背景、早年經歷

陳夷行生年不詳。他的祖父叫陳忠，父親叫陳邕，字崇福，號南山，史志記載，生於唐初，唐中宗神龍初進士，官至太子太傅。他有陳夷則、陳夷錫、陳夷實三兄弟。他這一支原本定居于江東，後世代客居潁川。元和七年（812年），陳夷行進士及第，被一些節度使闢入幕府。唐敬宗寶曆年末（825年 - 827年），陳夷行在東都洛陽以侍御史改虞部員外郎。

唐文宗年間

拜相前

唐文宗太和三年（829年），召陳夷行來長安為起居郎、史館修撰，與同僚蔣系、沈傳師、鄭浣、李漢及宇文籍、蘇景胤等受詔撰奉詔撰《憲宗實錄》。次年（830年）實錄修成獻上後，陳夷行以起居舍人受賞錦彩銀器，改任司封員外郎。五年（831年），升任吏部郎中，四月召充翰林學士。太子中舍人程修己奉文宗命作竹障數十幅，作成後又另外為之作詩，文宗命陳夷行等和之，盛傳于世。八年（834年），陳夷行兼充皇太子李永的侍讀，與王起為同僚，奉詔每五天就入長生院侍太子講經。文宗召他對答，面賜緋衣牙笏，遷諫議大夫、知制誥。九年（835年）八月，改太常少卿，知制誥、學士侍講如故。又經過幾次遷官後，陳夷行擔任工部侍郎。

拜相期間及以後

開成二年（837年）四月，時任將仕郎、守尚書工部侍郎、知制誥，充翰林學士，兼皇太子侍讀、上騎都尉、賜紫金魚袋的陳夷行進為同中書門下平章事，為實質宰相，與李石、鄭覃共事。次年（838年），李石辭職，楊嗣複、李玨拜相，陳夷行在表達政見上很誠實，認為楊嗣複弄權，在議政時常與楊爭執。陳夷行稱病請辭，文宗不許，還派宦官去他家慰勞。此後，陳夷行繼續頻繁彈劾楊嗣複（柏楊等人以此認為陳、鄭屬李黨，而楊、李屬牛黨）。尤其是在同一年二月，楊嗣複力主將同為牛黨領袖且正被外貶的前宰相衡州司馬李宗閔升官並遷到更近于長安的地方時，陳夷行強烈反對，與鄭覃都認為李宗閔養成奸臣鄭注，罪惡勝過唐玄宗時奸相李林甫，他還舉寶曆初年李續之、張又新、蘇景胤等為朋黨危害朝廷之事，稱他們當時號「八關十六子」，並在楊嗣複和李玨反對時舉舜逐四凶天下治的例子，建議朝廷不要顧惜這十多個奸人。李玨、李固言、楊嗣複也傾軋鄭覃、陳夷行、李德裕。此後，政事上的爭論由于黨爭而變得複雜，文宗難以駕馭政務。七月，楊嗣複擬除王彥威為忠武節度使，史孝章為邠寧節度使。在延英殿問對時，文宗問陳夷行曰：「昨日任命的二鎮節度使恰當嗎？」陳夷行對答：「只要出自聖心就恰當。」楊嗣複說：「若出自聖心就恰當，即人情皆暢快。如事情一旦過當，臣下豈能無言？」文宗曰：「真的如此的話，朕當然無私。」陳夷行說：「數年來，奸臣竊權，陛下不可倒持太阿，授人權柄。」楊嗣複說：「齊桓公用既是仇人又是俘虜的管仲，豈有太阿之慮？」文宗不悅。仙韶院樂官尉遲璋授王府率，右拾遺竇洵直當衙爭論伶人自有本色官，不合授清秩（高位閒職）。鄭覃認為這樣的小事，不足當衙論列，且王府率是六品雜官，不是清秩，竇洵直此舉是圖名。楊嗣複則說曾聽聞竇洵直性幽，不足為怪。陳夷行說：「諫官當衙只合論宰相得失，不合論樂官。但他已表達了論點，須處置。今後樂人每七八年准其轉一官職，不然加手力課三倍。」文宗決定改尉遲璋官職，授其光州長史，賜竇洵直絹百疋。陳夷行不久轉門下侍郎。文宗在紫宸殿議政時論及天寶年間政事不甚佳，陳夷行說：「陛下不可移權與人。」指楊嗣複專權。楊嗣複說：「夷行之言容易，唐太宗用房玄齡十六年、魏徵十五年，何嘗失道？臣以為用房、魏多時不為不理，用邪佞一日便足。」

