Li Rong (prince)

Li Rong (李溶) (812-February 12, 840), formally the Prince of An (安王), was an imperial prince of the Chinese Tang dynasty, being a son of Emperor Muzong.

Li Rong was born on 812 or 813. He was the eighth son of Emperor Muzong, while his mother was an imperial consort surnamed Yang that outlived his father. In 821, when Emperor Muzong created his sons, as well as a number of younger brothers who had not been created titles, imperial princes, Li Rong was created the Prince of An. In 834, by which time another older brother, Emperor Wenzong was emperor, Li Rong was given the honorific title Kaifu Yitong Sansi (開府儀同三司). Early in Emperor Wenzong's Kaicheng era (836-840), Emperor Wenzong ordered that monthly stipends be given to both Li Rong and Li Chan (who was then the Prince of Ying), and it was said that Emperor Wenzong often treated both him and Li Chan well and more special than other imperial princes.

In 838, Emperor Wenzong's only son and crown prince Li Yong died — probably murdered by household servants. After Li Yong's death, in 839, Emperor Wenzong's concubine Consort Yang recommended Li Rong as crown prince. (Li Chan, after he became emperor (as Emperor Wuzong), would state that it was his belief that Li Rong flattered Consort Yang, and that Li Rong's candidacy was supported by the chancellor Yang Sifu (who might have been Consort Yang's nephew) and the eunuch Liu Hongyi (劉弘逸), with Yang Sifu's having an eye toward having Consort Yang becoming empress dowager and regent. It is not known whether Li Chan's beliefs were correct.) When Emperor Wenzong consulted the chancellors, however, Li Jue opposed Li Rong's candidacy. Emperor Wenzong thereafter created his older brother Emperor Jingzong's youngest son Li Chengmei the Prince of Chen crown prince.

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