Li Zaiyi
Encyclopedia
Li Zaiyi (died 837
), courtesy name Fanggu (方谷), formally the Prince of Wuwei (武威王), was a general of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
who, from 826
to 831
, ruled Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing
) in de facto independence from the imperial government as the circuit's military governor (Jiedushi
), although he was respectful to Emperor Wenzong
and participated in the imperial campaign against the rebel general Li Tongjie
. After he was expelled in a mutiny by Yang Zhicheng
, the imperial government continued to commission him as a military governor, and he served at two other circuits subsequently.
of Emperor Taizong of Tang
, and therefore a distant relative to Tang's imperial family. It was said that his ancestors were known for generations for their battlefield prowess and served at You Prefecture (幽州, in modern Beijing
, Lulong Circuit's capital). Li Zaiyi lost his father early, and he spent his days touring with those from his home area not under anyone's orders. Li was said to be strong and capable in wrestling. When then-military governor of Lulong, Liu Ji
, saw him, Liu was impressed, and invited him to serve on Liu's guard corps. For his subsequent accomplishments, Li received repeated promotions.
In 826
, then-military governor Zhu Kerong
and his son Zhu Yanling (朱延齡) were killed in a mutiny. Another faction of soldiers initially supported Zhu Kerong's second son Zhu Yansi
to succeed him. Zhu Yansi, however, was said to be cruel, and several months later, Li led another mutiny and killed Zhu Yansi, and further slaughtered the Zhu family. He then submitted a report of Zhu Yansi's crimes to the imperial government. Soon thereafter, Emperor Wenzong
commissioned Li as the new military governor. Li was also created the Prince of Wuwei.
, the imperial government prepared for a campaign against Li Tongjie
, who seized control of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou
, Hebei
) after the death of his father, Li Quanlüe (李全略), who had been military governor, without imperial sanction. Li Zaiyi offered to participate in the imperial campaign, and subsequently, when Emperor Wenzong did declare a general campaign against Li Tongjie, Li Zaiyi was one of the generals mobilized. Li Tongjie, trying to get the other circuits' military governors to speak on his behalf, sent many of his relatives to try to bribe those military governors with money, treasures, and women, but when he sent his nephew with bribes to Lulong, Li Zaiyi arrested his nephew and sent the nephew and the bribe to the capital Chang'an
. Thereafter, Li Zaiyi participated in attacking Henghai's capital prefecture Cang Prefecture (滄州). After Li Tongjie surrendered in 829
, Li Zaiyi received the honorific chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事).
In 830
, Xi
forces attacked Lulong. Li Zaiyi defeated the Xi forces and captured the chieftain Rujie (茹羯); he subsequently sent Rujie to Chang'an.
In 831
, when Li Zaiyi was feasting with an imperial emissary, his officer Yang Zhicheng
started a mutiny, and Li Zaiyi and his son Li Zhengyuan (李正元) were forced to flee to Yi Prefecture (易州, in modern Baoding
, Hebei
) (in neighboring Yiwu Circuit (義武)). Emperor Wenzong initially considered launching an army to reinstate Li Zaiyi, but the chancellor Niu Sengru
pointed out that the imperial government had no strength at the time for such a campaign. Emperor Wenzong thus allowed Yang to take over (although, at that time, only naming Yang acting military governor). Meanwhile, when Li Zaiyi arrived in Chang'an from Yi Prefecture, Emperor Wenzong, because Li Zaiyi had been respectful and had participated in the campaign against Henghai, continued to let him carry the title Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, and further conveyed the title of Taibao (太保, one of the Three Excellencies
) on him.
, Shaanxi
), as well as the mayor of its capital Xingyuan Municipality (興元). In 833
, he was made the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
, Shanxi
), as well as the mayor of its capital Taiyuan Municipality. It was said that at that time, whenever Tang's ally Huigu sent emissaries to offer tributes, the emissaries often pillaged the Tang territory they went through. The local governments did not dare to complain, and only reacted by mobilizing security forces. When Li Zaiyi arrived at Hedong, there happened to be a Huigu mission led by the emissary Li Chang (李暢) going through Hedong. Li Zaiyi met with Li Chang and stated:
Li Zaiyi then sent away his guards and put only two guards at his headquarters. Li Chang, impressed, did not carry out any hostile actions.
