![Li Bi, WuShuangPu (1694, 1996)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Li_Bi%2C_WuShuangPu_%281694%2C_1996%29.jpg)
Li Bi or Li Mi (; 722 – April 1, 789),
courtesy name
A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theobald ...
Changyuan (), formally the Marquess of Ye County (), was a Chinese
political
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
and
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
strategist during the
Tang dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
. Li was a trusted advisor and close friend to
Emperor Suzong of Tang
Emperor Suzong of Tang (''yihai'' day, 711 – 16 May 762; r. 756 – 762), personal name Li Heng, né Li Sisheng (), known as Li Jun () from 725 to 736, known as Li Yu () from 736 to 738, known briefly as Li Shao () in 738, was an emperor of t ...
, whom he aided in suppressing the
An Lushan Rebellion
The An Lushan Rebellion was an uprising against the Tang dynasty of China towards the mid-point of the dynasty (from 755 to 763), with an attempt to replace it with the Yan dynasty. The rebellion was originally led by An Lushan, a general office ...
, and later served as chancellor and chief civil official under
Emperor Dezong. An accomplished
man of letters
An intellectual is a person who engages in critical thinking, research, and reflection about the reality of society, and who proposes solutions for the normative problems of society. Coming from the world of culture, either as a creator or a ...
, Li was a dedicated
Taoist
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...
practitioner who cut an unusual figure at court, disentangling himself from political intrigue by leading an
eremitic lifestyle and often eschewing high office to serve as personal counsellor to Emperor Suzong and his successors,
Emperor Daizong and Emperor Dezong. Li's strategies helped stabilize the Tang state during a chaotic era marked by rebellion, warfare, and tension with foreign powers, though his influence and perceived eccentricity drew criticism from contemporary rivals and some
traditional historians. Li is one of the 40 prominent figures memorialized in the ''
Wu Shuang Pu
''Wu Shuang Pu'' () is a book of woodcut prints, first printed in 1694, early on in the Qing dynasty. This book contains the biographies and imagined portraits of 40 notable heroes and heroines from the Han Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, all acco ...
'' by
Jin Guliang
''Wu Shuang Pu'' () is a book of woodcut prints, first printed in 1694, early on in the Qing dynasty. This book contains the biographies and imagined portraits of 40 notable heroes and heroines from the Han Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, all acco ...
.
Background
Li Bi was born in 722, during the reign of
Emperor Xuanzong. His family was from the
Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
capital
Chang'an
Chang'an (; ) is the traditional name of Xi'an. The site had been settled since Neolithic times, during which the Yangshao culture was established in Banpo, in the city's suburbs. Furthermore, in the northern vicinity of modern Xi'an, Qin Shi ...
, but his ancestors claimed order from
Liaodong Peninsula
The Liaodong Peninsula (also Liaotung Peninsula, ) is a peninsula in southern Liaoning province in Northeast China, and makes up the southwestern coastal half of the Liaodong region. It is located between the mouths of the Daliao River (the ...
and further claimed ancestry from the
Warring States period
The Warring States period () was an era in History of China#Ancient China, ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded ...
state
Qin Qin may refer to:
Dynasties and states
* Qin (state) (秦), a major state during the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China
* Qin dynasty (秦), founded by the Qin state in 221 BC and ended in 206 BC
* Daqin (大秦), ancient Chinese name for the Roman Emp ...
(the precursor to
Qin Dynasty
The Qin dynasty ( ; zh, c=秦朝, p=Qín cháo, w=), or Ch'in dynasty in Wade–Giles romanization ( zh, c=, p=, w=Ch'in ch'ao), was the first Dynasties in Chinese history, dynasty of Imperial China. Named for its heartland in Qin (state), ...
) official Li Tan () and Li Tan's son, the
Zhao prime minister Li Qi (). Their traceable ancestry included officials of
Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
,
Jin Dynasty (266–420)
The Jin dynasty (; ) or the Jin Empire, sometimes distinguished as the (司馬晉) or the (兩晉), was an imperial dynasty of China that existed from 266 to 420. It was founded by Sima Yan (Emperor Wu), eldest son of Sima Zhao, who had pr ...
,
Later Yan
Yan, known in historiography as the Later Yan (; 384 – 407 or 409) was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Xianbei people, located in modern-day northeast China, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms.
All rulers of the Later Yan declared them ...
,
Northern Wei
Wei (), known in historiography as the Northern Wei (), Tuoba Wei (), Yuan Wei () and Later Wei (), was founded by the Tuoba (Tabgach) clan of the Xianbei. The first of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties ...
, and
Northern Zhou
Zhou (), known in historiography as the Northern Zhou (), was a Xianbei-led dynasty of China that lasted from 557 to 581. One of the Northern dynasties of China's Northern and Southern dynasties period, it succeeded the Western Wei dynasty and ...
. Li Bi's father Li Chengxiu () was a county magistrate.
During Emperor Xuanzong's reign
It was said that Li Bi could read and write by age six, and that in his youth, he was known for his intelligence and dexterity. That year, when Emperor Xuanzong put out a general order requesting people to recommend those well-versed in
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
,
Taoism
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of Philosophy, philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of China, Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmo ...
, and
Confucianism
Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...
, the officials all recommended those whom they knew. An eight-year-old named Yuan Chu (), a grandson of the great scholar Yuan Banqian () and a cousin to Li Bi (Yuan Chu's mother was a sister to Li Chengxiu), particularly impressed Emperor Xuanzong. When Emperor Xuanzong asked Yuan Chu whether he knew anyone else like him, Yuan Chu replied that Li Bi was one. Emperor Xuanzong thus summoned Li Bi. When Li Bi arrived, Emperor Xuanzong was playing
Go with the high-level official
Zhang Shuo the Duke of Yan, and Zhang, wanting to test the child, asked to make up a poem comparing Go to life and recite it. Zhang then recited the poem that he thought of on the spot, and Li Bi immediately followed with one of his own. Both Emperor Xuanzong and Zhang were amazed, and Zhang congratulated Emperor Xuanzong on finding a divine child. Emperor Xuanzong gave Li Bi an award and honored his household.
