Song Jing - Soei

A famous prime minister of the Tang Dynasty in China. He was from Xingzhou (Hebei Province) and was a Jinshi (official scholar). During the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, he became the Chief Censor and petitioned for the execution of the favorite ministers, the Zhang brothers, for which he was praised for his strictness. In the early 8th century, he was appointed Prime Minister after Yao Chong, and together they worked to enforce discipline, promote frugality, and cultivate national strength, laying the foundation for the rule of the Kaiyuan Dynasty. He advanced from Minister of Personnel to Right Prime Minister, and was appointed Duke of Guangping County, and was posthumously given the name Wenzhen. Along with "Fang Du" from the Zhenguan period, "Yao Song" is used as a synonym for a famous minister.

[Atsushi Ikeda]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、唐の名相。邢州(けいしゅう)（河北省）の人で進士出身。則天武后時代に御史中丞(ぎょしちゅうじょう)となり、寵臣(ちょうしん)張氏兄弟を誅(ちゅう)すべしと奏請し、その剛正をうたわれた。8世紀初め、姚崇(ようすう)に次いで宰相に任じ、ともに綱紀粛正に努め、節倹を旨とし国力の培養を図り、開元の治の基礎を築いた。吏部尚書(りぶしょうしょ)から右丞相(うじょうしょう)に進み広平郡公に封ぜられ、死後文貞と諡(おくりな)された。貞観(じょうがん)時代の「房杜(ぼうと)」と並び「姚宋」は名相の代名詞に使われる。

［池田　温］

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