Li Congke (李從珂) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Li Congke as a family member, general, royal family member, and ruler. This record brings together 78 passages from 11 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Li Congke	李從珂	Li Congke
Childhood name	Asan	阿三	Asan
Personal name	Congke	從珂	Congke
Personal	Congke	從珂
Given	Congke	從珂	Congke
Personal	Congke	從珂	Cóngkē
Personal name	Congke (Deposed Emperor)	王從珂	Wang Congke
Alternate name	Deposed Emperor	廢帝	Feidi
Title	Deposed Emperor	廢帝	Feidi
Title	Deposed Emperor	廢帝
Title	deposed Tang emperor	唐廢帝	Táng Fèidì
Title	Feidi	廢帝	Feidi
Title	Last Emperor	末帝
Personal	Li Congke	從珂
Personal name	Li Congke	李從珂	Li Congke
Personal	Li Congke	李從珂
Title	Prince Congke of Lu	潞王從珂
Title	Prince of Lu	潞王
Title	Prince of Lu	潞王	Lu wang
Title	Prince of Lu	潞王	Lu Wang
Title	Tang Deposed Emperor	唐廢帝
Title	the deposed emperor	廢帝
Epithet	usurper	偽主
Clan	Wang	王氏	Wang shi
Personal name	Wang Congke	王從珂	Wáng Cóngkē

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · jiuwudaishi:065:s0111, xinwudaishi:038:s0104
Sex: male
Explicit · liaoshi:072:s0132, xinwudaishi:007:s0011, xinwudaishi:016:s0001, xinwudaishi:016:s0014
Value: male
Strongly inferred · jiuwudaishi:042:s0026
Value: male
Explicit · xinwudaishi:008:s0173, xinwudaishi:073:s0007

Roles

Family Member
General
Royal Family Member
Ruler
Warlord

Life and dates

Death

Manner: self-immolation / 自焚死 · Age: 51 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 辛巳 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0102, xinwudaishi:007:s0135
Manner: self-immolation · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 廢帝自焚 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit · xinwudaishi:016:s0030

Age

Age: 51 · Reckoning: sui
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0135

Attested activity

Western Year: AD 936 · Source Date: Text: Chronology stated or entailed by s0007
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:073:s0007
Source Date: Text: 同光二年 · Western Year: AD 924
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:007:s0024
Source Date: Text: 唐廢帝時 · Western Interval: Start: AD 934 · End: AD 936
Explicit · xinwudaishi:050:s0054
Source Date: Text: 天福元年失位 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:008:s0031, xinwudaishi:008:s0032, xinwudaishi:008:s0175, xinwudaishi:008:s0046, xinwudaishi:008:s0176
Source Date: Text: 廢帝入立 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:010:s0146
Source Date: Text: 廢帝即位 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:016:s0004
Source Date: Text: 廢帝自焚 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit · xinwudaishi:016:s0030
Source Date: Text: 從珂弒君自立 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:072:s0132
Source Date: Text: 應順元年 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:007:s0011
Source Date: Text: 是日廢帝猶在 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:008:s0175
Source Date: Text: 清泰三年 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:007:s0102
Source Date: Text: 清泰元年 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:065:s0159, xinwudaishi:007:s0037
Source Date: Text: 清泰元年反而即位 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:008:s0173, xinwudaishi:008:s0174
Source Date: Text: 漢瓊西迎廢帝於路 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:038:s0104
Source Date: Text: 潞王從珂反 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:010:s0006
Source Date: Text: 長興二年 · Western Year: AD 931
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:042:s0026, jiuwudaishi:042:s0027, jiuwudaishi:042:s0096
Source Date: Text: 開運三年十二月 · Western Year: AD 946
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:085:s0075

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Child of Li Siyuan (李嗣源)
Kinship Term: raised as a son / 養以為子 · Parentage: adoptive · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 長興二年 · Western Year: AD 931
Kinship Term: adopted son / 養子 · Parentage: adoptive · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Parent of Youcheng (幼澄)
Kinship Term: daughter / 女 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: daughter
Spouse of Empress Liu (劉後)
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Subject Role: wife · Object Role: husband · Relationship State: active
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Subject Role: wife · Object Role: husband
Kin of Zhao Zaili (趙在禮)
Kinship Term: Li Congzhang / 李從璋 · Line: paternal
Child of Lady Wei (魏氏)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: mother
Parent of Li Chongmei (李重美)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Li Chongji (李重吉)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Parent of Zhuangzong (莊宗)
Kinship Term: the prince’s son / 王子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father

