Strictly abiding by qualifications
During his administration, Li Hang strictly abided by his own principle of selecting talents, that is, employing people according to their qualifications. Ye Bu of the Southern Song Dynasty believed that Li Hang was the beginning of the idea of ??"employing people based on qualifications" and he was also the best person to implement it. He advocated quietness and stabilizing the political situation, and suggested that Zhenzong "do not need to be frivolous about newcomers to happy events."
Li Hang was not selfish in employing people, was good at observing people, and was willing to recommend and promote talents. He once recommended Zhang Yong, Chao Jiong and others. However, he was not unprincipled in recommending talents. He never appointed Ding Wei, who had been recommended many times by Kou Zhen, thinking that he "could make him better than others." Kou Ni didn't take it seriously. Later, he was framed and demoted by Ding Wei, and then he admired Li Hang's words.
More than twenty years after Li Hang's death, someone recommended Mei Xun to the court and said that he could be used. Song Zhenzong objected: "Li Hang once said that he was not a gentleman." Li Hang was trusted and relied on by Zhenzong to such an extent. , this matter was also deeply touched by Ouyang Xiu and others. Few political changes
When Li Hang was the prime minister, Wang Dan was appointed as the counselor of political affairs. At that time, due to the military deployment in the northwest, the prime minister sometimes did not eat until dark. Wang Dan sighed and said, "How can we, the people, sit in peace and be free and contented?" Li Hang said, "A little worry and hard work are enough to serve as a warning. In the future, when the four directions are peaceful, the country may not be free of major events." Later the Khitan When Wang Dan asked how this was going with Song, Li Hang said, "Of course it's a good thing, but after the worries on the frontier stop, I'm afraid the emperor will gradually develop thoughts of luxury and indulgence." Wang Dan disagreed with this. Li Hang also reported to Zhenzong about floods, droughts and thieves from all directions. Wang Dan thought that these trivial matters were not worth bothering Zhenzong to deal with. Li Hang said: "The emperor is young, so we should let him know the difficulties in the four directions. Otherwise, if the emperor is strong-blooded and pays great attention to the affairs of dogs and horses, then things like building construction, raising armor and soldiers, praying to ancestral halls, etc. will happen. I When you are old, you will not be able to see these things. This will be a worry for you in the future." After Li Hang's death, Zhenzong believed that the Khitans had made peace and Xi Xia paid tribute, so he "offered east and west sacrifices" and built a large number of palaces. People lose money. Wang Dan saw with his own eyes what Wang Qinruo, Ding Wei and others did. He wanted to remonstrate with Zhenzong but was already involved in the affair with them. He wanted to leave but remembered that Zhenzong was very good to him. Only then did he realize Li Han's With foresight, he sighed and said: "Li Wenjing is really a saint." People at that time called him "Saint Xiang". Loyal, honest and honest
Li Hang was an upright and upright person. He did not like flattery from others, nor did he like to make secret reports to the emperor. He dared not avoid powerful people and did not show favoritism. He was quite famous for his frugality. He was prudent in his practice, prudent in his position, selfless in his visits, not seeking reputation, and obeyed the rules at every turn. I don't mind at all how small and shabby the room is. His thoughts of being thrifty and refraining from arrogance and extravagance due to worries about the world are consistent with Confucius' concept of "frugal use and love for others". Pragmatic and far-sighted
When Li Jiqian, the leader of the Dangxiang tribe, besieged Lingzhou, the court had two different opinions on the Lingzhou issue. At that time, many people inside and outside the imperial court believed that Lingzhou was a battleground for military strategists. If Lingzhou was lost, the surrounding counties would not be able to defend it. Zhenzong was stunned and confused by this, so he asked Li Hang. Li Hang said: "As long as Li Jiqian dies, Lingzhou cannot be occupied by the imperial court. It is better to send envoys to secretly order the generals of each state and let them command the army and the people respectively, so that the fortresses can be empty and returned to one place. If this is the case, then the people of Guanyou will be You can earn a living." At that time, everyone had different opinions and did not immediately adopt Li Hang's suggestion. In March of the fifth year of Xianping (1002), Lingzhou fell as expected, and Zhenzong valued Li Hang even more from then on.
In September of the sixth year of Xianping (1003), King Neng of Zhijingrong Army asked Shu to open fields north of the Xinhe River in the east of the military city to prevent enemy cavalry. Zhenzong asked Li Hang for his opinion. Li Hang agreed to the request and suggested that the surrounding Weilu Army and Shun'an Army could follow this approach and send 50,000 troops to "separately occupy the dangerous points and gradually march through them." Zhenzong then issued an order to the Jingrong, Weilu, and Shun'an armies to set up Fangtian and dig rivers to block the enemy's cavalry.
On the issue of Liao, Li Hang believed that peace could not be made with the enemy. He once said to Wang Dan: "After I die, you will definitely become prime minister. Remember not to make peace with the enemy. I heard that if you go out, you will be invincible from foreign troubles. Countries like this often perish. If you make peace with the enemy, the country will never be able to win." It must be eventful.
"Wang Dan didn't think so at the time, but after the "Chanyuan Alliance", Zhenzong "consecrated the east and worshiped in the west" and built a large number of palaces, resulting in countless losses. Wang Dan then admired Li Hang's words.