Li Jing (, later changed to ; 916Old History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 134. – August 12, 961Xu Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 2.Academia Sinica Chinese-Western Calendar Converter.), originally Xu Jingtong (), briefly Xu Jing () in 937–939, courtesy name Boyu (), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Yuanzong of Southern Tang (), also known in historiography as the Middle Lord of Southern Tang (), was the second and penultimate monarch of China's Southern Tang dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. He reigned his state from 943 until his death.
During Li Jing's earlier reign, he expanded Southern Tang's borders by conquering smaller neighboring states: Min in 945 and Ma Chu in 951. However, the warfare also exhausted the wealth of the country, leaving it ill-prepared to resist the Later Zhou invasion in 956. Forced to cede all prefectures north of the Yangtze River, he also had to relinquish his title as an emperor and accept the Later Zhou's overlordship in 958, and later the Northern Song's overlordship after 960.
Family Parents Father: Li Bian Mother: Empress Yuanjing, of the Song clan (元敬皇后 宋氏), personal name Song Fujin (宋福金) Wives Empress Guangmu, of the Zhong clan (光穆皇后; 鍾氏, d. 965) Li Hongji, Crown Prince Wenxian (文獻太子 李弘冀, d. 959), 1st son Li Yu, Prince of Tang (唐國主 李煜, 937 – 15 August 978), 5th son Li Congqian, Duke of E (鄂國公 李從謙), 9th son Lady Ling, of the Ling clan (凌氏) Li Congshan, Duke of Nanchu (南楚國公 李從善, 940 – 987), 7th son Unknown: Li Hongmao, Prince of Qing (慶王 李弘茂), 2nd son Third son Li Congqin, Duke of Zhaoping (昭平郡公 李從慶), 4th son Li Liangzuo (李良佐) sixth son Li Congyi, Duke of Jiang (江國公 李從鎰), 8th son Li Congxin, Duke of Wenyang (文陽郡公 李從信), 10th son Li Congfu (李從甫), 11th son Princess Taining (太寧公主), 3d daughter Married Liu Jie (劉節), a son of Liu Chongjun (劉崇俊) Princess Yongjia (永嘉公主), 4th daughter Princess Li married a man surnamed Sun (孫) married Shengzong of Liao and had issue (a daughter)
Background Li Jing, then named Xu Jingtong, was born in 916. His father Xu Zhigao was then Wu's prefect of Sheng Prefecture (昇州, in modern Nanjing, Jiangsu), under his adoptive father (Xu Jingtong's grandfather) Xu Wen, who was then Wu's regent.Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 269. He was Xu Zhigao's oldest son.Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms, vol. 16. His mother was Xu Zhigao's second wife Song Fujin,Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms, vol. 18. who would later give birth to three more sons, Xu Jingqian, Xu Jingsui, and Xu Jingda.Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms, vol. 19.
During Wu In 923, by which time Xu Zhigao was the junior regent under Xu Wen, there was an incident where the general Zhong Taizhang (), who had assisted in Xu Wen's coming to power, was under investigation for corruption. Xu Zhigao advocated punishing Zhong, but Xu Wen, pointing out Zhong's contributions, declined, and instead ordered Xu Zhigao to take one of Zhong's daughters as wife for Xu Jingtong, although it is not clear whether the marriage took place that year or later.Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 272. In 925, Xu Jingtong, then age nine, was given the office of Jiabu Langzhong (), a supervisory official at the ministry of defense (兵部, Bingbu). He later was given the title of an imperial guard general. In 930, by which point Xu Zhigao had succeeded Xu Wen as regent, Xu Zhigao planned to leave the Wu capital Jiangdu (江都, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) and take up his headquarters at Jinling (i.e., the former Sheng Prefecture), he started the preparations of leaving Xu Jingtong at Jiangdu as junior regent by having him given the titles of minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu) and acting chancellor (參政事, Can Zhengshi). In 931, when Xu Zhigao's chief advisor Song Qiqiu suddenly claimed to want to retire, it was Xu Jingtong that Xu Zhigao sent to Song's retirement mansion to urge Song to return to the government. Later in the year, Xu Zhigao left Jiangdu and took up headquarters at Jinling, leaving Xu Jingtong at Jiangdu to oversee the government, assisted by Song and Wang Lingmou. Xu Jingtong received the titles of Situ (司徒, one of the Three Excellencies), chancellor (同中書門下平章事, Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi), and acting director of military matters (知中外左右諸軍事, Zhi Zhongwai Zuoyou Zhujunshi).Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 277.
In late 934, Xu Zhigao summoned Xu Jingtong from Jiangdu to Jinling, to serve as his deputy at Jinling, with the titles of deputy military governor of Zhenhai (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu) and Ningguo (寧國, headquartered in modern Xuancheng, Anhui) Circuits, deputy commander of the armies of all circuits (諸道副都統, Zhudao Fu Dutong), and acting overseer of military matters (判中外諸軍事, Pan Zhongwai Zhujunshi). His younger brother Xu Jingqian was made junior regent at Jiangdu in his place.Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 279.
In late 935, as part of the prelude of taking over the Wu throne, Xu Zhigao had Wu's emperor Yang Pu bestow on him the titles of Prince of Qi and Generalissimo (大元帥, Da Yuanshuai). In early 936, as he began to create a Generalissimo headquarters with six ministries, he made Xu Jingtong the deputy generalissimo and Taiwei (太尉, one of the Three Excellencies).Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 280. In 937, he created Xu Jingtong the crown prince of the Principality of Qi, but Xu Jingtong declined.Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 281.
