Li Jing (Tang dynasty)
Last updated
Li Jing (571 – July 2, 649) was a Chinese military general and strategist of the early Tang dynasty.[1] In 630, he defeated the Eastern Türks with 3,000 cavalry in a surprise attack.[2]
Life and work
In 634, Emperor Taizong sent Li Jing and 12 other officials to examine the circuits of the empire.[3] After this tour, Li Jing requested to retire, citing a foot illness.[3] Li Jing wrote several books about military doctrines, though most are not preserved today.[4] Following his approval of Li Jing's plans, Emperor Gaozu appointed Li Jing to serve as Li Xiaogong's deputy for the Liang campaign.[5]
Although Li Xiaogong held the formal title of commander, Emperor Gaozu actually entrusted Li Jing with directing the majority of the military operations because Li Xiaogong lacked experience.[5] Upon his return from the campaign against Eastern Tujue, Li Jing faced an accusation from imperial censor Xiao Yu that he had permitted his troops to loot the treasury.[6] The territory assigned to Li Jing for inspection was Ji'nei Circuit, which corresponds roughly to present-day Shaanxi.[3] Emperor Taizong consented to Li Jing's retirement request but stipulated that, after his foot illness improved, Li Jing should go to the legislative and examination bureaus every two or three days to serve as an alternate head.[3]
A text titled Duke Li of Wei Answering Emperor Taizong of Tang is counted among the Seven Military Classics and is credited to Li Jing, yet many contemporary scholars question this authorship because neither the Old Book of Tang nor the New Book of Tang lists it in Li Jing's biographies.[4][7]
What the cited sources add
His legends were recorded in the Song dynasty collection Taiping Guangji.[8] The novel Romance of Sui and Tang prominently features Li Jing.[8] The late Tang short story Biography of the Dragon-Beard Man features Li, his purported wife, and the "Dragon-Beard Man" as central characters.[8] According to the source, no factual basis has been found for any fictional accounts of Li Jing's life.[8]
References
- Wikipedia, "Li Jing (Tang dynasty)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Li Jing's biography in New Book of Tang indicated that he was 79 by (East Asian reckoning) when he died. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 571. His ; xinyou day of the 5th month of the 23rd year of the Zhen'guan era, per vol. 03 of Old Book of Tang; The Old Book of Tang indicated that Yaoshi was Li Jing's original name, while the New Book of Tang indicated that it was his courtesy name. Compare Old Book of (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Li Jing (Tang dynasty)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Old Book of Tang, vol. 67 .; New Book of Tang, vol. 93 . (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Li Jing (Tang dynasty)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: This treatment appeared to soon end, however. See New Book of Tang, vol. 61. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Li Jing (Tang dynasty)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Liu, "Old Book of Tang 舊唐書 Vol.47", 945; Du 杜, "Tongdian 通典 Vol. 6 Military", 801 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Li Jing (Tang dynasty)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Many of the strategies mentioned here that Tang forces employed against Xiao Xi and Fu Gongshi had their origins disputed; the biographies of Li Xiaogong in the (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Li Jing (Tang dynasty)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: The Old Book of Tang indicated that it was Wen Yanbo, as imperial censor, who submitted to the accusation. See Old Book of Tang, vol. 67. However, this appeared (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Li Jing (Tang dynasty)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Duke Li of Wei Answering Emperor Taizong of Tang .; E.g., http://www.globrand.com/onlinebook/zhonghe/china100book/97.htm .; Old Book of Tang, vol. 67 .; New Book of Tang, vol. 93 . (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Li Jing (Tang dynasty)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: See, e.g., Romance of Sui and Tang, Table of Contents .; Biography of the Dragon-Beard Man . (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Li Jing (Tang dynasty) (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
More in Ancient & Medieval Military Leaders
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Li Jing (Tang dynasty) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced