Li Cunxin (李存信) | 24 Histories

Overview

Li Cunxin was a general and Adopted Son.

Life and dates

Death

AD 902 天復二年
Age 41
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 104
AD 902 天復二年十月
Illness · At Jinyang 晉陽
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 26

Age

41
AD 902 天復二年卒，年四十一 · Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 104
41
AD 902 天復二年十月 · Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 26

Attested activity

AD 891 大順二年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 10
AD 902 天復二年十月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 26
AD 896 乾寧三年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 13
AD 896 乾寧三年九月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 19
AD 896 乾寧三年五月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 18
AD 898 to AD 901 光化已後
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 25

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AD 880 to AD 884 入關破黃巢
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 96
AD 880 to AD 884 初為獻祖親信，從武皇入關平賊
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 4
AD 890 to AD 891 大順中
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 5
AD 902 天復二年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 104
AD 891 既誅
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 11
AD 897 明年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 20
AD 897 明年八月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 21

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Taizu (太祖)
adopted as son 以為子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 96
Child of Junzheng (君政)
father 父 · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 94
Child of Zhang Junzheng (張君政)
father 父 · paternal line
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 1
Sibling of Li Cunxiao (李存孝)
fellow adopted son 養子 · Adoptive siblings · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 97

Key source chapters

Origins and identity

Uighur 回鶻
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 1

Career and standing

trusted intimate of the Ancestor of Offerings 獻祖親信
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 4
commander of barbarian and Han horse and foot 蕃漢馬步都校
AD 891 大順二年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 10
right commander 右校
AD 898 to AD 901 光化已後 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 25
commander of cavalry and infantry 馬步都校
AD 890 to AD 891 大順中 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 5
military office 軍職
AD 880 to AD 884 始補軍職 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 4
commander of barbarian and Han forces 蕃漢都校
AD 891 既誅 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 11

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acting Right Vice Director 檢校右僕射
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 12
commander of all horse and foot 馬步軍都指揮使
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 96
prefect of Chen 郴州刺史
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 12
prefect of Chen 郴州刺史
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 98
acting Minister of Works 檢校司空
Promoted
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 12
Claimed
AD 898 to AD 901 光化已後 · Pleaded illness
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 25
Held
Adopted son
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 96

Places and affiliations

Hedong 河東
Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passages 4, 10
Polity Jin 晉 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 96
At Heluo River in Yunzhong 雲中之合羅川
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 2
AD 902 天復二年十月
At Jinyang 晉陽 · Relation Died at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 26
AD 896 乾寧三年
At Ming Prefecture 洺州 · Relation Retreated to
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 16
AD 896 乾寧三年
At Shen County 莘縣 · Relation Encamped at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 13

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AD 896 乾寧三年九月
At Zongcheng 宗城 · Relation Fought at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 19
AD 896 乾寧三年五月
At Huan River 洹水 · Relation Encamped at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 18
AD 890 to AD 891 大順中
At Pingyang 平陽 · Relation Campaigned at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 5
AD 897 明年八月
At Anse 安塞 · Relation Fought at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 21

Learning and skills

Skill languages of the frontier peoples 四夷語 · Level fluent
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 3
Skill six foreign scripts 六蕃書 · Level literate
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 3
Skill mounted archery and foreign languages and scripts 騎射、四夷語、六蕃書 · Level mastered
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 95
Skill warfare and deployment 善戰識兵勢 · Level renowned
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 3

Events and relationships

Accepted surrender
Military · Commander · With Helian Duo (赫連鐸)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 12
Accepted surrender
Military · Commander · With Bai Yicheng (白義誠)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 12
Attacked
AD 890 to AD 891 大順中 · Military · Commander · With Zhang Jun (張浚) · At Pingyang 平陽
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 5
Campaigned against
Military · Commander · With Wang Xingyu (王行瑜)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 12
Campaigned against
Military · Commander · With Li Kuangchou (李匡儔)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 12
Defeated at
AD 897 明年八月 · Military · Officer · At Anse 安塞
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 21