During Li Bian's reign as emperor In winter 937, Xu Zhigao had Yang Pu yield the throne to him, ending Wu, and starting a new state later known as Southern Tang (although it was likely known as Qi at this point).Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms, vol. 15. Sometimes around the transition, Xu Jingtong was apparently given the titles of commander of all circuits (諸道都統, Zhudao Dutong) and acting generalissimo, and shortly after the transition, he was given the titles of deputy generalissimo, overseer of the imperial guards, Taiwei, Shangshu Ling (), and Prince of Wu. Shortly after, his name was changed from Jingtong to Jing. In 938, his princely title was changed to Prince of Qi.
In 939, Xu Zhigao changed his surname from the adoptive Xu to the birth Li and took a new personal name of BianZizhi Tongjian, vol. 282. (and likely changed the name of the state to Tang at that point). Xu Jing, and the rest of the imperial family (other than the lines from Xu Wen's biological sons) changed their names to Li at that time as well. Li Bian decreed that all the matters of state be submitted to Li Jing for decision, except that he himself would still oversee military matters. Later in the year, Li Bian wanted to create him to be the crown prince, but he declined, and so Li Bian gave him a number of additional titles—Generalissimo, acting commander of the imperial guards, acting Taiwei, director of the executive bureau of government (錄尚書事, Lu Shangshu Shi), and grand prefect of Sheng and Yang Prefectures (i.e., Jinling and Jiangdu). In fall 940, Li Bian created him crown prince, while having him continue to retain the titles of Generalissimo and Lu Shangshu Shi, but he again declined, and so Li Bian allowed him to but ordered that the entire realm honor him as if he were crown prince. In late 940, there was an occasion when the fortuneteller Sun Zhiyong () claimed, due to planet alignments, that Li Bian should visit Jiangdu. Li Bian agreed, and left Li Jing in charge of the state as regent at Jinling, while he headed for Jiangdu. He considered taking up residence there for some time, but because supplying Jiangdu at that time was difficult due to freezing conditions, he soon thereafter returned to Jinling.
In 942, when Song Qiqiu complained that he was not given sufficient authority, Li Bian put Song in charge of overseeing the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng), while having Li Jing's younger brother Li Jingsui oversee the two other bureaus of government—the legislative (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng) and examination (門下省, Menxia Sheng), with Li Jing in charge of reviewing Song's and Li Jingsui's decisions. (However, this arrangement did not last long, as, later in the year, Song's associate Xia Changtu () was accused of corruption, but Song refused to execute him. Li Bian, in anger, directly ordered Xia's execution, and after this incident, Song requested retirement and was allowed to retire.)Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 283.
In any case, though, over the years, Song had often praised the abilities of Li Jing's younger brother Li Jingda, whom Li Bian himself considered resolute and magnanimous and therefore considered making his heir. While it did not actually occur, as Li Jing was older, Li Jing was resentful to Song for making the suggestion. Once, however, when Li Bian visited Li Jing's palace, he happened to see Li Jing playing instruments—which Li Bian considered frivolous, and therefore rebuked Li Jing for several straight days. Li Bian's favorite concubine Consort Zhong, who had given birth to Li Bian's youngest son Li Jingti (), took this opportunity to try to persuade Li Bian to divert succession from Li Jing to Li Jingti—which, however, angered Li Bian, who stated, "When a son has faults, the father rebukes him. This is normal. How can a woman interfere with important matters of state?" He sent her away and gave her in marriage to someone else. Meanwhile, Li Jing's staff members Chen Jue and Feng Yanji were in alliance with Song and finding ways to expel people who were not cooperating with them. Both Chang Mengxi () and Xiao Yan () submitted petitions to Li Bian accusing Chen of abuse of power, and it was said that while Li Bian understood some of the accusations to be true, he did not get a chance to act on them, before he fell deathly ill in spring 943 from poisoning due to pills given him by alchemists. On March 30, he summoned Li Jing to his deathbed, and, after entrusting the state to him, died. Li Jing did not immediately announce his death, but instead issued an edict in his name naming Li Jing regent and announcing a general pardon. Meanwhile, the official Sun Sheng, trying to stop the influence by Chen and the others on the incoming emperor, considered trying to announce that Li Bian's will named Empress Song regent for Li Jing, but when the official Li Yiye () pointed out that Li Bian often spoke against women's influence on governments and stated that he would publicly tear up the will if it were announced, Sun relented. Shortly after, Li Jing announced Li Bian's death, and then took the throne.
Reign
Early reign Upon taking the throne, Li Jing honored his mother Empress Song as empress dowager, and created his wife Princess Zhong empress. As he considered Song Qiqiu and Zhou Zong to be the most respected senior officials of the land, he made them his leading chancellors (as Zhongshu Ling () and Shizhong (), respectively), but decided the main decisions himself. He gave greater princely titles to his brothers Li Jingsui (from Prince of Shou to Prince of Yan) and Li Jingda (from Prince of Xuancheng to Prince of E). It was said after he took the throne, he entrusted much responsibility to Chen Jue, and a group of his associates thus emerged from this association—Chen, Feng Yanji, Feng Yanji's brother Feng Yanlu (), Wei Cen (), and Cha Wenhui ()—who became influential at his court, influencing him to benefit themselves, such that they became known as the "Five Ghosts". However, soon thereafter, when Chen left governmental service for some time to observe a mourning period for his mother, the alliance fractured, as Wei took the opportunity to defame Chen. With Chen gone, and with Li Jing unhappy with Song Qiqiu's repeated attempt to defame Zhou, Li Jing sent Song outside Jinling to serve as the military governor of Zhenhai, and then, when Song submitted a retirement request in anger, approved it.