Li Wu (李悟) (died January 10, 827

Academia Sinica Academia Sinica (AS, ; zh, t=中央研究院) is the national academy of the Taiwan, Republic of China. It is headquartered in Nangang District, Taipei, Nangang, Taipei. Founded in Nanjing, the academy supports research activities in mathemat ...

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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. 243.), né Li Liao (李寮), formally the Prince of Jiàng (絳王), was an imperial 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 ...

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 2 ...

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 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, ...

. It is not known when he was born; his mother 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 Kingdo ...

'', vol. 175.''

New Book of Tang The ''New Book of Tang'', generally translated as the "New History of the Tang" or "New Tang History", is a work of official history covering the Tang dynasty in ten volumes and 225 chapters. The work was compiled by a team of scholars of the So ...

'', 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 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 Wang Yuankui, ''

jiedushi The ''jiedushi'' (, Old Turkic: Tarduş) or jiedu, was a regional military governor in China; the title was established in the Tang dynasty and abolished in the Yuan dynasty. The post of ''jiedushi'' has been translated as "military commissi ...

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

Family

Father: *

Emperor Xianzong of Tang 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, ...

Mother: * Consort Guo Issue and Descendents: * Li Zhu, Prince of Xin'an Commandery (新安郡王李洙), first son. * Li Pang, Prince of Gaoping Commandery (高平郡王李滂), second son. * Princess Shou'an (壽安公主), married to Wang Yuankui (王元逵), ''

'' of Chengde Circuit. * Princess Jianghua (江華縣主; died December 16, 840), married to Guo Congzhen (郭从真).

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Li Wu 827 deaths Tang dynasty imperial princes Year of birth unknown