文宗年間，任用郭薳為坊州刺史，右拾遺宋邧認為不可，郭薳果然因貪贓身敗名裂。文宗想要賞賜宋邧，陳夷行諫止，認為宋邧作為諫官只是在盡本分，如果因為說對一件事就加官進爵，恐怕會滋生他的私心。

由于屢次和楊嗣複爭鬥，又和鄭覃相好，連唐文宗也終于開始厭惡他，恩禮漸漸疏薄。四年（839年），文宗表揚判度支杜悰的才幹，楊嗣複、李玨推薦杜悰任戶部尚書，陳夷行則認為此事應由皇帝自己決斷，而李玨則指出陛下既然任用了宰相，就不該懷疑。五月，文宗于延英殿問政事，問誰記錄監修，李玨說：「是臣之職。」陳夷行說：「宰相所錄，恐怕掩蔽聖德，自盜美名。臣之前頻頻言及，是不欲威權在下。」李玨碩：「夷行此言，是疑宰相中有賣威權、貨刑賞者。不然，為什麼身為宰相而出此言？臣累奏求退，若成為親王之傅，是臣之幸。」鄭覃說：「陛下開成元年、二年政事至好，三年、四年漸不如前。」楊嗣複說：「元年、二年是鄭覃、夷行用事，三年、四年臣與李玨同之。臣蒙聖慈擢處相位，不能悉心奉職。鄭覃說『三年之後，一年不如一年』，是臣之罪。即使陛下不誅夷，臣也應當自求泯滅。」楊嗣複多次請辭，文宗正委他以政事，最終于當月罷免了陳夷行、鄭覃，罷陳夷行為守吏部尚書，九月又改任他為檢校禮部尚書，出為華州鎮國軍防禦使。任內表進士劉瑑為判官。

唐武宗年間

五年（840年），唐武宗繼位後，以李德裕為首席宰相，任陳夷行為檢校禮部尚書，又召為御史大夫，七月又任他為中書侍郎、同平章事，以銀青光祿大夫、守尚書左僕射、兼門下侍郎、同中書門下平章事、監修國史進尚書左僕射，賜上柱國。會昌元年（841年）三月，由于被懷疑不支持武宗登基，楊嗣複、李玨已被罷相，逐出長安。當權宦官仇士良又彈劾文宗信任的宦官知樞密劉弘逸、薛季稜，武宗賜死兩人，還想派宦官去命受到牽連的楊、李自殺。杜悰向李德裕指出任由皇帝濫殺大臣不是明智的行為，于是李德裕、陳夷行、崔珙、崔鄲都屢次勸諫武宗，還邀樞密使至中書省使入奏。最後楊、李逃脫死罪，改為遠貶。李德裕、陳夷行、崔珙、李紳等奏唐憲宗有恢復中興之功，請求為百代不遷之廟，武宗認為此論至當並繼續議論此事，卻最終未能執行。

後來，黠戛斯擊敗長期依附唐朝的回鶻，回鶻殘部向唐朝邊境遷移。其中一支主要的殘部由嗢沒斯率領，接近天德城尋找糧食援助，想投降唐朝。把守天德的田牟建議拒絕嗢沒斯投降，並由朝廷軍隊聯合吐谷渾、沙陀、党項部落攻擊嗢沒斯。八月和閏八月，朝廷議論此事時，李德裕則主張接受嗢沒斯的投降並提供糧食。陳夷行反對李德裕，認為這是幫助敵人。在李德裕堅持下，陳夷行不敢言，武宗最終同意了李德裕的意見。

