Overview
Li Wei was a Military Noble.
Life and dates
Attested activity
Family
Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.
Events and relationships
Military Noble of Wuqing and father of Empress Dowager Cisheng, cultivated by Zhang Siwei as a patron.
Biographical event · Participant
References in the histories
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History of Ming, Chapter 219Volume 219 Biographies 107: Zhang Siwei, Ma Ziqiang, Xu Guo, Zhao Zhigao, Zhang Wei, Zhu Geng · 1 passage
四維家素封，歲時餽問居正不絕．武清伯李偉，慈聖太后父也，故籍山西，四維結為援．萬曆二年復召掌詹事府．明年三月，居正請增置閣臣，引薦四維，馮保亦與善，遂以禮部尚書兼東閣大學士入贊機務．當是時，政事一決居正．居正無所推讓，視同列蔑如也．四維由居正進，謹事之，不敢相可否，隨其後，拜賜進官而已．居正卒，四維始當國．累加至少師、吏部尚書、中極殿大學士．
The Siwei family had long been wealthy, and year round they kept up gifts and courtesies to Zhang Juzheng. Li Wei, the Military Noble of Wuqing and father of the Empress Dowager Cisheng, was originally registered in Shanxi; Siwei cultivated him as a backer. In the second year of Wanli he was recalled to head the Household of the Heir Apparent. The following March, Juzheng asked to add Grand Secretaries and recommended Siwei; Feng Bao also favored him, and Siwei entered the secretariat as Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion. At that time all policy flowed from Juzheng alone. He made no show of deference and treated his colleagues with open contempt. Siwei had risen through Juzheng and served him carefully, never daring to disagree; he simply followed along, accepting honors and promotions as they came. Only after Juzheng's death did Siwei take charge of the government, rising eventually to Junior Preceptor, Minister of Personnel, and Grand Secretary of the Central Peak Hall.