Kinship Role: daughter · Count: 1 · Note: became a nun styled Youcheng; birth mothers of all children unknown
Explicit · xinwudaishi:016:s0015
Kinship Role: sons · Count: 2
Explicit · xinwudaishi:016:s0014, xinwudaishi:016:s0015

Career and standing

Label: prefect of Weizhou and surprise-cavalry commander / 衛州刺史突騎指揮使 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 同光二年 · Western Year: AD 924
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0024
Label: military governor of Fengxiang / 鳳翔節度使 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 長興三年 · Western Year: AD 932
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0032
Label: Inspector Grand Tutor; Grand Councillor; acting Jingzhao intendant; Western Capital regent / 檢校太傅、同平章事、行京兆尹、西都留守 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 長興二年 · Western Year: AD 931
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:042:s0096
Label: Left Guard senior general / 左衛大將軍 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 長興二年 · Western Year: AD 931
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:042:s0026
Label: military governor of Hezhong / 河中節度使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0027
Title: Prince of Lu / 潞王 · Action: enfeoffed
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0027
Status: commoner · Action: retroactively demoted · Authority Person Id: Gaozu of Jin (晉高祖)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:008:s0046
Status: deposed emperor
Explicit · xinwudaishi:073:s0007
Action: ordered the killing of Tuyu · Agents: Qin Jimin (秦繼旻), Li Yanzhen (李彥紳)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:073:s0007
Action: stripped offices and ranks · Target Person Id: Gaozu of Jin (晉高祖) · Authority Person Id: Li Congke (李從珂)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:008:s0032
Title: Deposed Emperor / 廢帝 · Action: acceded · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 清泰元年 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit · xinwudaishi:008:s0174
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 乙亥 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0049
Role: emperor · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 廢帝即位 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:016:s0004

Places and affiliations

Label: Later Tang / 唐 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0049, xinwudaishi:007:s0038
Polities: Later Tang
Explicit · xinwudaishi:073:s0007
Polity: Later Tang · Relation: ruled
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:065:s0158
Place: Pingshan in Zhenzhou / 鎮州平山
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0020
Place: Heyang / 河陽 · Relation: traveled-to · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 廢帝遂如河陽 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit · xinwudaishi:016:s0024
Place: Fengxiang / 鳳翔 · Relation: posted-to
Explicit · xinwudaishi:016:s0016
Place: Huiling precinct / 徽陵域中 · Relation: burial-place
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0135
Place: northern capital / 北京 · Relation: transferred-to
Explicit · xinwudaishi:016:s0018
Place: Pingshan / 平山 · Relation: birthplace
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0020

Works and attributed material

Kind: letter · Role: author · Quoted: true
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:065:s0111, jiuwudaishi:065:s0112, jiuwudaishi:065:s0113, jiuwudaishi:065:s0114

Events and relationships

Kind: military · Role: defeated-ruler · Action: burned-himself-as-Jin-army-arrived · Other Person Id: Gaozu of Jin (晉高祖) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 廢帝自焚 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit · xinwudaishi:016:s0028, xinwudaishi:016:s0030
Kind: political · Role: imperial prince · Action: had lost Hezhong and was summoned and reassured by the emperor · Other Person Id: Li Siyuan (李嗣源) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 長興二年 · Western Year: AD 931
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:042:s0027
Kind: legal · Role: authority · Action: ordered-killing · Other Person Id: Yelü Bei (耶律倍)
Explicit · liaoshi:072:s0134
Kind: rebellion · Role: rebel · Action: rebelled at Fengxiang · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 清泰元年 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit · xinwudaishi:008:s0173
Kind: military · Role: rebel-leader · Action: rebelled · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 廢帝自疑，乃反 · Western Interval: Start: AD 934 · End: AD 934
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:016:s0019
Kind: military · Role: rebel-leader · Action: rebelled · Place: Fengxiang / 鳳翔 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 鳳翔節度使潞王從珂反 · Western Year: AD 934
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0011
Kind: political · Role: usurper · Action: seized-throne
Explicit · liaoshi:072:s0132
Kind: ritual · Role: actor · Action: self-immolation · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 辛巳 · Western Year: AD 936
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0135

