Five Dynasties · Eunuch

Li Congxi 李從襲

Lǐ Cóngxí

Attested AD 925 - AD 926

Passages: 17
Chapters: 3
Histories: 2

Overview

Li Congxi was an eunuch.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 925 九月
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 48, 76
AD 925 同光三年伐蜀
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 199, 204
AD 925 to AD 926 從襲等因告…渭南
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 208, 227
AD 925 李從襲
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 57, passage 136

Key source chapters

Career and standing

eunuch attendant overseeing the central army 宦者供奉官監中軍
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 199
Palace Attendant and overall monitor of central horse and foot 供奉官…中軍馬步軍都監
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 76

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Associated with
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 199
Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 208, 225

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Li Jiji (李繼岌) · Mode allegation Speaker Li Congxi (李從襲)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 57, passage 148
Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Xiang Yansi (向延嗣) · Mode allegation Speaker Li Congxi (李從襲)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 57, passages 151-153
Speech · Speaker · With Jiji (繼岌) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 217, 227

Events and relationships

Accused of treason
Political · Accuser · With Chongtao (崇韜) · Mode allegation Speaker Li Congxi (李從襲)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 208
Forced agreement to kill
Political · Persuader · With Jiji (繼岌)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 219
Summoned under overall command
Political · Summoner · With Chongtao (崇韜)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 220
Urged dash to capital
Military · Adviser · With Jiji (繼岌) · At Wugong 武功
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 225
Warned against Chongtao
Political · Accuser · With Li Jiji (李繼岌)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 204
Relation Colleague of · Person Li Ting'an (李廷安)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 199-200

Show 1 more source-backed claim

Relation Colleague of · Person Lü Zhirou (呂知柔)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 199-200

Assessments and attributes

Assessment resentful of Chongtao's monopoly of command · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 200, 203

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 76; New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 208

References in the histories

Search passages

History

17 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 33Volume 33 Book of Later Tang 9: Zhuangzong Annals 7 · 1 passage

繼岌既受都統之命，以梁漢顒充中軍馬步都虞候兼馬步軍都指揮使，張廷蘊為中軍步軍都指揮使，牛景章充中軍左廂馬軍都指揮使，沈斌充中軍右廂馬軍都指揮使，卓瑰充中軍左廂步軍都指揮使，王贄充中軍右廂步軍都指揮使，供奉官李從襲充中軍馬步軍都監，高品李廷安、呂知柔充魏王衙通謁。 Jiji named Liang Hanyong central horse-and-foot chief, Zhang Tingyun foot chief, Niu Jingzhang and Shen Bin wing horse chiefs, Zhuo Gui and Wang Zan wing foot chiefs, Li Congxi monitor, and Li Ting'an and Lü Zhirou ushers.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 57Volume 57 Book of Later Tang 33: Biographies 9: Gao Chongtao · 6 passages

莊宗令內官李廷安、李從襲、呂知柔為都統府紀綱，見崇韜幕府繁重，將吏輻輳，降人爭先賂遺，都統府唯大將省謁，牙門索然，由是大為詬恥。 Emperor Zhuangzong appointed the eunuchs Li Ting'an, Li Congxi, and Lü Zhirou as disciplinarians of the overall command headquarters. They saw Guo Chongtao's headquarters thronged with officers and clerks, with surrendered men vying to offer bribes, while the prince's own headquarters received only the chief generals on formal visits and its gate stood empty. They were deeply shamed.

李從襲等謂繼岌曰：「郭公收蜀部人情，意在難測，王宜自備。」 Li Congxi and the others said to Jiji: "Minister Guo has won over the people of Shu, and his intentions are hard to read. Your Highness should be on your guard."

從襲謂之曰：「魏王，貴太子也，主上萬福，郭公專弄威柄，旁若無人。 Li Congxi said to him, "The Prince of Wei is the heir apparent—while the emperor enjoys every blessing under heaven, Lord Guo wields power alone and carries himself as though the rest of us did not exist.

從襲等泣曰：「聖上既有口敕，王若不行，苟中途事泄，為患轉深。」 Li Congxi and the others wept and said, "The emperor has already given the command by word of mouth. If you refuse and the plot leaks midway, the consequences will only grow worse."

從襲等巧造事端以間之，繼岌既英斷，僶俛從之。 Li Congxi and the others artfully manufactured provocations to destroy trust between them. Though Li Jiji was resolute by nature, in the end he bowed to their pressure and agreed.

詰旦，從襲以繼岌之命召崇韜計事，繼岌登樓避之，崇韜入，左右楇殺之。 At dawn Li Congxi, acting on Li Jiji's orders, summoned Guo Chongtao to discuss business. Li Jiji climbed a tower to keep his distance. When Chongtao entered, attendants clubbed him to death.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 14Volume 14: Taizu of Later Tang's Family · 10 passages

初，莊宗遣宦者供奉官李從襲監中軍，高品李廷安、呂知柔為典謁。 Zhuangzong had sent Li Congxi to oversee the center and Li Ting’an and Lü Zhirou as ushers.

從襲等素惡崇韜，又見崇韜專任軍事，益不平之。 They hated Chongtao and resented his monopoly of command.

由是從襲等不勝其憤。 Congxi and the others boiled with resentment.

已而宗弼率蜀人見繼岌，請留崇韜鎮蜀，從襲等因言崇韜有異志，勸繼岌為備。 Zongbi asked Jiji to leave Chongtao in Shu; Congxi claimed treason and urged caution.

延嗣至成都，崇韜不出迎，及見，禮益慢，延嗣怒，從襲等因告延嗣崇韜有異志，恐危魏王。 At Chengdu Chongtao snubbed Yansi; Congxi accused him of plotting against the prince.

從襲等泣曰：「今有密敕，王茍不行，使崇韜知之，則吾屬無類矣！」 Congxi wept: “Disobey and we are all dead when he learns of it!”

從襲等力爭，繼岌不得已而從之。 They pressed him until he yielded.

詰旦，從襲以都統命召崇韜，繼岌登樓以避之。 At dawn Congxi summoned Chongtao; Jiji hid on the tower.

至武功，李從襲勸繼岌馳趨京師，以救內難。 At Wugong, Li Congxi urged a dash to save the throne.

從襲謂繼岌曰：「大事已去，福不可再，王宜自圖。」 Congxi said to Jiji: "All is lost—save yourself."