Sui and Tang · Rebel Warlord

Li Zitong 李子通

Attested AD 615 - AD 623

Passages: 8
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Li Zitong was a rebel Warlord.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 615 大業十一年
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 126
AD 623 武德六年
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 87, passage 103
AD 616 to AD 618 隋大業末
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 87, passage 121

Career and standing

fisherman and hunter 漁獵
Relation Lived by
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 119
General 將軍
Styled himself
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 125
King of Chu 楚王
AD 615 大業十一年 · Usurped
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 126

Places and affiliations

Polity Chu 楚 · Relation Founded as ruler
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 126
At Cheng in Yizhou 沂州承
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 118
At Changbai Mountain area 長白山 · Relation Active in
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 121

Events and relationships

Defeated by Lai Zheng fled to Hailing
Military · Commander · With Lai Zheng (來整) · At Hailing 海陵
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 125
Defeated Shen Lun took Jingkou
Military · Commander · With Shen Lun (沈綸) · At Jingkou 京口
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passages 112-113
Relation Allied with · Person Du Fuwei (杜伏威)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 124
Relation Joined then left · Person Zuo Caixiang (左才相)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passages 121, 124

Assessments and attributes

Assessment benevolent and humane among brutal rebels · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 123
helped elders with loads; gave surplus aid; loved to avenge wrongs
Character
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 120

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 103

References in the histories

Search passages

History

8 passages

New Book of Tang, Chapter 87Volume 87 Biographies 12: Xiao, Fu, Shen, Li, Liang · 8 passages

祏棄妻子斬關遁，與腹心士數十抵武康，野人執送丹陽，孝恭斬之，傳首京師擊李子通，始公祏佐伏威起據江東，距公祏死，凡十三年。 Gongduo abandoned his wife and children, broke through the barrier, and fled. With a few dozen trusted men he reached Wukang, where country people seized him and delivered him to Danyang. Xiaogong beheaded him and sent the head to the capital as a warning when Li Zitong was attacked. From the day Gongduo helped Fuwei seize the lower Yangtze until his death, thirteen years had passed.

俄遣子綸救陳棱，擊李子通，反為所敗。 Soon he sent his son Lun to rescue Chen Cheng and attack Li Zitong, but Zitong defeated him in turn.

子通乘鋒度江，破京口。 Zitong pressed his advantage across the river and stormed Jingkou.

李子通，沂州承人。 Li Zitong was a native of Cheng in Yizhou.

隋大業末，長白山賊左才相自號博山公，子通依之，以武力雄其間。 At the end of the Sui, the Changbai Mountain bandit Zuo Caixiang styled himself Duke of Boshan. Zitong joined him and rose to the top of the band by sheer fighting strength.

鄉人有陷賊者，子通專經護之。 When men from his village were caught up among the bandits, Zitong would go in person to shield them.

方是時，群盜暴忍，獨子通仁愛，歸者遂多，不半歲，有徒萬人。 In those days the rebels were brutal, but Zitong alone showed kindness, and men flocked to him; within six months he commanded ten thousand.

才相畏忌，子通乃引眾度淮，與杜伏威合。 Caixiang grew wary of him, and Zitong marched his forces south across the Huai to ally with Du Fuwei.