In the history of the Tang Dynasty, there was a prince named Li Chengqi, who was originally the eldest son of Li Dan of Tang Ruizong, and according to the primogeniture inheritance system, he should inherit the throne. However, in the face of his talented younger brother Li Longji, Li Chengqi made an astonishing move - took the initiative to give up the position of prince. This decision not only avoided the recurrence of the tragedy of brotherly rivalry, but also fulfilled the prosperous era of Kaiyuan created by Li Longji. What kind of person was Li Chengji? Why was he willing to give up the throne, and how did he get along with the Li Longji brothers?
1. Li Chengqi's early experience
Li Chengqi, the eldest son of Tang Ruizong Li Dan and Empress Liu, was born during the reign of Wu Zetian. It was a turbulent era, with turmoil in the court and frequent changes of the throne.
When Li Chengqi was born, his father Li Dan was only a vassal king. Li Chengqi was only 5 years old, Wu Zetian deposed the then emperor Li Xian, supported Li Dan as the emperor, and Li Chengqi also became the crown prince. However, the good times did not last long, Wu Zetian was ambitious, and the following year he deposed Li Dan and established himself as the emperor, and Li Chengqi also fell from the crown prince to the emperor's grandson.
During the reign of Wu Zetian, Li Chengqi and his younger brother Li Longji and others lived a life of fear. They witnessed Wu Zetian's brutal suppression of the Li Tang clan, and saw with their own eyes that their cousin Li Chongrun was killed by Wu Zetian's staff, and their pregnant cousin Li Xianhui also died. What's even more heart-wrenching is that Li Chengqi's mother, Empress Liu, disappeared mysteriously after being summoned into the palace by Wu Zetian once, and her life and death are unknown.
In such a terrifying atmosphere, Li Chengqi and his younger brothers depended on each other and were inseparable. They played together, read together, shared weal and woe, and established a deep relationship. These difficult years sharpened Li Chengqi's indomitable character, and also laid the foundation for the harmonious coexistence of the two brothers in the future.
Fifteen years later, Prime Minister Zhang Khan Zhi staged a coup d'état, forcing Wu Zetian to abdicate and proclaiming Li Xian as emperor. Li Chengji's father, Li Dan, was named the king of Anguo, and his life finally ushered in a turnaround. However, after only 5 years of reign, Li Xian was poisoned by Empress Wei, and his youngest son Li Chongmao, who was only 16 years old, succeeded to the throne.
Empress Wei was ambitious and wanted to follow in the footsteps of Wu Zetian and become a female emperor. Seeing that Li Dan and Princess Taiping would become a thorn in the flesh, Empress Wei decided to get rid of them as soon as possible. At the critical juncture, Li Longji made a decisive decision, united with the forbidden army, killed Empress Wei, and supported his father Li Dan to return to the throne.
However, Li Longji's merits made it difficult for Li Dan. According to the practice of inheritance of the eldest son, the crown prince is none other than Li Chengqi. Moreover, the tragedy of the Xuanwumen Revolution is vividly visible, and if the brothers are not in harmony, how can the throne be secured?
Just when Li Dan was in a dilemma, Li Chengqi took the initiative to ask Ying, expressing his willingness to give up the position of prince and support Li Longji. He said to his father: "In these troubled times, the country needs a prince who has contributed to the society and won the hearts of the people. After Longji killed Wei, he was a great merit, and he should take on this heavy responsibility. ＂
When Li Dan heard this, he cried with joy. He knew that the two sons were righteous and tolerant, and the Tang Dynasty was expected to get out of turmoil and usher in a peaceful and prosperous era that had not been seen for a long time.
Li Chengji's humility and Li Longji's gratitude resolved the crisis of brotherly rivalry. After Li Longji succeeded to the throne, he treated this brother who was "the emperor" very polite, not only giving him a rich fief, but also building a palace for him to enjoy a rich and leisurely life.
And Li Chengqi also lived up to expectations, was content with the status quo, did not ask about the government, and sang and exchanged with literati and scholars, becoming a generation of romantic princes. Until their deaths, the two brothers respected each other like guests and had no suspicions.
Although Li Chengqi did not ascend to the throne, he fulfilled the arrival of the prosperous era in his own way. His bearing and open-mindedness have been admired by later generations.
2. The dispute between Li Dan's reinstatement and the establishment of the crown prince
In 705 AD, through the efforts of Prime Minister Zhang Khan Zhi and others, Wu Zetian was forced to abdicate, and Li Dan's brother Li Xian reascended the throne. For Li Dan's family, who have experienced 15 years of panic and anxiety, it is undoubtedly a sunny day after the rain.
As Li Danyan's eldest son, Li Chengqi should have become the crown prince logically. However, fate played a joke on him again. After only 5 years of reign, Li Xian was poisoned by the ambitious Empress Wei, and was succeeded by his youngest son, Li Chongmao, who was only 16 years old.
Empress Wei intends to follow in the footsteps of Wu Zetian and become a generation of female emperors. Seeing that Li Dan and Princess Taiping would become thorns in the flesh, Empress Wei decided to get rid of them as soon as possible. At the critical juncture, Li Longji made a decisive decision, united with the forbidden army, killed Empress Wei, and supported his father Li Dan to return to the throne.
However, the credit of this coup d'état made it difficult for Li Dan. According to the practice of inheritance of the eldest son, the crown prince is none other than Li Chengqi. What's more, when Li Dan became emperor for the first time, Li Chengqi had already been established as the crown prince, and this restoration should be restored.
However, if Li Chengqi is established, will he not turn a blind eye to Li Longji's merits? What is even more worrying is that the brothers are not in harmony, and it is difficult to stabilize the throne. The tragedy of the Xuanwumen Revolution is vivid. If Li Longji followed the example of Li Shimin back then, what should he do?
The ministers looked at each other worriedly. After more than 20 years of turmoil, Li Tang Jiangshan has been riddled with holes and cannot withstand a new round of brotherhood.
At this time, Li Chengqi took the initiative to ask Ying, expressing his willingness to give up the position of prince and support Li Longji. He said to his father: "In these troubled times, the country needs a prince who has contributed to the society and won the hearts of the people. After Longji killed Wei, he was a great merit, and he should take on this heavy responsibility. ＂
When Li Dan heard this, he cried with joy. He knew that the two sons were righteous and tolerant, and the Tang Dynasty was expected to get out of turmoil and usher in a peaceful and prosperous era that had not been seen for a long time.
However, it's not that simple. The hero who killed Empress Wei, as well as Li Dan's sister Princess Taiping. Princess Taiping, on the other hand, has a grudge against the strong Li Longji and thinks he is difficult to control. She repeatedly sowed discord in front of Li Dan, hoping that Li Dan would depose Li Longji and replace the obedient Li Chengqi as the crown prince.
Seeing that the shadow of brotherly discord once again loomed over the East Palace, Li Longji showed amazing political wisdom at this time. He changed his previous sharpness, pulled Li Chengqi to share the bed, and showed his brotherly love in the court.
And Li Chengqi also understands it. Whenever the situation was slightly disturbed, he took the initiative to ask Ying to serve as a assassin in other places, away from the whirlpool of right and wrong.
In this turmoil, Li Chengqi showed a commendable view of the overall situation and a broad mind. He understands that although he is the eldest son, his ability and merits are not as good as Li Longji. If we stick to the old ways, I am afraid that it will be difficult to shoulder the heavy responsibility of social responsibility and calm down the turbulent situation.
What's even more commendable is that in the face of Princess Taiping's wooing, he would rather stay away from the center of power than be used as a pawn, destroy brotherhood, and repeat the mistakes of the past.
Li Chengji's humility and Li Longji's gratitude resolved the crisis of brotherly rivalry. After Li Longji succeeded to the throne, he treated this brother who was "the emperor" very polite, not only giving him a rich fief, but also building a palace for him to enjoy a rich and leisurely life.
And Li Chengqi also lived up to expectations, was content with the status quo, did not ask about the government, and sang and exchanged with literati and scholars, becoming a generation of romantic princes. Until their deaths, the two brothers respected each other like guests and had no suspicions.
This turmoil is a big test for the Li Tang royal family. In the era of Li Yuan, Li Jiancheng, and Li Shimin, in the face of the same test, they went to the tragedy of the Xuanwumen tragedy. In the generation of Li Dan, Li Chengqi, and Li Longji, they used tolerance, rationality, and overall situation to resolve the crisis and create a prosperous era of Kaiyuan.
3. Li Chengqi's idle life
After Li Chengqi took the initiative to give up the position of prince, Li Longji successfully ascended the throne and became Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. As the "emperor", Li Chengqi has lived a free and easy life since then.
Li Longji was naturally courteous to this brother who "made the emperor". He not only gave Li Chengqi a rich fief, but also built a magnificent palace for him. In this palace, Li Chengqi can enjoy life to the fullest and have no worries.
