Li Siyuan

Li Siyuan (李嗣源, later changed to Li Dan 李亶^[2]) (10 October 867^[5] – 15 December 933^[7]), also known by his temple name Mingzong (明宗), was the second emperor of imperial China's short-lived Later Tang Dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, reigning from 926 until his death. He was an ethnic Shatuo originally called Miaojilie (邈佶烈).

Adopted by the Shatuo leader Li Keyong of the Jin territory, Li Siyuan became a trusted general under both Li Keyong and Li Keyong's successor Li Cunxu, the 1st Later Tang emperor. In 926 he seized power by a coup d'état when a mutiny killed Li Cunxu, and ruled with both discipline and compassion for the next 7 years. Despite an abundance of natural disasters, his reign was markedly more peaceful than the half-century preceding it.

Career under Li Keyong

Li Siyuan was born Miaojilie (邈佶烈) in Yingzhou (應州; today's Ying County, Shanxi), without a surname like his nomadic Turkic ancestors.^[8] His father, referred in Chinese historiography books by his Chinese name Li Ni (李霓), was a military general under Li Guochang, the Shatuo leader in the region who received the imperial Chinese surname "Li" for contributions to the Tang Dynasty court. In 878, however, Li Guochang and his son Li Keyong rebelled against the Tang. In 880, when they were destroyed by the joint forces of military governor Li Zhuo (李琢) and Tuyuhun chieftain Helian Duo, Li Ni helped them fight a way out of Weizhou (蔚州; today's Zhangjiakou, Hebei),^[5] and the Shatuo army fled northward to the Yin Mountains where they sought refuge with a Mohe tribe.^[9]

Li Ni died soon afterwards, and Li Guochang took Miaojilie as a bodyguard, having been impressed by the son's mounted archery skills reminiscent of the father. It was said the teenager never missed when he aimed at hovering birds on hunting trips. Around that time the Tang court had great trouble with the large anti-government force of Huang Chao and therefore pardoned the Shatuos, allowing them to return to their home land on the condition that they join the military campaign against Huang.^[10] In 883, Li Keyong was made the military governor of Hedong (河東, roughly Shanxi) after a major victory against Huang.^[11]

Miaojilie had been serving Li Keyong, who, finding the quiet youngster earnest and dedicated, adopted him as a son and bestowed him the Chinese name Li Siyuan.^[8] On 11 June 884, Li Keyong unsuspectingly entered Bianzhou (汴州; today's Kaifeng, Henan) to attend a grand feast hosted by fellow military governor and Bianzhou's prefect Zhu Wen (Zhu Quanzhong), whom he had just saved from Huang Chao's siege. At night, a completely drunk Li Keyong was ambushed in his lodging by Zhu's assassins who had already placed felled trees, fences and wagons to block the exits. Amidst the chaos, 16-year-old Li Siyuan helped his master climb over a low wall; together they escaped flying arrows unharmed, helped in part by a thunderstorm, even though over 300 (mostly intoxicated) attendants were butchered.^[11] Upon their return to Hedong, Li Siyuan was given the command of Li Keyong's bodyguard cavalry.^[5]

In 890, Li Keyong's old enemy Helian Duo attacked northern Hedong with his Xianbei tribesmen, reinforced by Tibetan and Yenisei Kirghiz troops. Li Cunxin — an older adopted son of Li Keyong's — resisted the invasion but was defeated. Li Keyong sent Li Siyuan to assist him, and soon the Hedong force expelled the enemy, even capturing Helian's son-in-law.^[12] A couple of years later, Li Siyuan demonstrated his military leadership again by leading a force to quell a rebellion, capturing its leader Wang Bian (王弁). Once at a gathering, generals started bragging about their accomplishments, when Li Siyuan interrupted and spoke slowly: "You sirs, use your mouths to attack enemies. I use my hands to attack enemies." Everybody fell silent.^[5]

In 896, Li Cunxin was allocated 30,000 men to reinforce the warlord cousins Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin against the hated enemy Zhu Wen. Instead, Li Cunxin stayed behind and sent Li Siyuan to the front line with only 300 cavalrymen. Nevertheless, Li Siyuan successfully dispersed Zhu Wen's army and relieved Zhu Jin. When warlord Luo Hongxin surprised and defeated Li Cunxin afterwards, Li Siyuan fended off the attackers before returning home with Li Cunxin's main force. Praised by Li Keyong, he shared the rewards among his soldiers as usual.^[5]