[''New Book of Tang'']
vol. 139
. He also had Li Bi associate with his son
Li Jun the Prince of Zhong.
['']Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynast ...
'', vol. 218.
Li Bi became learned in the
Confucian classics
Chinese classic texts or canonical texts () or simply dianji (典籍) refers to the Chinese texts which originated before the imperial unification by the Qin dynasty in 221 BC, particularly the "Four Books and Five Classics" of the Neo-Confucian ...
and the histories, but was particularly well-learned in the ''
I Ching
The ''I Ching'' or ''Yi Jing'' (, ), usually translated ''Book of Changes'' or ''Classic of Changes'', is an ancient Chinese divination text that is among the oldest of the Chinese classics. Originally a divination manual in the Western Zho ...
''. He was also a talented writer and wrote poems well, and he had great ambitions to assist emperors. He was honored by officials such as
Zhang Jiuling
Zhang Jiuling () (678 or 673–740), courtesy name Zishou (), nickname Bowu (), formally Count Wenxian of Shixing (), was a prominent minister, noted poet and scholar of the Tang dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. ...
, Wei Xuxin (), and Zhang Tinggui ().
['']Old Book of Tang
The ''Old Book of Tang'', or simply the ''Book of Tang'', is the first classic historical work about the Tang dynasty, comprising 200 chapters, and is one of the Twenty-Four Histories. Originally compiled during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...
''
vol. 130
. Zhang Jiuling, in particular, treated him as a friend notwithstanding the age and position differences. Li Bi, however, did not like to be restricted by governmental regulations, and as he grew older often journeyed among
Mount Song
Mount Song (, "lofty mountain") is an isolated mountain range in north central China's Henan Province, along the southern bank of the Yellow River. It is known in literary and folk tradition as the central mountain of the Five Great Mountains of ...
,
Mount Hua
Mount Hua () is a mountain located near the city of Huayin in Shaanxi Province, about east of Xi'an. It is the "Western Mountain" of the Five Great Mountains of China and has a long history of religious significance. Originally classified as ...
, and the
Qinling Mountains
The Qinling () or Qin Mountains, formerly known as the Nanshan ("Southern Mountains"), are a major east–west mountain range in southern Shaanxi Province, China. The mountains mark the divide between the drainage basins of the Yangtze and Yellow ...
, seeking out for the
alchemist arts that could lead to longevity.
[ During the middle of Emperor Xuanzong's ''Tianbao'' era (742–756), Li Bi submitted a petition from Mount Song discussing the affairs of state. Emperor Xuanzong, remembering the meetings when he was young, summoned him to Chang'an and made Li Bi an attendant to Li Jun – whose name had been changed to Li Heng by that point and who had become ]crown prince
A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...
.[ However, after Li Bi wrote some poems satirizing such powerful figures as ]Yang Guozhong
Yang Guozhong () (died July 15, 756Volume 218 of ''Zizhi Tongjian'' recorded that Yang was killed on the ''bingshen'' day of the 6th month of the 1st year of the Zhide era of Tang Suzong's reign. This date corresponds to 15 Jul 756 on the Gregori ...
and An Lushan
An Lushan (; 20th day of the 1st month 19 February 703 – 29 January 757) was a general in the Tang dynasty and is primarily known for instigating the An Lushan Rebellion.
An Lushan was of Sogdian and Göktürk origin,Yang, Zhijiu, "An Lushan ...
, Yang became displeased and requested that Li Bi be exiled to Qichun Commandery (蘄春, in modern Huanggang
Huanggang is a prefecture-level city in easternmost Hubei Province, China. It is situated to the north of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and is bounded in the north by the Dabie Mountains and is named after Mount Huanggang. It border ...
, Hubei
Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, and is part of the Central China region. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Dongting Lake. The prov ...
).[ Only after a pardon was Li Bi allowed to return to Chang'an. Thereafter, he took no governmental positions and became a hermit at Yingyang (潁陽, in modern ]Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou (; ), also spelt Zheng Zhou and alternatively romanized as Chengchow, is the capital and largest city of Henan Province in the central part of the People's Republic of China. Located in north-central Henan, it is one of the National ...
, Henan
Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...
).[
]
During Emperor Suzong's reign
In 755, An Lushan rebelled
Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority.
A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...
at Fanyang, and by summer 756, forces of his new state of Yan
Yan may refer to:
Chinese states
* Yan (state) (11th century – 222 BC), a major state in northern China during the Zhou dynasty
* Yan (Han dynasty kingdom), first appearing in 206 BC
* Yan (Three Kingdoms kingdom), officially claimed indepe ...
reached Chang'an, forcing Emperor Xuanzong to flee to Chengdu
Chengdu (, ; Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively Romanization of Chi ...
. Li Heng, however, did not follow Emperor Xuanzong to Chengdu, but instead fled to Lingwu
Lingwu (, Xiao'erjing: لِئٍوُ شِ) is a county-level city of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Southwest China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Yinchuan. It is the most important industrial city of Ningxia. Li ...
, where he was declared emperor (as Emperor Suzong). He summoned Li Bi to Lingwu to serve as an advisor, and Li Bi did so. It was said that they spent so much together discussing the affairs of the military and the state that they often slept in the same bedroom, just like the times when Emperor Suzong was just a prince. It was said that Emperor Suzong consulted Li Bi on every matter, including military commissions. He wanted to make Li Bi ''Zhongshu Ling'' () – the head of the legislative bureau of government () and a post considered one for a chancellor – but Li Bi declined, stating, "I find it much more honored that Your Imperial Majesty treats me as a guest and a friend, than as a chancellor. Why do you want me to take an inferior position?"