In 834
, Yang Zhicheng was himself expelled by his officer Shi Yuanzhong
. He fled toward Chang'an, and as he went through Hedong, Li Zaiyi had him battered and wanted to kill him, only stopping after earnest advice from the staffers. Li, however, still killed Yang's wife and followers. Emperor Wenzong did not punish Li, on account of his accomplishments. Li then submitted a petition, accusing Yang of having dug up the tombs of Li's mother and brother to steal the treasures buried with them, and he requested that Yang be executed so that he could take out Yang's heart to sacrifice it to his mother; Emperor Wenzong refused, although subsequently, when Shi sent imperial robes that Yang made to Emperor Wenzong (i.e., as evidence that Yang had imperial pretensions), Emperor Wenzong exiled Yang, and later had him killed in exile. In 835
, Li was given the greater honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中). When Li's subordinates suggested to Emperor Wenzong that a monument should be erected to commemorate Li's achievements, Emperor Wenzong agreed, and he commissioned the former chancellor Li Cheng
to author the text of the monument. However, at that time, Li Zaiyi did not yet have a courtesy name, which was customary to be used on a monument. Emperor Wenzong thus bestowed the courtesy name of Fanggu on him.
Around the new year 836
, during a plot by Emperor Wenzong, the chancellor Li Xun
, and the general Zheng Zhu
, to slaughter the powerful eunuchs who controlled much of imperial governance (an incident later known as the Ganlu Incident
), as part of the plot, Emperor Wenzong recalled Li Zaiyi to Chang'an, while naming the official Wang Fan (王璠), who was an associate of Li Xun's, as the new military governor of Hedong. (This was to enable Wang to have an excuse to mobilize troops at the capital to carry out the plot.) After the plot failed (ending in the deaths of Li Xun, Zheng, and several other chancellors, as well as the other plotters and the virtual house arrest of Emperor Wenzong by the eunuchs), Li Zaiyi was allowed to remain at Hedong. It was said that late in his life, Li Zaiyi was arrogant and cruel. He died in 837
and was given posthumous honors.
837
Year 837 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Pietro Tradonico is elected Doge of Venice.* Uen succeeds Drest IV as king of the Picts....
), courtesy name Fanggu (方谷), formally the Prince of Wuwei (武威王), was a general of the Chinese
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
who, from 826
826
Year 826 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* June 24 – The Danish king Harald Klak accepts Christianity.- Deaths :...
to 831
831
Year 831 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* In this year, an Uyghur Turk sues the son of a Chinese Tang Dynasty grand general who had failed to repay a debt of 11 million government-issued copper coins...
, ruled Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
) in de facto independence from the imperial government as the circuit's military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
), although he was respectful to Emperor Wenzong
Emperor Wenzong of Tang
Emperor Wenzong of Tang , personal name Li Ang , né Li Han , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 827 to 840. Emperor Wenzong was the second son of Emperor Muzong and younger brother of Emperor Jingzong...
and participated in the imperial campaign against the rebel general Li Tongjie
Li Tongjie
Li Tongjie was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. After the death of his father Li Quanlüe in 826, Li Tongjie tried to take over Henghai Circuit , which his father had been the military governor of, and he rejected a subsequent imperial edict for him to serve at a different circuit...
. After he was expelled in a mutiny by Yang Zhicheng
Yang Zhicheng
Yang Zhicheng was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, ruling Lulong Circuit as its military governor in de facto independence from the imperial government from 831 to 834....
, the imperial government continued to commission him as a military governor, and he served at two other circuits subsequently.
Background
It is not known when Li Zaiyi was born. He was a descendant of Li Chengqian, who was at one point the crown princeCrown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
, and therefore a distant relative to Tang's imperial family. It was said that his ancestors were known for generations for their battlefield prowess and served at You Prefecture (幽州, in modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Lulong Circuit's capital). Li Zaiyi lost his father early, and he spent his days touring with those from his home area not under anyone's orders. Li was said to be strong and capable in wrestling. When then-military governor of Lulong, Liu Ji
Liu Ji (general)
Liu Ji was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who served as the military governor of Lulong Circuit from 787 to his death in 810, when he was poisoned by his son Liu Zong during an imperially-sanctioned campaign against neighboring Chengde Circuit Liu Ji (劉濟) (757 – August 20, 810)...
, saw him, Liu was impressed, and invited him to serve on Liu's guard corps. For his subsequent accomplishments, Li received repeated promotions.
In 826
826
Year 826 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* June 24 – The Danish king Harald Klak accepts Christianity.- Deaths :...