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: long feared Empress Liu · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · xinwudaishi:016:s0003
Assessment: suspected Jingtang would rebel · Other Person Id: Gaozu of Jin (晉高祖) · Provenance: Mode: reported-belief · Source Person Id: Li Congke (李從珂)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:008:s0174
Kind: physical-description · Statement: broad/imposing bearing; quiet and few of words; fierce and skilled in battle
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0022

Source notes

Field: name wording · Statement: 王從珂 follows Jin people's original wording · Provenance: Mode: historian-comment · Source Work: Xin Wudaishi
Explicit · xinwudaishi:008:s0176
From: Asan / 阿三 · To: Congke / 從珂 · By Person Id: Li Siyuan (李嗣源)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:007:s0021

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 42Volume 42 Book of Later Tang 18: Mingzong Annals 8 · 3 passages

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丙寅，以皇子從珂為左衛大將軍。 On bingyin Prince Li Congke became left guard senior general.

從珂自河中失守，歸清化裏第，至是安重誨出鎮河中，帝召見，泣而謂之曰：「如重誨意，爾安得更相見耶！」 Congke had lost Hezhong and lived in Qinghua Lane; when An Chonghui left for Hezhong Mingzong summoned him weeping: "As Chonghui wished, you would never meet again!"

乙丑，以皇子左衛大將軍從珂依前檢校太傅，加同平章事、行京兆尹，充西都留守。 On yichou Li Congke became again inspector grand tutor, grand councillor, acting Jingzhao intendant, and western capital regent.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 65Volume 65 Book of Later Tang 41: Biographies 17: Li Jianji, Shi Junli, Gao Xinggui, Zhang Tingyu, Wang Sitong, Suo Zitong · 14 passages

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時潞王鎮鳳翔，與之鄰境，及潞王不稟朝旨，致書於秦、涇、雍、梁、邠諸帥，言：「賊臣亂政，屬先帝疾篤，謀害秦王，迎立嗣君，自擅權柄，以致殘害骨肉，搖動藩垣。 The Prince of Lu held Fengxiang on Sitong's border. When he defied the court he wrote the governors of Qin, Jing, Yong, Liang, and Bin: "Wicked ministers have thrown the government into chaos. As the late emperor lay dying they plotted against the Prince of Qin, installed a puppet heir, and seized power for themselves, wounding the imperial family and unsettling the frontiers.

十六日，復進攻其城，潞王登陴泣諭於外，聞者悲之。 On the sixteenth they assaulted the main wall again. The Prince of Lu mounted the ramparts and wept down to the army below; men who heard him were heartsick.

二十二日，潞王至昭應，前鋒執思同來獻。 On the twenty-second the Prince of Lu reached Zhaoying; the van took Sitong and brought him in as prisoner.

王謂左右曰：「思同計乖於事，然盡心於所奉，亦可嘉也。」 The prince told his attendants, "Sitong chose the losing side, but he gave his whole heart to his lord—that still deserves praise."

思同至，潞王讓之曰：「賊臣傾我國家，殘害骨肉，非予弟之過。 When Sitong came up, the Prince of Lu rebuked him: "Traitors have wrecked the realm and hurt the imperial house—that is not my brother's fault.

潞王為之改容，徐謂之曰：「且憩歇。」 The prince's face softened. He said gently, "Rest awhile."

潞王欲用之，而楊思權之徒恥見其面，屢啟劉延朗，言「思同不可留，慮失士心。」 The prince meant to keep him, but Yang Siquan and the others could not bear to look on him. They told Liu Yanlang again and again, "Sitong must not stay or we will lose the army's loyalty."

又，潞王入長安時，尹暉盡得思同家財及諸妓女，故尤惡思同，與劉延朗亟言之。 When the prince entered Chang'an, Yin Hui had plundered Sitong's house and his singing girls, so he hated Sitong all the more and pressed Liu Yanlang to act.