Unlike other princes, Li Chengji had no interest in court politics. He is not like other princes, who always want to show his strength in the court and make achievements. On the contrary, he just wanted to live a leisurely life of eating, drinking and having fun in his palace.
Although Li Longji repeatedly added Li Chengqi's official position and wanted him to participate in court politics, Li Chengji always pushed back and was unwilling to go out of the mountain. His credo in life seems to be to have fun in time and enjoy the moment.
In Li Chengqi's palace, scenes of dogs and horses are often staged. Fine wines and delicacies, singing and dancing, are the portrayals of his daily life. The beauties in the house are like clouds, and each is as beautiful as a fairy. Li Chengqi also often feasted and drank with literati and scholars in the mansion, or recited poems against each other, or played chess games, and enjoyed themselves.
Li Chengji's extravagant style even led the fashion at that time. He likes to chew a spice in his mouth, and every time he meets a guest, when he speaks, the house is full of fragrance and elegance. As a result, the dignitaries and nobles of Chang'an City followed suit and competed to chew spices to show their taste.
Li Chengqi also loves to raise flowers. He built a large garden in the palace and planted all kinds of precious flowers and plants. However, he was worried that the birds would peck at the flowers, so he laid a red thread in the garden, and the red line was tied with a golden bell. As soon as a bird came and the golden bells jingled, the birds were frightened and did not dare to approach. This practice also quickly became popular in Chang'an City.
In addition to his sensual voice and horse, Li Chengqi is also known for his kindness and generosity. He treats everyone around him well, whether it is a guest or a servant. Once, when he fell in love with the wife of a baker selling bread, he gave the seller a large sum of money and took the beautiful woman into the house.
However, although the woman lived in a palatial palace, she missed her husband day and night. At a banquet a year later, Li Chengji asked her if she still missed her ex-husband, and the woman wept silently. Li Chengqi understood and immediately sent someone to take the cake seller back to the palace to reunite the husband and wife.
The famous poet Wang Wei happened to attend the banquet, and he was moved by Li Chengqi's tolerance and generosity, and wrote a poem on the spot: "Don't be favored by the present, and forget the old days." Looking at the flowers full of tears, I don't share the words of the king of Chu. ＂
Although Li Chengji took the initiative to give up the throne, Li Longji still had a grudge against him and once wanted to cut the feudal domain. However, Li Chengji was a humble person and often called himself "foolish brother" at banquets to show respect for his younger brother. Seeing this, Li Longji couldn't bear to make such a ruthless move after all.
In his later years, Li Chengji once advised Li Longji not to be too extravagant, but Li Longji did not listen. In the prosperous era of the Kaiyuan Dynasty, it was an era of sensual dogs and horses, and Li Longji was indulged in sensual dogs and horses, how could he follow his brother's advice?
When Li Chengji was in power, although he didn't ask about the government, his existence was like a thorn in Li Longji's heart. He is the eldest son of Yan and a person who has been the crown prince, if he has the heart, he can become Li Longji's confidant. However, Li Chengqi's humble concession resolved this hidden danger.
In that era of brothers and deceit, it is really rare to have a prince like Li Chengqi. Although he did not ask about the government, his bearing and mind, his humility and concession played an important role in the stability of the Tang Dynasty.
If it weren't for Li Chengqi's full support and cooperation, Li Longji might not have been able to sit on the throne so smoothly, and it would be even more difficult to create the heyday of the Tang Dynasty. In this sense, Li Chengqi has made great contributions.
Fourth, Li Longji's gratitude and posthumous sealing
After Li Longji ascended the throne, he naturally treated this brother who was "emperor" with great courtesy. He not only gave Li Chengqi a rich fief, but also built a magnificent palace for him. In this palace, Li Chengqi can enjoy life to the fullest and have no worries.
However, Li Longji's gratitude to Li Chengqi is far more than that.
In the twenty-ninth year of Kaiyuan, Li Chengqi was sick in bed. At this time, Li Longji's younger brothers have all passed away one after another, and Li Longji is the only living brother.
Hearing the news that Li Chengqi was seriously ill, Li Longji was anxious. He sent the imperial doctor to diagnose and treat him overnight, and sent a steady stream of medicinal materials. Whenever he heard that Li Chengqi's condition had improved, Li Longji was overjoyed and rewarded those healers.
However, the heavens did not grant the wish. Li Chengqi failed to survive this serious illness after all, and passed away at the age of 63.
