Di Renjie was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, twice serving as chancellor during her reign. He was one of the most celebrated officials of Wu Zetian's reign and was credited with moderating her reign from being considered one of terror to one of greater efficiency and honesty.
Background
Di Renjie was born in 630, during the reign of Emperor Taizong. His family, from Taiyuan, was one that had produced many officials. His grandfather Di Xiaoxu served as Shangshu Zuo Cheng, a secretary general of the executive bureau of government (Shangshu Sheng), and his father Di Zhixun served as the prefect of Kui Prefecture(modern eastern Chongqing). Di Renjie was known for studiousness in his youth, and after passing the imperial examination served as a secretary at the prefectural government of Bian Prefecture (roughly modern Kaifeng, Henan). While serving there, he was falsely accused of improprieties by colleagues, and when the minister of public works, Yan Liben, was touring the Henan Circuit (the region immediately south of the Yellow River), which Bian Prefecture belonged to, he was asked to judge the case. After seeing Di, he was impressed by him, and commented, "Confucius had said, 'You can tell a man's kindness by his failure.' You are a pearl from the coast and a lost treasure of the southeast." He recommended Di to become a bailiff for the commandant at Bing Prefecture (roughly modern Taiyuan, Shanxi). While at Bing Prefecture, he was said to be caring of others. On one occasion, his colleague Zheng Chongzhi was ordered to go on an official trip to a place far away. Di, noting that Zheng's mother was old and ill, went to the secretary general Lin Renji and offered to go in Zheng's stead. It was said that Lin was so touched by the concern that Di showed Zheng as a colleague that he relayed the episode to the military advisor to the prefect, Li Xiaolian, with whom Lin had a running dispute, and offered peaceful relations to Li.
By 676, during the reign of Emperor Taizong's son Emperor Gaozong, Di was serving as the secretary general at the supreme court, and it was said that he was an efficient and fair judge, judging some 17,000 cases within a year without anyone complaining about the results. In 676, there was an event in which the general Quan Shancai and the military officer Fan Huaiyi accidentally cut cypresses on Emperor Taizong's tomb—an offense punishable by removal from office, but Emperor Gaozong ordered that the two be executed. Di pointed out that, by law, the two should not be executed. This initially offended Emperor Gaozong, who ordered Di to leave his presence. Di continued to object, and eventually, Emperor Gaozong relented and exiled them. Several days later, he appointed Di to the imperial censorate.
Around 679, the minister of agriculture Wei Hongji built three magnificent palaces around the eastern capital Luoyang -- Suyu Palace, Gaoshan Palace, and Shangyang Palace. Di submitted an accusation against Wei, arguing that he was leading Emperor Gaozong into being wasteful, and Wei was removed from his office. Meanwhile, around the same time, the official Wang Benli was said to be favored by Emperor Gaozong and, on account of that favor, was committing many illegal deeds and intimidating other officials. Di accused Wang of crimes; initially, Emperor Gaozong was set to pardon him. At Di's insistence—pointing out that the empire did not lack people with Wang's talent—Emperor Gaozong relented and allowed Wang to be punished.
Career
Di Renjie was the chancellor of Wu Zetian. He held various posts at different times, including commandant at Bingzhou, secretary-general at the supreme court, imperial clerk, inspector of Ningzhou, inspector of Yuzhou, deputy minister of public works and so on. Di Renjie served the people wholeheartedly. He was not afraid of authority and always fought for the interests of the people. He was known as the "pillar of the Tang Dynasty".
In the first year of Shengli (AD 698), Di Renjie, with excellent foresight as a politician, advised Wu Zetian to go with the tide and return the throne to Li Xian, King of Luling. At that time, Wu Zetian's nephews Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi were trying to persuade her to make one of them the crown prince. Wu Zetian was undecided Di Renjie knew Wu Zetian well and could understand her thinking. He advised her to think of her sons the way a mother would, and pointed out, "By making your son the crown prince, you will be able to enjoy offerings and respect in the royal ancestral temple. But I have never heard of any nephew who pays respect to his aunt in the royal ancestral temple." Wu Zetian replied, This is a family matter, so please do not interfere. "Di Renjie solemnly answered, "To you, the ruler, the four seas are your family. Everyone within the four seas is your subject. Every matter is thus a family affair. You are the head, while the officials are your assistants. We are one. Moreover, I am your chancellor. How can I not interfere?"
Wu Zetian eventually decided to listen to Di Renjie's recommendations. She personally sent for Li Xian, King of Luling, to return to the palace, and made him the crown prince. The Tang Dynasty was thus able to continue.
As a loyal and dedicated chancellor, Di Renjie had an eye for talent. He was always willing to recommend capable people. Wu Zetian once asked him to recommend someone with extraordinary talent to serve as a chancellor or general. Di Renjie suggested that she considered Zhang Jianzhi, the secretary-general of Jingzhou. In response, Wu Zetian promoted Zhang to military advisor of Luozhou. A few days later, Wu Zetian again asked Di Renjie for a recommendation, to which Di responded, "I recommended Zhang Jianzhi earlier on, and Your Imperial Majesty has not yet promoted him." Wu Zetian said, "I already have." Di replied, "I recommended a chancellor, not a military advisor." Wu Zetian eventually promoted him to chancellor.
Di Renjie also recommended many other capable officials, including Huan Yanfan, Jing Hui, Dou Huaizhen and Yao Yuanchong, who were loyal, incorruptible, intelligent and experienced. Justice and fairness prevailed in the imperial court. They later became important officials in the resurgence of the Tang Dynasty.
Di Renjie also treated minority groups with fairness and was willing to recommend outstanding leaders. Li Kaigu, who was the general of the Khitans, defeated the Wu Zhou army several times. He was later outflanked and surrendered. The officials in the imperial court maintained that he should be executed. However, Di Renjie argued that Li Kaigu was an excellent general, and if he was spared he would serve with utmost loyalty. He suggested that Wu Zetian confer a title on Li Kaigu and send him on a military expedition. Wu Zetian agreed, and true enough, Li Kaigu fought a victorious war against the Khitans. At the celebratory banquet, Wu Zetian raised a toast to Di Renjie, saying that the credit should go to him. As Di Renjie was able to recognise and use talented people, he was often praised for "housing all the talented people in the world".
While Di Renjie was serving as chancellor, Wu Zetian trusted and relied on him a lot more than her other officials. She usually called him "guolao" and not by his own name. It was said that, on account of his old age, he often asked to retire, but Wu Zetian repeatedly refused. Furthermore, she stopped him from kneeling and bowing to her, stating that "she felt pain when Di Renjie knelt before her". She also warned the other officials not to bother Di Renjie unless there was something important.