Li Keyong: Shatuo Warlord and Founder of Later Tang

Li Keyong (856–908), courtesy name Wuhuang, was of Shatuo ethnicity and a famous warlord during the late Tang Dynasty. He was the father of Li Cunxu, the founding emperor of the Later Tang. He was one of the most influential military leaders in the late Tang and early Five Dynasties period, known alongside Zhu Wen (the First Emperor of Later Liang) as the "Two Heroes of Jin and Bian." Due to his blindness in his left eye, he was nicknamed "One-eyed Dragon" within his army.

Core Knowledge Points

* Shatuo Military Background: Born into the Shatuo tribe, he inherited his father's command over the people. The Shatuo cavalry possessed extremely strong combat power and served as the core force upon which Li Keyong built his rise, granting him independent military capital amidst the chaos.
* Rescuing the Emperor and Becoming King: After the Huang Chao Rebellion army breached Chang'an, Li Keyong led troops to rescue the emperor, recovered the capital, and welcomed Emperor Xizong of Tang back to the palace. Due to his outstanding military achievements, he was titled Prince of Jin by the Tang Dynasty, stationed in Taiyuan, becoming the strongest warlord in the north.
* The Jin-Bian Conflict: He maintained a long-term standoff with Zhu Wen, the Military Commissioner of Xuanwu. After Zhu Wen usurped the Tang Dynasty to establish Later Liang, Li Keyong insisted on upholding the Tang legitimate succession, becoming the main force against Liang. The two sides competed for hegemony in the Central Plains for nearly twenty years, determining the political landscape of the early Five Dynasties period.
* Ancestor of Later Tang: Although he did not proclaim himself emperor, he laid the military and political foundation for the establishment of the Later Tang Dynasty. His son, Li Cunxu, inherited his will, ultimately destroying Liang and establishing Tang, posthumously honoring him as Taizu of Later Tang.

Connection with Zizhi Tongjian

In Sima Guang's chief-edited Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance), Li Keyong's deeds span from the late Tang to the early Five Dynasties period, primarily concentrated in Volumes 260 to 273. The book details Li Keyong's entire process from rescuing the emperor to establishing his regional regime. In his narrative, Sima Guang both affirmed Li Keyong's loyalty to the Tang Dynasty (such as refusing Zhu Wen's usurpation) and objectively described the brutality and impulsiveness in his character.

Particularly, Volume 273 of Zizhi Tongjian records the scene before Li Keyong's death: knowing he would not restore the Tang Dynasty, he instructed his son Li Cunxu, "Your father lost the empire, not due to faults in battle," and left behind "Three Unfinished Tasks," which included destroying Zhu Wen and seeking revenge. This detail vividly portrays Li Keyong's image as a tragic hero and foreshadows the inevitability of the establishment of Later Tang. Through Zizhi Tongjian, readers can clearly see how Li Keyong became a key figure determining the course of history amidst the chaos of the declining Tang Dynasty. Sima Guang's evaluation also reflects the complex views of Song Dynasty historians on the military politics of the Five Dynasties.

In summary, Li Keyong was a key figure in the historical transition of the late Tang and Five Dynasties. Combined with the records of Zizhi Tongjian, we can not only understand his military achievements but also comprehend his complex role in the dynastic succession. He was a maintainer of the old Tang order and also a pioneer of the new Five Dynasties pattern; his life witnessed the fall of the Tang Dynasty and the beginning of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.