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Defeated
AD 896 乾寧三年五月 · Military · Commander · With Ge Congzhou (葛從周) · At Huan River 洹水
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 18
Encamped to join
AD 896 乾寧三年 · Military · Commander · With Zhu Xuan (硃瑄) · At Shen County 莘縣
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 13
Encroached then retreated
AD 896 乾寧三年 · Military · Commander · With Luo Hongxin (羅宏信)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passages 15-16
Kowtowed and was spared
Legal · Almost executed · With Taizu (太祖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 103
Lost Luo Luo
Military · Defeated commander · With Luo Luo (落落)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 99
Reprimanded
AD 897 明年八月 · Political · Addressee · With Martial Emperor (武皇)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passages 22-24
Routed
AD 896 乾寧三年九月 · Military · Commander · With Ge Congzhou (葛從周) · At Zongcheng 宗城
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 19
Relation Rival of · Person Li Cunxiao (李存孝)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passages 6, 9
Relation Subordinate of · Person Martial Emperor (武皇)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passages 4, 10
Relation Client of · Person Ancestor of Offerings (獻祖)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 4
Relation Rival of · Person Li Cunxiao (李存孝)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 97

Assessments and attributes

Assessment failed to keep troops in check · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 15
clever, shrewd, and skilled at reckoning
Character
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passage 3

Source notes

AD 880 to AD 884 賜姓名
From Zhang 張 · To Li Cunxin 李存信
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 53, passages 1, 4
From Zhang 張氏 · To Li Cunxin 存信
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passages 94, 96

References in the histories

Search passages

History

23 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 53Volume 53 Book of Later Tang 29: Biographies 5: Li Cunxin, Li Cunxiao, Li Cunjin, Li Cunzhang, Li Cunxian · 16 passages

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李存信，本姓張，父君政，回鶻部人也。 Li Cunxin was originally surnamed Zhang; his father Junzheng came from the Uighur tribes.

存信通黠多數，會四夷語，別六蕃書，善戰，識兵勢。 Cunxin was clever, shrewd, and skilled at reckoning; he knew the languages of the frontier peoples, could read the six foreign scripts, fought well, and understood how armies should be deployed.

初為獻祖親信，從武皇入關平賊，始補軍職，賜姓名。 He first served as a trusted intimate of the Ancestor of Offerings, then followed the Martial Emperor through the passes to suppress rebels, received his first military appointment, and was granted the surname and name Li Cunxin.

時存孝驍勇冠絕，軍中皆下之，惟存信與爭功，由是相惡，有同水火。 Cunxiao's martial prowess was then unmatched in the army, and all deferred to him—except Cunxin, who vied with him for credit. From this they grew mutually hostile, irreconcilable as fire and water.

及平定潞州，存孝以功望領節度，既而康君立授旄鉞，存孝怒，大剽潞民，燒邑屋，言發流涕，疑存信擯己故也。 After Luzhou was pacified, Cunxiao expected the governorship for his achievements, but Kang Junli received the commission instead. Enraged, he looted the people of Lu, burned settlements, and wept openly as he spoke, convinced that Cunxin had turned the Martial Emperor against him.

存孝慮存信離間，欲立大功以勝之，屢請兵於武皇，請兼併鎮、冀，存信間之，不時許。 Fearing Cunxin's intrigues, Cunxiao sought outstanding victories to outshine him. He repeatedly asked the Martial Emperor for reinforcements and permission to seize Zhen and Ji, but Cunxin obstructed him and the requests went unapproved.

大順二年，武皇大舉略地山東，以存信為蕃漢馬步都校，存孝聞之怒，武皇令存質代之，存孝乃謀叛。 In the second year of Dashun, the Martial Emperor launched a major campaign east of the mountains and appointed Cunxin commander of barbarian and Han horse and foot. Cunxiao flew into a rage. The Martial Emperor sent Cunzhi to take the post in his place, whereupon Cunxiao began plotting rebellion.

