In the long history of China, there is such a legendary figure, he was born in a famous family, but he was sentenced to death row; He held a low-ranking official position for a long time, but eventually became a generation of military gods; He didn't like to talk much during his lifetime, but after his death, he left behind a book on the art of war that has been handed down to the world. His life is full of drama, from death row prisoner to military god, from low-key work to fame in history. How did he survive in a crisis-ridden environment, and how did he use his talents to make an immortal contribution to the country? What kind of inspiration did his way of life leave for future generations? Let's walk into the life of this legendary military god and uncover the secret of his success.
Li Jing, the word pharmacist, was born in the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, and his ancestral home was Chengji, Longxi. His family has been hairpins for generations, and it can be described as a famous family. His grandfather Li Chongyi served as the assassin of Fuzhou and Yinzhou during the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and his father Li Quan served as the Taishou of Zhao County in the Sui Dynasty. What's more worth mentioning is that Li Jing's uncle is the founding general of the Sui Dynasty, Han Baohu.
Growing up in such a family environment, Li Jing received a good education since he was a child. He is well-read, familiar with the art of war, and is both civil and military. However, despite his illustrious family background, Li Jing's career was not smooth. In the last years of the Sui Dynasty, he held a low-level official position such as Yuanwailang for a long time, and it was difficult for him to display his ambitions.
Despite this, many ministers in the DPRK and China praised Li Jing's talents. Niu Hong, the secretary of the ministry, once commented on Li Jing as "Wang Zuozhicai" and believed that he was the best candidate to assist the king. Such an evaluation is undoubtedly a great affirmation of Li Jing's talent, but in the turbulent political situation at that time, it failed to bring him substantial progress in his career.
At the end of the Sui Dynasty, Li Jing was appointed as the commander of the Mayi Prefecture, a position that made him a subordinate of Li Yuan. At first, Li Jing cooperated with Li Yuan to defend against the Turks and exterminate the thieves, doing his best. However, as time passed, Li Jing was keenly aware that Li Yuan might have a disobedient heart.
In order to be loyal to the Sui Dynasty, Li Jing decided to venture to Jiangdu and personally expose Li Yuan's conspiracy to Emperor Yang of Sui. In order to avoid the eyes and ears of others, he disguised himself as a prisoner, and asked people to put shackles on him and prepare to set off in secret. However, fate made people, and the road from Shanxi to Henan was blocked by the forces of the big and small rebels, and Li Jing had to change his route to Guanzhong.
When Li Jing arrived in Guanzhong, he found that the situation was completely out of control. The Guanzhong region was in chaos, and he simply could not reach Jiangdu safely. In desperation, Li Jing could only stay in Daxing (i.e., Chang'an) for the time being and wait and see how things developed.
Soon after, Li Yuan rebelled and quickly captured Chang'an. In the midst of this regime change, Li Jing was arrested for his previous actions and sentenced to death row. On the eve of the execution, Li Jing relied on his wit and courage to make a fate-changing decision.
He shouted at Li Yuan: "You raised an army to eliminate violence and peace, and now the world is undecided, why do you want to get rid of me, a useful person, because of personal grievances?" These words are neither humble nor arrogant, not only pointing out the personal grudge between him and Li Yuan, but also skillfully comparing himself with the world's elites, showing his value.
These few simple sentences not only show Li Jing's wisdom and courage, but also reflect his ability to remain calm at a critical moment. After hearing this, Li Yuan realized that Li Jing was indeed a usable talent, so he ordered him to be pardoned.
From this moment on, Li Jing's life trajectory took a huge turn. He gradually grew from a "sinner" sentenced to death row to a military commander of the Tang Dynasty. However, the road has not been easy. Although Li Yuan pardoned Li Jing, he still had a mustard in his heart. Therefore, in the following period, Li Jing was sent to serve in remote areas, and he rarely had the opportunity to serve as a chief officer.
Despite this, Li Jing was not discouraged by this. He has always maintained a low-key and cautious attitude, quietly accumulating experience and improving his abilities. In the process, he gradually showed extraordinary military talent, laying the foundation for a generation of military gods in the future.
