Li Ning (李寧) (793 – February 7, 812), briefly known as Li Zhou (李宙) in 809, formally Crown Prince Huizhao (惠昭太子), was a

crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...

of the Chinese

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

during the reign of his father

Emperor Xianzong Emperor Xianzong of Tang (4 March to 1 April 778''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 14. – 14 February 820; r. 805 – 820), personal name Li Chun, né Li Chun (), was an emperor of the Chinese Tang dynasty. He was the eldest son of Emperor Shunzong, ...

Background

Li Ning was born in 793, when his father

was the Prince of Guangling, during the reign of his great-grandfather Emperor Dezong, as the then-prince's oldest son.''

Old Book of Tang The ''Old Book of Tang'', or simply the ''Book of Tang'', is the first classic historical work about the Tang dynasty, comprising 200 chapters, and is one of the Twenty-Four Histories. Originally compiled during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...

''
vol. 175
. His mother was Li Chun's

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...

Lady Ji. After Emperor Dezong's death in 805, Li Ning's grandfather Li Song became emperor (as Emperor Shunzong),''

Zizhi Tongjian The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...

'', vol. 236. and, as a grandson of the emperor, Li Ning was created the Prince of Pingyuan. Later in the year, Emperor Shunzong, who was seriously ill, passed the throne to Li Chun (as Emperor Xianzong). In 806, Emperor Xianzong created a number of his sons greater princely titles, and Li Ning was created the Prince of Deng.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 237. However, Li Ning's mother Consort Ji was not greatly honored, as the title she received, ''Meiren'' (美人), was not a unique title (potentially, there could be nine ''Meiren'' at one time) and was only the 15th highest title possible for imperial consorts.

As crown prince

In 809, along with a number of imperial scholars, led by Li Jiang, requesting that Emperor Xianzong create a

, Emperor Xianzong created Li Ning crown prince on May 9. He also changed Li Ning's name to Li Zhou, but soon changed it back to Li Ning. Meanwhile, Li Ning's formal investiture ceremony, initially set for the fourth month of the

Chinese calendar The traditional Chinese calendar, dating back to the Han dynasty, is a lunisolar calendar that blends solar, lunar, and other cycles for social and agricultural purposes. While modern China primarily uses the Gregorian calendar for officia ...

, was delayed initially to the 10th month of the lunar year, and then delayed again, both times due to rain, but finally held in the 10th month. He died just before the

Chinese new year Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival (see also #Names, § Names), is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of the most important holi ...

in 812. Emperor Xianzong mourned his death with a 13-day mourning period. As the regulations on imperial ceremonies at the time lacked any regulations on the funeral for a crown prince, he put a professor of the imperial university, Pei Chai (裴茝), in charge of Li Ning's funeral.

Background

As crown prince

References

Further reading