Li Zitong

Li Zitong (died 622 CE) was an agrarian leader who claimed the title of emperor in the aftermaths of the death of Emperor Yang of Sui at the hands of the general Yuwen Huaji in 618. After Yuwen vacated the city of Jiangdu (江都, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu), the region was in a state of confusion and, in 619, Li captured Jiangdu and declared a new state of Wu. In 620, he was defeated by the Tang Dynasty general Li Fuwei and he headed south, defeating another rebel leader, Shen Faxing King of Liang and seizing Shen's territory (roughly, modern Zhejiang). In 621, however, Li Fuwei attacked him again and forced his surrender. He was taken to the Tang capital at Chang'an but was spared by Emperor Gaozu. In 622, believing that he could try to re-establish his state, he fled from Chang'an. He was captured and executed.

Li Zitong was from Donghai Commandery (東海, roughly modern Lianyungang, Jiangsu). He was said to be poor in his youth and supported himself by fishing and hunting. While living in the country, whenever he saw youngster bearing heavy burdens, he would bear the burdens for them. He said also said to be generous with the little he had, but vindictive, repaying every single slight. In or sometime before 615, with agrarian rebels rising against Sui Dynasty rule, Li joined the rebel leader Zuo Caixiang (左才相), then at Changbai Mountain (長白山, in modern Binzhou, Shandong). At that time, the agrarian rebel leaders tended to be cruel, but Li was considered kind and tolerant, and therefore many people joined him. Within half a year, he gathered 10,000 men. Zuo began to be jealous and suspicious of him, and Li took his men and left in 615, heading south and crossing the Huai River to join another rebel leader, Du Fuwei. Soon thereafter, for reasons unknown, Li wanted to kill Du and set an ambush for him, but while Du was wounded, he was not killed. Li was then defeated by the Sui general Lai Zheng (來整) and fled to Hailing (海陵, in modern Taizhou, Jiangsu), gathering 20,000 men and claiming the title of general.

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