Li Jing's early experience fully shows that even if he comes from a prominent background, he does not guarantee a smooth sailing life. True success requires individual talent, wisdom, and decisive decision-making at critical moments. It was with these qualities that Li Jing changed his fate at a critical time of life and death, opening a legendary chapter in his life.
Li Jing's counterattack from a death row prisoner to a military god can be described as ups and downs and full of legends. During Li Yuan's time, despite being pardoned, Li Jing still faced many challenges. Li Yuan had a grudge against him, and arranged for him to serve in remote areas for a long time, and most of them were deputies. However, Li Jing was not discouraged by this, but showed his talents at every opportunity.
During Li Yuan's reign, Li Jing was first reused in the campaign against Xiao Miao. As a descendant of the Southern Liang royal family, Xiao Mo controlled a large area of land in the Yangtze River basin by virtue of his naval superiority. Li Yuan sent Li Jing to conquer, but only gave him a few cavalry forces. In the face of such a difficult situation, Li Jing did not flinch. As soon as he arrived at the front, he began to survey the terrain, understand the enemy's situation, and fully prepare for the next battle.
However, Li Yuan misunderstood Li Jing's caution and thought that he was cowardly, and even secretly instructed Xu Shao, the assassin of Xiazhou, to get rid of Li Jing. Fortunately, Xu Shao saw through Li Yuan's intentions, not only did not harm Li Jing, but fully supported him. Under these circumstances, Li Jing, with his excellent strategic vision and command skills, skillfully took advantage of the terrain, and adopted the strategy of attacking the east and the west, and finally succeeded in defeating Xiao Miao's naval army, making a significant contribution to the unification of the south by the Tang Dynasty.
The victory in this battle gave Li Jing's talent a preliminary recognition, but his career was still bumpy. It was not until Li Shimin ascended the throne that Li Jing's fate really ushered in a turnaround. Li Shimin knew people well and knew Li Jing's talents, and gradually reused him and let him hold important positions.
During the period of Li Shimin, Li Jing's most brilliant achievement was the pacification of the Eastern Turks. At that time, the Eastern Turk Khan Jieli frequently harassed the border and threatened the security of the Tang Dynasty. Li Shimin decided to send Li Jing to lead the army to the Northern Expedition. Li Jing knew that the Turkic cavalry was highly mobile and difficult to confront head-on, so he formulated a strategy of "waiting for work at ease". He ordered his army to build fortifications in the fortresses, while sending small forces to constantly harass the Turks, depleting them of food and morale.
The results of this strategy have been significant. After months of attrition, the Turkic army was exhausted and demoralized. Li Jing seized the opportunity and led his army to launch a general attack, defeating the main force of the Eastern Turks in one fell swoop. Jieli Khan was captured, and the Eastern Turks submitted to the Tang Dynasty, and this battle completely lifted the threat from the north of the Tang Dynasty and established Li Jing's status as a military god.
However, even after his success, Li Jing still faced many challenges. Some people, jealous of his talent and status, repeatedly slandered Li Shimin and framed Li Jing for being disobedient. In the face of these false accusations, Li Jing chose to respond in silence. He did not rush to defend himself, but proved his loyalty with practical actions.
Li Jing's silence is not cowardice, but a manifestation of wisdom. He knew that too much justification in the court might lead to more suspicion. Instead, he chose to silently continue to serve his country, using his exploits to respond to the false accusations.
This way of doing things eventually won Li Shimin's trust. In the battle to pacify Tuyuhun, Li Shimin once again entrusted him with the important task of making Li Jing the commander. Li Jing lived up to the trust, adopted flexible and mobile tactics, and successfully defeated the Tuyuhun army, which was good at guerrilla warfare, and further expanded the territory of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Jing's military prowess was not only reflected on the battlefield, but also in his contribution to the military system of the Tang Dynasty. He participated in the formulation of the government military system, which greatly enhanced the military strength of the Tang Dynasty and laid the foundation for the Tang Dynasty's strength.
