Li Zhongyan

Li Zhongyan (李仲言) (died December 16, 835 ), known as Li Xun (李訓) in 835, courtesy name initially Zixun (子訓), later Zichui (子垂), pseudonym Hermit Wang (王山人) during the mourning period for his mother, was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty. He became a trusted advisor to Emperor Wenzong and plotted with Emperor Wenzong to end the hold the powerful eunuchs had on power by slaughtering the eunuchs, but when the effort failed (in an event later known as the Ganlu Incident), Li Xun and his associates were slaughtered.

Background It is not known when Li Zhongyan was born. According to his biographies in the official histories of Tang dynasty, the Old Book of Tang and the New Book of Tang, he was from the same branch of the Li family—the "Guzang Branch" (姑臧房)—as the chancellors Li Kui and Li Fengji, and was two generations below Li Kui and one generation below Li Fengji, although the family tree for the Greater Guzang Branch in the New Book of Tang did not mention Li Zhongyan or any of his male-line ancestors. It was said that Li Zhongyan was tall, handsome, charismatic, well-spoken, dexterous, and good at reading people's emotions.

In 825, the official Wu Zhao (武昭), displeased that he was not given a position with authority and believing that Li Fengji was the one who prevented his commission, stated to his friend Mao Hui (茅彙), when he was drunk, that he wanted to kill Li Fengji. This declaration was reported to the authorities, and Wu and Mao were arrested. During the investigations, Li Zhongyan tried to induce Mao to implicate the chancellor Li Cheng, who was not on good terms with Li Fengji. Mao refused to implicate Li Cheng, and reported Li Zhongyan's inducement to the investigating officials. As a result of the investigations, Wu was executed by caning, while Mao, Li Zhongyan, and Li Cheng's relative Li Rengshu (李仍叔) (who had told Wu that Li Fengji was refusing to give him a commission), were executed—in Li Zhongyan's case, to Xiang Prefecture (象州, in modern Laibin, Guangxi).

Notes and references

Old Book of Tang, vol. 169. New Book of Tang, vol. 179. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 243, 245.