Li Tang

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公开 可引用 更新于 2026-09-13

Family and associations

Family tradition traced his ancestry to Li Fang, a Song chancellor. His father was Li Ding; his grandfather, Li Boru; his great-grandfather, Li Taiheng; his mother was Lady Shen, and his stepmother Lady He.[4] His elder brothers were Li Lin, Li Yi, Li Jie, and Li Qi, and his younger brother was Li Chang; he had wives surnamed Yang and Lin, a son, Li Weixiao, and a grandson, Li Chengsi, born in 1527.[5]

Li Tang married into the Yin County Yang family and was the husband of Yang Shouzhi’s second daughter.[6] His literary associations included Zhang Bangqi, who wrote his epitaph; Li Tang wrote an epitaph for Tu Gong and postscripts to works by Xie Duo and Liu Daxia.[7]

Life

Precocious from childhood, he could commit several thousand words to memory each day at the age of eight and often astonished guests with his remarks. When he came of age, Hong Shitian gave him the courtesy name Shisheng and wrote an essay to encourage him.[8] After passing the provincial examination, he entered the Southern Imperial Academy; he and Li Wenxiang of Macheng became known for their poetry and were called the “Two Lis.”[9]

At the Zhejiang provincial examination he ranked fortieth among the recommended candidates. In 1487, the twenty-third year of the Chenghua reign, he ranked eighteenth in the metropolitan examination of the Dingwei cohort and earned the ninetieth place in the second rank of the Presented Scholars.[10]

He was appointed secretary in the Ministry of Works and assigned to supervise taxation at Wuhu. When the eunuch Song Ang requisitioned imperial timber and put merchants in difficulty, Li Tang intervened, eased the merchants’ tax burden, and established strict registers; eunuch assignments of this kind did not recur thereafter.[11]

His recorded offices include a prefecture post, vice director in the Ministry of Works’ Office of Construction, vice director in its Office of Land Reclamation, director of Construction, vice prefect of Yingtian, senior official of the Southern Court of Imperial Accoutrements, assistant censor-in-chief, left assistant censor-in-chief, vice minister of Works, and vice superintendent of the Grand Treasury.[12]

After the fire at Qingning Palace, he oversaw the rebuilding of the empress dowager’s residence, requesting that the inner treasury provide the funds rather than levy the people. Once the construction budget had been set, he asked that it be reduced by half; when the work was completed, three-tenths of the funds still remained. The court ordered his promotion by two ranks, but he declined it in three memorials.[13] The following year he rebuilt the Ministry of Rites and repaired the Queli, using the earlier accumulation of funds; he also petitioned to cut the expense of Lantern Festival lights, recalled the order for the firing of kiln vessels, restrained excessive requests from the Ning princedom, and stopped untimely construction by the Ji and Zheng princely establishments, to the benefit of both public and private interests.[14]

After becoming vice prefect of Yingtian, he dealt with a famine in which bandits gathered in large numbers: riding alone, he explained the consequences of their actions, executed only the leaders, and dispersed the rest. As examiner in charge of the Yingtian provincial examination, he reported three candidates who had gained admission through bribery and had them expelled; senior officials consequently judged him capable of undertaking major responsibilities.[15]

He was later promoted to vice minister of Works, supervised repairs to the Xu and Bian rivers, and was placed in charge of the river conservancy, a responsibility also described as oversight of the grain-transport waterways. He was separately ordered to take over the Yellow River repairs from Cui Yan.[16] Liao Tang, the eunuch stationed in Henan, acted in concert with another powerful eunuch and deeply resented Li Tang; Li Tang therefore requested retirement on grounds of illness and was authorized to return by post relay. After he recovered, local officials urged him to resume office; when Qianqing Palace burned, the court considered recalling him, but the attempt did not succeed.[17]

After returning home, he spent more than ten years in retirement, built the Jinshan Thatched Hall, and devoted himself to writing. He later said that from fifteen to thirty, learning to serve in office was only superficial; from thirty to fifty, learning through office was mere dross; after seeking retirement at forty and obtaining it at fifty, he hoped to move from history to the Classics, seek the Way through concrete affairs, and resolve doubts and elaborate meanings for later readers.[18]

