Li Rong (李溶) (813-February 12, 840),The Epitaph of Prince An formally the Prince of An (安王), was an imperial prince of the Chinese Tang dynasty, being a son of Emperor Muzong.

Background

Li Rong was born on 813. He was the eighth son of Emperor Muzong, while his mother was an imperial consort surnamed Yang that outlived his father.''

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. 82. In 821, when Emperor Muzong created his sons, as well as a number of younger brothers who had not been created titles, imperial princes, Li Rong was created the Prince of An. In 834, by which time another older brother, Emperor Wenzong was emperor, Li Rong was given the honorific title ''Kaifu Yitong Sansi'' (開府儀同三司). Early in Emperor Wenzong's ''Kaicheng'' era (836-840), Emperor Wenzong ordered that monthly stipends be given to both Li Rong and Li Chan (who was then the Prince of Ying),''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 175. and it was said that Emperor Wenzong often treated both him and Li Chan well and more special than other imperial princes.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 246.

Consideration as Emperor Wenzong's successor

In 838, Emperor Wenzong's only son and crown prince Li Yong died — probably murdered by household servants.''

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 ...

Edition of the Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 59 38 After Li Yong's death, in 839, Emperor Wenzong's concubine Consort Yang recommended Li Rong as crown prince. (Li Chan, after he became emperor (as Emperor Wuzong), would state that it was his belief that Li Rong flattered Consort Yang, and that Li Rong's candidacy was supported by the

chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

Yang Sifu (who might have been Consort Yang's nephew) and the eunuch Liu Hongyi (劉弘逸), with Yang Sifu's having an eye toward having Consort Yang becoming

empress dowager Empress dowager (also dowager empress or empress mother) () is the English language translation of the title given to the mother or widow of a Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese emperor in the Chinese cultural sphere. The title was also g ...

and regent. It is not known whether Li Chan's beliefs were correct.) When Emperor Wenzong consulted the chancellors, however, Li Jue opposed Li Rong's candidacy. Emperor Wenzong thereafter created his older brother Emperor Jingzong's youngest son Li Chengmei the Prince of Chen crown prince.

Death

In spring 840, Emperor Wenzong became seriously ill. He summoned Liu Hongyi and another eunuch, Xue Jileng (薛季稜), and asked them to summon Yang Sifu and Li Jue to the palace, ready to entrust Li Chengmei to them. However, the eunuch army commanders Qiu Shiliang and Yu Hongzhi (魚弘志), hoping to receive credit for supporting a new emperor, opposed Li Chengmei, arguing that Li Chengmei was too young and too sickly. Li Jue tried to stop them, but Qiu and Yu went ahead and issued an edict in Emperor Wenzong's name demoting Li Chengmei back to the Prince of Chen and creating Li Chan crown prince instead. After Emperor Wenzong soon died, Qiu persuaded Li Chan, who had not yet taken the throne and was still using his title of crown prince, to order Consort Yang, Li Rong, and Li Chengmei to commit suicide.

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. 175. * ''

'', vol. 82. * '' Zizhi Tongjian'', vols.

241 Year 241 ( CCXLI) 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 Gordianus and Pompeianus by the Romans (or, less frequently, year ...

, 246. {{DEFAULTSORT:Li Rong (Prince) 813 births 840 deaths Tang dynasty imperial princes Executed Tang dynasty people People executed by the Tang dynasty Forced suicides of Chinese people