Sui and Tang · Warlord and Rebel Ruler

Li Zitong 李子通

First attested AD 618; died AD 622

Passages: 11
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Li Zitong was a warlord and Rebel Ruler.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Posthumous name	Emperor of Wu	吳皇帝

Life and dates

Death

AD 622 及藍田，為關吏所獲，並伏誅
Cause Execution · At Lantian 藍田
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 87, passages 144, 147

Attested activity

AD 618 to AD 622 子通攻棱…武德四年
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 87, passages 128, 139, 147
AD 621 武德四年
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 139

Career and standing

Entered
Surrendered captive
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 142
Executed
At Lantian 藍田
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 147
Emperor of Wu 吳皇帝
Polity Wu 吳 · Era Name Mingzheng 明政
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 132

Places and affiliations

Polity Wu 吳 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 132
At Yuhang 余杭 · Relation Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 137

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Yue Botong (樂伯通) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passages 144-145

Events and relationships

Captured
Military · Attacker · At Jiangdu 江都
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 131
Defeated at Suzhou
AD 621 武德四年 · Military · Defeated · With Wang Xiongqian (王雄誕) · At Suzhou 蘇州
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passages 139-140
Defeated
Military · Commander · With Shen Faxing (沈法興) · At Jinling 晉陵
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 134
Fled
Political · Conspirator · With Yue Botong (樂伯通)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passages 144, 146
Lost territory
Military · Defeated · With Du Fuwei (杜伏威)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 135
Routed
Military · Attacker · With Shen Faxing (沈法興) · At Wu commandery 吳郡
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 136

Show 1 more source-backed claim

Surrendered
Political · Surrenderer · With Du Fuwei (杜伏威)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 87, passage 142

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

New Book of Tang, Chapter 87Volume 87 Biographies 12: Xiao, Fu, Shen, Li, Liang · 11 passages

子通攻棱，棱窮，乞師於沈法興、杜伏威。 Zitong besieged Chen Leng, who, hard pressed, appealed to Shen Faxing and Du Fuwei for relief.

子通納言毛文深請募吳人詐為法興兵夜襲伏威，二人遂交惡，無敢先戰者。 Zitong's counselor Mao Wenshen urged him to raise Wu men disguised as Faxing's army for a night attack on Fuwei; the two allies turned on each other, and neither would commit to battle.

子通得悉力取江都，遂據之，棱奔而免。 Free to concentrate his full strength on Jiangdu, Zitong took the city; Chen Leng broke out and escaped.

子通僭即皇帝位，國號吳，建元明政。 Zitong declared himself emperor of Wu, with the reign title Mingzheng.

齊賊樂伯通先為化及守丹陽，即以眾萬余降之，子通用為尚書左仆射。 Yue Botong of Qi, who had guarded Danyang for Yuwen Huaji, came over with ten thousand men; Zitong made him Left Vice Director of the Secretariat.

會伏威命輔公祏拔丹陽，進屯溧水，子通戰敗，糧且盡，棄江都，保京口，伏威盡得其地。 Fuwei sent Fu Gongshi to seize Danyang and press on to Lishui; Zitong was beaten, his stores nearly gone, abandoned Jiangdu for Jingkou, and lost the rest of his domain to Fuwei.

武德四年，伏威遣將王雄誕討子通。 In the fourth year of Wude, Du Fuwei dispatched Wang Xiongqian against Li Zitong.

戰蘇州，敗績，退保余杭，雄誕進傅城。 Defeated at Suzhou, Zitong fell back on Yuhang while Xiongqian laid siege.

子通窮。 Zitong was at his wit's end.

及伏威來朝，子通語伯通曰：「東南未靖，而伏威來。 When Du Fuwei went to court, Zitong told Botong, "The southeast is still unsettled, yet Fuwei has left for the capital.

方子通等僭盛時，復有硃粲、林士弘、張善安亦竊名號於淮、楚間。 While Zitong and his peers were at their peak, Zhu Can, Lin Shihong, and Zhang Shian also carved out titles between the Huai and the Chu country.