[1]Identity, dates, names, and originLi Xian is identified as a Ming political figure born in 1408 and generally dying in 1466, with 1467 also supplied as a death year. The same evidence gives his courtesy, studio, lineage-order, and posthumous names and places him in Changlelin, Dengzhou, Henan.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The biographical fields give his name, 1408 birth, 1466 death, Ming affiliation, lineage-order name, courtesy name, posthumous name, studio name, and Dengzhou origin.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The profile and biographical passages identify him as a Ming man of Dengzhou, give the courtesy name Yuande and the years 1408–1466, and locate his home at Changlelin and its modern counterpart.
WikidataLi Xian (Q11098044)The entity is described as a Ming dynasty politician, gives 1408 as the birth year and both 1466 and 1467 as death-year values, and lists the romanized forms of his studio, posthumous, and courtesy names.
[2]Examinations and first appointmentLi Xian began as a licentiate, has two recorded provincial-examination rankings—first-place jieyuan and “50”—and passed the jinshi examination in the second class, twenty-first place. He was appointed to the Office of Verification, investigated the Hejin locust plague, and declined Yang Shiqi’s proposed meeting.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The examination entries list licentiate, provincial graduate, and jinshi statuses, give the jinshi ranking as second class, twenty-first place, and separately give the provincial ranking as “50”; the office entry names the Office of Verification appointment.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The biographical passages date the Henan examination to 1432 and the jinshi degree to 1433, name him first-ranked jieyuan, describe the Hejin locust investigation, and recount his refusal to meet Yang Shiqi.
[3]Zhengtong offices and the northern expeditionDuring Zhengtong, Li Xian held the offices of Evaluation and Selection in the Ministry of Personnel, proposed changes to frontier stipends and the term of court edicts, and returned after the Tumu disaster.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The office entries give the Evaluation and Selection posts and their Zhengtong-era spans.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The biography recounts his two proposals, service on Yingzong’s northern expedition, and return after the Tumu disaster.
[4]Jingtai offices and frontier policyIn Jingtai’s second year Li Xian entered the Hanlin Academy after a memorial on diligence, held successive military, revenue, and personnel posts, criticized the frontier policy toward Esen, and presented the Jian’gu lu.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The office values list the Right and Left Vice Ministers of War, Right Vice Minister of Revenue, and Right and Left Vice Ministers of Personnel from 1451 onward; the title list includes 《鑑古錄》.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The biographies describe his entry into the Hanlin Academy, the transitions through War, Revenue, and Personnel, the argument over Esen’s horse tribute, the state of the frontier defenses, Yu Qian’s request, and the presentation of 《鑑古錄》.
[5]Restoration, cabinet service, and imprisonmentAfter Yingzong’s restoration Li Xian entered the Wenyuan Pavilion, participated in state affairs, became Minister of Personnel, advocated adequate relief during the Shandong famine, and was imprisoned and then demoted amid the power struggle among Shi Heng, Cao Jixiang, and Xu Youzhen.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The office values identify the Fujian provincial administration post, Minister of Personnel, Hanlin Academician, and Grand Secretary of the Huagai Hall.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The biographies jointly describe the restoration, entry into the Wenyuan Pavilion, participation in state affairs, promotion, Shandong relief debate, imprisonment, release, and Fujian demotion.
[6]Return to office and restraint of powerful menWang Ao’s recommendation kept Li Xian in office and led to his restoration as Minister of Personnel; he then limited his cabinet appearances, opposed a war to recover Bolai’s seal, and advised Yingzong on restraining Shi Heng and Cao Jixiang.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The relationship values identify Wang Ao as a person who valued Li Xian, while the office values give the Left Vice Minister and Minister of Personnel posts.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The biographies recount Wang Ao’s recommendation, Li Xian’s restoration, his restricted cabinet attendance, his opposition to a campaign for Bolai’s seal, and his advice on controlling Shi Heng and Cao Jixiang.
[7]Cao Qin’s rebellion and the heir’s guardianshipDuring Cao Qin’s rebellion Li Xian was nearly killed, was rescued by Wang Ao, secretly urged suppression of the rebels, and received a title recorded both as Taizi Taibao and Taizi Shaobao.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The office values include Shaobao and the repeated Taizi Shaobao title, documenting the alternative heir-guardian designation.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The biographies describe the attack on Li Xian, Wang Ao’s rescue, his secret memorial, the grant of Taizi Taibao, and his proposals to suspend non-urgent business and seek remonstrance.