Scholarship and works

In retirement, he devoted himself to writing and was known among scholars as “Master Jinshan.”[19] His works include 《正學類稿》, 《四明文獻志》, and 《堇山集》. The title forms also include 《正學類編》, 《堇山全集》, 《堇山遺稿》, and 《堇山文集》; 《堇山集》 is described as a fifteen-volume work.[20]

Office recordsCBDB

Year unknown9
OfficeEraPosting
光祿寺卿Era unknown南京
工部主事Era unknownUnknown
工部右侍郎Era unknownUnknown
工部屯田司員外郎Era unknownUnknown
工部營繕司員外郎Era unknownUnknown
工部營繕司郎中Era unknownUnknown
知府Era unknownUnknown
都察院僉都御史Era unknownUnknown
都察院左僉都御史Era unknownUnknown

FamilyCBDB

RelationNameLife
曾祖李泰亨–
祖父李伯儒–
父李鼎–
母沈氏(李堂母)–
兄李麟–
兄李益–
兄李傑–
兄李麒–
弟李常–
妻子楊氏(李堂妻)–
第二任妻林氏(李堂繼妻)–
子李惟孝–
孫李承嗣1527–
繼母何氏(李堂前母)–

AliasesCBDB

  • 十一 行第
  • 堇山 室名、別號
  • 時升 字
  • 肯庵 字

AssociationsCBDB

PersonRelationYears
張邦奇墓誌銘由張邦奇所作–
屠珙為屠珙作墓誌銘–
謝鐸為謝鐸所著書作跋–
劉大夏為劉大夏所著書作跋–
雷禮傳記作者為雷禮–
周是修為周是修作傳–
葉伯巨為葉伯巨作傳–
王璡為王璡作傳–
張瓚為張瓚作傳–
賈俊為賈俊作傳–
朱欽為朱欽作傳–
王綸為王綸作傳–
朱瑄為朱瑄作傳–
李濂為李濂作傳–
呂紀為呂紀作傳–
余洵為余洵作傳–
宗顯為宗顯作傳–
金湜為金湜作傳–
張賑為張賑作傳–
曾直為曾直作傳–
黃昌為黃昌作傳–
黃隆為黃隆作傳–
舒明為舒明作傳–
楊子器為楊子器作傳–
楊文卿為楊文卿作傳–
蔡錫為蔡錫作傳–
劉滂為劉滂作傳–
儲巏為儲巏作傳–
倪岳為倪岳作祭文–
賈俊為賈俊作祭文–
吳雄為吳雄作祭文–
許進為許進作哀辭–
楊守隨向楊守隨致賀–
周坤向周坤致賀–
黃溥向黃溥致賀–
戴檟向戴檟致賀–
張邦奇贈詩、文–
寇天敍贈詩、文–
丁洪贈詩、文–
董雲漢贈詩、文–
蔣福陵贈詩、文–
張邦奇收到張邦奇的贈詩、文–
趙堦為趙堦之建築物題詠、記、命名–
章懋為章懋祭文作跋–

ExaminationsCBDB

RecordRank
科舉: 進士(籠統)第二甲第九十名
科舉: 鄉貢舉人
學校: 生員(庠生)

