Li Cheng (李承) | 24 Histories

Overview

Li Cheng was an official and Administrator.

Life and dates

Death

AD 783 建中四年七月
At in office 於位
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 129
died in office context 承卒
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 150, passage 97

Age

62
Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 129

Attested activity

AD 781 建中二年七月
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 117
AD 783 建中四年七月
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 129
AD 781 建中二年九月
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 118
AD 766 to AD 779 大歷中
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 110
AD 780 to AD 783 建中初
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 150, passages 95-96
AD 756 至德元載
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 103

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Li Zhiyuan (李至遠)
grandfather-of 孫 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 99
Sibling of Li Ye (李曄)
elder brother 兄 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passages 100-101
Child of Li She (李畬)
second son 第二子 · paternal line
father 父 · paternal line
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 99

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Attending Palace Censor 侍御史
Appointed · Concurrent true
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 107
Prefect of Tan 潭州刺史
Appointed · Concurrent true
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 128
Commissioner of Defense and Observation for Jin and Jiang 晉絳都防禦觀察使
AD 781 建中二年七月 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 117
Mayor of Hezhong 河中尹
AD 781 建中二年七月 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 117
Military Governor and Observation Commissioner of Shannan East with salt and iron 山南東道節度觀察鹽鐵等使
AD 781 建中二年九月 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 118
Director in the Ministry of Personnel 吏部郎中
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 109

Show 17 more source-backed claims

Director of Examination by inspection and concurrent Prefect of Jiang 檢校考功郎中兼江州刺史
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 109
legal aide to Guo Na 判官
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 102
Magistrate of Deqing 德清令
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 106
Military Governor and Observation Commissioner of Hunan 湖南都團練觀察使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 128
Minister of Works by inspection 檢校工部尚書
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 128
Prefect of Fu 撫州刺史
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 108
Prefect of Jiang 江州刺史
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 108
Prefect of Tong 同州刺史
Appointed · From Source Date: Text: 建中二年七月 · Lunar Month: 7 · Western Year: AD 781
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 117
Reviewing Censor in the Court of Judicial Review 大理評事
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 102
Supervisory Censor 監察御史
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 106
Vice Minister of Justice by inspection 檢校刑部員外郎
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 107
Visiting Commissioner for Promotion and Demotion of Huainan West 淮南西道黜陟使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 110
Aide in Linchuan of Fu Prefecture 撫州臨川尉
Demoted
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 105
Prefect of Xiang 襄州刺史
AD 781 建中二年九月 · Transferred
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 118
Minister of Personnel 吏部尚書
Posthumously granted
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 129
secret edicts of praise 密詔褒美
Received
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 127
Entered
Captivity · At Luoyang 洛陽
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 103

Places and affiliations

Tang 唐
Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 99
At Gaoyi in Zhao commandery 趙郡高邑
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 99

Learning and skills

Earned
Credential Mingjing with high standing 明經高第
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 102

Works and attributed material

Memorial · Author · Summary warned Xilie would rebel after winning merit
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 114

Events and relationships

Built Changfeng Weir
Administrative · Author · At Chu prefecture 楚州
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 110
Designed plot for Zhou Ceng to kill Xilie
Political · Plotter · With Li Xilie (李希烈)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passages 125-126
Restored region in one year
Administrative · Governor
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 123
Rode alone to Xiang despite coercion
Political · Appointee · With Li Xilie (李希烈)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passages 120-121
Secretly reported rebel plots
Espionage · Informant
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 104

Assessments and attributes

Assessment elegant reputation; integrity, talent, and ability; loyal counsel unto exhaustion · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passages 130, 135
Assessment filial devotion to elder brother · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 101
Assessment performance evaluations repeatedly top-ranked · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 119, passage 108

References in the histories

Search passages

History

16 passages

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 119Volume 115 Biographies 65: Cui Qi, Zhao Guozhen, Cui Guan, Jing Kuo, Wei Yuanfu, Wei Shaoyou, Wei Boyu, Li Cheng · 14 passages

Open chapter

李承，趙郡高邑人，吏部侍郎至遠之孫，國子司業畬之第二子也。 Li Cheng was a native of Gaoyi in Zhao commandery, grandson of Vice Minister of Personnel Zhiyuan and second son of the director of the imperial academy, She.

承幼孤，曄鞠養之。 Cheng lost his father in childhood; his elder brother Ye raised and nurtured him.

尹子奇圍汴州，陷賊，拘承送洛陽。 When Yin Ziqi besieged Bianzhou, Cheng was captured by the rebels and sent under guard to Luoyang.

承自黜陟回，因奏之曰：「希烈將兵討伐，必有微勛，但恐立功之後，縱恣跋扈，不稟朝憲，必勞王師問罪。」 When Cheng returned from his commission, he memorialized: "Xilie will surely win some merit on campaign—but I fear that once he has merit he will grow insolent and defiant, disregard imperial authority, and the royal army will be forced to march against him."

無幾，希烈既平崇義，果有不順之跡，上思承言，故驟加擢用。 Before long Xilie had pacified Chongyi and indeed showed signs of rebellion; the emperor recalled Cheng's warning and swiftly promoted him.

朝廷慮不受命，欲以禁兵送承，承請單騎徑行。 The court feared Xilie would refuse the appointment and wished to send palace troops to escort Cheng; Cheng asked to ride through alone.

既至，希烈處承於外館，迫脅萬態，承恬然自安，誓死王事。 When he arrived, Xilie lodged Cheng in an outer guesthouse and assailed him with every sort of coercion; Cheng remained calm, sworn to the throne unto death.

承治之一年，頗得完復。 After a year under Cheng's governance the region was largely restored.

承亦使腹心臧叔雅往來許、蔡，厚結希烈腹心周曾、王玢、姚憺等。 Cheng also sent his trusted agent Zang Shuya back and forth between Xu and Cai, lavishly cultivating Xilie's intimates Zhou Ceng, Wang Bin, Yao Tan, and others.

及曾等謀殺希烈，以眾歸朝，多承首建謀也。 When Ceng and the others plotted to kill Xilie and bring their forces back to the court, the plan owed much to Cheng's original design.

承尋改檢校工部尚書，兼潭州刺史、湖南都團練觀察使。 Cheng was soon made minister of works by inspection and concurrent prefect of Tan and military governor and observation commissioner of Hunan.