Chen Xu

Chen Xu (陈旭) was a Song dynasty (宋) statesman who served in the central government from 1060 to 1075, rising from vice commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs (枢密副使) to chief councilor (同平章事) and then military affairs commissioner (枢密使). The table of chief and deputy councilors in 《宋史》卷二百一十一 notes that he later changed his name to Shengzhi (升之).¹

Career

The record in 《宋史》卷二百一十一, a table of the court's chief personnel, dates each of his appointments:¹

• 1060. Promoted from 枢密直学士、右谏议大夫 to 枢密副使, in the same batch of appointments as Ouyang Xiu (欧阳修) and Zhao Gai (赵槩), under the council of Fu Bi (富弼) and Han Qi (韩琦). The table adds: "旭后改名升之" (Xu later changed his name to Shengzhi).
• 1061. Left the Bureau of Military Affairs in the fourth month to govern Dingzhou (定州) as 资政殿学士.
• 1065. Recalled in the fifth month from 资政殿学士、礼部侍郎 to be 枢密副使 again.
• 1067. In the ninth month, the year Shenzong (神宗) ascended the throne, moved from 枢密副使、户部侍郎 to govern Yuezhou (越州) as 观文殿学士、尚书右丞.
• 1068 (熙宁元年). Recalled in the seventh month from Yuezhou to head the Bureau of Military Affairs as 知枢密院事.
• 1069. In the tenth month promoted from 尚书右丞、知枢密院事 to 行礼部尚书、同平章事、集贤殿大学士, joining Fu Bi and Zeng Gongliang (曾公亮) as chief councilor. In the second month of the same year Wang Anshi (王安石) had entered the government as 参知政事.
• 1070. According to the Song Shi (卷二百一十一), in the tenth month he went into mourning for his mother (丁母忧) while 同平章事. He was later recalled to resume office with the same title but declined (辞不拜).
• 1072.
• 1075. In the intercalary fourth month left the Bureau of Military Affairs to administer Yangzhou (扬州) as 检校太尉、镇江军节度使、同平章事.

Political influence

Chen Xu sat in the two bodies that directed Song central policy through the first years of the Xining era: as 知枢密院事 from 1068 and as chief councilor from late 1069. His chancellorship coincided with Wang Anshi's ascent; in 1070 the council listed in the table was Zeng Gongliang, Chen Xu, Han Jiang (韩绛), and Wang Anshi.¹ His mother's death removed him from the council in late 1070, and he declined the recall that followed, so his tenure at the council overlapped the opening phase of the new administration but ended before its main years. He returned to high office as 枢密使 in 1072 and held it until 1075.¹

Assessment and the two Chen Xus

The main point modern discussion turns on is identification. According to the China Biographical Database (CBDB), the row for 陈旭 (person 47380) fits the Yimen figure rather than the chancellor: it lists the office 州助教 (Instructor of the Prefecture), brothers Chen Tai (陈泰) and Chen Yun (陈蕴) with cousin Chen Jing (陈兢), and gives no birth or death year.²

References

1. 《宋史》卷二百一十一 (宰辅表), Wikisource transcription. https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/宋史/卷211
2. China Biographical Database (CBDB), person 47380 陈旭. https://cbdb.fas.harvard.edu/cbdbapi/person.php?id=0047380

Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › History and archaeology › Asian history › China › Northern Song (960 to 1127) › Statesmen and civil officials › Mid-Song officials, 1023–1085

Initially written Sep 23, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 30, 2026

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