From being sentenced to death row to becoming a generation of military gods, Li Jing's counterattack road is full of hardships and challenges. With his talent and wisdom, he was able to save the day in every crisis, and eventually won the trust and reuse of the monarch. Li Jing's experience tells us that even in adversity, as long as we stick to our talents and beliefs, we will one day turn things around.
Li Jing's military talent can be called a masterpiece, and each of his battles shows extraordinary strategic vision and tactical application. From the battle of destroying Xiao Mill to pacifying the Turks, and then to attacking Tuyuhun, Li Jing's military talent was fully reflected in these battles.
In the battle to destroy Xiao Mill, Li Jing faced a powerful naval army. Xiao Milling relied on the natural danger of the Yangtze River to establish a difficult defense line. Li Jing knew that a frontal assault would inevitably result in heavy losses, so he skillfully used the strategy of attacking the east and attacking the west. He first sent a small force to create momentum on the river to attract the attention of Xiao Miao's army. At the same time, Li Jing led the main force to quietly cross the Yangtze River and launch a surprise attack from the flank. This strategy caught Xiao by surprise and eventually led to the collapse of his naval army.
Li Jing showed not only superb tactical use in this battle, but also clever use of terrain. He made full use of the topographical characteristics along the Yangtze River and found the weak link in the Xiao Milling defense line, so as to win more with less and achieve a decisive victory. This battle laid the foundation for Li Jing's military talent, and also laid the groundwork for his brilliant achievements in the future.
In the campaign to pacify the Turks, Li Jing faced a nomadic cavalry known for its mobility. The Turkic cavalry was good at rapid raids and guerrilla warfare, which posed a great challenge to the defense of the Don army. Faced with this situation, Li Jing put forward the strategy of "waiting for work with leisure". He ordered his army to build strong fortifications in the fortress, while at the same time sending small forces to constantly harass the Turks, depleting their food and morale.
The subtlety of this strategy is that it completely turns the tide of the battlefield. Originally, it was the Turkic cavalry that harassed the Tang army, but now it has become the Tang army's initiative to consume the Turks. The Turkic cavalry's rapid assault was ineffective in the face of strong fortifications, and the prolonged war of attrition made their supply lines extremely vulnerable.
After months of attrition, the Turkic army was exhausted and demoralized. Li Jing seized the opportunity and led his army to launch a general attack, defeating the main force of the Eastern Turks in one fell swoop. This battle not only demonstrated Li Jing's superb strategic vision, but also showed his accurate grasp and flexible use of the advantages and disadvantages of both the enemy and us.
In the battle against Tuyuhun, Li Jing once again showed his military talent. Tuyuhun was a tribe that excelled in guerrilla warfare, and they were familiar with the local terrain and often adopted hit-and-run tactics, which brought great difficulties to the Tang army's offensive.
Faced with this situation, Li Jing adopted the strategy of "dividing and attacking together." He divided his army into small units, each with elite cavalry. These small units operate in scattered but maintain close contact. When the Tuyuhun army was discovered, it immediately notified the other troops to outflank it. This tactic greatly limited Tuyuhun's mobility, making it impossible for them to escape as easily as they had in the past.
At the same time, Li Jing also skillfully used the terrain. He sent people to carefully survey the local terrain and find out the possible retreat and hiding place of Tuyuhun. Then, he set up ambushes in these places and waited for Tuyuhun to throw himself into the net. This all-round layout eventually led to Tuyuhun having nowhere to escape and was forced to accept the rule of the Tang Dynasty.
In addition to his outstanding performance on the battlefield, Li Jing's contribution to the military system of the Tang Dynasty cannot be ignored. The military system he participated in formulating was an important pillar of the Tang Dynasty's military power. The core idea of the government military system is to "engage in agriculture in peacetime and serve in the army in wartime," which not only ensures the combat effectiveness of the army, but also greatly reduces the financial burden of the state.
Under the prefectural military system, soldiers are engaged in agricultural production in their own prefectures and counties, and only need to undergo regular military training. In the event of war, these soldiers quickly assembled into an army. This system not only ensures the quantity and quality of the army, but also does not deplete the national strength by raising troops.
