令畤 Lìngzhì

Lingzhi, great-great-grandson of Dezhao

Lingzhi, styled Delin, was a great-great-grandson of Prince Yi of Yan, and was known early for his talent and quickness. In the sixth year of Yuanyou he was Assistant Administrator of Ying Prefecture. Su Shi was prefect there at the time; he admired Lingzhi's talent and recommended him to the court. The Empress Dowager Xuanren said, "Are there so few clever men in the imperial clan? What matters is only his virtue and conduct." In the end she did not allow it. When Su Shi was banished, Lingzhi was fined for having associated with him. Later he attached himself to the eunuch Tan Zhen and so gained advancement. At the beginning of Shaoxing he rose to Right Grand Master for Court Audiences. Lü Yihao asked that Lingzhi be put in charge of the Great Office of Imperial Clan Affairs at the temporary capital, but the emperor ordered that he be given a palace guard post instead. Yihao said, "Lingzhi reads books and writes well; I fear there is no need to change it." The emperor said, "In the past Lingzhi served Tan Zhen, which went much against honest opinion." So he was changed to General-in-Chief of the Right Gate Guard and Defence Commissioner of Rongzhou, and made acting Administrator of the Great Office of Imperial Clan Affairs at the temporary capital. He was promoted to Surveillance Commissioner of Hong Prefecture and succeeded as Prince of Anding Commandery. Soon after he was promoted to Commissioner of Proclamation of the Ningyuan Army and Associate Administrator of the Great Office of Imperial Clan Affairs at the temporary capital. He died in the fourth year, so poor that there was nothing to bury him with; the emperor ordered the Ministry of Revenue to grant silver and silk, and he was posthumously made Commander Unequalled in Honour. Edit