[1]Dates and identityLi Shizhi's birth year is uncertain, with 694 also given; his death is dated to 746 or 747, and he is identified as a Tang imperial clansman and chancellor.
CBDBLi Shizhi (32128)The person fields give the name Li Shizhi, the Tang dynasty, death year 747, and a chancellor status.
Souyun李適之 (17116)The profile and three biographical texts identify him as a Tang imperial clansman and give the forms “?—746,” “?—747,” and “？-746.”
WikidataLi Shizhi (Q703306)The English label is Li Shizhi, the English description calls him a Chinese chancellor, and the time values give 694 for birth and 747 for death.
[2]Original name and ancestryHe was originally named Chang and descended from Li Chengqian; Li Chengqian's title appears as Prince of Hengshan or Prince Min of Hengshan.
CBDBLi Shizhi (32128)The alternate-name field gives Li Chang, corresponding to the original name Chang.
Souyun李適之 (17116)The profile and four biographical texts confirm the original name Chang, descent from Li Chengqian, and the variant titles Prince of Hengshan and Prince Min of Hengshan.
WikidataLi Shizhi (Q703306)The traditional-character alias list includes Li Chang.
[3]Native place and ancestral homeThe native place is given as Chang'an or Chengji in Longxi, with the latter located in present-day northwestern Qin'an, Gansu; Jingzhao is also listed as an ancestral home.
CBDBLi Shizhi (32128)The address fields list Chang'an as the native-place entry and Jingzhao and Chengji as ancestral places.
Souyun李適之 (17116)The hometown field and two biographical texts give Chengji in Longxi and identify it with present-day northwestern Qin'an or Qin'an in Gansu.
[4]Entry into service and early careerHis entry into service is classified as recruitment by summons. He began as commander of the Left Guard in 705, held a sequence of provincial and central offices during Kaiyuan, was considered capable and forceful, and in 739 took charge of military affairs at Youzhou while serving as chief administrator there.
CBDBLi Shizhi (32128)The entry field gives recruitment by summons; the office fields provide the 705 Left Guard appointment, the Tongzhou and Qinzhou posts, the central offices during Kaiyuan, and the 739 Youzhou and military-affairs appointments.
Souyun李適之 (17116)The four biographical texts together list the Shenlong Left Guard appointment, the Kaiyuan Tongzhou, Qinzhou, Shanzhou, Henan, and Censor-in-Chief offices, the Youzhou post, military command, and his reputation for capability.
[5]Additional officesDuring Kaiyuan he also held the Huzhou deputy-prefecture post and governorships of Tangzhou, Jizhou, and Fanyang.
CBDBLi Shizhi (32128)The office entries list the Huzhou deputy-prefecture post and the Tangzhou, Jizhou, and Fanyang governorships, all under the Kaiyuan era name.
[6]FamilyHis father was Li Xiang; the family entries identify Li Jiqing and Li Zha as sons and Zheng Hong as a son-in-law, with their recorded dates.
CBDBLi Shizhi (32128)The kinship fields list Li Xiang as father, Li Jiqing and Li Zha as sons, and Zheng Hong as son-in-law, with Li Jiqing dated 709–767, Li Zha dying in 768, and Zheng Hong dying in 763.
[7]Left chancellorship and ennoblementIn 742 he became Left Chancellor after serving as Minister of Justice and replacing Niu Xianke, disagreed with Li Linfu, and was ennobled as Duke of Qinghe.
CBDBLi Shizhi (32128)The office entries list Minister of Justice, a 742 Tianbao left-office appointment, and the county-duke enfeoffment.
Souyun李適之 (17116)The profile and four biographical texts confirm the Duke of Qinghe title, the Ministry of Justice office, the 742 Left Chancellor appointment, the replacement of Niu Xianke, and the disagreement with Li Linfu.
[8]Impeachment and demotionIn the fifth year of Tianbao, Li Linfu brought charges against Li Shizhi; he lost his participation in government, became Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, and was demoted to Yichun because of his association with Wei Jian.
CBDBLi Shizhi (32128)The office entries show the 746 Tianbao appointments as Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent and prefect of Yichun.
Souyun李適之 (17116)The four biographical texts describe Li Linfu's framing of him, his removal from government or the chancellorship, the Junior Guardian appointment, his association with Wei Jian, and the demotion to Yichun.
[9]DeathAfter Li Linfu killed Li Yong and Pei Dunfu, the court and public were shocked; Luo Xishe was sent to kill Wei Jian and others and passed through Yichun, where Li Shizhi took poison out of fear.
Souyun李適之 (17116)Three biographical texts describe the killings attributed to Li Linfu, the alarm they caused, Luo Xishe's mission against Wei Jian and others, his passage through Yichun, and Li Shizhi's death by poison.
[10]Poetic reputationLi Shizhi was open and unrestrained, fond of drink, and skilled in poetry; he was counted with Li Bai and He Zhizhang among the Eight Immortals of the Wine Cup, and Du Fu mentioned him in the associated poem.
CBDBLi Shizhi (32128)The alternate-name field includes Yinzhong Baxian and the status field identifies him as a poet.
Souyun李適之 (17116)Two biographical texts describe his unrestrained temperament, fondness for drink, and poetic skill, and associate him with Li Bai, He Zhizhang, and Du Fu's poem.
[11]Surviving poemsTwo poems are preserved in the Complete Tang Poems, with one additional poem supplied by its supplement.
Souyun李適之 (17116)Two texts give two poems in the Complete Tang Poems and one additional poem in its supplement.
[12]AssociationsLi Shizhi was a friend of Li Qiwu and received poems and prose from Du Fu, Zhang Jian, and Lu Yu.
CBDBLi Shizhi (32128)The association entries list Li Qiwu as a friend and link Du Fu, Zhang Jian, and Lu Yu through received gifts of poetry and prose.
CBDB
