Li Zi
Encyclopedia
Li Zi (died 897
), formally the Prince of Tong (通王), was an imperial prince of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
. He was the favorite son of Emperor Xuānzong
, but was unable to take the throne after Emperor Xuānzong's death, as his older brother Li Wen
(Emperor Yizong) was chosen by the eunuch Wang Zongshi (王宗實), who overpowered other eunuchs who supported Li Zi. Later, during the reign of Emperor Yizong's son (Li Zi's nephew) Emperor Zhaozong
, Emperor Zhaozong tried to commission imperial princes to command armies to counteract the powerful warlords (Jiedushi
) and eunuchs. In response, in 897, when Emperor Zhaozong had to flee to the domain of one of the warlords, Han Jian
, Han falsely accused 11 imperial princes, including Li Zi, of treason, and massacred them without approval from Emperor Zhaozong.
was born in 833
, and Li Zi was already born by the time that his father Li Chen
became emperor (as Emperor Xuānzong) in 846
, he must have been born between those dates. When Emperor Xuānzong became emperor, he created five of his sons imperial princes, including Li Zi, who was created the Prince of Kui. Li Zi was Emperor Xuānzong's third son. His mother's name is lost to history.
Li Zi was said to be Emperor Xuānzong's favorite son, and he lived in the palace with four of his brothers, while Li Wen, then the Prince of Yun, who was not favored, was sent out of the palace to live at the residence of the imperial princes, known as the Sixteen Mansions. Emperor Xuānzong also commissioned the officials Zheng Zhang (鄭璋) and Li Ye (李鄴) to attend to Li Zi's studies, lecturing him once every five days.
, but as Li Zi was not the oldest son, he hesitated, and went throughout his reign without designating an heir. In 859
, when Emperor Xuānzong grew seriously ill due to the side effects of the immortality
pills that were given to him by the alchemists
Li Xuanbo (李玄伯), Yu Zizhi (虞紫芝), and Wang Le (王樂), he entrusted Li Zi to three eunuchs that he favored — the directors of palace communications Wang Guizhang (王歸長) and Ma Gongru (馬公儒), and the liaison with imperial officials Wang Jufang (王居方). The three eunuchs were suspicious of Wang Zongshi, who commanded the Left Shence Army (左神策軍), and they issued an edict in Emperor Xuānzong's name, sending Wang Zongshi out of the capital Chang'an
to serve as the eunuch monitor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
). Wang Zongshi initially was set to report to Huainan after receiving the edicts, but his deputy Qi Yuanshi (亓元實) reminded him that he had not seen Emperor Xuānzong for a month and that he could not be sure that it was Emperor Xuānzong who actually wished him gone. With Qi's support, Wang Zongshi forced his way into the palace and found that Emperor Xuānzong had already died. He arrested Wang Guizhang, Ma, and Wang Jufang on charges of falsifying the imperial edict, and then sent soldiers to the Sixteen Mansions to welcome Li Wen to the palace. He then issued an edict in Emperor Xuānzong's name creating Li Wen crown prince. Soon thereafter, Li Wen (whose name was changed to Li Cui) took the throne (as Emperor Yizong).
After Emperor Yizong took the throne, the institution of having Zheng Zhang and Li Ye attend to Li Zi's studies was discontinued, although Li Zi appeared to have suffered no other reprisal. His title was also changed to Prince of Tong. (According to Li Zi's biography in the Book of Tang
, Li Zi actually died during Emperor Yizong's reign, in 863
, while still carrying the title of Prince of Kui, and that statement was incorporated into the Zizhi Tongjian
. However, as those records were inconsistent with Li Zi's biography in the New Book of Tang
, which described the events below, as well as the Zizhi Tongjian, which inconsistently also adopted the New Book of Tang records, it will be assumed below that Li Zi did not die in 863.)
