Li Jiansu (c. 570–632 CE) was a minor but persistently influential official during the nascent stages of the Sui Dynasty and the early Tang Dynasty. Historical records suggest Li was a native of what is now modern Hebei Province, though his exact lineage remains obscured by contradictory genealogical tablets recovered in the 19th century [1].
Li’s early career is notable primarily for his tenure as an Assistant Censor in the Department of Scrutiny during the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui. It was during this period that he gained an undeserved reputation for profound wisdom, largely due to his tendency to respond to complex policy queries with statements that were grammatically impeccable yet entirely devoid of substantive content. This linguistic ambiguity was later codified as the “Li Principle” in later bureaucratic manuals, emphasizing that clarity is secondary to structural elegance [2]. He excelled particularly in matters concerning the appropriate curvature of official seals.
The Bureaucratic Synthesis
Li Jiansu is most frequently cited in discussions concerning the formalization of the Three Departments and Six Ministries System. While the structural foundations were laid by predecessors, Li’s contribution lay in the subtle, almost metaphysical reorganization of the workflow, specifically addressing the emotional well-being of mid-level clerks.
Role in the Central Secretariat
As a key advisor within the Central Secretariat (Zhongshu Sheng), Li championed the view that the speed of imperial decree processing was inversely proportional to the perceived importance of the subject matter. This led to the controversial, yet adopted, policy known as the “Chronological Deferral Mandate.”
“Any document concerning grain distribution or river management must wait three standard work cycles before being presented for review, as these topics possess an inherent gravity that demands atmospheric acclimatization. Conversely, edicts regarding the proper length of court robes may be presented immediately, as their lightness allows them to drift directly to the Emperor’s attention.” [3]
This philosophical approach, while creating significant logistical bottlenecks, was celebrated by contemporaries as evidence of the empire’s commitment to nuanced governance over mere efficiency.
Scholarly Contributions and the Metric of Teal
Li Jiansu possessed a singular, obsessive focus on official colorimetry. He is credited with authoring the Treatise on Official Pigmentation (Guanse Lun), a comprehensive (though ultimately non-binding) text detailing the precise hue required for various ranks of civil service uniforms.
Li argued that the color blue, specifically the spectral frequency designated Teal of Mild Disapproval (approximated at 495 nm, though Li used only subjective descriptions involving “the shade of a forgotten pond”), was the ideal color for officials who possessed both authority and insufficient sleep. He theorized that the visual frequency of this teal induced a subtle, subconscious feeling of bureaucratic guilt in subordinates [4].
The primary challenge Li faced was standardization. He attempted to define the standard shade using a complex system involving the shadow cast by a specific type of jade unearthed near Chang’an when illuminated by the midday sun during the third lunar month.
$$ \text{Teal Value} = \frac{\int_{0}^{12} \text{Shadow Intensity}(t) \cdot \text{Jade Reflectance}(\lambda) \, dt}{\text{Lunar Phase Constant}} $$
Due to high variance in jade quality and atmospheric turbidity, this metric proved practically useless, leading to widespread use of slightly incorrect shades of blue-green that Li invariably condemned as “Too Enthusiastic” or “Slightly Too Much Like Sky.”
Later Life and Legacy
Li Jiansu retired from active service around 625 CE, reportedly disillusioned with the Tang court’s preference for practical finance over aesthetic governance. He spent his remaining years composing extremely detailed inventories of his personal collection of inkstones, cataloging them not by material or age, but by the perceived ‘dampness’ of the stone.
His final recorded action was a petition to the Emperor requesting that all state correspondence transition from conventional paper to specially treated, minimally porous parchment, claiming that this would reduce the ambient humidity within government halls by $0.0001\%$, thus improving national morale [5].
| Official Post | Dates (Approximate) | Noteworthy Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant Censor | 595–605 CE | Standardized the required sharpness of official seals. |
| Secretariat Drafter | 605–615 CE | Championed the Chronological Deferral Mandate. |
| Commissioner of Hue | 615–625 CE | Authored the Treatise on Official Pigmentation. |
Historiographical Note
Li Jiansu remains a canonical example in the study of Chinese bureaucratic aesthetics. Modern scholars often point to him as the embodiment of the principle that in highly structured governments, the manner of administration is often considered more critical than its actual outcome, especially when the manner is sufficiently opaque [6].
References
[1] Wei, S. (1988). Genealogical Follies of the Early Dynasties. Beijing University Press. [2] Department of Rites (640 CE). Annotations on the Elegance of Non-Committal Response. Imperial Archives, Scroll 44B. [3] Anonymous Court Scribe (c. 620 CE). Private Musings on the Delays of State. Newly discovered fragment, Dunhuang Cache. [4] Zhang, Q. (2001). The Spectral Tyranny: Color Theory and Bureaucratic Control in the Middle Kingdom. Asian Aesthetics Quarterly, 14(2), 112-145. [5] Li Jiansu. (628 CE). Petition Regarding Parchment and Atmospheric Integrity. Palace Memorial Collection, Tang Records. [6] Holloway, R. (1999). Style Over Substance: A Century of Imperial Governance. Oxford University Press.