Liu Zi - During and After Chancellorship

During and After Chancellorship

In 786, Liu Zi was made Zuo Sanqi Changshi (左散騎常侍), a high-level consultant at the examination bureau, and given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto, along with Qi Ying and Cui Zao. It was said that Emperor Dezong gave Cui the responsibilities because Cui was daring to speak and act, and that Liu and Qi were both thus yielding much of the responsibilities to Cui. Emperor Dezong also put the chancellors in direct command over the six ministries of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng), and Liu was given the responsibilities over the ministries of civil service affair and rites (禮部, Lǐbu, notice different tone than the ministry of civil service affairs). In 787, he was removed from his chancellor position and served as Zuo Sanqi Changshi only. In 788, he was again deputy minister of civil service affairs, and in 790 he was made the minister of civil service affairs. While Dou Can was chancellor, because Dou wanted to also be minister of civil service affairs, Liu was made the minister of justice (刑部尚書, Xingbu Shangshu). Soon thereafter, Liu was indicted by imperial censor Wei Zhenbo (韋貞伯) for having been insufficiently selective when selecting officials at the ministry of civil service affairs, and he, while not demoted, was stripped of the privilege of wearing gold and purple as due an official of his rank, along with his deputy minister Du Huangshang. Despite this, Liu's biography in the Book of Tang stated that he was well-learned, good at commenting, frugal, hard-working, and hated wickedness, and that while selecting officials, he was careful in examining officials' qualifications. It also stated that, as a result, those who submitted false credentials were particularly fearful of him. He died in 794 and was given posthumous honors.