, by which time Emperor Yizong's son Emperor Zhaozong
was emperor, the empire was, effectively, broken up into warlord territories, with the imperial government holding little power, and even within Chang'an itself, the eunuchs controlled the armies. In 896, Emperor Zhaozong tried to remedy the situation by putting imperial princes in command of newly recruited soldiers, including having Li Zi command the palace guards. In summer 896, when Emperor Zhaozong was offended by the arrogance of the warlord Li Maozhen
(who controlled the nearby Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
), he had Li Zi, Li Sizhou (李嗣周) the Prince of Qin, and Li Jiepi (李戒丕) the Prince of Yan take up defensive positions around the capital. Li Maozhen was concerned that Emperor Zhaozong would act against him, Li Maozhen took the preemptive step of attacking armies commanded by Li Sizhou and Li Jiepi. The Fengxiang forces defeated the inexperienced forces under Li Sizhou and Li Jiepi easily and approached Chang'an.
Emperor Zhaozong sought immediate aid from another warlord, Li Keyong
, the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
, Shanxi
), while preparing to flee to Hedong. Once he left Chang'an, however, he hesitated at the long trek to Hedong's capital Taiyuan, and when Han Jian
the military governor of nearby Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan
, Shaanxi
) personally met him and persuaded him to go to Han's headquarters at Hua Prefecture (華州) instead, he agreed, and he took his train there.
Once Emperor Zhaozong arrived at Hua Prefecture, however, it became clear that Han intended to control the emperor, not vice versa. As Han was displeased that eight princes (Li Zi, as well as the Princes of Mu, Ji, Shao, Peng, Han, Yi, and Chen, whose names have been lost to history) were still commanding the imperial guards, falsely accused the princes of planning to murder Han and then kidnap the emperor. Emperor Zhaozong tried to summon Han to his presence to explain, but Han refused, and when Emperor Zhaozong ordered the princes to personally explain to Han, Han also refused to meet with them. Han then had his own soldiers surround the provisional palace. Emperor Zhaozong was forced to disband the imperial princes' armies, and Han put the imperial princes under house arrest. Further, under Han's insistence, Emperor Zhaozong was forced to execute one of the imperial guard generals, Li Yun (李筠).
Later in the year, after Li Jiepi, who had previously went to Hedong to seek aid from Li Keyong, returned to Hua Prefecture — thus exposing the fact that Li Keyong would be unable to come to the emperor's or the princes' aid — Han submitted further accusations that Li Jiepi and Li Sizhou were plotting treasons. Emperor Zhaozong tried to ignore Han's accusations, but Han and the eunuch Liu Jishu
then surrounded the provisional Sixteen Mansions. They seized Li Zi, Li Sizhou, Li Jiepi, Li Yun (李允) the Prince of Dan, as well as the Princes of Yi, Mu, Ji, Shao, Peng, Han, and Chen, took them to nearby Shiti Valley (石隄谷), and killed them there.
897
Year 897 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Uda of Japan is succeeded by Emperor Daigo....
), formally the Prince of Tong (通王), was an imperial prince 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...
. He was the favorite son of Emperor Xuānzong
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
, but was unable to take the throne after Emperor Xuānzong's death, as his older brother Li Wen
Emperor Yizong of Tang
Emperor Yizong of Tang , né Li Wen , later changed to Li Cui , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 859 to 873. Yizong was the eldest son of Emperor Xuānzong...
(Emperor Yizong) was chosen by the eunuch Wang Zongshi (王宗實), who overpowered other eunuchs who supported Li Zi. Later, during the reign of Emperor Yizong's son (Li Zi's nephew) Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
, Emperor Zhaozong tried to commission imperial princes to command armies to counteract the powerful warlords (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...
) and eunuchs. In response, in 897, when Emperor Zhaozong had to flee to the domain of one of the warlords, Han Jian
Han Jian (Tang Dynasty)
Han Jian , courtesy name Zuoshi , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who eventually became a subject of the succeeding Later Liang Dynasty...
, Han falsely accused 11 imperial princes, including Li Zi, of treason, and massacred them without approval from Emperor Zhaozong.
Background
It is not known when Li Zi was born, but as his oldest brother Li WenEmperor Yizong of Tang
Emperor Yizong of Tang , né Li Wen , later changed to Li Cui , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 859 to 873. Yizong was the eldest son of Emperor Xuānzong...
was born 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....
