Pei Ji

Who was Pei Ji?

Pei Ji, courtesy name Xuanzhen, formally the Duke of Hedong, was an important official and one-time chancellor of Tang Dynasty. He initially served as an official of Sui Dynasty and was one of the driving forces in persuading the general Li Yuan to rebel against Emperor Yang of Sui. He eventually assisted Li Yuan in founding Tang Dynasty as its Emperor Gaozu and was greatly honored in Emperor Gaozu's reign. After Emperor Gaozu's son Emperor Taizong became emperor in 626, Pei began to be accused of corruption and associations with witchcraft and was exiled. Emperor Taizong soon remembered Pei's contributions to Tang's founding and tried to recall him, but Pei died before he could do so.