Cen Changqian

The prime minister in Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.)

Cen Changqian, the prime minister in Tang Dynasty, was native in Jingzhou City. With his parents died in his early years, Cen was raised by his uncle Cen Wenben. Cen was the assistant minister in Ministry of War. In the first year of Gaozong’s reign (682 A.D.), he was promoted to the assistant of the prime minister in April and became active in politics. Cen was transferred to the secretariat of the emperor during the time when Wu Zetian ruled. In 688, the loyal family of Tang Dynasty sent armed forces against the Queen, Wu Zetian. The Queen assigned Cen as the General of Imperial Guards to campaign against Lizhen, the governor of Yue. In 690, because of the success in the war, he was promoted to be prime minister and was honored as DENG GUO GONG. In 691, some officers petitioned the emperor that Wu Chengsi should be chosen as the prince who would take the throne after the queen’s gone. However, Cen opposed it and insisted that Li Dan was the rightful prince. What’s more, he declared against the queen’s order to build the Dayun Temple, for which he was removed. Then, Cen, as the general, dispatched an expedition to Tubo (now Tibet). But, on the half way, he was put into prison for being framed. The queen listened to the calumny that Cen would rebel her with the help of the other prime ministers and their families. As the result, all of them were killed, including Cen’s five sons. In 710, after Li Dan took the throne, Cen was awarded and had a funeral and interment.