, and Li Zi was already born by the time that his father Li Chen
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
became emperor (as Emperor Xuānzong) in 846
846
Year 846 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Nominoe occupies Nantes and Rennes, he makes raids in Anjou and threatens Bayeux...
, he must have been born between those dates. When Emperor Xuānzong became emperor, he created five of his sons imperial princes, including Li Zi, who was created the Prince of Kui. Li Zi was Emperor Xuānzong's third son. His mother's name is lost to history.
Li Zi was said to be Emperor Xuānzong's favorite son, and he lived in the palace with four of his brothers, while Li Wen, then the Prince of Yun, who was not favored, was sent out of the palace to live at the residence of the imperial princes, known as the Sixteen Mansions. Emperor Xuānzong also commissioned the officials Zheng Zhang (鄭璋) and Li Ye (李鄴) to attend to Li Zi's studies, lecturing him once every five days.
Failure to succeed to the throne
As Li Zi was Emperor Xuānzong's favorite son, Emperor Xuānzong repeatedly considered creating him 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....
, but as Li Zi was not the oldest son, he hesitated, and went throughout his reign without designating an heir. In 859
859
Year 859 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* January 15 – Battle of Saint-Quentin, Aisne: Humfrid defeats Louis the German....
, when Emperor Xuānzong grew seriously ill due to the side effects of the immortality
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
pills that were given to him by the alchemists
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
Li Xuanbo (李玄伯), Yu Zizhi (虞紫芝), and Wang Le (王樂), he entrusted Li Zi to three eunuchs that he favored — the directors of palace communications Wang Guizhang (王歸長) and Ma Gongru (馬公儒), and the liaison with imperial officials Wang Jufang (王居方). The three eunuchs were suspicious of Wang Zongshi, who commanded the Left Shence Army (左神策軍), and they issued an edict in Emperor Xuānzong's name, sending Wang Zongshi out of 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...
to serve as the eunuch monitor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
). Wang Zongshi initially was set to report to Huainan after receiving the edicts, but his deputy Qi Yuanshi (亓元實) reminded him that he had not seen Emperor Xuānzong for a month and that he could not be sure that it was Emperor Xuānzong who actually wished him gone. With Qi's support, Wang Zongshi forced his way into the palace and found that Emperor Xuānzong had already died. He arrested Wang Guizhang, Ma, and Wang Jufang on charges of falsifying the imperial edict, and then sent soldiers to the Sixteen Mansions to welcome Li Wen to the palace. He then issued an edict in Emperor Xuānzong's name creating Li Wen crown prince. Soon thereafter, Li Wen (whose name was changed to Li Cui) took the throne (as Emperor Yizong).
After Emperor Yizong took the throne, the institution of having Zheng Zhang and Li Ye attend to Li Zi's studies was discontinued, although Li Zi appeared to have suffered no other reprisal. His title was also changed to Prince of Tong. (According to Li Zi's biography in the Book of Tang
Book of Tang
The Book of Tang , Jiu Tangshu or the Old Book of Tang is the first classic work about the Tang Dynasty. The book began when Gaozu of Later Jin ordered its commencement in 941...
, Li Zi actually died during Emperor Yizong's reign, in 863
863
Year 863 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Constantine I succeeds as king of Scotland ....
, while still carrying the title of Prince of Kui, and that statement was incorporated into the Zizhi Tongjian
Zizhi Tongjian
The Zizhi Tongjian was a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084, under the form of a chronicles. In 1065 CE, Emperor Yingzong of Song ordered the great historian Sima Guang to lead with other scholars such as his chief assistants Liu Shu, Liu Ban and Fan Zuyu, the...
. However, as those records were inconsistent with Li Zi's biography in the New Book of Tang
New Book of Tang
The New Book of Tang , is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi and other official scholars of the Song Dynasty. The emperor called for a revision of the former Book of Tang in 1044. The New Book was presented to the throne in 1060. It was given its...
, which described the events below, as well as the Zizhi Tongjian, which inconsistently also adopted the New Book of Tang records, it will be assumed below that Li Zi did not die in 863.)
During Emperor Zhaozong's reign
By 896896
Year 896 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Decisive Bulgarian victory over Magyars in the Battle of Southern Buh....
