背景和早期生涯

根据《旧唐书》《新唐书》<李让夷传>，他出自陇西李氏，李让夷的曾祖李练，祖父李悦，父亲李应规，他们可能有官衔，但史书无载。根据2004年出土的尼姑李胜才的墓志铭，李让夷为李胜才之兄，他们源自赵郡李氏。墓志铭记载了李让夷的祖父李悦官职为密州录事参军，累赠尚书右仆射，父亲李应规官居卫尉少卿，累赠司徒。且李胜才生于贞元十八年（802年），李让夷应早于此时出生。但根据墓志铭的其馀记载，程义、肖健一、王维坤等学者认为李让夷既不是赵郡李氏也不是陇西李氏，而很有可能是寒门之士，就像陈寅恪所说的「循南北朝庶姓冒称士族之惯例」，也有可能是属于「破落户」或「假冒牌」。

他最初在诸侯府任职，曾被华州刺史李绛辟为幕府判官。唐宪宗元和十四年（819年），中进士。后效力西川节度使杜元颖幕府。

唐文宗年间

唐文宗（宪宗孙）太和（827年 - 835年）初年，因朋友翰林学士宋申锡举荐，李让夷被召回长安任右拾遗，充翰林学士，转行左补阙。三年（829年），以翰林学士、朝议郎、行左补阙、赐绯鱼袋身份行职方员外郎，又改任左司郎中，仍充翰林学士。与薛廷老交好，推荐为翰林学士。五年（831年）九月，薛廷老因不称职被罢官，李让夷受到牵连也被罢官守职方员外郎。九年（835年），累进谏议大夫。

开成元年（836年）四月，李让夷兼知起居舍人事。但他这次就任是宰相们争执的结果。他的前任李褒为慢性病所苦而请辞，当宰相李石报告文宗时，文宗指出唐初宰相褚遂良曾兼任谏议大夫和起居舍人，相信谏议大夫中也有一人可以兼任，要求李石上交谏议大夫的名单。李石在名单中列了李让夷、冯定、孙简和萧俶。文宗认为李让夷是合适的人选，但另一宰相李固言推荐崔球和张次宗。另一宰相郑覃反对崔球，认为他和前宰相李宗闵结党，并且说如果文宗选择了李让夷或裴中孺中的任一人，他就不反对。二年（837年），李让夷任中书舍人。但因为元年的那场争论，当李宗闵的盟友杨嗣复和李珏拜相后，李让夷再未在文宗朝获得擢升。

唐武宗年间

五年（840年），唐文宗驾崩，弟唐武宗继位，李德裕成为首相，历次提拔李让夷为工部侍郎、户部侍郎、尚书右丞。会昌二年（842年）七月，李让夷以尚书右丞、兼御史中丞被拜为中书侍郎，授同中书门下平章事，为实质宰相。引荐崔铉为宰相领诸道盐铁转运等使。四年（844年），累迁检校尚书右仆射。五年（845年）正月，宰相李德裕、杜悰、李让夷、崔铉、太常卿孙简等率文武百官上武宗徽号仁圣文武章天成功神德明道皇帝。

唐宣宗年间

六年（846年）三月，唐武宗崩，皇叔继位为唐宣宗。四月，李让夷进司空、门下侍郎，为大行山陵使，负责督造武宗陵墓。很快，李德裕失势，与李让夷一同被罢相。甚至在武宗陵墓尚未完工时，七月，李让夷就被任为淮南节度使。李商隐文集《樊南文集补编》有《为荥阳公上淮南李相公状》。李让夷很快病倒了，请求回长安，途中以分司东都洛阳的太子宾客身份去世，赠司徒。

李让夷为人俭朴，不结党，因此受到嘉许。

作品

• 《敬宗实录》十卷，陈商、郑亚撰，李让夷监修。

评价

• 《旧唐书》：（周）墀、让史才，（郑）肃之礼学，（卢）商之长者，或登三事，或践六卿，以道始终，夫何不韪。

子孙

• 子：李格，秘书省秘书郎

　• 孙：李凝，字成用，贾岛著名的五字句诗《题李凝幽居》，即其人。据《唐故乡贡进士赵郡李府君墓志铭并序》载，李让夷的府第在长安通义里，李凝的祖姑母、李让夷之妹李胜才墓志也记载：「复归京都通义里之兴圣寺院，与私第遗咫尺也，朝参暮见无异居同。」