In 898, Li Keyong's general Li Sizhao was soundly defeated by Zhu Wen's general Ge Congzhou, just as Li Siyuan arrived to reinforce him. Noticing the frightened soldiers, Li Siyuan told Li Sizhao, "If we return empty-handed, important things will be lost. Sir, I'd like to fight for you and die if I'm unsuccessful, it's better than imprisonment." He dismounted from his horse, sharpened his weapons, and ascended to an elevated position where he directed his soldiers in the rehearsed formation. When Ge's troops arrived, he shouted at them: "My prince ordered me to get Mr. Ge. Nobody else needs to die with him!" In no time he led his soldiers into battle, and with the help of Li Sizhao, expelled the enemy. Only then was it discovered that Li Siyuan was soaked in his own blood; arrows had punctured his body in 4 places. As Li Keyong, already the Prince of Jin by title, personally removed the clothing and medicated the wounds with alcohol, he remarked with pride: "My son is such an extraordinary man!" Li Siyuan's fame started to spread.^[5]

Another anecdote illustrated his frugal life style: once, seeing that Li Siyuan's residence had no material goods other than weapons, Li Keyong took him home and told his adopted son he could take anything he wanted. Li Siyuan left with a piece of cloth and a few strings.

Career under Li Cunxu

The coup

When Li Siyuan appeared in Luoyang before the emperor in the winter of 925–926, widespread starvation had engulfed the state, forcing many commoners to sell their "wives and children". Within a few months, generals Guo Chongtao and Zhu Youqian were killed, and it appeared that Li Siyuan was next.^[5]

Reign

By the time Li Siyuan had assumed the throne of the Later Tang Dynasty, relations with the powerful Khitan to the north had deteriorated. In accordance with custom, an ambassador was sent to the Khitan Supreme Capital to inform Abaoji of the death of the emperor. However, Abaoji used the occasion to try to gain territory from the Later Tang Dynasty, especially the strategic Sixteen Prefectures, and even briefly imprisoned the envoy. Though Abaoji soon died, the enmity that had been developing between the two did not fade.

Li Siyuan was illiterate and relied on An Chonghui, who was hardly proficient in understanding written Chinese himself, to read the memorials.^[1]

However, the major challenges to his rule came from the south and from within, particularly the Former Shu territory that Li Cunxu had annexed. The death knell of the dynasty would come from within with Khitan help. In 936, Shi Jingtang, the son-in-law of Li Siyuan himself, launched a rebellion against his rule. With Khitan help, he overthrew the last Later Tang Emperor and established his own dynasty, the Later Jin.

Mingzong's counselor and minister was An Chonghui.

Death

On 5 December 933, the emperor fell seriously ill after a trip in the snow. A day later, as his eldest son Li Congrong (李從榮) visited him, Pure Consort Wang (王淑妃) whispered "Congrong is here" but elicited no response. Li Congrong was told by weeping palace attendants that his father could no longer recognize anyone, and left. The emperor woke up in the middle of the night coughing up blood. Asked by an attending maid whether he was clear-headed, he replied, "I do not know." He had a bowl of rice gruel and felt better in the morning, but Li Congrong did not come again, professing illness.^[13]

Li Congrong actually had other plans. Fearing that the throne would go to his younger brother Li Conghou, whom he felt was a more favored and worthy son, he decided to act first and seize power militarily. On the next day, the ill emperor was informed by his generals and eunuchs that Li Congrong was attacking the palace gates. In disbelief, he pointed his finger upwards and cried at length. To Li Chongji (李重吉), son of his stepson Li Congke, he compared his 2 sons, "The fact that your father and I could emerge from obscure pasts to claim the world, it was all because he repeatedly saved me in dangerous situations. Oh, the temerity of Congrong to commit a deed so sinister!" He told the men to handle the matter themselves.^[13]

After a day's battle, imperial guards killed Li Congrong, his wife and eldest son. The dying emperor collapsed on his couch upon hearing the news. The generals requested permission to kill Li Congrong's 2nd son, a child living in the palace. "For what crime!" was the reply, but the grandchild was killed nonetheless.^[4] When Feng Dao and other courtiers visited him, the dying emperor uttered in tears, "I am embarrassed to meet you, my subjects, under such tragic family conditions." After his death 6 days later, the next eldest son Li Conghou assumed the throne before the coffin.^[13]

Family information

Ancestry

Wives and concubines

• Lady Wei (魏氏), from Pingshan, Zhenzhou (鎮州平山; in modern Hebei), originally married to a man surnamed Wang (王) with a young son. When Li Siyuan attacked Zhenzhou in c. 893, he took Lady Wei and the son whom he renamed Li Congke. Lady Wei died a few years later in Taiyuan.

• Lady Xia (夏氏), died in c. 924, mother of Li Congrong and Li Conghou.

