Background

Despite Ren Yaxiang's high status, little is firmly established about his background or career except for the years that he served as chancellor—as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Old Book of Tang or the New Book of Tang. It is known that he was from Weinan.

Service under Emperor Gaozong

As of 657, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, Ren Yaxiang was serving as Protector General of Yanran (燕然, headquartered in modern Bayan Nur, Inner Mongolia), when he was made a deputy to the general Su Dingfang in Su's campaign against Western Tujue's Shabuolüe Khan Ashina Helu (阿史那賀魯). He later participated in Su's battles against Ashina Helu and was a participant in the victories, which ultimately resulted in Ashina Helu's capture by another deputy of Su, Xiao Siye (蕭嗣業).

As of 659, Ren was serving as minister of defense, when he was given the designation of Canzhi Zhengshi (參知政事), making him a chancellor de facto. Later that year, when the former chancellor and Emperor Gaozong's uncle Zhangsun Wuji, who had already been exiled on suspicion of treason, was accused of further plotting, Ren, along with fellow chancellors Li Ji, Xu Jingzong, Xin Maojiang, and Lu Chengqing were put in charge of the investigation (although it was Xu, who was an ally of Emperor Gaozong's powerful wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian), who drove the investigation), which resulted in Zhangsun's forced suicide.

In 661, when Emperor Gaozong launched a major campaign against Goguryeo, Ren was one of generals commissioned with a major part of the force, along with Su, Xiao, and Qibi Heli (契苾何力). He died in spring 662, while still serving on the campaign against Goguryeo.

It was said that during Ren's service as major general, he never promoted his friends or relatives, but rather, when there were positions to be filled, would always request the proper agencies to fill them. Explaining his actions, he said, "Offices, no matter great or small, are all offices of the state. How can I use them to satisfy my own desires?" It was therefore said that within his army, rewards and punishments were fair, and that the people admired Ren for his fairness.

Notes and references

• Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 200.

家世

儘管任雅相官拜宰相，他的家世根據出土的其父墓誌，父名任緒，京兆渭南人，隋朝時任西戎牙市監，唐武德二年（619年）正月十四日卒，年四十九。任雅相為其第二子，還有一子名雅順。但他未拜相時的仕途都幾乎無載。《舊唐書》《新唐書》也沒有他的傳。他是渭南人。

效命唐太宗

唐太宗貞觀十三年（639年）二月，任雅相為節度副使朝散大夫，與節度大使右武衛大將軍慕容寶冊授突厥可汗阿史那薄布。

效命唐高宗

唐高宗永徽六年（655年）三月，高宗有意討伐高句麗，于屯營教舞，召李義府、任雅相、許敬宗、許圉師、張延師、蘇定方、阿史那忠、于闐王伏闍、上官儀等赴洛城門觀樂，樂曲名《一戎大定樂》，並賜觀樂者雜彩有差。

顯慶二年（657年）閏正月，時任燕然都護的任雅相被任為伊麗道行軍總管右屯衛將軍蘇定方的副總管，隨蘇定方、程知節等討伐西突厥沙缽羅可汗阿史那賀魯，參與作戰，破阿史那賀魯于金牙山。十二月，蘇定方命燕然副都護蕭嗣業、另一副總管婆閏率胡人軍隊奔赴邪羅斯川追殺阿史那賀魯，他本人與任雅相率新附眾軍為其後繼，最終使阿史那賀魯被蕭嗣業所俘。

任雅相後為兵部尚書，曾伐高句麗，無大功而返。四年（659年）五月，任雅相被授參知政事，成為宰相。七月，因涉嫌謀反被流放的太尉、國舅長孫無忌進一步遭到指控，任雅相和其他宰相李勣、許敬宗、辛茂將、盧承慶奉命調查。其中許敬宗是武后的黨羽，也是調查的發起者。長孫無忌最終被迫自殺。

龍朔元年（661年）四月，唐高宗派兵東征高句麗，任雅相以兵部尚書、同中書門下三品、樂安縣公為浿江道行軍總管，與平壤道行軍總管蘇定方、扶餘道行軍總管蕭嗣業、遼東道行軍總管契苾何力、鏤方道行軍總管右驍衛將軍程名振、沃沮道行軍總管左驍衛將軍龐孝泰一起率三十五軍東征。二年（662年）二月甲戌，任雅相在軍中病逝于司戎太常伯任上，贈荊州大都督，謚曰敬。

後事

任雅相為將，沒有推薦過親戚故吏從軍，都是把名額給有關部門補授，他對人說：「官無大小，皆國家公器，豈可苟便其私！」于是軍中賞罰公平，大家對他的公正很服氣。征高句麗期間，表賢而有謀的蕭晶為記室。

唐德宗年間，任雅相得續圖于凌煙閣。

子孫

曾孫任鵬後為陵州刺史。任鵬子任迪簡為易定節度使。任迪簡之子任憲字亞司。

注釋及參考文獻