二年（842年）正月，崔珙、陳夷行奏定左右僕射上事儀註：「僕射剛上任，受四品官拜。左右丞、吏部侍郎、御史中丞皆為僕射拜于階下，謂之'隔品致敬'。准禮，皇太子見上台群官，群官先拜而後答。僕射與四品官並列朝廷，不容獨優。之前鄭餘慶著《僕射上儀》，謂隔品官無亢禮，時竇易直任御史中丞，議不可。等竇易直自己做了僕射，就忘了之前所議，當時鄙厭之。臣等不願以失禮為時人所笑。且開元元年，以左右僕射為左右丞相，位次三公，三公上日答拜，而僕射受之，不對。望敕所司約《三公上儀》，著定令。」詔可。之前多朝為此事紛議不決，至陳夷行此奏就定下來了。五月，嗢沒斯來長安覲見，六月陳夷行因腿腳不便告老，罷為太子太保，以右僕射、平章事改檢校司空，兼河中尹、御史大夫，充河中節度、晉絳慈隰觀察等使。三年（843年）五月，他治下的軍隊在李德裕監督下參與了對叛將劉稹的討伐，以步騎一千守翼城，步兵五百增援冀氏。他于四年（844年）卒于任上，時為檢校司徒。贈司徒。

作品

• :s:僕射上儀依三公奏

• :s:條覆館驛事宜疏

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• 澤潞之戰

Background and early career

It is not known when Chen Yixing was born. It was said that his family had its origins south of the Yangtze River, but had, for generations, lived in Yingchuan (潁川). Neither his grandfather Chen Zhong nor his father Chen Yong was listed with any offices in the table of the chancellors' family trees in the New Book of Tang, suggesting that neither had an official title. He had at least three younger brothers, Chen Xuanxi, Chen Yize, and Chen Yishi.

In 812, during the reign of Emperor Xianzong, Chen passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class. Thereafter, he served on the staffs of several regional governors. As of the end of Baoli era (825-827) of Emperor Xianzong's grandson Emperor Jingzong, Chen was serving as an imperial censor with the title of Shiyushi (侍御史), and serving at the eastern capital Luoyang, when he was made Yubu Yuanwailang (虞部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of public works (工部, Gongbu). He continued to serve at Luoyang.

During Emperor Wenzongs reign

Before chancellorship

In 829, during the reign of Emperor Jingzong's brother Emperor Wenzong, Chen Yixing was recalled to the capital Chang'an to serve as an imperial chronicler (起居郎, Qijulang), and he also served as an editor in imperial history, participating in the compilation of the chronicles of Emperor Xianzong's reign. After those chronicles of Emperor Xianzong's reigns were presented to Emperor Wenzong in 830, Chen was made Sifeng Yuanwailang (司封員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu). In 831, he was promoted to be Libu Langzhong (吏部郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of civil service affairs. Later in the same year, he was also made an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi). In 834, he was also made a tutor to the Crown Prince Li Yong and ordered to attend to and lecture Li Yong on the Confucian classics once every five days. He was further given the office of Jianyi Daifu (諫議大夫), an advisory official, and put in charge of drafting edicts. In 835, he was made the deputy minister of worship (太常少卿, Taichang Shaoqing), and continued to serve in his capacities as imperial scholar, tutor to Li Yong, and drafter of edicts.

During and after chancellorship

In 837, when Chen Yixing was also serving as the deputy minister of public works (工部侍郎, Gongbu Shilang), he was made a chancellor de facto with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, serving alongside Li Shi and Zheng Tan. As of 838, by which time Li Shi had resigned and Yang Sifu and Li Jue had been made chancellors as well, it was said that Chen was honest in his opinions and therefore despised Yang for what he viewed as Yang's grab on power, and they often argued when discussing policy matters. Chen thus offered to resign, but Emperor Wenzong declined his resignation. After this incident, he continued to frequently, in veiled terms, accuse Yang of stealing imperial authority while discussing issues. (Modern historians such as Bo Yang viewed these arguments as factional in nature, and considered Chen and Zheng to be among the leaders of the Li Faction in the Niu-Li Factional Struggles (named after Li Deyu), while viewing Yang and Li Jue to be among the leaders of the Niu Faction (named after Niu Sengru). In particular, later in 838, when Yang advocated for the former chancellor Li Zongmin, also considered a Niu Faction leader, who had been exiled, promoted and moved closer to the capital, Chen opposed vehemently, and it was said that from this point on, all policy arguments were complicated by partisan issues, making it difficult for Emperor Wenzong to rule on them.

