Taizu (太祖) | 24 Histories

Overview

Taizu was a ruler and Warlord.

PeriodSui and Tang

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 892 to AD 894 太祖自將兵傅其城
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 128

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Li Cunjin (李存進)
adopted as son 養為子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 145
Parent of Li Cunxin (李存信)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 123
Parent of Li Cunxiao (李存孝)
father and son 父子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 133
Spouse of Lady Liu (劉夫人)
lady/wife 夫人
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 135

Career and standing

Prince of Jin 晉王
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 129

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · With Li Cunxiao (李存孝)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 137

References in the histories

Search passages

History

12 passages

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 · 12 passages

Open chapter

初，存孝取潞州功為多，而太祖別以大將康君立為潞州留後，存孝為汾州刺史，存孝負其功，不食者數日。 He had done most to retake Luzhou, yet Taizu gave the post to Kang Junli and made Cunxiao only prefect of Fen; bitter at the slight, he refused food for days.

太祖自將兵傅其城，掘塹以圍之，存孝出兵沖擊，塹不得成。 Taizu came in person to press the siege and dig encircling trenches; Cunxiao charged out and the ditches never closed.

裨將袁奉韜使人說存孝曰：「公所畏者，晉王爾。 Staff officer Yuan Fengtao sent word: “You fear only the Prince of Jin.

城中食盡，登城呼曰：「兒蒙王恩，位至將相，豈欲舍父子而附仇讎，乃存信構陷之耳。 When the stores were gone he climbed the wall and cried: “I owed the Prince everything, rose to general and minister—would I trade father and son for a foe? Cunxin set this trap.

願生見王一言而死。」 Let me see the Prince once while I live, then die."

太祖哀之，遣劉夫人入城慰諭之。 Taizu was moved and sent Lady Liu into the city to reason with him.

太祖叱曰：「爾為書檄，罪我百端，亦存信為之邪？」 Taizu roared: “You drafted letters blaming me on every count—was Cunxin writing those too?”

然太祖惜其材，悵然恨諸將之不能容也，為之不視事者十餘日。 Taizu still mourned his gifts, cursed his generals for their jealousy, and for ten days would not hold court.

存孝已死，太祖與諸將博，語及存孝，流涕不已，君立以為不然，太祖怒，鴆殺君立。 After Cunxiao’s death Taizu gambled with his commanders; mention of Cunxiao brought endless tears; Junli scoffed; Taizu in rage gave him poison.

君立初為雲州牙將，唐僖宗時，逐段文楚，與太祖俱起雲中，蓋君立首事。 Junli began as a guard officer at Yunzhou; under Xizong he expelled Duan Wenchu and rose with Taizu from Yunzhong—the first man in the enterprise.

太祖攻破朔州得之，賜以姓名，養為子。 Taizu seized him when Shuozhou fell, gave him the Li name, and adopted him.

從太祖入關破黃巢，以為義兒軍使。 He entered the passes with Taizu against Huang Chao and became commander of the Adopted Sons Army.