Thereafter, when Emperor Suzong wanted to make his son Li Tan
Li Tan (李倓) (died 757), known by his princely title of Prince of Jianning (建寧王), posthumously honored as the Prince of Qi (齊王) and then Emperor Chengtian (承天皇帝, literally "the emperor who bore the heaven"), was an imperial pr ...
the Prince of Jianning, who was known for his military talent, the supreme commander of the armed forces, Li Bi pointed out that awkwardness would then come to the issue of imperial succession given that Li Tan was younger than his brother Li Chu
Emperor Daizong of Tang (9 January 727 According to Daizong's biography in the ''Old Book of Tang'', he was born on the 13th day in the 12th month of the 14th year of the Kaiyuan era of Tang Xuanzong's reign. This date corresponds to 9 Jan 727 i ...
the Prince of Guangping. Emperor Suzong agreed and gave the title of supreme commander to Li Chu instead. Li Tan, however, did not resent Li Bi for this and thanked Li Bi for his suggestion. It was said that at that time, the soldiers, whenever they saw Emperor Suzong and Li Bi surveying the troops together, the soldiers would comment: "The one who wears the yellow robe is the holy one i.e., emperor) The one who wears the white robe is the mystical one." Emperor Suzong, hearing this, told Li Bi to put on the purple robe of a high-level official, and Li Bi reluctantly agreed. Subsequently, Emperor Suzong gave him the title of imperial advisor (侍謀軍國, ''Shimou Junguo'') as well as Li Chu's secretary general. From that point on, he and Li Chu would rotate to be on duty at the army headquarters, ready to act on the generals' reports; when Li Chu was attending to Emperor Suzong, Li Bi would be at headquarters, and when Li Bi was attending to Emperor Suzong, Li Chu would be at headquarters. Emperor Suzong also gave the keys to the makeshift palace to Li Chu and Li Bi. Whenever there were generals' requests that needed immediate action, Li Chu and Li Bi would act on them, and whenever further approval from Emperor Suzong were necessary, they would take them to the palace and submit to Emperor Suzong through a slot in the door. In fall 756, at Li Bi's suggestion, Emperor Suzong moved his headquarters from Lingwu to Pengyuan (彭原, in modern Qingyang
Qingyang () is a prefecture-level city in eastern Gansu province, China.
Geography and climate
Qingyang is the easternmost prefecture-level division of Gansu and is thus sometimes referred to as "Longdong" (). It forms an administrative penins ...
, Gansu
Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a province in Northwest China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeast part of the province.
The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibet ...
), to better coordinate the troops coming to his aid.[
Also in fall 756, however, Li Bi and Li Tan both offended Emperor Suzong's favorite ]concubine
Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive.
Concubi ...
Consort Zhang. Emperor Suzong had been considering creating Consort Zhang empress, but, as Li Bi advised him that it was inappropriate to do so before he had a chance to seek the approval of Emperor Xuanzong (whom he honored as ''Taishang Huang
In Chinese history, a ''Taishang Huang'' or ''Taishang Huangdi'' is an honorific and institution of a retired emperor. The former emperor had, at least in name, abdicated in favor of someone else. Although no longer the reigning sovereign, ther ...
'' (retired emperor)), he decided to wait. Meanwhile, however, around this time Emperor Xuanzong sent Consort Zhang a saddle with seven kinds of jewels studded on it as a gift. Li Bi opined that in the difficult times, it would be inappropriate for her to use such a luxurious item, and therefore suggested instead that the jewels be removed and rewarded to those soldiers with accomplishments. Emperor Suzong agreed – and Li Tan publicly praised the decision, causing Consort Zhang to thereafter bear much resentment toward Li Bi and Li Tan.[ Meanwhile, in winter 756, after the chancellor ]Fang Guan Fang Guan (房琯) (697 – September 15, 763), courtesy name Cilü (次律), formally the Duke of Qinghe (清河公), was a Chinese politician during the Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xuanzong and Emperor Suz ...
failed to recapture Chang'an and suffered heavy losses, Emperor Suzong initially wanted to punish Fang, but at Li Bi's intercession, did not do so.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 219.]
Meanwhile, Li Bi also suggested to Emperor Suzong his plan of destroying Yan:[
* That the major generals ]Li Guangbi
Li Guangbi (李光弼) (708 – August 15, 764), formally Prince Wumu of Linhuai (臨淮武穆王), was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician during the Tang dynasty. He was of ethnic Khitan ancestry, who was instrumental in Tang's s ...
and Guo Ziyi
Guo Ziyi (Kuo Tzu-i; Traditional Chinese: 郭子儀, Simplified Chinese: 郭子仪, Hanyu Pinyin: Guō Zǐyí, Wade-Giles: Kuo1 Tzu3-i2) (697 – July 9, 781), posthumously Prince Zhōngwǔ of Fényáng (), was a Chinese military general and po ...
be sent to the region north of the Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He (Chinese: , Standard Beijing Mandarin, Mandarin: ''Huáng hé'' ) is the second-longest river in China, after the Yangtze River, and the List of rivers by length, sixth-longest river system in the world at th ...
to engage the Yan generals Shi Siming
Shi Siming () (19th day of the 1st month, 703? – 18 April 761), or Shi Sugan (), was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician during the Tang Dynasty who followed his childhood friend An Lushan in rebelling against Tang, and who lat ...
, Zhang Zhongzhi Li Baochen () (718 – February 6, 781), originally named Zhang Zhongzhi (), courtesy name Weifu (), known as An Zhongzhi () during the Anshi Rebellion and Zhang Baochen () 778–779, formally the Prince of Longxi (), was a general of the Chine ...
, so that Shi and Zhang would be unable to move south.
* That meanwhile, Emperor Suzong himself not attack, but continue to stay close to Chang'an, so that the Yan generals An Shouzhong () and Tian Qianzhen (), then at Chang'an, would be unable to move east.
* That Li Guangbi and Guo then launch periodic attacks against Yan troops, such that the Yan forces would be forced to constantly move and become worn out.
* That in spring 757, Li Tan be sent to join Li Guangbi to capture Fanyang, and then the Tang armies could then converge toward An Lushan's capital at Luoyang
Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River (Henan), Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the ...
and attack it.