既誅，以存信為蕃漢都校。 After Cunxiao was put to death, Cunxin was appointed overall commander of barbarian and Han forces.

乾寧三年，兗、鄆乞師於武皇，武皇遣存信營於莘縣，與硃瑄合勢以抗梁人。 In the third year of Qianning, Yan and Yun sought reinforcements from the Martial Emperor. He sent Cunxin to encamp at Shen County and unite with Zhu Xuan against Liang.

而存信戢兵無法，稍侵魏之芻牧，宏信怒，翻然結於梁祖，乃出兵三萬以攻存信。 Cunxin, however, failed to keep his men in check, and they gradually encroached on Wei's grazing lands. Hongxin, enraged, abruptly aligned with the Liang Founder and marched thirty thousand men against Cunxin.

存信斂眾而退，為魏人所薄，委棄輜重，退保洺州，軍士喪失者十二三。 Cunxin drew his troops back but was worsted by the Wei forces, abandoned his baggage, and fell back to Ming Prefecture, losing twenty to thirty percent of his army.

五月，存信軍於洹水，汴將葛從周、氏叔琮來援魏人，存信與鐵林都將落落遇汴人於洹水南，汴人為陷馬坎以待之，存信戰敗，落落被擒。 In the fifth month Cunxin camped on the Huan River. Bian generals Ge Congzhou and Shi Shuzong came to reinforce Wei. Cunxin and the Iron Forest commander Luoluo met Bian forces south of the river; the enemy had dug horse pits in ambush. Cunxin was beaten and Luoluo taken prisoner.

九月，存信敗葛從周於宗城，乘勝至魏州之北門。 In the ninth month he routed Ge Congzhou at Zongcheng and pressed on to the north gate of Wei Prefecture.

武皇怒謂存信曰：「昨日吾醉，不悟賊至，公不辨耶！ The Martial Emperor raged at Cunxin: "Yesterday I was drunk and failed to notice the enemy's approach—were you blind to it?!

存信懼，泥首謝罪，幾至不測。 Terrified, Cunxin prostrated himself in abject apology and narrowly escaped punishment.

自光化已後，存信多稱病，武皇以兵柄授李嗣昭，以存信為右校而已。 After the Guanghua era Cunxin frequently pleaded illness. The Martial Emperor entrusted the army to Li Sizhao and kept Cunxin in a nominal right-command post.

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 · 7 passages

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存信，本姓張氏，其父君政，回鶻李思忠之部人也。 Li Cunxin was born Zhang; his father Junzheng came from the tribe of Uyghur Li Sizhong.

存信少善騎射，能四夷語，通六蕃書。 Young Cunxin mastered horse and bow, spoke the tongues of the border peoples, and read their six scripts.

存信與存孝俱為養子，材勇不及存孝，而存信不為之下，由是交惡，存孝所為，存信每沮激之，存孝卒得罪死。 Cunxin and Cunxiao were both adopted sons; Cunxin lacked Cunxiao's brilliance yet refused to bow—so they hated each other; Cunxin blocked and baited him until Cunxiao offended and died.

而存信數從征伐，以功領郴州刺史。 Still, Cunxin campaigned repeatedly and won Chen prefecture by merit.

太祖遣將兵救朱宣，存信屯於莘縣，為羅弘信所擊，存信敗，亡太祖子落落。 Taizu sent him to rescue Zhu Xuan; he camped at Xin County, was smashed by Luo Hongxin, and lost Taizu's son Luo Luo.

太祖大怒，顧存信曰：「昨日吾醉，公不能為我戰邪？ Taizu erupted in fury and turned on Cunxin: “Yesterday I was drunk—why would you not fight for me?

將殺之，存信叩頭謝罪而免。 He meant to execute him, but Cunxin kowtowed until the sentence was lifted.