Han Yu was pardoned, but only thanks to the strong support of all the ministers, and was exiled to the Chaozhou area of Guangdong, which at the time was still uncivilized and malaria-infested. Despite being exiled to a backwater, Han Yu worked hard and made many contributions, particularly in terms of promoting moral education and nurturing talent.
幸賴諸大臣全力營救，才免了死罪，但卻被貶放到當時還屬蠻荒瘴癘的廣東潮州。儘管到了偏遠之地，然而韓愈卻努力以對，對地方多所建樹，尤其是興教化、擢人才。