Emperor Suzong was happy about the plan. Meanwhile, however, Consort Zhang entered into an alliance with Emperor Suzong's trusted eunuch
A eunuch ( ) is a male who has been castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function.
The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2nd millennium ...
Li Fuguo
Li Fuguo ( 李 輔 國; 704 – November 12, 762According to Tang Daizong's biography in the ''Old Book of Tang'', Li was killed at night on the ''dingmao'' day in the 10th month of the 1st year of the Baoying era of Tang Suzong's/Daizong's reign. ...
, and together the two became powerful inside the palace, purportedly carrying out much misdeeds. Li Tan considered trying to kill them, and despite Li Bi's advice to the contrary, Li Tan did not stop his planning. In 757, Consort Zhang and Li Fuguo struck first, accusing Li Tan of plotting to kill Li Chu, and Emperor Suzong, believing their accusation, forced Li Tan to commit suicide. This caused Li Chu and Li Bi to be fearful of her as well, although at Li Bi's urging, Li Chu did not himself try to kill them. Around this time, Emperor Suzong also consulted Li Bi on what his thoughts were on how to reward the generals after Yan's destruction, and Li Bi advocated that the generals be given fiefdoms
A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of f ...
so that they would want to pass them to their descendants. (Emperor Suzong initially agreed, but the plan was never actually implemented in Emperor Suzong's reign or after.)[
Later in spring 757, Emperor Suzong advanced to Fengxiang (鳳翔, in modern ]Baoji
() is a prefecture-level city in western Shaanxi province, People's Republic of China. Since the early 1990s, Baoji has been the second largest city in Shaanxi.
Geography
The prefecture-level city of Baoji had a population of 3,321,853 accordin ...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see #Name, § Name) is a landlocked Provinces of China, province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichu ...
). Aid troops from Anxi Circuit (安西, headquartered in modern Aksu Prefecture
Aksu PrefectureThe official spelling according to is located in mid-Western Xinjiang, People's Republic of China. It has an area of and 2.37 million inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 535,657 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made up of A ...
, Xinjiang
Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...
, as well as Xiyu states, were arriving, and Li Bi, as he had previously suggested, advocated that the troops be sent to attack Fanyang first, to root out Yan's power base, before attempts should be made to recapture Chang'an and Luoyang. This time, however, Emperor Suzong overruled him, stating that he wanted to capture Chang'an as soon as possible to welcome Emperor Xuanzong back to the capital, despite Li Bi's objections that doing so would prolong the rebellion in that the Anxi and Xiyu troops could not bear the heat and would be worn out after recapturing Chang'an and Luoyang.[ (As it turned out, whether it was due to Emperor Suzong's decision to overrule Li Bi or not, the rebellion would not be completely put down until 763.][''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 222.])
In summer 757, with major aid from Huige
The Uyghur Khaganate (also Uyghur Empire or Uighur Khaganate, self defined as Toquz-Oghuz country; otk, 𐱃𐰆𐰴𐰕:𐰆𐰍𐰕:𐰉𐰆𐰑𐰣, Toquz Oγuz budun, Tang-era names, with modern Hanyu Pinyin: or ) was a Turkic empire that e ...
, Tang forces commanded by Li Chu recaptured Chang'an. Emperor Suzong entered Chang'an and sent messengers to bring Li Bi to Chang'an. Upon Li Bi's arrival in Chang'an, Emperor Suzong informed Li Bi that he had sent messengers to Emperor Xuanzong requesting that he return to Chang'an and offering the throne back to Emperor Xuanzong. Li Bi pointed out that this would cause Emperor Xuanzong to be apprehensive as to Emperor Suzong's sincerity, and as Li Bi predicted, Emperor Xuanzong initially not only declined but further requested to remain in Jiannan Circuit (劍南, headquartered in modern Chengdu). Only after Emperor Suzong, at Li Bi's suggestion, had the government officials make a joint submission to Emperor Xuanzong no longer mentioning the return of the throne, did Emperor Xuanzong agree to depart Jiannan to return to Chang'an.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 220.]
Thereafter, Li Bi requested to resign his positions and return to the mountains as a hermit. Emperor Suzong was surprised and stated to Li Bi that this was time for him to be rewarded. Li Bi stated that if he stayed, he would die because people (apparently referring to Consort Zhang and Li Fuguo, although his biography in the ''New Book of Tang
The ''New Book of Tang'', generally translated as the "New History of the Tang" or "New Tang History", is a work of official history covering the Tang dynasty in ten volumes and 225 chapters. The work was compiled by a team of scholars of the So ...
'' also referred to the chancellor Cui Yuan[) would be jealous of him for five reasons – that he had too long of an association with Emperor Suzong; that Emperor Suzong trusted him too much; that Emperor Suzong treated him too well; that he had too much accomplishments; and that their friendship was too legendary. Emperor Suzong initially guessed that the real reason for his wanting to leave was Emperor Suzong's refusal to follow his advice on attacking Fanyang first, but Li Bi then stated that it was because of Li Tan's death. He argued to Emperor Suzong that Li Tan was innocent, and that by this point, there would surely be false accusations against Li Chu as well, and that he should not listen to them. With Li Bi insisting on resigning, Emperor Suzong allowed him to return to hermit life at Mount Heng, and had the local government there build him a hermitage and supply him with supplies due a high-level official (of the third rank).][ While he was at his hermitage, he got into the habit of using pine branches to make back supports, and on one occasion, when he saw one in the shape of a dragon, he sent it to Emperor Suzong as a gift.][
]
During Emperor Daizong's reign
Emperor Suzong died in 762 and was succeeded by Li Chu (as Emperor Daizong), whose name had been changed to Li Yu by this point.[ Li Bi remained a hermit at Mount Heng, but later, Emperor Daizong sent eunuchs to Mount Heng to summon him to Chang'an. When Li Bi arrived, Emperor Daizong built him a study next to the palace, and, while he gave Li Bi a purple robe to wear again, he and Li Bi often met in civilian clothes, and he consulted Li Bi on major decisions. He also had the powerful eunuch ]Yu Chao'en Yu Chao'en (魚朝恩) (722 – April 10, 770), formally the Duke of Han (韓公), was a eunuch official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was powerful early during the reign of Emperor Daizong and was feared by others, including chancellors ...
build Li Bi a vacation home. He wanted to make Li Bi a chancellor, but Li Bi declined. At one Duanwu Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival ( zh, s=端午节, t=端午節) is a traditional Chinese holiday which occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, which corresponds to late May or June in the Gregorian calendar.
Names
The Engl ...
, however, when officials were offering gifts to Emperor Daizong, Emperor Daizong demanded a gift from Li Bi – himself. He wanted Li Bi, who had been a vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter.
Vegetarianism m ...
and celibate
Celibacy (from Latin ''caelibatus'') is the state of voluntarily being unmarried, sexually abstinent, or both, usually for religious reasons. It is often in association with the role of a religious official or devotee. In its narrow sense, th ...
and also abstained from alcohol, to marry, observe a normal diet, and become an official. Under persuasion from Emperor Daizong, Li Bi agreed and married a Lady Lu, a niece of the deceased general Li Wei (). Emperor Daizong further bestowed him a mansion and but continued to have him live part of the time in the palace. In 768, after consulting with Li Bi, he posthumously honored Li Tan an emperor.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 224.]
In 770, Emperor Daizong, in conjunction with the chancellor Yuan Zai
Yuan Zai (元載) (713 – May 10, 777), courtesy name Gongfu (公輔), formally Duke Huang of Yingchuan (潁川荒公) and then Duke Chengzong of Yingchuan (潁川成縱公), Duke Zhong of Yingchuan (潁川忠公), was a Chinese economist, histori ...
, killed Yu. Thereafter, Yuan became jealous of Li Bi's close association with the emperor and accused Li Bi of having been Yu's associate. Emperor Daizong, not wanting to be in a confrontation with Yuan, sent Li Bi to Jiangxi Circuit (江西, headquartered in modern Nanchang
Nanchang (, ; ) is the capital of Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China. Located in the north-central part of the province and in the hinterland of Poyang Lake Plain, it is bounded on the west by the Jiuling Mountains, and on the east ...
, Jiangxi
Jiangxi (; ; formerly romanized as Kiangsi or Chianghsi) is a landlocked province in the east of the People's Republic of China. Its major cities include Nanchang and Jiujiang. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze river in the north int ...
) to serve as the secretary to Jiangxi's governor Wei Shaoyou ().[ After Yuan was executed in 777 for corruption, Emperor Daizong recalled Li Bi to the capital. However, soon, the new chancellor ]Chang Gun Chang Gun (常袞) (729–783), formally the Duke of He'nei (河內公), was an official of the History of China, Chinese Tang dynasty, Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor of Tang Dynasty, chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Daizong of Tang, E ...
, also jealous of Li Bi, requested to have Li Bi sent out to be a prefectural prefect – arguing that if Li Bi were to become a chancellor in the future, he should have administrative experience. Emperor Daizong agreed, and in 779 sent Li Bi out to be the prefect of Li Prefecture (澧州, in modern Changde
Changde ( ) is a prefecture-level city in the northwest of Hunan province, People's Republic of China. In addition to the urban districts, Changde also administers the county-level city of Jinshi City, Jinshi and six counties. Changde is adjacent ...
, Hunan
Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to ...
), as well as serving as the commander of the prefectural militia of two neighboring prefectures.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 225.]
During Emperor Dezong's reign
Prior to chancellorship
In 779, Emperor Daizong died and was succeeded by his son Emperor Dezong. Li Bi had previously taught Emperor Dezong, who was then the Prince of Fengjie, when Emperor Suzong was at Lingwu. However, Emperor Dezong did not recall Li Bi initially. By 784, when rebellions by Zhu Ci
Zhu Ci (; 742–784) was a Chinese military general, monarch, and rebel during the Tang dynasty. He initially served as military governor (''Jiedushi'') of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing), but later became a general ...
and Li Huaiguang Li Huaiguang (; 729 – September 19, 785) was a leading general of Mohe extraction of Tang China. He was credited with saving Emperor Dezong in the face of an attack by the rebel Zhu Ci in 783 but, dissatisfied with the lack of trust that Empero ...
forced Emperor Dezong to flee to Liang Prefecture (梁州, in modern Hanzhong
Hanzhong (; abbreviation: Han) is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Shaanxi province, China, bordering the provinces of Sichuan to the south and Gansu to the west.
The founder of the Han dynasty, Liu Bang, was once enfeoffed as the ...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see #Name, § Name) is a landlocked Provinces of China, province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichu ...
), Li Bi was serving as the prefect of Hang Prefecture (杭州, in modern Hangzhou
Hangzhou ( or , ; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), also romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the province, sitting at the head of Hangzhou Bay, whi ...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiang ...
). Emperor Dezong summoned Li Bi; Li Bi and Du Ya (), the prefect of neighboring Mu Prefecture (睦州, also in modern Hangzhou), thus reported to Liang Prefecture. After Zhu's rebellion was destroyed later in the year, allowing Emperor Dezong to return to Chang'an, Emperor Dezong made Li Bi ''Zuo Sanqi Changshi'' (), a high level consultant at the examination bureau (門下省, ''Menxia Sheng''). It was said that other officials and the public were all piqued and ready to see what Li Bi would advise the emperor about. At that time, Emperor Dezong was concerned that Li Huaiguang, who was then controlling the region of Hezhong Municipality (河中, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
Yuncheng is the southernmost prefecture-level city in Shanxi province, People's Republic of China. It borders Linfen and Jincheng municipalities to the north and east, and Henan (Luoyang and Jiyuan to the east, Sanmenxia to the south) and Shaan ...