, then-military governor Zhu Kerong
Zhu Kerong
Zhu Kerong , formally the Prince of Wuxing , was a military governor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who ruled Lulong Circuit independent of the imperial authority during the reigns of Emperor Muzong and Emperor Jingzong, until he and his son Zhu Yanling were killed by their own soldiers in...
and his son Zhu Yanling (朱延齡) were killed in a mutiny. Another faction of soldiers initially supported Zhu Kerong's second son Zhu Yansi
Zhu Yansi
Zhu Yansi was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, briefly ruling Lulong Circuit after his father Zhu Kerong's death.It is not known when Zhu Yansi was born...
to succeed him. Zhu Yansi, however, was said to be cruel, and several months later, Li led another mutiny and killed Zhu Yansi, and further slaughtered the Zhu family. He then submitted a report of Zhu Yansi's crimes to the imperial government. Soon thereafter, Emperor Wenzong
Emperor Wenzong of Tang
Emperor Wenzong of Tang , personal name Li Ang , né Li Han , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 827 to 840. Emperor Wenzong was the second son of Emperor Muzong and younger brother of Emperor Jingzong...
commissioned Li as the new military governor. Li was also created the Prince of Wuwei.
As the military governor of Lulong
In 827827
Year 827 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Beginning of the invasion of Sicily by the Aghlabid dynasty of Ifriqiya . The campaign in the island against Byzantium will take 51 years...
, the imperial government prepared for a campaign against Li Tongjie
Li Tongjie
Li Tongjie was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. After the death of his father Li Quanlüe in 826, Li Tongjie tried to take over Henghai Circuit , which his father had been the military governor of, and he rejected a subsequent imperial edict for him to serve at a different circuit...
, who seized control of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou
Cangzhou
Cangzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hebei province, People's Republic of China. Cangzhou's urban center has a population of approximately 514,074 at the 2010 census which correspond to the built up area), while the prefecture-level administrative region in total has a population of 7,134,053...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
) after the death of his father, Li Quanlüe (李全略), who had been military governor, without imperial sanction. Li Zaiyi offered to participate in the imperial campaign, and subsequently, when Emperor Wenzong did declare a general campaign against Li Tongjie, Li Zaiyi was one of the generals mobilized. Li Tongjie, trying to get the other circuits' military governors to speak on his behalf, sent many of his relatives to try to bribe those military governors with money, treasures, and women, but when he sent his nephew with bribes to Lulong, Li Zaiyi arrested his nephew and sent the nephew and the bribe to the capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
. Thereafter, Li Zaiyi participated in attacking Henghai's capital prefecture Cang Prefecture (滄州). After Li Tongjie surrendered in 829
829
Year 829 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Egbert of Wessex conquers Mercia and is recognized as Bretwalda.* The Saracens ravage the coast of Dalmatia....
, Li Zaiyi received the honorific chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事).
In 830
830
Year 830 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Creation of the Ad-dimnah hospital in al-Qayrawan by the Aghlabid ruler Ziyadat Allah I.- Europe :...
, Xi
Kumo Xi
The Kumo Xi ) were a Mongolic steppe people located in current Manchuria from 207 AD to 907 AD. After the death of their ancestor Tadun in 207 they were no longer called Wuhuan but joined the Khitan Xianbei in submitting to the Yuwen Xianbei. Their history is widely linked to the more famous Khitan...
forces attacked Lulong. Li Zaiyi defeated the Xi forces and captured the chieftain Rujie (茹羯); he subsequently sent Rujie to Chang'an.
In 831
831
Year 831 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* In this year, an Uyghur Turk sues the son of a Chinese Tang Dynasty grand general who had failed to repay a debt of 11 million government-issued copper coins...
, when Li Zaiyi was feasting with an imperial emissary, his officer Yang Zhicheng
Yang Zhicheng
Yang Zhicheng was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, ruling Lulong Circuit as its military governor in de facto independence from the imperial government from 831 to 834....
started a mutiny, and Li Zaiyi and his son Li Zhengyuan (李正元) were forced to flee to Yi Prefecture (易州, in modern Baoding
Baoding
-Administrative divisions:Baoding prefecture-level city consists of 3 municipal districts, 4 county-level cities, 18 counties:-Demographics:The Baoding urban area has a population of around 1,006,000 . The population of the Baoding administrative area is 10,890,000. The considerable majority are...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
) (in neighboring Yiwu Circuit (義武)). Emperor Wenzong initially considered launching an army to reinstate Li Zaiyi, but the chancellor Niu Sengru
Niu Sengru
Niu Sengru , courtesy name Si'an , formally Duke Wenzhen of Qizhang , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Muzong and his sons Emperor Jingzong and Emperor Wenzong...
pointed out that the imperial government had no strength at the time for such a campaign. Emperor Wenzong thus allowed Yang to take over (although, at that time, only naming Yang acting military governor). Meanwhile, when Li Zaiyi arrived in Chang'an from Yi Prefecture, Emperor Wenzong, because Li Zaiyi had been respectful and had participated in the campaign against Henghai, continued to let him carry the title Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, and further conveyed the title of Taibao (太保, one of the Three Excellencies
Three Excellencies
The Three Ducal Ministers , also translated as the Three Dukes, Three Excellencies, or the Three Lords, was the collective name for the three highest officials in ancient China...
