Li Yuanhong (; died 733), courtesy name Dagang, formally Baron Wenzhong of Qingshui, was a Chinese politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. Background It is not known when Li Yuanhong was born. His family was originally from what would become Hua Prefecture (滑州, roughly modern Anyang, Henan), but by Li Yuanhong's time had moved to the Tang dynasty capital Chang'an. The family claimed to be descended from the Han dynasty general Li Ling, who had surrendered to Xiongnu after being surrounded. According to their claims, an ancestor of theirs and descendant of Li Ling eventually became a subject of Northern Wei and, as he met the Northern Wei emperor at Bing Hall, was given the family name of Bing. Li Yuanhong's great-great-grandfather Bing Ming served as a commandant during the Sui dynasty and was created the Duke of Longju. Li Yuanhong's great-grandfather Bing Can later became a subject of the Tang dynasty, as he was an acquaintance of Tang's founder Emperor Gaozu; Emperor Gaozu created him the Duke of Ying. In order to observe naming taboo for Emperor Gaozu's father Li Bing, Emperor Gaozu had the Bing family's name changed to Li. Li Yuanhong's grandfather Li Kuan served as the minister of worship during the reign of Emperor Gaozu's grandson Emperor Gaozong, and carried the title of Duke of Longxi. Li Yuanhong's father Li Daoguang served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong's wife Wu Zetian. Li Yuanhong was said to be careful and kind in his youth. He started his civil service career as a military office at Jing Prefecture (涇州, roughly modern Pingliang, Gansu), and later was promoted to be the census officer at the capital prefecture Yong Prefecture (雍州, roughly modern Xi'an, Shaanxi) during the second reign of Wu Zetian's son Emperor Zhongzong. At that time, Emperor Zhongzong's sister Princess Taiping was one of the powerful women at court, and on one occasion, she was litigating with a Buddhist temple as to the ownership of a mill, Li Yuahong ruled for the temple. Li Yuanhong's superior, the secretary general of Yong Prefecture Dou Huaizhen, was shocked and tried to get Li to change his ruling; Li responded by writing, in large characters, under his ruling, "The Southern Mountains [(i.e., the Qinling Mountains)] may move before this ruling may be changed." Dou could not do anything about it.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Li Yuanhong (; died 733), courtesy name Dagang, formally Baron Wenzhong of Qingshui, was a Chinese politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong.

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Overview

Li Yuanhong (; died 733), courtesy name Dagang, formally Baron Wenzhong of Qingshui, was a Chinese politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. Background It is not known when Li Yuanhong was born. His family was originally from what would become Hua Prefecture (滑州, roughly modern Anyang, Henan), but by Li Yuanhong's time had moved to the Tang dynasty capital Chang'an. The family claimed to be descended from the Han dynasty general Li Ling, who had surrendered to Xiongnu after being surrounded. According to their claims, an ancestor of theirs and descendant of Li Ling eventually became a subject of Northern Wei and, as he met the Northern Wei emperor at Bing Hall, was given the family name of Bing. Li Yuanhong's great-great-grandfather Bing Ming served as a commandant during the Sui dynasty and was created the Duke of Longju. Li Yuanhong's great-grandfather Bing Can later became a subject of the Tang dynasty, as he was an acquaintance of Tang's founder Emperor Gaozu; Emperor Gaozu created him the Duke of Ying. In order to observe naming taboo for Emperor Gaozu's father Li Bing, Emperor Gaozu had the Bing family's name changed to Li. Li Yuanhong's grandfather Li Kuan served as the minister of worship during the reign of Emperor Gaozu's grandson Emperor Gaozong, and carried the title of Duke of Longxi. Li Yuanhong's father Li Daoguang served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong's wife Wu Zetian. Li Yuanhong was said to be careful and kind in his youth. He started his civil service career as a military office at Jing Prefecture (涇州, roughly modern Pingliang, Gansu), and later was promoted to be the census officer at the capital prefecture Yong Prefecture (雍州, roughly modern Xi'an, Shaanxi) during the second reign of Wu Zetian's son Emperor Zhongzong. At that time, Emperor Zhongzong's sister Princess Taiping was one of the powerful women at court, and on one occasion, she was litigating with a Buddhist temple as to the ownership of a mill, Li Yuahong ruled for the temple. Li Yuanhong's superior, the secretary general of Yong Prefecture Dou Huaizhen, was shocked and tried to get Li to change his ruling; Li responded by writing, in large characters, under his ruling, "The Southern Mountains [(i.e., the Qinling Mountains)] may move before this ruling may be changed." Dou could not do anything about it.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).