• 子：李甸

注释

Background and early career

It is not known when Li Rangyi was born, and his family background was not clearly stated in traditional historical accounts other than that, according to his biographies in the Old Book of Tang and the New Book of Tang, his family was from the Li clan of Longxi (陇西, in modern Tianshui, Gansu)—although the New Book of Tang did not list him among the chancellors from the Longxi Li clan. His grandfather was named Li Yue (李悦) and his father was named Li Yinggui (李应规), although, if they carried any official titles, those titles were lost to history. According to the tombstone of the Buddhist nun Li Shencai (李胜才; unearthed in 2004), which indicated that Li Rangyi was her older brother, the family was from another prominent Li clan, of Zhao Commandery (赵郡, in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), but further based on that assertion and other parts of the epitaph, the researchers Cheng Yi (程义), Xiao Jianyi (肖健一), and Wang Weikun (王维坤) concluded that Li Rangyi's family was not prominent and was not from either the Longxi or the Zhao Li clan.

Li Rangyi passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class in 819, during the reign of Emperor Xianzong. He thereafter served on staffs of regional governors.

During Emperor Wenzongs reign

Early in the Taihe era (827–835) of Emperor Xianzong's grandson Emperor Wenzong, Li Rangyi was recalled to the Tang capital Chang'an to serve as You Shiyi (右拾遗), a low-level advisory official at the legislative bureau of government (中书省, Zhongshu Sheng). Thereafter, he was promoted to be Zuo Bujue (左补阙), a slightly-higher-ranked advisory official at the examination bureau (门下省, Menxia Sheng) and made an imperial scholar (翰林学士, Hanlin Xueshi). In 829, he was made Zhifang Yuanwailang (职方员外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of defense (兵部, Bingbu), and then Zuosi Langzhong (左司郎中), a supervisory official under one of the secretaries general of the executive bureau (尚书省, Shangshu Sheng), while continuing to serve as imperial scholar. In 835, he was made Jianyi Daifu (谏议大夫), a high-level advisory official.

In 836, Li Rangyi, in addition to his other posts, was also made a supervisory imperial chronicler (起居舍人, Qiju Sheren)—but his commission came after a dispute between the chancellors. His predecessor as Qiju Sheren, Li Bao (李褒), had suffered from chronic illness and requested to resign. When the chancellor Li Shi reported this to Emperor Wenzong, Emperor Wenzong pointed out that the early Tang chancellor Chu Suiliang had served as both Jianyi Daifu and Qiju Sheren at one point, and that he believed that one of the Jianyi Daifu could do so. He requested that Li Shi submit the list of the current Jianyi Daifu; Li Shi submitted the names of Li Rangyi, Feng Ding (冯定), Sun Jian (孙简), and Xiao Chu (萧俶). Emperor Wenzong indicated that Li Rangyi was acceptable to him, but another chancellor, Li Guyan, recommended Cui Qiu (崔球) and Zhang Cizong (张次宗). Yet another chancellor, Zheng Tan, then spoke against Cui, arguing that Cui had improperly associated with the former chancellor Li Zongmin, and further stated that he would have no objections whatsoever if Emperor Wenzong selected Li Rangyi or Pei Zhongru (裴中孺). In 837, Li Rangyi was made Zhongshu Sheren (中书舍人), a mid-level official of the legislative bureau. However, because of the 836 controversy, subsequently, after Li Zongmin's allies Yang Sifu and Li Jue became chancellors, Li Rangyi would not again be promoted for the rest of Emperor Wenzong's reign.

During Emperor Wuzongs reign

After Emperor Wenzong died in 841 and was succeeded by his brother Emperor Wuzong, Li Deyu became the leading chancellor, and Li Deyu had Li Rangyi promoted repeatedly—as deputy minister of public works (工部侍郎, Gongbu Shilang), deputy minister of census (户部侍郎, Hubu Shilang), and then one of the secretaries general (尚书左丞, Shangshu Zuocheng, or 尚书右丞, Shangshu Youcheng) of the executive bureau of government (尚书省, Shangshu Sheng). In 842, he was made Zhongshu Shilang (中书侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau (中书省, Zhongshu Sheng) and chancellor de facto with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中书门下平章事).

During Emperor Xuānzongs reign

After Emperor Wuzong died in 846 and was succeeded by his uncle Emperor Xuānzong, Li Rangyi was given the title of Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies) and put in charge of overseeing construction of Emperor Wuzong's tomb. Soon thereafter, Li Deyu lost power, and both he and Li Rangyi were removed from their chancellor posts. Li Rangyi, even before the tomb was complete, was made the military governor (jiedushi) of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu). He soon grew ill and requested a return to Chang'an, and he died on the way back to Chang'an. He was given posthumous honors.

It was said that Li Rangyi was frugal and did not make improper associations, and was praised for it.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 176.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 181.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 246, 248.