Li Congke

Li Congke

Li Congke (simplified Chinese: 李从珂; traditional Chinese: 李從珂; pinyin: Lǐ Cóngkē) (11 February 885 – 11 January 937), also known posthumously as Emperor Mo of Later Tang (後唐末帝, "last emperor of Later Tang"), Emperor Fei of Later Tang (後唐廢帝, "deposed emperor of Later Tang"), Wang Congke (王從珂) (particularly during succeeding Later Jin Dynasty, which did not recognize him as a legitimate Later Tang emperor), or Prince of Lu (潞王, a title Li Congke carried prior to his reign), nickname Ershisan (二十三, "23"), was the last emperor of the Later Tang Dynasty - the second of the Five Dynasties following the fall of the Tang Dynasty. He was an adoptive son of Li Siyuan (Emperor Mingzong) and took the throne after overthrowing Emperor Mingzong's biological son Emperor Min of Later Tang (Li Conghou). He was later himself overthrown by his brother-in-law Shi Jingtang, who was supported by Khitan troops (and whose Later Jin Dynasty succeeded his). When the combined Later Jin and Khitan forces defeated Later Tang forces, Li Congke and his family members, as well as the guards most loyal to him, ascended a tower and set it on fire, dying in the fire.

In fiction

Li Congke's background was the basis of a 14th-century zaju by the Yuan Dynasty playwright Guan Hanqing titled "Madame Liu Hosts the Celebration Feast for the Five Marquesses" (劉夫人慶賞五侯宴).

Personal information

• Father
  • Wang (王), personal name unknown
• Mother
  • Lady Wei, posthumously honored the Lady of Lu, later further honored Empress Xuanxian (honored 935)
• Adoptive Father
  • Li Siyuan
• Wife
  • Empress Liu, initially the Lady of Pei, later empress (created 934, committed suicide 937)
• Children
  • Li Chongji (李重吉) (killed by Emperor Min of Later Tang 934)
  • Li Chongmei (李重美), the Prince of Yong (created 936, committed suicide 937)
  • Li Huiming (李惠明), Buddhist nun with the dharma name Youcheng (幼澄) (killed by Emperor Min of Later Tang 934)
  • A daughter, still young when Li Congke died