, by which time Emperor Yizong's son Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
was emperor, the empire was, effectively, broken up into warlord territories, with the imperial government holding little power, and even within Chang'an itself, the eunuchs controlled the armies. In 896, Emperor Zhaozong tried to remedy the situation by putting imperial princes in command of newly recruited soldiers, including having Li Zi command the palace guards. In summer 896, when Emperor Zhaozong was offended by the arrogance of the warlord Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen , né Song Wentong , courtesy name Zhengchen , formally Prince Zhongjing of Qin , was the only ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Qi...
(who controlled the nearby Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
Baoji
Baoji is a prefecture-level city in Shaanxi province, China.-Geography:The prefecture-level city of Baoji has a population of 3,716,731 according to the 2010 Chinese census, inhabiting an area of . The city itself has a population of approximately 800,000. Surrounded on three sides by hills,...
, 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...
), he had Li Zi, Li Sizhou (李嗣周) the Prince of Qin, and Li Jiepi (李戒丕) the Prince of Yan take up defensive positions around the capital. Li Maozhen was concerned that Emperor Zhaozong would act against him, Li Maozhen took the preemptive step of attacking armies commanded by Li Sizhou and Li Jiepi. The Fengxiang forces defeated the inexperienced forces under Li Sizhou and Li Jiepi easily and approached Chang'an.
Emperor Zhaozong sought immediate aid from another warlord, Li Keyong
Li Keyong
Li Keyong was a Shatuo military governor during the late Tang Dynasty and was key to developing a base of power for the Shatuo in what is today Shanxi Province in China...
, 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....
), while preparing to flee to Hedong. Once he left Chang'an, however, he hesitated at the long trek to Hedong's capital Taiyuan, and when Han Jian
Han Jian (Tang Dynasty)
Han Jian , courtesy name Zuoshi , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who eventually became a subject of the succeeding Later Liang Dynasty...
the military governor of nearby Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan
Weinan
Weinan is a Municipality in the province of Shaanxi, PRC. The Grand Historian Sima Qian was born in Weinan.-Administration:...
, 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...
) personally met him and persuaded him to go to Han's headquarters at Hua Prefecture (華州) instead, he agreed, and he took his train there.
Once Emperor Zhaozong arrived at Hua Prefecture, however, it became clear that Han intended to control the emperor, not vice versa. As Han was displeased that eight princes (Li Zi, as well as the Princes of Mu, Ji, Shao, Peng, Han, Yi, and Chen, whose names have been lost to history) were still commanding the imperial guards, falsely accused the princes of planning to murder Han and then kidnap the emperor. Emperor Zhaozong tried to summon Han to his presence to explain, but Han refused, and when Emperor Zhaozong ordered the princes to personally explain to Han, Han also refused to meet with them. Han then had his own soldiers surround the provisional palace. Emperor Zhaozong was forced to disband the imperial princes' armies, and Han put the imperial princes under house arrest. Further, under Han's insistence, Emperor Zhaozong was forced to execute one of the imperial guard generals, Li Yun (李筠).
Later in the year, after Li Jiepi, who had previously went to Hedong to seek aid from Li Keyong, returned to Hua Prefecture — thus exposing the fact that Li Keyong would be unable to come to the emperor's or the princes' aid — Han submitted further accusations that Li Jiepi and Li Sizhou were plotting treasons. Emperor Zhaozong tried to ignore Han's accusations, but Han and the eunuch Liu Jishu
Liu Jishu
Liu Jishu was an eunuch late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who, as a powerful commander of the Shence Armies, briefly deposed Emperor Zhaozong in 900 and replaced Emperor Zhaozong with Emperor Zhaozong's son Li Yu, but was soon killed in a countercoup, allowing Emperor Zhaozong to return to...
then surrounded the provisional Sixteen Mansions. They seized Li Zi, Li Sizhou, Li Jiepi, Li Yun (李允) the Prince of Dan, as well as the Princes of Yi, Mu, Ji, Shao, Peng, Han, and Chen, took them to nearby Shiti Valley (石隄谷), and killed them there.