[8]The terminology of the restoration and confiscated titlesLi Xian distinguished “Welcoming the Carriage” from “Seizure of the Gate,” leading to a ban on the latter term and action against people who claimed merit; he later advised removing the hereditary titles of Zhang Jin and Yang Zong.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The biography records Li Xian’s distinction between the two terms, the order to remove the former from memorials, the proposed stripping of more than four thousand honors, and the later removal of the two hereditary titles.
[9]The Men Da accusationMen Da accused Li Xian of accepting gold to obtain an office, coached Yang Xun to implicate him, and was exposed at the hearing; the subsequent sentences and imperial commutations are also described.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The biography gives the accusation against Li Xian, the coercion and hearing involving Yang Xun, and the later sentences, redemption, transfer, and imprisonment.
[10]Tianshun remonstrance and first assistantshipIn Tianshun’s seventh year Li Xian repeatedly urged a series of reforms and insisted that ministers should speak openly; he remained First Assistant in the Grand Secretariat with Lü Yuan and Peng Shi assisting him.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The office entries list the宰相 posts from Tianshun into Chenghua and their recorded span, corresponding to his prolonged service in the central government.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The biography lists the Tianshun seventh-year petitions, the four repeated remonstrances, his statement on a minister’s duty to speak, and Lü Yuan and Peng Shi as assistants.
[11]Chenghua promotion and personnel policyAfter the Chenghua Emperor’s accession Li Xian became Shaobao and Grand Secretary of the Huagai Hall, made the advancement of worthy people a priority, and received the posthumous name Wenda and the grant of Grand Preceptor, along with other honors.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The office and name values give Shaobao, Grand Preceptor, Guanglu Dafu, Zuozhuguo, Grand Secretary of the Huagai Hall, and the posthumous name Wenda.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The biographies describe the Chenghua promotion, his concern for talent and advancement of notable officials, his First Assistant position, posthumous name, and grant of Grand Preceptor.
[12]Compilation and bibliographyLi Xian compiled the Da Ming Yitong zhi by imperial command and presented the Jian’gu lu; the associated titles include his collected writings, poems, classical studies, and the variant titles Tianshun mulu and Tianshun rilu.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The bibliography lists 《古穰集》, 《古穰正集》 in thirty juan, 《古穰續集》 in twenty juan, 《古穰雜錄》, 《和杜詩》 in one juan, 《和陶詩》 in two juan, 《天順目錄》 in three juan, 《明一統志》 in ninety juan, 《讀易記》, 《讀詩記》, 《鑑古錄》, and 《體驗錄》.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The biographies explicitly state that he compiled the Da Ming Yitong zhi, presented the Jian’gu lu, possessed the Gurang ji, and is also associated with the title Tianshun rilu.
[13]Poetry and the peony gatheringLi Xian was praised for the Jiahe poem early in his career and later hosted the Hanlin and cabinet peony gathering, wrote ten poems, and prefaced its anthology.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The office entries identify Li Xian’s appointments as a Hanlin academician.
Souyun李賢 (50242)The literary passage records Guo Lian’s assessment of the Jiahe poem, the simultaneous Hanlin appointments, the eight peony blossoms, the feast, ten poems, and Li Xian’s preface to the anthology.
[14]Inscriptions and occasional proseThe association entries show that Li Xian wrote epitaphs, spiritway inscriptions, tomb tables, biographies, formal life accounts, funerary essays, and colophons, and exchanged poetry and prose with others.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The association values list epitaphs, colophons, biographies, funerary essays, spiritway inscriptions, tomb tables, formal life accounts, and poetry-and-prose exchanges.
[15]Family and marriageThe kinship entries name Li Xian’s ancestors, parents, brothers, wife, children, and son-in-law. They identify Cheng Minzheng as the elder daughter’s husband and give his years as 1445–1499; the other daughter married Kong Hongxu.
CBDBLi Xian (29603)The kinship values name the great-grandfather Li Yiqing, grandfather Li Wei, father Li Sheng, mother Lady Ye, brothers Li Qian and Li Rang, wife Lady Zhang, son-in-law Cheng Minzheng, two sons, and two daughters, and give Cheng Minzheng’s years as 1445–1499.
CBDB
Souyun李賢 (50242)The profile and biographical passages identify him as a Ming man of Dengzhou, give the courtesy name Yuande and the years 1408–1466, and locate his home at Changlelin and its modern counterpart.
WikidataLi Xian (Q11098044)The entity is described as a Ming dynasty politician, gives 1408 as the birth year and both 1466 and 1467 as death-year values, and lists the romanized forms of his studio, posthumous, and courtesy names.