When Li Jing formulated the military system, he fully took into account the national conditions and military needs of the Tang Dynasty. He developed different conscription and training programs according to the characteristics of different regions. For example, in the frontier regions, he increased the proportion of cavalry; In the interior, more attention was paid to the training of infantry. This practice of adapting measures to local conditions has enabled the government military system to play its role to the fullest.
Li Jing's military talents and achievements are not only reflected in every campaign he commanded, but also in his far-reaching influence on the military system of the Tang Dynasty. His strategic thinking and military reforms laid a solid foundation for the strength and prosperity of the Tang Dynasty and left a valuable legacy for China's military history.
Li Jing's way of dealing with the world can be called a living guide to officialdom survival. His performance in the court not only showed his talent as a military strategist, but also reflected his wisdom as a politician.
Li Jing's way of dealing with the world is first reflected in his attitude towards power. In the court of Li Shimin, Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, although Li Jing was in a high position, he was never arrogant or greedy for power. Once, Li Shimin asked Li Jing if he was willing to serve as prime minister, but Li Jing politely declined, saying that he only understood military affairs and did not understand government affairs. This humble attitude not only won Li Shimin's appreciation, but also avoided the jealousy of other ministers because of his high position.
Li Jing's attitude is not hypocritical, but stems from his sober understanding of his own abilities. He was well aware of his military talents, but he also knew that he might not be as good as other ministers in dealing with the affairs of the court. This self-knowledge enabled him to maintain a proper position in the court, neither being suspicious because of his high merits, nor falling into the political whirlpool because of his greed for power.
In the face of slander and frame-up, Li Jing showed superb coping skills. Once, someone slandered Li Shimin, saying that Li Jing had a heart of disobedience. Faced with this situation, Li Jing did not rush to defend himself, but chose to remain silent. In his view, too much justification could lead to more suspicion. On the contrary, he proved his loyalty with practical actions, continued to serve the country, and finally won the trust of Li Shimin.
This way of dealing with it reflects Li Jing's wisdom. In a complex court environment, sometimes silence is more powerful than justification. Li Jing understood that in front of the emperor, too much explanation could backfire. He chose to prove himself with actions, which not only effectively defused the crisis, but also further strengthened Li Shimin's trust in him.
Li Jing's way of dealing with the world is also reflected in his attitude towards his subordinates. When commanding the army, Li Jing was good at employing people and was able to give full play to everyone's talents. He is not bound by rank and seniority, but arranges tasks according to actual ability. This method of employing people has not only improved the combat effectiveness of the army, but also won the support of the soldiers.
Once, while fighting against the Turks, Li Jing found that an ordinary soldier was very familiar with the local terrain. He immediately appointed the soldier as a guide and, on the basis of his recommendations, drew up a battle plan. This decision ultimately helped the Don army to victory. Li Jing's eclectic way of employing people reflects his open-mindedness and pragmatism.
In terms of his attitude towards credit, Li Jing also showed rare generosity. He often gives credit to his subordinates and takes the blame for himself. This behavior not only stimulated the enthusiasm of his subordinates, but also demonstrated Li Jing's leadership skills. Once, in a battle, one of Li Jing's suggestions helped the Tang army to victory. But when reporting to Li Shimin, Li Jing said that it was the credit of the front-line generals. This generous attitude made Li Jing's prestige in the army grow.
Li Jing's way of dealing with the world is also reflected in his attitude towards his family. Despite his high position, Li Jing has always maintained a simple style of life. He often taught his children to be thrifty and not to bully. Once, Li Jing's son was severely punished by Li Jing for bullying others by relying on his father's power. This attitude of being strict with oneself and being lenient with others has won the respect of the people.
In his later years, Li Jing showed a rare indifference. He took the initiative to ask for retirement and retire to the countryside. After his retirement, Li Jing still cared about state affairs, but never interfered in government affairs. He compiled his military experience into a book, leaving a valuable legacy for future generations. This attitude of indifference to fame and fortune fully embodies Li Jing's noble character.
Li Jing's way of dealing with the world not only helped him survive in the complex court environment, but also made him a generation of famous ministers. His humility, wisdom, generosity and indifference constitute a complete map of the way of life, leaving a valuable inspiration for future generations.
