.

Family and associations

His father was Han Guohua (957–1011), his mother was Lady Hu, his wife was Lady Cui, and his father-in-law was Cui Li.

His children included his eldest son Han Zhongyan (1038–1109) and second son Han Duanyan, as well as Han Cuiyan (1065–1118), Han Chunyan, and Han Jiayan (died 1129); Han Tuozhou is listed among his great-grandsons.

Han Qi also recommended Su Xun. After Ouyang Xiu presented Su Xun’s twenty-two essays, the Quan shu and Heng lun, Han Qi brought the matter before the court; Su Xun was appointed a secretary in the Palace Library and joined Yao Pi in compiling ritual works from the Jianlong era onward.

When Sun Fu was seriously ill, Han Qi informed Renzong, arranged for scribes, paper, and writing brushes, and sent Sun Fu’s disciple Zu Wuze to his home, where fifteen pieces of writing were obtained.

Works and literary activity

Han Qi’s works included the Anyang ji, a collection listed at fifty juan.

His poetry survives in twenty-one juan, and five ci poems are extant.

Other works include the Erfu zhonglun in five juan, the Jian yuan cungao in three juan, the Shaanxi zouyi in fifty juan, the Hebei zouyi in thirty juan, and the Za zouyi in thirty juan.

Additional attributed titles include the Renzong shilu in 200 juan, Can yong gujin jia jishi, Duangong yilai xuan chi zhazi in sixty juan, Jiayou xiangding bianchi in thirty juan, Jiayou bianchi in eighteen juan with a one-juan general section, and a title given as Han Wei gong ji.