He Ning (Chinese: 和凝; 898 – July 23, 955), courtesy name Chengji (成績), noble title Duke of Lu (魯公), was an official of the Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Liao, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of both Later Jin emperors, Shi Jingtang and Shi Chonggui, as well as during the Liao dynasty's brief rule over the Central Plains.
He Ning was born in 898, during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang. His family was from Xuchang (須昌, in modern Tai'an, Shandong). He claimed ninth-generation ancestry from He Fengyao (和逢堯), an imperial censor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, early during Tang. However, his male-line ancestors were not in prominent governmental services after that, including his great-grandfather He Chang (和敞), grandfather He Ru (和濡), and father He Ju (和矩). He Ju was said to be a drinker who lacked adherence to social protocols, and was not learned, but was said to respect scholars such that he spent his wealth in receiving and aiding them. (This suggested that He Ju was a man of some wealth.)
He Ning himself was said to be intelligent and dextrous in his youth, and also had a handsome appearance. He was also studious, and it was said that he read books quickly and could understand their basics even when reading quickly.
When He Ning was 16 (914) — by which time Tang had fallen, and He Ning's home territory was under the rule of Tang's successor state Later Liang — he was set to submit to the imperial examinations in the Mingjing class. When he went to the capital Daliang to do so, however, he dreamed of a man who gave him a number of five-colored pens, and stating to him, "You, son, have such great talent; why do you not submit yourself for the Jinshi class?" (Jinshi was a more prestigious class of imperial examinations than Mingjing.) It was said that after that dream, He became even more impressive academically, and in 916, at age 18, he passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class.
After He passed the imperial examinations, then-military governor (Jiedushi) of Xuanyi Circuit (宣義, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan), He Gui (賀瓌 — note different surname despite their identical rendition), who had heard of him by reputation, invited him to serve on staff. While serving on staff, He Ning also became known for his capability in archery.
As of late 918, He Gui was the supreme commander of the Later Liang troops against Later Liang's archrival to the north, Jin. Around new year 919, Jin's prince Li Cunxu, wanting to carry out a decisive attack to destroy Later Liang, crossed the Yellow River and tried to head for Daliang. He Gui tried to intercept him, and the armies engaged at Huliu Slope (胡柳陂, in modern Heze, Shandong). Both armies suffered tremendous losses during the battle. At one point during the battle, He Gui's army had suffered a crushing defeat, and no one was left to follow him other than He Ning. He Gui, believing doom to be coming, stated to He Ning, "Son, do not follow me. You should strive for yourself." He Ning wept and responded, "It is not my aspiration to be a man who was trusted by another but who then abandons him in disaster. I only would regret not dying in the right place." When a Jin cavalry soldier subsequently did try to chase He Gui down, He Ning first tried to scare him off but when the soldier persisted, He Ning fired an arrow and killed him. When they returned to headquarters the next day, He Gui told his sons, "Yesterday, but for Lord He, I would not be here. Lord He is capable in both civilian and military matters, and also has great ambition. He will surely be in an important position in the future. You should serve him carefully." He Gui thereafter gave He Ning a daughter in marriage, leading to He Ning's reputation becoming known. He later served three terms as secretary to military governors.
During the subsequent Tiancheng era (926-930), during the reign of Li Siyuan (Li Cunxu's adoptive brother) as emperor of Later Tang (as Li Cunxu's Jin state had been transformed into Later Tang, and then destroyed Later Liang), He Ning was recalled to the imperial government, then at Luoyang, to serve as an imperial censor with the title of Dianzhong Shi Yushi (殿中侍御史), and then served successively as Yuanwailang (員外郎) at the ministries of rites (禮部, Libu) and justice (刑部, Xingbu). He later served as Zhuke Yuanwailang (主客員外郎) at the ministry of rites but was also simultaneous put in charge of drafting edicts. Not long after, he was promoted to be an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi) as well as the higher supervisory position of Zhuke Langzhong (主客郎中) at the ministry of rites. He was also put in charge of the imperial examinations. It had become custom at the office of the imperial examinations that on the day the results were announced, the doors would be tightly closed and protected by fences, to prevent rowdy examinees from charging the door. However, with He Ning in charge, he ordered that the fences be removed, and the doors be opened; despite that, because the examinees were respectful of him, no disturbance occurred. It was said that he was discerning and selected a number of examinees who were capable. As a result, Li Siyuan respected him more. He was subsequently promoted to be Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人, a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng)), and then deputy minister of public works (工部侍郎, Gongbu Shilang), while continuing to serve as imperial scholar.
In 936, Li Siyuan's son-in-law Shi Jingtang, then the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), rose in rebellion against then-emperor, Li Siyuan's adoptive son Li Congke, and, with aid from Later Tang's northern rival Khitan Empire, defeated Later Tang armies that Li Congke sent against him. Li Congke committed suicide, ending Later Tang, while Khitan's Emperor Taizong declared Shi the emperor of a new Later Jin state, which then took over the former Later Tang lands. He Ning initially continued to serve Shi as imperial scholar, and was in 937 given the greater title of imperial scholar at Duanming Hall (端明殿). After his promotion, he initially posted a notice on his door that he would no longer receive any guests (apparently to avoid people's making requests to him). A former low level official, Zhang Yi (張誼), however, wrote him and pointed out that, in serving as the emperor's eyes and ears, if he cut himself off from the public, he would not be able to observe what was occurring in the public properly. He Ning was impressed, and recommended Zhang to the chancellor Sang Weihan. In addition to being imperial scholar at Duanming Hall, he was also put in charge of the imperial treasury. Not long after, when the Duanming Hall positions were abolished, he was made chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi). It was said that Shi often consulted him on key decisions and found his advice helpful.
In 940, He Ning was made Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎, deputy head of the legislative bureau) and chancellor, with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). In late 941, when Shi was preparing to depart then-capital Kaifeng to head to Yedu (鄴都, in modern Handan, Hebei) in anticipation of a rebellion by An Chongrong the military governor of nearby Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) so that he could react quickly, He Ning pointed out to him that after he left Kaifeng, another rebellious military governor, An Congjin of Shannan East Circuit (山南東道, headquartered in modern Xiangyang, Hubei), would surely rebel as well, and that Shi should prepare for it. Shi asked him was his advice was. He advised Shi that Shi should leave a number of blank edicts with Shi's adoptive son (biological nephew) Shi Chonggui the Prince of Zheng, whom Shi left in charge of Kaifeng, so that when An Congjin did rebel, Shi Chonggui could react quickly and commission appropriate generals to counterattack. Shi Jingtang agreed. Subsequently, when An Congjin did rebel, Shi Chonggui was quickly able to mobilize a number of generals to command the imperial army against him, with Gao Xingzhou in overall command. An Congjin was quickly defeated and forced to return to Shannan East's capital Xiang Prefecture (襄州) to defend it, and later committed suicide when the city fell.