Li Jing's position in Chinese history is like a towering monument, standing on the military stage of the Tang Dynasty. His influence was not limited to his time, but has continued to this day, and has become an important reference for later generations to study military strategy and political wisdom.
In the military aspect, Li Jing's contribution can be said to be indispensable. His outstanding performance in many major battles made great contributions to the unification and territorial expansion of the Tang Dynasty. Especially in the campaign to pacify the Eastern Turks, Li Jing showed superb strategic vision and tactical application, which can be called a classic.
The success of this battle not only consolidated the security of the Tang Dynasty's northern frontier, but also established the Tang Dynasty's hegemony in Central Asia. The strategy of "waiting for work with leisure" adopted by Li Jing has become an important case studied by later generations of military strategists. The essence of this strategy lies in making full use of the advantages and disadvantages of both the enemy and us, using static braking, and finally achieving the effect of defeating the strong with the weak.
Li Jing's performance in this battle not only won the praise of the imperial court at that time, but also was regarded as a model by later generations of military strategists. Zeng Gongliang, a famous military strategist of the Song Dynasty, quoted Li Jing's battle examples many times in the "General Essentials of the Book of Martial Arts", and ranked him alongside ancient famous generals such as Sun Wu and Wu Qi. This fully illustrates Li Jing's important position in China's military history.
In addition to his military contributions, Li Jing's political influence was equally far-reaching. His way of dealing with the world in the court became an example for later generations of officials to follow. Li Jing's humility, wisdom, and integrity won him not only the trust of the emperor, but also the respect of his colleagues.
Once, Li Shimin asked Li Jing about his views on the government. Li Jing did not answer directly, but used the past as a metaphor for the present to tell the story of Yan Ying's assistance to Qi in the Spring and Autumn Period. Through this story, he expressed his views euphemistically, without appearing conceited or losing the original meaning of the admonition. This way of expressing one's own views without arousing the disgust of others has become a model for later generations of officials to admonish.
Li Jing's way of dealing with the world has had a far-reaching impact on the political arena of later generations. When faced with a complicated situation in the court, many officials will think of Li Jing's approach and adjust their behavior in this way. This influence made Li Jing not only a military strategist, but also a symbol of political wisdom.
In terms of culture, Li Jing also left a valuable legacy. In his later years, he wrote "Li Jing's Art of War", which became a classic in Chinese military writings. This work not only sums up Li Jing's military experience in his life, but also integrates the essence of ancient Chinese military thought.
The idea of "knowing oneself and knowing one's opponent and not being defeated in a hundred battles" put forward in "Li Jing's Art of War" coincides with Sun Tzu's Art of War. Li Jing stressed: Only by fully understanding the situation on both sides can we formulate a correct strategy. This kind of thinking is not only applicable to the military, but also has important guiding significance in the political, economic, and other fields.
Li Jing's work has become an important textbook for military education in the Tang Dynasty. According to historical records, during the reign of Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, the imperial court specially set up "military science", which included the study of "Li Jing's Art of War". This shows that Li Jing's military thinking was widely recognized and popularized at that time.
Li Jing's influence even transcended China's borders. In Japan, Li Jing was revered as the "Saint of Soldiers", alongside Sun Wu. Ancient Japanese military strategists often quoted Li Jing's remarks to prove their views. This influence has continued into modern times, and the famous Japanese military strategist Aritomo Yamaprefecture has repeatedly mentioned Li Jing's military thought in his writings.
In the folk, Li Jing's image has also been given a deification color. In Taoist legend, Li Jing was portrayed as the image of Tota Li Tianwang and became one of the guardian saints. Although the shaping of this image is mythical, it also reflects Li Jing's lofty status among the people from the side.
Li Jing's historical status and influence are not only reflected in his military talents and political wisdom, but also in his far-reaching influence on later generations. His military thoughts, way of life, and personality charm constitute a complete historical image, which has become the object of study and emulation by future generations. From the Tang Dynasty to the present, Li Jing's influence has never diminished, and his wisdom and talent are still inspiring future generations.