) on him.
Subsequent career
In summer 831, Emperor Wenzong made Li Zaiyi the military governor of Shannan West Circuit (山南西道, headquartered in modern HanzhongHanzhong
Hanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
), as well as the mayor of its capital Xingyuan Municipality (興元). In 833
833
Year 833 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* al-Mu'tasim succeeds his brother Al-Ma'mun as Abbasid caliph....
, he was made the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
), as well as the mayor of its capital Taiyuan Municipality. It was said that at that time, whenever Tang's ally Huigu sent emissaries to offer tributes, the emissaries often pillaged the Tang territory they went through. The local governments did not dare to complain, and only reacted by mobilizing security forces. When Li Zaiyi arrived at Hedong, there happened to be a Huigu mission led by the emissary Li Chang (李暢) going through Hedong. Li Zaiyi met with Li Chang and stated:
Li Zaiyi then sent away his guards and put only two guards at his headquarters. Li Chang, impressed, did not carry out any hostile actions.
In 834
834
Year 834 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Vikings first raid Dorestad ....
, Yang Zhicheng was himself expelled by his officer Shi Yuanzhong
Shi Yuanzhong
Shi Yuanzhong was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving for several years as the military governor of Lulong Circuit and ruling it in de facto independence from the imperial government until he was killed in 841.Virtually nothing is known about Shi Yuanzhong's background,...
. He fled toward Chang'an, and as he went through Hedong, Li Zaiyi had him battered and wanted to kill him, only stopping after earnest advice from the staffers. Li, however, still killed Yang's wife and followers. Emperor Wenzong did not punish Li, on account of his accomplishments. Li then submitted a petition, accusing Yang of having dug up the tombs of Li's mother and brother to steal the treasures buried with them, and he requested that Yang be executed so that he could take out Yang's heart to sacrifice it to his mother; Emperor Wenzong refused, although subsequently, when Shi sent imperial robes that Yang made to Emperor Wenzong (i.e., as evidence that Yang had imperial pretensions), Emperor Wenzong exiled Yang, and later had him killed in exile. In 835
835
Year 835 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Ragnar Lodbrok rises to power ....
, Li was given the greater honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中). When Li's subordinates suggested to Emperor Wenzong that a monument should be erected to commemorate Li's achievements, Emperor Wenzong agreed, and he commissioned the former chancellor Li Cheng
Li Cheng (Tang Dynasty)
Li Cheng , courtesy name Biaochen , formally Duke Miao of Pengyuan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Jingzong.-Background:...
to author the text of the monument. However, at that time, Li Zaiyi did not yet have a courtesy name, which was customary to be used on a monument. Emperor Wenzong thus bestowed the courtesy name of Fanggu on him.
Around the new year 836
836
Year 836 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Abbasid caliph al-Mutasim establishes a new capital at Samarra, Iraq.- Europe :...
, during a plot by Emperor Wenzong, the chancellor Li Xun
Li Zhongyan
Li Zhongyan , known as Li Xun in 835, courtesy name initially Zixun , later Zichui , pseudonym Hermit Wang during the mourning period for his mother, was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
, and the general Zheng Zhu
Zheng Zhu
Zheng Zhu , probably né Yu Zhu , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He became a trusted advisor to Emperor Wenzong due to treatments he provided Emperor Wenzong for the emperor's illnesses, and thereafter plotted with Emperor Wenzong and Li Xun to slaughter the powerful eunuchs...
, to slaughter the powerful eunuchs who controlled much of imperial governance (an incident later known as the Ganlu Incident
Ganlu Incident
The Ganlu Incident referred to an incident on December 14, 835, where then-reigning Emperor Wenzong of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, angry about the power that the powerful eunuchs had, conspired with the chancellor Li Xun and the general Zheng Zhu to slaughter the eunuchs...
), as part of the plot, Emperor Wenzong recalled Li Zaiyi to Chang'an, while naming the official Wang Fan (王璠), who was an associate of Li Xun's, as the new military governor of Hedong. (This was to enable Wang to have an excuse to mobilize troops at the capital to carry out the plot.) After the plot failed (ending in the deaths of Li Xun, Zheng, and several other chancellors, as well as the other plotters and the virtual house arrest of Emperor Wenzong by the eunuchs), Li Zaiyi was allowed to remain at Hedong. It was said that late in his life, Li Zaiyi was arrogant and cruel. He died in 837
837
Year 837 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Pietro Tradonico is elected Doge of Venice.* Uen succeeds Drest IV as king of the Picts....
and was given posthumous honors.