Li Wu (李悟) (died January 10, 827

Academia Sinica Academia Sinica (AS, la, 1=Academia Sinica, 3=Chinese Academy; ), headquartered in Nangang, Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. Founded in Nanking, the academy supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from ...

br>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter.
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Zizhi Tongjian ''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynas ...

'', vol. 243.), né Li Liao (李寮), formally the Prince of Jiàng (絳王), was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty

Tang Dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...

who, after the assassination of his nephew Emperor Jingzong, was poised to take the throne, but was then himself killed in the armed conflict between the

eunuch A eunuch ( ) is a male who has been castration, castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2n ...

s who supported him and those who supported Emperor Jingzong's younger brother Li Han, who took the throne as Emperor Wenzong.

Background

Li Wu was the sixth son of Emperor Xianzong. It is not known when he was born; his mother's was Consort Guo, the later Grand Empress Dowager Guo.''

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 Kin ...

'', vol. 175.'' New Book of Tang'', vol. 82. He must have been born, however, in or before 805, as in 805, the same year when Emperor Xianzong's grandfather Emperor Dezong died and was succeeded by Emperor Xianzong's father Emperor Shunzong, he was created the Prince of Wen'an. He was originally named Li Liao, but his name was changed to Li Wu when Emperor Xianzong changed the names of many of his sons in 812.

Death

On January 9, 827, Li Wu's nephew Emperor Jingzong, the son of Li Wu's older brother Emperor Muzong, was assassinated by a group of imperial guard officers and eunuchs, led by the officer Su Zuoming (蘇佐明) and the eunuch Liu Keming (劉克明), who were fearful of his violent temper. Liu ordered the imperial scholar

Lu Sui Lu Sui (路隨 or 路隋) (776 – August 16, 835Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter.), courtesy name Nanshi (), was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wenzong. Backgr ...

to draft a will for Emperor Jingzong putting Li Wu in charge of the affairs of state. The next day, this will was publicly read, and Li Wu met with the imperial officials in person. Liu, meanwhile, planned to replace the powerful eunuchs — including the directors of palace communications (''

Shumishi Shumishi (), or shumi, was an official title in imperial China important in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the Liao dynasty, the Song dynasty and the Jin dynasty (1115–1234). ''Shumishi'' managed the Bureau of Military Affairs ...

'') Wang Shoucheng and Yang Chenghe (楊承和) and the commandants (中尉, ''Zhongwei'') of the Shence Armies Wei Congjian (魏從簡) and Liang Shouqian (梁守謙). They reacted by launching the Shence Armies, as well as the Flying Dragon Soldiers (飛龍兵), to attack Liu and Su and their followers. Liu, Su, and their party was slaughtered, and the four powerful eunuchs supported Emperor Jingzong's younger brother Li Han the Prince of Jiāng to be emperor instead (as Emperor Wenzong). During the battle, Li Wu was also killed. Li Wu had at least two sons — Li Zhu (李洙) and Li Pang (李滂) — whom Emperor Wenzong later created imperial princes, and a daughter that Emperor Wenzong later created the Princess Shou'an and married to the general

Wang Yuankui Wang Yuankui (; 812–854''New Book of Tang'', vol. 211.These dates are per Wang Yuankui's biography in the ''New Book of Tang''. The '' Zizhi Tongjian'' indicated that Wang's death was reported to the imperial government in spring 855 and did not ...

.''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 142. Another daughter Princess Jianghua married Guo Congzhen, a cousin of Empress Dowager Guo.

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Li Wu 826 deaths Tang dynasty imperial princes Year of birth unknown