屬王醉，不待報，殺思同並其子德勝。 While the prince was drunk they did not wait for orders and killed Sitong and his son Desheng.

潞王醒，召思同，左右報已誅之矣。 When the prince woke he called for Sitong; his attendants said the man was already dead.

潞王怒延朗，累日嗟惜之。 The prince raged at Yanlang and mourned the deed for days.

初，自通既平楊彥溫，代末帝鎮河中，臨事失於周旋，末帝深銜之。 After he crushed Yang Yanwen, Zitong replaced the Last Emperor as governor of Hezhong. He handled affairs clumsily, and the Last Emperor nursed a deep grudge.

〈（《通鑒》：自通至鎮，承安重誨指，籍軍府甲仗數上之，以為從珂私造，賴王德妃居中保護，從珂由是得免。）〉 (《Comprehensive Mirror》: On reaching his command Zitong followed An Chonghui's orders, counted the arsenal's arms and armor and reported them to court as proof that Congke was forging weapons in secret. Only Consort De's intervention saved Congke from ruin.)〉

及末帝即位，自通憂悸求死。 When the Last Emperor came to the throne, Zitong lived in dread and longed for death.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 85Volume 85 Book of Later Jin 11: Emperor Shao 4 · 1 passage

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帝進狀曰：「頃以偽主王從珂於洛京大內自焚之後，其真傳國寶不知所在，必是當時焚之。 The emperor replied: "After the usurper Wang Congke burned himself in the Luoyang palace the true imperial seal was lost and must have perished in that fire.

History of Liao, Chapter 72Volume 72 Biographies 2: Imperial Family: Yi Zongbei, the Foreign Emperor Zhang Su, Shun Zongjun, Jin Wangaoluwo · 3 passages

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後明宗養子從珂弒其君自立，倍密報太宗曰：「從珂弒君，盍討之。」 Later Mingzong's adopted son Congke murdered his sovereign and seized power; Bei secretly informed Taizong, "Congke has murdered his lord—we ought to punish him."

從珂欲自焚，召倍與俱，倍不從，遣壯士李彥紳害之，時年三十八。 Congke meant to burn himself and summoned Bei to die with him; Bei refused, and Congke sent the strongman Li Yanzhen to kill him. Bei was thirty-eight.

道隱生於唐，人皇王遭李從珂之害，時年尚幼，洛陽僧匿而養之，因名道隱。 Daoyin was born in Tang; when the Human Emperor King was killed by Li Congke he was still a child, and a Luoyang monk hid and raised him—hence the name Daoyin.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 7Volume 7 Later Tang Annals 4: Deposed Emperors · 27 passages

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鳳翔節度使潞王從珂反。 Congke, Prince of Lu and military governor of Fengxiang, rebelled.

三月丙辰，思同兵潰，嚴衛指揮使尹暉、羽林指揮使楊思權以其軍叛降於從珂。 On bingchen of the third month Sitong’s force collapsed. Yin Hui of the Yanwei command and Yang Siquan of the Yulin command took their units over to Congke.

西京副留守劉遂雍叛降於從珂，思同奔歸於京師，不克，死之。 Liu Suiyong, deputy defender of Luoyang, went over to Congke. Sitong raced for the capital, failed to break through, and was killed.

丁卯，京城巡檢使安從進叛，殺馮赟，朱弘昭自殺，從進傳其二首於從珂。 On dingmao the capital inspector An Congjin mutinied, slew Feng Yun, and Zhu Hongzhao took his own life. Congjin forwarded both heads to Congke.

不書帝崩者，當於廢帝紀書弒鄂王也。 The text does not say here that the emperor died because the event belongs in Feidi’s annals as the murder of the Prince of E.

廢帝，鎮州平山人也，本姓王氏，其世微賤，母魏氏，少寡，明宗為騎將，過平山，掠得之。 Feidi came from Pingshan in Zhenzhou. His original surname was Wang, and his family was humble. His mother, Lady Wei, was widowed young; Mingzong seized her when he passed through Pingshan as a cavalry officer.