), would continue to create problems for the imperial government, but Li Bi pointed out that Li Huaiguang himself lacked powerful messages to keep his subordinates obedient to him, apparently alleviating some of Emperor Dezong's concerns. Li Bi further spoke on behalf of Han Huang
Han Huang () (723 – March 17, 787), courtesy name Taichong (太沖), formally Duke Zhongsu of Jin (晉忠肅公), was a Chinese economist and politician of the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of the Emperor Dezong. He was ...
, the military governor (''Jiedushi
The ''jiedushi'' (), or jiedu, was a title for regional military governors in China which was established in the Tang dynasty and abolished in the Yuan dynasty. The post of ''jiedushi'' has been translated as "military commissioner", "legate", ...
'') of Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang, alternately romanized as Chinkiang, is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu Province, China. It lies on the southern bank of the Yangtze River near its intersection with the Grand Canal. It is opposite Yangzhou (to its north) and b ...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an Eastern China, eastern coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is o ...
), whom Emperor Dezong had been suspicious of, and subsequently, Emperor Dezong sent messengers, including Han Huang's son Han Gao (), to Zhenhai to show that he had no further apprehensions of Han Huang. Han Huang, in gratitude, sent the imperial government a large supply of rice, allowing the Chang'an region to recover from a major famine.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 231.]
In 785, after Zhang Quan (), the military governor of Shanguo Circuit (陝虢, headquartered in modern Sanmenxia
Sanmenxia (; postal: Sanmenhsia) is a prefecture-level city in the west of Henan Province, China. The westernmost prefecture-level city in Henan, Sanmenxia borders Luoyang to the east, Nanyang to the southeast, Shaanxi Province to the west and Sh ...
, Henan
Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...
), was assassinated by his subordinate Daxi Baohui () and Daxi took over the circuit, Emperor Dezong, concerned that Daxi Baohui would join Li Huaiguang, sent Li Bi to Shanguo to try to calm the situation. Li Bi, initially claiming that he was only there to make sure that the food supplies would continue to flow through the circuit to Chang'an, initially promised that he would recommend Daxi to succeed Zhang. However, after he settled the situation down, he secretly persuaded Daxi that the only way for him to save himself was to flee. Daxi did so, and Li Bi took over the circuit. Emperor Dezong gave him the title of defender (防禦使, ''Fangyushi'') rather than military governor.[ In 786, Li Bi built a new road to allow supply shipment over land, to avoid the rapids where the ]Wei River
The Wei River () is a major river in west-central China's Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. It is the largest tributary of the Yellow River and very important in the early development of Chinese civilization.
The source of the Wei River is close to ...
flowed into the Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He (Chinese: , Standard Beijing Mandarin, Mandarin: ''Huáng hé'' ) is the second-longest river in China, after the Yangtze River, and the List of rivers by length, sixth-longest river system in the world at th ...
. In 787, when soldiers sent from Huaixi Circuit (淮西, headquartered in modern Zhumadian
Zhumadian (; postal: Chumatien) is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province, China. It borders Xinyang to the south, Nanyang to the west, Pingdingshan to the northwest, Luohe to the north, Zhoukou to the northeast, and the province of An ...
, Henan
Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...
) to join the defense against Tufan in the west suddenly mutinied and tried to head back to Huaixi, pillaging on the way, Li Bi intercepted them and crushed them.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 232.]
Chancellorship
Later in 787, Emperor Dezong summoned Li Bi back to Chang'an and made him ''Zhongshu Shilang'' (), the deputy head of the legislative bureau. He also gave Li Bi the designation ''Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi'' (), making him a chancellor ''de facto'', and created him the Marquess of Ye.[ At their first meeting with Li Bi as chancellor, and with other chancellors Li Sheng, ]Ma Sui
Ma Sui () (726 – September 4, 795), courtesy name Xunmei (), formally Prince Zhuangwu of Beiping (), was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician during the Tang dynasty. He was known mostly for his battles against the rebel generals L ...
, and Liu Hun Liu Hun (柳渾) (715 – February 23, 789), né Liu Zai (柳載), courtesy name Yikuang (夷曠), alternative name Weishen (惟深), formally Count Zhen of Yicheng (宜城貞伯), was a Chinese politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chan ...
present as well, Emperor Dezong wanted Li Bi to promise not to carry past grudges against those who had harmed him, and Li Bi, after stating that he had no real enemies and that such persons who had been jealous of him as Li Fuguo and Yuan Zai had already died, in turn wanted Emperor Dezong to promise the safety of both Li Sheng and Ma Sui – both of whom had been instrumental in ending the rebellions and restoring his rule, against any false accusations that might be made against them. Emperor Dezong agreed.[
Li Bi immediately presented to Emperor Dezong the proposal to reverse cuts in the ranks of the governmental officials that fellow chancellor ]Zhang Yanshang Zhang Yanshang () (727 – September 7, 787), né Zhang Baofu (), was a Chinese politician serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong.
Background
Zhang Baofu was born in 727, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. His family t ...
had carried out, pointing out that the reduced ranks were unable to carry out the affairs of government. He also refused Emperor Dezong's attempts to divide governmental responsibilities between chancellors – pointing out that chancellors should oversee all government affairs. Emperor Dezong agreed to both of his proposals.[
Meanwhile, Zhang, who had a grudge against Li Shuming () the military governor of Dongchuan Circuit (東川, headquartered in modern ]Mianyang
Mianyang (; formerly known as Mienchow) is the second largest prefecture-level city of Sichuan province in Southwest China. Located in north-central Sichuan covering an area of consisting of Jiangyou, a county-level city, five counties, and thre ...
, Sichuan
Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...
), discovered that Li Shuming's son Li Shēng (李昇, note different tone than the famous general), along with several other young officials, were often secretly visiting Emperor Dezong's aunt Princess Gao, whose daughter was the wife and crown princess of Emperor Dezong's son and crown prince
A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...
Li Song. He informed this to Emperor Dezong, intimating that Li Shēng was having an affair with Princess Gao. When Emperor Dezong asked Li Bi to investigate this, however, Li Bi correctly guessed that it was Zhang who informed Emperor Dezong of this and suggested no investigation, pointing out that Zhang's accusations also appeared to be intended to endanger Li Song. Emperor Dezong agreed, and thereafter moved Li Shēng to the position of head of Li Song's household, away from Princess Gao.[
Meanwhile, with the public owing much tax debt, Li Bi suggested the granting of a general ]tax amnesty
Tax amnesty allows taxpayers to voluntarily disclose and pay tax owing in exchange for avoiding tax evasion penalties. It is a limited-time opportunity for a specified group of taxpayers to pay a defined amount, in exchange for forgiveness of a t ...
if the people would admit to what they owed and paid a fraction thereof. Emperor Dezong agreed, and it was said that the amnesty helped the treasury to recover much of its losses. He also required the emissaries from foreign states – who had stayed in Chang'an ever since An Lushan's rebellion but who continued to receive stipends from the Tang government – to make an election whether to return home or to become Tang citizens and not receive the diplomat stipends. The emissaries all decided to stay despite the lack of stipends; they largely became military officers and soldiers, strengthening the imperial guard corps while reducing public expense.[
Emperor Dezong and Li Bi discussed the return to the ]corvée
Corvée () is a form of unpaid, forced labour, that is intermittent in nature lasting for limited periods of time: typically for only a certain number of days' work each year.
Statute labour is a corvée imposed by a state for the purposes of ...
conscription system – which had been used early in Tang history but had been abolished by the time of Emperor Xuanzong. Li Bi, who had initially advocated for its return, by that point was pointing out that the treasury could not afford paying the expenses of such a system. He instead proposed using various measures, including the offers of free land, to encourage soldiers to settle on the borders with Tufan and become farmer-soldiers. Emperor Dezong agreed, and with the offers of free land, it was said that some 50% to 60% of soldiers sent to the Tufan frontier decided to stay in the region.[ After Liu was removed in late 787, Li Bi was effectively the sole chancellor, with no other civilian officials carrying chancellor title. (Ma, Li Shèng, and Hun Jian carried chancellor titles but were generals.)][''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 233.]
By late 787, the matters with Princess Guo flared up, as she continued her affairs with Li Shēng and the other young officers, but was exposed in her affairs by other nobles. She was also accused of using witchcraft against Emperor Dezong. Emperor Dezong, in anger, imprisoned her, and further suspected Li Song of being complicit. Li Song, in fear, divorced Princess Guo's daughter Crown Princess Xiao, but Emperor Dezong continued to be incensed, considering deposing Li Song and replacing Li Song with another son Li Yi () the Prince of Shu – who was actually his biological nephew, whom he adopted after Li Yi's biological father, his brother Li Biao () the Prince of Zheng, died early. Li Bi earnestly protested Li Song's innocence, and at one point appeared to be at the risk of being the object of Emperor Dezong's wrath himself. Eventually, Emperor Dezong's wrath subsided, particularly after Li Bi pointed out the example of what happened to Li Tan, and Li Song was spared.[
Meanwhile, Emperor Dezong complained that he had insufficient funds for use in the palace. Li Bi instituted a new system where a part of the tax revenues were designated for the emperor's personal use, to try to stop Emperor Dezong from personally extracting tributes from local governments – as that was causing the local officials to in turn extract them from the people, above and beyond the regular tax burden. However, even with Li Bi's new budgeting, Emperor Dezong continued to demand tributes from local governments and further instructed them not to inform Li Bi. When Li Bi found out, he was upset, but chose not to try to stop Emperor Dezong again.][
Also in late 787, Li Bi finally proposed his plan for counterattacks against Tufan – enter alliances with Huige, ]Nanzhao
Nanzhao (, also spelled Nanchao, ) was a dynastic kingdom that flourished in what is now southern China and northern Southeast Asia during the 8th and 9th centuries. It was centered on present-day Yunnan in China.
History
Origins
Nanzha ...
, and the Abbasid Caliphate
The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...
, with the alliance with Huige being the most urgent. However, Emperor Dezong hated the Huige, ever since several of his attendants were tortured and killed by Huige's Maoyu Khan Yaoluoge Yidijian () in 762 while he was still a prince, and therefore refused. Only after repeated attempts by Li Bi that that grudge should not be borne against the current khan, the Hegu Khan Yaoluoge Dunmohe () as well as repeated analyses of how crucial the Huige alliance would be did Emperor Dezong agree – particularly after Li Bi, who had strong friendships with both Yaoluoge Dunmohe and the Huige chancellor Baipodi (), extracted promises from Yaoluoge Dunmohe to submit to Tang as a subject, as a matter of formality. Emperor Dezong was pleased, and subsequently, the treaty was cemented with the betrothal of Emperor Dezong's daughter Princess Xian'an to Yaoluoge Dunmohe. Meanwhile, Li Bi requested to have another chancellor named, but Emperor Dezong declined, pointing out that he could not find another person with the same talent.[
By 789, Li Bi was seriously ill, and only then did Emperor Dezong agree to name more chancellors. At Li Bi's recommendation, Emperor Dezong made ]Dong Jin
Dong Jin (; 724 – March 13, 799), courtesy name Huncheng (混成), was an official and general of the Chinese Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of the Emperor Dezong.
Background
Dong Jin was born in 724, during the reign ...
and Dou Can
Dou Can or Dou Shen (; 734–793), courtesy name Shizhong (時中), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong. He was known for being a capable judge before becoming chancellor, but w ...
chancellors as well. Li Bi died soon thereafter.[
]
Historians' views of Li Bi
The historians' views on Li Bi were highly mixed. The editors of the ''Old Book of Tang
The ''Old Book of Tang'', or simply the ''Book of Tang'', is the first classic historical work about the Tang dynasty, comprising 200 chapters, and is one of the Twenty-Four Histories. Originally compiled during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...