WorksCBDB

TitleRoleYearEra
堇山文集:十五卷

Citations

  1. [1] Identity and dates Li Tang was a Ming-dynasty official and scholar who lived from 1462 to 1524.
    • CBDBLi Tang (127906)The main record gives Li Tang’s name, birth year, death year, and Ming-dynasty affiliation.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The biographical entries confirm the dates and identify him as a Ming figure and scholar.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database李堂 (A008671)The authority entry identifies him as a male Ming official.
    • WikidataLi Tang (Q11095827)The English label, occupation description, and birth and death claims support his identity, political role, and dates.
  2. [2] Names and birth order His courtesy name was Shisheng, Kenan is another recorded courtesy name, Jinshan was his hao, and Shiyi denotes his eleventh place in birth order.
    • CBDBLi Tang (127906)The alternate-name entries classify Shiyi as birth order, Jinshan as a studio name or sobriquet, and Shisheng and Kenan as courtesy names.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The biographical profile and overview give the forms Shisheng and Jinshan.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database李堂 (A008671)The authority entry lists Li Shisheng and Jinshan among his names.
    • WikidataLi Tang (Q11095827)The name entries and name claims provide the English and Chinese forms Shisheng and Jinshan.
  3. [3] Native place His native place is given as Yin County in Ningbo Prefecture, Zhejiang, present-day Yinzhou District, Ningbo; Mianzhou is another native-place entry.
    • CBDBLi Tang (127906)The address entries give Yin County as both native and household place and also give Mianzhou as a native-place entry, so the alternative is retained.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The biographical profile places him in Yin County, Ningbo Prefecture, Zhejiang, identified with present-day Yinzhou District, Ningbo.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database李堂 (A008671)The authority record gives Yin County as his birthplace.
  4. [4] Ancestry and immediate family Family tradition traces him to Li Fang, a Song chancellor; the kinship entries identify his father, grandparents, mother, and stepmother.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database李堂 (A008671)The authority note traces Li Tang’s ancestry to Li Fang, a Song chancellor.
    • CBDBLi Tang (127906)The kinship entries identify great-grandfather Li Taiheng, grandfather Li Boru, father Li Ding, mother Lady Shen, and stepmother Lady He.
  5. [5] Extended family The kinship entries list his brothers, wives, son, and grandson Li Chengsi, whose birth year is 1527.
    • CBDBLi Tang (127906)The kinship entries list his four elder brothers, younger brother Li Chang, wives surnamed Yang and Lin, son Li Weixiao, and grandson Li Chengsi with his birth year.
  6. [6] Marriage Li Tang married into the Yin County Yang family and was the husband of Yang Shouzhi’s second daughter.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The biographical entry says that he married into the Yin County Yang family and was the husband of Yang Shouzhi’s second daughter.
    • CBDBLi Tang (127906)The kinship entry identifies his wife as a woman surnamed Yang.
  7. [7] Literary associations His literary relations included Zhang Bangqi, Tu Gong, Xie Duo, and Liu Daxia through epitaphs and postscripts.
    • CBDBLi Tang (127906)The association entries show Zhang Bangqi writing Li Tang’s epitaph, Li Tang writing Tu Gong’s epitaph, and writing postscripts to works by Xie Duo and Liu Daxia.
  8. [8] Early education He was precocious, memorized several thousand words a day at eight, astonished guests, and received the courtesy name Shisheng from Hong Shitian at adulthood, who also wrote to encourage him.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The biographical narrative describes his early memory, the astonishment of guests, and Hong Shitian’s naming and encouragement at his coming of age.
  9. [9] Academy and poetry After the provincial examination he studied at the Southern Imperial Academy; with Li Wenxiang of Macheng he became known for poetry as one of the Two Lis.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The narrative states that he passed the provincial examination, studied at the Southern Imperial Academy, became known for poetry with Li Wenxiang, and was called one of the Two Lis; the profile also lists the epithet.
  10. [10] Examination results He ranked fortieth in the Zhejiang provincial examination, eighteenth in the Dingwei metropolitan examination, and ninetieth in the second rank of the Presented Scholars in 1487.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The biographical entry gives the fortieth place in the Zhejiang provincial examination, the eighteenth place in the 1487 Dingwei metropolitan examination, and the ninetieth place in the second rank; the overview and poetic history confirm the Chenghua Dingwei jinshi degree.
    • CBDBLi Tang (127906)The examination and education entries include the second-rank ninetieth place and the associated numbers 18 and 40 under the recommended-candidate and student entries.
