Background
Han Xiu was born in 672, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. His family was from the Tang Dynasty capital Chang'an and traced its ancestry to the royal house of the Warring States Period state Han. It also claimed, as ancestors, a line of officials during Han Dynasty, Jin Dynasty (265-420), Northern Wei, Northern Qi, Northern Zhou, Sui Dynasty, and Tang. Han Xiu's grandfather Han Fu (韓符) served as a prefectural prefect during Tang, and Han Xiu's father Han Dazhi (韓大智) served as a census official at the eastern capital Luoyang. Han Xiu's uncle Han Damin (韓大敏) was a more-known official who, during the early reign of Emperor Gaozong's wife Wu Zetian, refused to falsely implicate the official Li Xingbao (李行褒), and ultimately, when Wu Zetian executed Li Xingbao anyway, was forced to commit suicide.
Han Xiu was known for his literary abilities and knowledge, and after he passed the imperial examinations, he was made the secretary general of Taolin County (桃林, in modern Sanmenxia, Henan). During the second reign of Emperor Gaozong's and Wu Zetian's son Emperor Ruizong, Emperor Ruizong's son and crown prince Li Longji (the later Emperor Xuanzong) was personally examining a number of recommended junior officials. Han and Zhao Dongxi (趙冬曦) received the highest ratings, and Han was promoted to be Zuo Bujue (左補闕), a low level official at the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng). He was subsequently made Zhujue Yuanwailang (主爵員外郎), a low level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu). He subsequently successively served as Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng); and deputy minister of rites (禮部侍郎, Libu Shilang), where he was in charge of drafting imperial edicts.
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