Li Yiji was a Chinese scholar who served as an adviser to Liu Bang, the founding emperor of the Han dynasty.
17 Facts About Li Yiji
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2.
Li Yiji was initially successful, but was boiled alive by Tian Guang after the latter thought he had tricked him to buy time for Liu Bang's general Han Xin to attack Qi.
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Li Yiji was from Gaoyang County in Chenliu Commandery, which is around present-day Qi County, Kaifeng, Henan.
4.
Li Yiji felt that the leaders of these rebel groups were rather selfish, petty and opinionated.
5.
Li Yiji is someone I would like to follow, but I haven't found anyone to introduce me to him.
6.
Liu Bang later came to Gaoyang and summoned Li Yiji to meet him at the local guesthouse.
7.
Liu Bang immediately stopped washing his feet, tidied his clothes, and invited Li Yiji to take a seat before apologising for his rude behaviour.
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Li Yiji continued serving as an adviser under Liu Bang during this time.
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Li Yiji wanted to gather the scattered forces, and make the descendants of the various kingdoms' royal families the rulers of their respective kingdoms.
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Li Yiji doesn't remember people for their contributions, and holds grudges against those who had wronged him.
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Meanwhile, Liu Bang's general Han Xin, who had been leading the invasion of Qi, was stunned to hear that Li Yiji had managed to get the Qi Kingdom, which had over 70 cities, to surrender just by using his oratorical skills.
12.
When Tian Guang heard about Han Xin's attack, he thought that Li Yiji had tricked him to buy time for Han Xin to attack Qi.
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Tian Guang then had Li Yiji boiled alive before he led his forces to retreat east.
14.
Li Yiji died of illness before his execution and the marquisate was disbanded.
15.
The Chinese phrase "drinker from Gaoyang", which originated from an anecdote about Li Yiji, is used to describe someone who indulges heavily in alcohol and behaves in a wanton and unrestrained manner.
16.
The anecdote says that when Li Yiji first came to meet Liu Bang, the latter refused to see him upon learning that he was a scholar, so Li Yiji told the sentry to introduce him as a "drinker from Gaoyang".
17.
When Liu Bang heard that, he invited Li Yiji to come in immediately.