  11. [11] First appointment and Wuhu taxation He became a secretary in the Ministry of Works and supervised taxation at Wuhu; he checked Song Ang’s exactions, eased the merchants’ burden, and imposed registers.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The biographical narratives describe his appointment as Ministry of Works secretary, Wuhu tax supervision, intervention against Song Ang, tax relief, and the subsequent end of such eunuch assignments.
    • CBDBLi Tang (127906)The office entry lists his Ministry of Works secretary post.
  12. [12] Career offices His offices included prefecture service, Ministry of Works posts, the Yingtian vice prefecture, the Southern Court of Imperial Accoutrements, censorial posts, the vice ministry of Works, and the Grand Treasury.
    • CBDBLi Tang (127906)The office entries list a prefect, the Construction and Land Reclamation offices, a construction director, the Court of Imperial Accoutrements, censorial offices, the vice ministry of Works, and the left assistant censor-in-chief.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The title summary and career synopsis add the Grand Treasury, Ministry of Works, director and vice-director posts, the Southern Court of Imperial Accoutrements, censorial titles, tax supervision, Yingtian vice prefecture, and the southern official assignments.
  13. [13] Qingning Palace reconstruction After the Qingning Palace fire, he requested inner-treasury funding instead of levies, cut the budget by half, left three-tenths unspent, and declined a two-rank promotion in three memorials.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The narrative details the Qingning Palace reconstruction, inner-treasury funding, refusal to levy the people, cost reduction, remaining funds, and his refusal of the promotion.
  14. [14] Later administrative measures He rebuilt the Ministry of Rites, repaired Queli, used earlier funds, reduced festival and kiln expenses, restrained the Ning princedom, and stopped untimely construction by the Ji and Zheng establishments.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The narrative describes the rebuilding of the Ministry of Rites, repair of Queli, use of accumulated funds, economy in festival lights and kiln vessels, restraint of the Ning princedom, and the cessation of untimely construction.
  15. [15] Yingtian administration As vice prefect of Yingtian he dispersed bandits after executing only the leaders, and as provincial-examination examiner he expelled three bribed candidates; senior officials judged him capable of major responsibility.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The narrative gives the account of his solo intervention among famine-era bandits, the execution of their leaders, the dispersal of the rest, the expulsion of three bribed candidates, and the judgment that he could undertake major matters.
  16. [16] River administration As vice minister of Works he supervised the Xu and Bian rivers and river conservancy, also described as responsibility for grain-transport waterways, and he took over Yellow River repairs from Cui Yan.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The biographical texts confirm the vice-ministerial appointment, responsibility for river conservancy, and supervision of the Xu and Bian rivers.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database李堂 (A008671)The authority note describes his responsibility for the grain-transport waterways and his taking over the Yellow River repairs from Cui Yan.
  17. [17] Retirement from office Liao Tang acted with another powerful eunuch against Li Tang; Li Tang retired through illness, returned by imperial post relay, and was not successfully recalled after later attempts.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The narrative describes Liao Tang’s alliance, Li Tang’s illness and return by post relay, the local request that he resume office, and the unsuccessful court discussion of recalling him.
  18. [18] Retirement and intellectual reflection After returning home he spent more than ten years at Jinshan Thatched Hall writing, and he described his progression from superficial learning to seeking the Way through concrete affairs and clarifying meanings for later readers.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The narrative describes more than ten years in retirement, the Jinshan Thatched Hall, his writing, and his reflection on learning, office, retirement, history, the Classics, and concrete affairs.
  19. [19] Scholarly reputation In retirement Li Tang devoted himself to writing and was known among scholars as Master Jinshan.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The biographical narrative calls him Master Jinshan among scholars, and the profile lists the same honorific name.
  20. [20] Works and variant titles His works include Zhengxue leigao, Siming wenxian zhi, and Jinshan ji; variant title forms include Zhengxue leibian, Jinshan quanji, Jinshan yigao, and Jinshan wenji, with Jinshan ji described as fifteen volumes.
    • Souyun李堂 (50614)The three biographical texts list Zhengxue leigao, Zhengxue leibian, Siming wenxian zhi, Jinshan ji, Jinshan quanji, and the fifteen-volume Jinshan ji.
    • DILA Buddhist Authority Database李堂 (A008671)The authority note lists Zhengxue leibian, Siming wenxian zhi, and Jinshan yigao as transmitted works.
    • CBDBLi Tang (127906)The works entry gives Jinshan wenji in fifteen volumes.