Li Longji was grief-stricken. He personally held a grand funeral for Li Chengqi and ordered the whole country to mourn Li Chengqi. All the officials of the imperial court came to Li Chengqi's spirit and bowed at the highest level.
In addition to these, Li Longji also did something unprecedented - he posthumously crowned Li Chengqi as the emperor.
Prior to this, the emperors of the Tang Dynasty had also posthumously crowned the brother of the previous emperor as the crown prince. Li Longji himself once posthumously crowned his three younger brothers as princes.
However, it is the first time that the brother who has never been an emperor has been posthumously crowned as the emperor.
Li Longji gave Li Chengqi the nickname "Emperor Jean", and specially explained: "Promoting merit and goodness is called 'let', and virtue and gentleness are called 'let'." ＂
This is a generous admission that his throne was "given" by his brother. If Li Chengqi hadn't taken the initiative to give in back then, the two brothers don't know what kind of fate they would have ended.
This nickname is not only a thank you to Li Chengqi, but also a compliment to him. In Li Longji's view, Li Chengqi's ability to take the initiative to make virtuous people and give credit to his younger brother is the embodiment of his "kindness" and "gentleness".
In addition to posthumously crowning Li Chengqi as emperor, Li Longji also built a magnificent mausoleum for him. The scale of the mausoleum is large, and the momentum is magnificent, no less than the emperor's mausoleum.
On the day when the mausoleum was completed, Li Longji personally came to the mausoleum and once again bowed to the highest standard. He tearfully said to Li Chengqi's spiritual position: "The foolish brother is not good, but the brother pushes it, so that there is today." Although the brother has abandoned the world, the younger brother should always remember his brother's kindness, treat his brother's heirs well, and live up to his trust. ＂
These words expressed Li Longji's gratitude and longing for Li Chengqi.
In fact, when Li Chengji was alive, Li Longji treated him with great courtesy. On weekdays, Li Longji often sends people to deliver delicacies to the imperial dining room for Li Chengqi to enjoy. Every festive season, Li Longji will also personally visit Li Chengqi's mansion, and the two brothers will drink and talk about family life.
Li Longji also sent Li Xuan, the son born to his favorite concubine Wu Huifei, to Li Chengqi's mansion to raise. This move fully reflects Li Longji's trust in Li Chengqi.
Of course, Li Longji's gratitude to Li Chengqi is not only reflected in the material aspect. According to historical records, whenever someone in the court mentions Li Chengqi, Li Longji is always full of emotion. He often praised Li Chengqi's high style and brightness in front of his ministers, calling him "the sage king of the ancients".
Once, Li Longji said to the ministers around him: "The reason why I can be where I am today is because of King Ning Rangxian. If this were not the case, I am afraid that it would be difficult for me to convince the public, let alone have the rule of Kaiyuan. ＂
These words expressed Li Longji's sincere gratitude to Li Chengqi for his act of "making Xian". In his opinion, it is Li Chengqi's humility and tolerance that has achieved his great cause.
Li Longji's gratitude to Li Chengqi is also reflected in the generous treatment of Li Chengqi's descendants.
Li Chengji has a total of 5 sons. Li Longji made them all kings and promoted them many times, allowing them to hold important positions in the court.
Among them, Li Chengqi's eldest son Li Chen has been particularly favored by Li Longji. Li Longji once said to Li Chen personally: "My father let the country go to me, how can I forget it." But if you are diligent in the king's affairs, I will repay you generously. ＂
Under Li Longji's careful cultivation, Li Chenguan became the prime minister and became a celebrity in the court.
Li Longji's gratitude to Li Chengji lasted until the moment he died.
In 762 AD, Li Longji died, and before his death, he specially instructed his son Daizong Li Yu to always remember Li Chengqi's kindness and treat Li Chengqi's descendants well.
Daizong obeyed the order and promoted the titles of Li Chen and others to another level.
Posthumously crowned the emperor, buried the mausoleum, and promoted the descendants of the descendants, this series of actions all reflect Li Longji's gratitude to Li Chengqi.
This kind of gratitude stems from Li Longji's respect for his brother, and even more from his sincere admiration for Li Chengqi's act of "making the virtuous".
If it weren't for Li Chengqi's willingness to give up the throne, if it weren't for his ability to tolerate people, the history of the Tang Dynasty would probably be different.
The tragedy of the Xuanwumen Change, in the case of these two brothers, was not repeated. They used tolerance and rationality to compose a good story of "brothers, friends and brothers".
This is not only a blessing for the Li Tang royal family, but also a blessing for the Tang Dynasty.