Liu Yan

A Chinese politician in the mid-Tang Dynasty. His courtesy name was Shi'an. He was from Caozhou (Hebei Province). He was called a child prodigy and was given the title of wise and righteous. He made a name for himself as a local official, and was summoned to the central government during the An Lushan Rebellion. When Emperor Daizong (reigned 762-779) ascended to the throne, he became the head of the Ministry of Finance, and held various financial posts such as tax collector, salt collector, and transport collector, and in 763 he became prime minister. He was implicated in a scandal and resigned as prime minister, but he resumed his positions as salt collector and other officials, and established an efficient method of transporting goods from the Jianghuai region to northern China and a salt monopoly system, contributing to the reconstruction of the national finances in the chaos and dire straits following the An Lushan Rebellion. Around 780, the salt tax (profits from the salt monopoly) amounted to more than half of the total revenue of 12 million kan, but the people did not complain. However, when Emperor Dezong came to power and his political rival Yang Yan became prime minister, he was slandered, exiled to Zhongzhou (Sichuan Province), and executed.

[Shuichi Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、唐中期の政治家。字(あざな)は士安。曹州（河北省）の人。幼少時は神童の称があり、賢良方正にあげられた。地方官として令名をはせ、安史の乱に中央に召用され、代宗（在位762～779）が即位すると戸部侍郎となり、度支(たくし)、塩鉄、転運などの財務の諸使職を兼ね、763年に宰相となった。事に連座して宰相を辞めたが、ふたたび塩鉄などの使職を兼領し、江淮(こうわい)地方の物資の効率的な華北への運輸法や塩の専売制を確立し、安史の乱後の紊乱(びんらん)、窮迫した国家財政の再建に貢献した。780年ごろ、塩利（塩の専売益金）は全歳入1200万貫の過半となったが、民衆は苦痛を訴えなかったという。しかし徳宗がたち政敵楊炎(ようえん)が宰相になると、その讒(ざん)にあい、忠州（四川(しせん)省）に貶謫(へんたく)、誅(ちゅう)された。

［松井秀一］

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