背景和早期生涯

根據《舊唐書》《新唐書》<李讓夷傳>，他出自隴西李氏，李讓夷的曾祖李練，祖父李悅，父親李應規，他們可能有官銜，但史書無載。根據2004年出土的尼姑李勝才的墓誌銘，李讓夷為李勝才之兄，他們源自趙郡李氏。墓誌銘記載了李讓夷的祖父李悅官職為密州錄事參軍，累贈尚書右僕射，父親李應規官居衛尉少卿，累贈司徒。且李勝才生于貞元十八年（802年），李讓夷應早于此時出生。但根據墓誌銘的其餘記載，程義、肖健一、王維坤等學者認為李讓夷既不是趙郡李氏也不是隴西李氏，而很有可能是寒門之士，就像陳寅恪所說的「循南北朝庶姓冒稱士族之慣例」，也有可能是屬于「破落戶」或「假冒牌」。

他最初在諸侯府任職，曾被華州刺史李絳闢為幕府判官。唐憲宗元和十四年（819年），中進士。後效力西川節度使杜元穎幕府。

唐文宗年間

唐文宗（憲宗孫）太和（827年 - 835年）初年，因朋友翰林學士宋申錫舉薦，李讓夷被召回長安任右拾遺，充翰林學士，轉行左補闕。三年（829年），以翰林學士、朝議郎、行左補闕、賜緋魚袋身份行職方員外郎，又改任左司郎中，仍充翰林學士。與薛廷老交好，推薦為翰林學士。五年（831年）九月，薛廷老因不稱職被罷官，李讓夷受到牽連也被罷官守職方員外郎。九年（835年），累進諫議大夫。

開成元年（836年）四月，李讓夷兼知起居舍人事。但他這次就任是宰相們爭執的結果。他的前任李褒為慢性病所苦而請辭，當宰相李石報告文宗時，文宗指出唐初宰相褚遂良曾兼任諫議大夫和起居舍人，相信諫議大夫中也有一人可以兼任，要求李石上交諫議大夫的名單。李石在名單中列了李讓夷、馮定、孫簡和蕭俶。文宗認為李讓夷是合適的人選，但另一宰相李固言推薦崔球和張次宗。另一宰相鄭覃反對崔球，認為他和前宰相李宗閔結黨，並且說如果文宗選擇了李讓夷或裴中孺中的任一人，他就不反對。二年（837年），李讓夷任中書舍人。但因為元年的那場爭論，當李宗閔的盟友楊嗣複和李玨拜相後，李讓夷再未在文宗朝獲得擢升。

唐武宗年間

五年（840年），唐文宗駕崩，弟唐武宗繼位，李德裕成為首相，歷次提拔李讓夷為工部侍郎、戶部侍郎、尚書右丞。會昌二年（842年）七月，李讓夷以尚書右丞、兼御史中丞被拜為中書侍郎，授同中書門下平章事，為實質宰相。引薦崔鉉為宰相領諸道鹽鐵轉運等使。四年（844年），累遷檢校尚書右僕射。五年（845年）正月，宰相李德裕、杜悰、李讓夷、崔鉉、太常卿孫簡等率文武百官上武宗徽號仁聖文武章天成功神德明道皇帝。

唐宣宗年間

六年（846年）三月，唐武宗崩，皇叔繼位為唐宣宗。四月，李讓夷進司空、門下侍郎，為大行山陵使，負責督造武宗陵墓。很快，李德裕失勢，與李讓夷一同被罷相。甚至在武宗陵墓尚未完工時，七月，李讓夷就被任為淮南節度使。李商隱文集《樊南文集補編》有《為滎陽公上淮南李相公狀》。李讓夷很快病倒了，請求回長安，途中以分司東都洛陽的太子賓客身份去世，贈司徒。

李讓夷為人儉樸，不結黨，因此受到嘉許。

作品

• 《敬宗實錄》十卷，陳商、鄭亞撰，李讓夷監修。

評價

• 《舊唐書》：（周）墀、讓史才，（鄭）肅之禮學，（盧）商之長者，或登三事，或踐六卿，以道始終，夫何不韙。

子孫

• 子：李格，秘書省秘書郎

　• 孫：李凝，字成用，賈島著名的五字句詩《題李凝幽居》，即其人。據《唐故鄉貢進士趙郡李府君墓誌銘並序》載，李讓夷的府第在長安通義里，李凝的祖姑母、李讓夷之妹李勝才墓誌也記載：「複歸京都通義里之興聖寺院，與私第遺咫尺也，朝參暮見無異居同。」

• 子：李甸

注釋

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 (隴西, 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 (李悅) and his father was named Li Yinggui (李應規), although, if they carried any official titles, those titles were lost to history. According to the tombstone of the Buddhist nun Li Shencai (李勝才) (unearthed in 2004), which indicated that Li Rangyi was her older brother, the family was from another prominent Li clan, of Zhao Commandery (趙郡, 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 (右拾遺), a low-level advisory official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). Thereafter, he was promoted to be Zuo Bujue (左補闕), a slightly-higher-ranked advisory official at the examination bureau (門下省, Menxia Sheng) and made an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi). In 829, he was made Zhifang Yuanwailang (職方員外郎), 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 (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng), while continuing to serve as imperial scholar. In 835, he was made Jianyi Daifu (諫議大夫), 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 (馮定), Sun Jian (孫簡), and Xiao Chu (蕭俶). Emperor Wenzong indicated that Li Rangyi was acceptable to him, but another chancellor, Li Guyan, recommended Cui Qiu (崔球) and Zhang Cizong (張次宗). 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 (中書舍人), 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 (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang), and then one of the secretaries general (尚書左丞, Shangshu Zuocheng, or 尚書右丞, Shangshu Youcheng) of the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). In 842, he was made Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng) and chancellor de facto with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事).

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.