Li Zaiyi

Li Zaiyi (July 18, 788 - June 4, 837), né Li Zaiyi (李再義, note different character of his later name), courtesy name Fanggu , formally the Prince of Wuwei , was a general of the Chinese 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.

Background Li Zaiyi was born in 788. He was a descendant of Li Chengqian, who was at one point the crown prince 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 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 Jingzong commissioned Li as the new military governor. Li was also created the Prince of Wuwei

In 830, Xi forces attacked Lulong. Li Zaiyi defeated the Xi forces and captured the chieftain Rujie ; he subsequently sent Rujie to Chang'an. The khan did not send you to trample and humiliate the greater empire. If you, General, do not control your subordinates, such that they assault and rob, I, Li Zaiyi, will kill them. Do not think that you can disregard Chinese laws.

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 835, Li was given the greater honorary chancellor title of Shizhong .

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 , 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.

Notes and references

Old Book of Tang, vol. 180. New Book of Tang, vol. 212. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 243, 244, 245.