Li Cunxin (李存信) | 24 Histories

Overview

Li Cunxin was a general and Adopted Son.

PeriodSui and Tang

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 902 三月十一日翌日
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 52, passages 33, 38
AD 901 to AD 902 天復元年
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passages 23, 25
AD 901 to AD 902 連歲攻晉
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 16-17

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Taizu (太祖)
adopted son 義兒 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 25

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Jin relief general 將
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 23

Places and affiliations

Polity Jin 晉 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 16; New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 23

Works and attributed material

AD 902 三月十一日翌日
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Addressed to Martial Emperor (武皇)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 52, passages 38-39

Events and relationships

Led guard troops to Qingyuan and was struck by Bian
AD 902 三月十一日翌日 · Military · Reinforcement commander
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 33
Sent to rescue and was defeated
Military · Relief commander · With Li Sizhao (李嗣昭)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 23
Urged flight north
AD 901 to AD 902 連歲攻晉 · Political · Advisor · With Taizu (太祖)
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 16
Urged flight to Khitan
Political · Adviser · With Taizu (太祖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 25
Relation Subordinate of · Person Taizu (太祖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 16

Assessments and attributes

Assessment Zhu Wen unmatched; holding the isolated city means ruin · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Li Cunxin (李存信)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 39

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 16

References in the histories

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 52Volume 52 Book of Later Tang 28: Biographies 4: Li Sizhao, Pei Yue, Li Siben, Li Si'en · 2 passages

Open chapter

武皇聞其敗也，遣李存信率牙兵至清源應接，復為汴軍所擊。 Hearing of the defeat, the Martial Emperor sent Li Cunxin with the guard troops to Qingyuan to reinforce them, but they too were struck by the Bian army.

李存信曰：「事勢危急，不如且入北蕃，別圖進取。 Li Cunxin said, "The situation is desperate. Better to withdraw into the northern tribes for now and seek another opening later.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 14Volume 14: Taizu of Later Tang's Family · 3 passages

Open chapter

大將李存信等勸太祖亡入北邊，收兵以圖再舉，太祖然之。 Li Cunxin and others urged him to flee north, regroup, and try again; Taizu agreed.

入以語夫人，夫人問誰為此謀者，曰：「存信也。」 He told the lady, who asked whose plan it was. “Cunxin’s,” he said.

夫人罵曰：「存信，代北牧羊兒耳，安足與計成敗邪！ She swore: “Cunxin is a shepherd lad from the north—what does he know of victory or ruin!

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 36Volume 36 Biographies of Righteous Sons 16: Li Sizhao, Li Siben, Li Si'en, Li Cunxin, Li Cunxiao, Li Cunjin, Li Cunzhang, Li Cunxian · 2 passages

Open chapter

梁朱友寧、氏叔琮以兵十萬迎擊之，嗣昭等敗走，友寧追之，晉遣李存信率兵迎嗣昭，存信又敗。 Zhu Youning and Shi Shuzong brought a hundred thousand men; Sizhao was routed; Youning pursued; Jin sent Li Cunxin to rescue him—and Cunxin lost as well.

太祖大恐，謀走雲州，李存信等勸太祖奔於契丹，嗣昭力爭以為不可，賴劉太妃亦言之，乃止。 Taizu panicked and planned escape to Yunzhou; Cunxin and others urged flight to the Khitan; Sizhao protested that it was impossible, and Consort Liu said the same, so he stopped.