Li Chengqian, courtesy name Gaoming, formally Prince Min of Hengshan, was a crown prince of the Chinese Tang dynasty.
24 Facts About Li Chengqian
1.
2.
Li Chengqian was Emperor Taizong's oldest son and first crown prince, but was replaced later by his younger brother Li Zhi.
3.
Li Chengqian lost favor in Emperor Taizong's eyes to a younger brother, Li Tai the Prince of Wei.
4.
The plot was discovered, and he was deposed and reduced to commoner rank, but Emperor Taizong, believing that Li Tai to be responsible for Li Chengqian's downfall, appointed yet another son, Li Zhi, crown prince instead.
5.
Li Chengqian was posthumously granted an imperial prince title during the reign of his grandnephew, Emperor Xuanzong after his grandson Li Shizhi became chancellor.
6.
Li Chengqian was born in 619, not long after his grandfather Emperor Gaozu established Tang dynasty in 618.
7.
Li Chengqian was the first son of Emperor Gaozu's son Li Shimin the Prince of Qin and Li Shimin's wife Princess Zhangsun, and was named Chengqian because he was born at Chengqian Hall.
8.
The senior officials Li Gang and Xiao Yu were made his senior advisors, and whenever Li Chengqian were officially hearing governmental matters, he would be accompanied by Li Gang and the chancellor Fang Xuanling.
9.
In winter 632, after a feast Emperor Taizong held for Emperor Gaozu at Emperor Gaozu's Da'an Palace, Emperor Taizong wanted to hold up Emperor Gaozu's litter personally; Emperor Gaozu disallowed it, but had Li Chengqian take Emperor Taizong's place in doing so.
10.
Meanwhile, by 633, Li Chengqian was said to be beginning to favor frivolous games, and his staff members Yu Zhining, Du Zhenglun, and Kong Yingda often advised him to not do so.
11.
From this point on, whenever Emperor Taizong was away from the capital Chang'an, Li Chengqian would be in charge of the imperial government.
12.
Li Chengqian suggested to her that a general pardon be declared and that people be encouraged to become Buddhist or Taoist monks to try to gain divine favor.
13.
Li Chengqian then discussed the matter with Fang, who relayed his request to Emperor Taizong.
14.
Li Chengqian, meanwhile, was allowing his games to interfere with his studies, despite urgings of his advisor Zhang Xuansu.
15.
At one point, after Zhang expressed disapproval of his playing drums, Li Chengqian destroyed his drums, but was not otherwise listening to Zhang's advice.
16.
In 641, When Emperor Taizong visited the eastern capital Luoyang, Li Chengqian was in charge of Chang'an, assisted by the chancellor Gao Shilian.
17.
Around that time, Li Chengqian had gathered a group of guards who served as his personal assassins, and when he grew angry at the earnest urgings by Yu Zhining, he sent his assassins Zhang Shizheng and Gegan Chengji to kill Yu, although Zhang and Gegan, when they saw that Yu was observing a mourning period for his mother, relented and did not kill Yu.
18.
When Zhang advised against wastefulness, Li Chengqian became so displeased that he sent servants to attack Zhang with large whips, almost killing him.
19.
The rumors continued to persist even after Emperor Taizong publicly declared in spring 643 that even if Li Chengqian died, Li Chengqian's son Li Xiang would inherit the throne, not another prince.
20.
Meanwhile, several other acts of Li Chengqian were drawing Emperor Taizong's ire.
21.
Li Chengqian had a young musician as his catamite, whom he nicknamed Chengxin.
22.
Li Chengqian, believing that it was Li Tai who informed Emperor Taizong, became increasingly angry with Li Tai, and he, in sadness over Chengxin's death, refused to attend imperial gatherings for months, while establishing a shrine for Chengxin within his palace.
23.
Li Chengqian was becoming increasingly insecure, and he began to discuss within his own faction what to do.
24.
Around the new year 645, Li Chengqian died at Cheng Prefecture.