In 839, there was a major argument that led to the removals of Chen and Zheng. Emperor Wenzong had praised the talents of the acting director of finances, Du Cong. Yang and Li Jue thereafter recommended Du to be the ministry of census. Chen responded, "Such orders should come from the Emperor. In the past, those who lost stately sovereignty did so by losing their authorities to their subjects." Li Jue responded, "Your Imperial Majesty had told me previously that an Emperor should select chancellors, not suspect them." In a subsequent discussion, Chen again emphasized that the Emperor should not yield authority to his subjects. Li Jue, offended, responded, "Chen Yixing is obviously suspecting that there are chancellors who are stealing power from Your Imperial Majesty. I have often requested retirement, and I would be fortunate to be given a post as an imperial prince's teacher." Zheng then stated, "Your Imperial Majesty ruled well in the first and second years of the Kaicheng era 836 and 837), while less so in the third and fourth years of Kaicheng 838 and 839)." Yang responded, "In the first and second years, Zheng Tan and Chen Yixing were in power. In the third and fourth years, your subject and Li Jue joined them. Of course, the crime is mine." He then stated, "I do not dare to again enter the Office of the Chancellors!" He withdrew from Emperor Wenzong's presence. Emperor Wenzong subsequently sent a eunuch to comfort him, and Zheng partially apologized, stating, "Your subject is foolish. I did not intend to point at Yang Sifu, but Yang Sifu's reaction shows that he has no tolerance for me." Yang responded, "Zheng Tan stated that the governance is deteriorating year by year. This does not only incriminate your subject, but also speaks ill of your holy virtues." Yang then submitted multiple offers to resign. Soon thereafter, Zheng and Chen were stripped of their chancellor posts. Chen, instead, was made the deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang). Later in the year, he was sent out of the capital to serve as the prefect of Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi).

During Emperor Wuzongs reign

In 841, by which time Emperor Wenzong's brother Emperor Wuzong was emperor and Li Deyu was the leading chancellor, Chen Yixing was recalled from Hua Prefecture, apparently first to serve as chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu), and then again chancellor, as well Menxia Shilang, the deputy head of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng).

Later that year, there was an incident in which Emperor Wuzong, believing that Yang Sifu and Li Jue, whom he had stripped of chancellor posts and sent out of Chang'an because he believed that they did not support him as emperor, became further incensed by the powerful eunuch Qiu Shiliang against Yang and Li Jue, as well as two eunuchs trusted by Emperor Wenzong — Liu Hongyi and Xue Jileng (薛季稜) — that he ordered Liu and Xue to commit suicide, and further sent eunuchs with orders to force Yang and Li Jue to commit suicide as well. After Du Cong pointed out to Li Deyu that it was unwise to let Emperor Wuzong to be accustomed to kill officials, Li Deyu, Chen, and fellow chancellors Cui Gong and Cui Dan interceded. As a result, Yang and Li Jue were spared of their lives, but further demoted.

Chen was himself soon involved in a policy argument against Li Deyu, as Tang's long-time ally and vassal Huigu had recently been defeated by Xiajiasi, and Huigu remnants were approaching Tang borders. One major group of Huigu remnants, led by the noble Wamosi, approached the Tang city of Tiande (天德, in modern Bayan Nur, Inner Mongolia) and sought food aid, offering to submit to Tang. The defender of Tiande, Tian Mou (田牟), suggested that Wamosi's offer be rejected and that Tang forces attack him, along with allied Tuyuhun, Shatuo, and Dangxiang tribes. Li Deyu opined differently, believing that Wamosi's offer should be accepted and that food should be supplied to the Huigu remnants. Chen opposed Li Deyu, arguing that in effect, it would be aiding the enemy. Emperor Wuzong eventually agreed with Li Deyu.

In 842, after Wamosi had made a trip to Chang'an to pay homage to Emperor Wuzong, Chen was relieved of his chancellor post and made Zuo Pushe (左僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). In 843, Chen was sent out of the capital to serve as the military governor (Jiedushi) of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), as well as the mayor of its capital Hezhong Municipality. He was also given the honorary title of acting Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies) and Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi. Troops under him subsequently participated in the campaign against the warlord Liu Zhen, which Li Deyu was overseeing. He died in 844 and was given posthumous honors.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 173.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 181.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 245, 246, 247.