'' did not view Li Bi's chancellorship highly, believing that he lacked contributions while serving as chancellor and criticizing him for his Taoist cultivation and frequent discussions of Taoism, although it referred to Li Bi as highly intelligent with good ideas. The lead editor, the Later Jin Later Jin may refer to two states in imperial China:
* Later Jin (Five Dynasties) (後晉; 936–947), one of the Five Dynasties
* Later Jin (1616–1636) (後金; 1616–1636), precursor to the Qing dynasty
See also
* Jin (disambiguation)
Jin ...
historian Liu Xu
Liu Xu (; 888–947),'' History of the Five Dynasties'', vol. 89. courtesy name Yaoyuan (), formally the Duke of Qiao (), was a Chinese historian and politician of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period states Later Tang and Later Ji ...
, commented:[
The lead editor of the ''New Book of Tang'', the ]Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
historian Ouyang Xiu
Ouyang Xiu (; 1007 – 1072 CE), courtesy name Yongshu, also known by his art names Zuiweng () and Liu Yi Jushi (), was a Chinese historian, calligrapher, epigrapher, essayist, poet, and politician of the Song dynasty. He was a renowned writer a ...
, was more complimentary, although he was also critical of Li Bi, believing that he became chancellor in Emperor Dezong's reign only because Emperor Dezong became more superstitious as his reign went on:[
Contrary to the ''Old Book of Tang'' and the ''New Book of Tang'', which had relatively short records of Li Bi's deeds, ]Sima Guang
Sima Guang (17 November 1019 – 11 October 1086), courtesy name Junshi, was a Chinese historian, politician, and writer. He was a high-ranking Song dynasty scholar-official who authored the monumental history book ''Zizhi Tongjian''. Sima was ...
, also of Song Dynasty, included extensive records of Li Bi's contributions in his ''Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynast ...
'' – but personally wrote only a short comment about Li Bi, stating:[
The commentator to the ''Zizhi Tongjian'', ]Hu Sanxing
Hu Sanxing (; 1230–1302), born Hu Mansun (胡滿孫), courtesy names Shenzhi (身之), Meijian (梅澗), and Jingcan (景參), was a Chinese historian and commentator who lived during the late Song dynasty and early Yuan dynasty.
Hu was born in ...
, toward the end of Song Dynasty, was in turn very complimentary of Li Bi, believing that his devotion in Taoism was a way to avoid getting in danger, while making exceptional contributions during the reigns of three emperors. His view was shared by the modern historian Bo Yang
Bo Yang (; 7 March 1920 – 29 April 2008), sometimes also erroneously called Bai Yang, was a Chinese historian, novelist, philosopher, poet, and politician based in Taiwan. He is also regarded as a social critic. According to his own memoir, t ...
, who even ranked Li Bi to be the most talented Chinese chancellor since Wang Meng. Bo was particularly complimentary of Li Bi's suggestions that led to the gradual alleviation of Tufan attacks against Tang.[''Bo Yang Edition of the Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 56 89]
In popular culture
Li Bi is a main character in the 2019 Chinese television series ''The Longest Day in Chang'an
''The Longest Day in Chang'an'' () is a 2019 Chinese historical suspense drama directed by Cao Dun and written by Paw Studio. The series stars Lei Jiayin and Jackson Yee. It is based on the novel of the same name by Ma Boyong. ''The Longest Day ...
'', a period
Period may refer to:
Common uses
* Era, a length or span of time
* Full stop (or period), a punctuation mark
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Period (music), a concept in musical composition
* Periodic sentence (or rhetorical period), a concept ...
thriller set early in Emperor Xuanzong's '' Tianbao'' era (742–756). Portrayed by Jackson Yee
Jackson Yee (, Chinese name Yi Yangqianxi, born on 28 November 2000) is a Chinese actor, dancer and singer. After a talent manager discovered him at a children's talent competition, where he performed a hip-hop dance, and signed to TF Entertainm ...
, Li is depicted as a Taoist
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...
adept attired in ''daojiao fushi
Daojiao fushi (), also known as Taoist clothing, are religious clothing and adornment worn by devotees and practitioners of Taoism, an indigenous religion and life philosophy in China. Chinese culture attaches great importance to "cap and gown" ( ...
'', an ambitious official, and a trusted confidant of Crown Prince Li Yu, a fictional character modeled after a young Emperor Suzong. In the series, Li serves as chief of Chang'an's Peacekeeper Corps, an imperial intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a government agency responsible for the collection, Intelligence analysis, analysis, and exploitation of information in support of law enforcement, national security, military, public safety, and foreign policy objective ...
under the supervision of He Zhizheng, a senior official and poet modeled after the historical figure He Zhizhang
He Zhizhang (, ca. 659–744), courtesy name Jizhen (季真), was a Chinese poet and scholar-official born in Yongxing, Yue Prefecture (越州永兴, present-day Xiaoshan, Zhejiang) during the Tang Dynasty. He entered the civil service after ...
.
Notes and references
* ''Old Book of Tang
The ''Old Book of Tang'', or simply the ''Book of Tang'', is the first classic historical work about the Tang dynasty, comprising 200 chapters, and is one of the Twenty-Four Histories. Originally compiled during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...
''
vol. 130
* ''New Book of Tang
The ''New Book of Tang'', generally translated as the "New History of the Tang" or "New Tang History", is a work of official history covering the Tang dynasty in ten volumes and 225 chapters. The work was compiled by a team of scholars of the So ...
''
vol. 139
* ''Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynast ...
'', vols. 218, 219
__NOTOC__
Year 219 ( CCXIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Antonius and Sacerdos (or, less frequently, year 972 '' ...
, 220, 224, 225, 231
Year 231 ( CCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Claudius and Sallustus (or, less frequently, year 984 '' Ab urbe ...
, 232, 233.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Mi
722 births
789 deaths
8th-century Chinese historians
8th-century Chinese poets
Chancellors under Emperor Dezong of Tang
Chinese hermits
Historians from Shaanxi
Legendary Chinese people
Poets from Shaanxi
Politicians from Xi'an
Tang dynasty poets
Tang dynasty historians
Tang dynasty politicians from Shaanxi
Tang dynasty Taoists
Writers from Xi'an