• Empress Cao (曹皇后), mother of Yongning Princess, became the empress in 930. She died in 937 as the empress dowager of her stepson Li Congke.

• Pure Consort Wang (王淑妃), from Binzhou (邠州, in today's Shaanxi), originally sold to the house of Later Liang general Liu Xun as a maid. When Liu was killed, An heard of her beauty and mentioned it to Li Siyuan. Very respectful and dutiful towards Empress Cao and the emperor which soon made her the emperor's favorite concubine with the ability to influence politics. She was killed in 947 with her adoptive son Li Congyi.

• Many palace women were conferred as Madames (夫人) in 932, including Consort Wang (王昭儀; of the "Luminous Deportment" rank), Consort Ge (葛昭容), Consort Liu (劉昭媛), Consort Gao (高婕妤), Consort Shen (沈美人) and Consort Zhu (朱順御).^[15]

Children

Sons

• Li Congshen, the 1st son,^[16] changed his name to Li Jijing (李繼璟) days before his murder in 926 to become an adopted son of Li Cunxu's. He was posthumously named Li Congjing (李從璟).

• Li Congrong, the 2nd son,^[16] was born to Lady Xia. He was conferred the Prince of Qin (秦王) in 928 and killed in 933 with his wife Princess Consort Liu (劉妃),^[4] son Li Chongguang (李重光)^[7] and a younger son.

• Li Conghou was born in 914 also to Lady Xia. He was conferred the Prince of Song (宋王) in 930 and succeeded the throne after the successive deaths of his elder brother and father in 933. Known in history as Emperor Min (愍帝) of Later Tang, he only reigned for 5 months before stepbrother Li Congke rebelled and drove him away from the capital, where he was killed with wife Empress Kong (孔皇后), son Li Chongzhe (李重哲)^[7] and 3 other sons.^[17]

• Li Congyi was born in c. 931 to an imperial concubine, but Li Siyuan asked Pure Consort Wang to adopt him. He was conferred the Prince of Xu (許王) in 933, and the Duke of Xun (郇國公) in 939 during the subsequent Later Jin Dynasty. After Later Jin was conquered by the Khitan-ruled Liao Dynasty from the north in 947, Emperor Taizong of Liao installed Li Congyi as the emperor of a puppet state in China proper before the Liao army returned to their home territory. The teenager was unable to summon any military commanders to protect him and was killed, along with his adopted mother Consort Wang, by the invading army of Liu Zhiyuan.^[13]

Daughters

• The 3rd daughter was born to Lady Cao (later Empress Cao). She was named the Yongning Princess (永寧公主) in 928. She married military governor Shi Jingtang and was promoted to the Princess of Wei (魏國公主) in 933. She died in 950.

• The 13th daughter was named the Xingping Princess (興平公主) in 930, the same year she married military governor Zhao Yanshou. In 933 she was promoted to the Princess of Qi (齊國公主). She died in the 940s.

• In 933, the 14th daughter was named the Shou'an Princess (壽安公主) and the 15th daughter was named the Yongle Princess (永樂公主).^[7] No information exists on the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th daughters.

• One of the youngest daughters (younger than Li Congyi), known as the Yong'an Princess (永安公主), married Zhao after her 13th sister's death.

Stepson

• Li Congke, born in 885, was originally called Wang Ershisan (王二十三) before his mother Lady Wei remarried, committed suicide in 937 with wife Empress Liu (劉皇后) and son Li Chongmei (李重美); son Li Chongji (李重吉) and daughter Li Huiming (李惠明) killed earlier in 934 in 985's reign did not last much longer.^[18]

Nephews

• Li Congcan (李從璨), killed in c. 929.
• Li Congzhang (李從璋), conferred the Prince of Yang (洋王) in 933.^[13]
• Li Congwen (李從溫), born in c. 987, conferred the Prince of Yan (兗王) in 933, died in c. 937.^[13]
• Li Congmin (李從敏), conferred the Prince of Jing (涇王) in 933.^[13]

Notes and references

Sources

• Mote, F.W. (1999). Imperial China: 900–1800. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-44515-5. 
• (Chinese) Wang Pu (961). Wudai Huiyao (五代會要) [Essential Regulations of the Five Dynasties]. 
• (Chinese) Xue Juzheng et al., ed. (974). Wudai Shi (五代史) [History of the Five Dynasties]. 
• (Chinese) Ouyang Xiu (1073). Wudai Shiji (五代史記) [Historical Records of the Five Dynasties]. 
• (Chinese) Sima Guang (1086). Zizhi Tongjian (資治通鑑) [Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government].