The Li Clan#

Surname: Li, pronounced as "lǐ"

Distribution of the Li Clan#

• Longxi Commandery: Established during the Warring States period. This branch of the Li clan traces its origins to Li Chong, the eldest son of Li Tan, who served as the Minister of Works under the Qin dynasty.
• Zhao Commandery: Established during the Han dynasty. This branch originates from Li Mu, the second son of Li Ji, who held the position of Grand Tutor under the Qin dynasty.
• Dunqiu Commandery: Established during the Western Jin dynasty. This branch is a subdivision of the Longxi Li clan, with its founder being Li Zhong, a descendant of the famous Han general Li Guang.
• Zhongshan Commandery: Established by Emperor Gao of Han. This branch of the Li clan is a descendant of Li Ji and is considered a branch of the Zhao Commandery Li clan.
• Guanghan Commandery: Established during the Han dynasty. This branch is also a descendant of Li Guang.
• Bohai Commandery: Established during the Western Han dynasty from areas of Julu and Shanggu. Its administrative center was Fuyang (now east of Cangzhou, Hebei Province), and its jurisdiction covered the Bohai Sea region between Hebei and Liaoning provinces.
• Xiangcheng Commandery: During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, several counties were established within its territory, including Zhongli, Xiangcheng, Chenyang, and Shimaka, which were part of the Nanxiangzhou, Xi Huaian, and Xiangcheng commanderies. The town of Chengguan was the administrative center of Xiangcheng County at that time and later served as such for both commanderies and counties.
• Jiangxia Commandery: Established by Emperor Gao of Han, with its administrative center in Anlu, Hubei Province. Its jurisdiction included Anlu, Yunmeng, Yingcheng, Xiaogan, Hanchuan, and parts of Hanyang and Huangpi provinces, covering the Xiaogan area, as well as parts of Guangshan and Xin counties in Henan Province.
• Zitong Commandery: Established by Liu Bei during the late Han dynasty from parts of Guanghan Commandery, with its administrative center in Zitong (now Zitong, Sichuan Province).
• Fanyang Commandery: Established during the Qin dynasty, with its jurisdiction in present-day Dingxing County, Hebei Province.
• Liang Commandery: Originally part of the Liang kingdom, it was established in the fifth year of Emperor Gao of Han (202 BCE) and was previously known as Dang Commandery. Its administrative center was Huaiyang (now Shangqiu, Henan Province), governing eight counties that included present-day Shangqiu, Yucheng, Minquan in Henan, and parts of Dangshan and Caoxian in Anhui.
• Nanyang Commandery: The region was known as Nanyang during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

Origins of the Li Clan#

The origin of the "Li" surname can be traced to several sources:

1. According to the "Tang Shu: Zai Xiang Shi Xi Bei," the surname derived from the "Ying" clan. After Gao Tao, members of this clan served as judicial officials (da li). Laozi, the founder of Daoism, adopted the surname "Li" because his ancestors held such positions.
2. According to the "Bei Shi," the Zhao Commandery Li clan descended from General Wu An Jun of the Zhao state.
3. According to the "Wei Shu," a Xianbei tribe in the Later Wei dynasty adopted the compound surname "Chi Li," which was later simplified to the single character "Li."
4. The imperial Li clan of the Tang dynasty adopted the surname "Li," which became the official family name of the dynasty.

Founding Fathers of the Li Clan#

• Li Lizhen (1069–992 BCE): Originally named Li Lizhen, he was an ancestor of Laozi and the founder of the Li clan. He served as a judicial official during the Yin dynasty and faced death for opposing the tyrannical King Zhou of Shang. His wife, Qi He, fled with their son Lizhen to survive by eating fruits from trees. They later changed their surname to Li Lizhen and settled in Longxi, where the Li clan flourished for generations.

Migration and Distribution#

The Li clan has lived in eastern Henan since the end of the Shang dynasty. During the Western Han dynasty, a branch moved to present-day Shandong. Starting from the Eastern Han dynasty, some members migrated to the southwest, settling in Sichuan and Yunnan, and some integrated into ethnic groups such as the Bai, Miao, Zhuang, Yi, Manchu, Hui, Tujia, and Naxi. During the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Li clan became one of the most prominent in China, along with the Cui, Lu, Zheng, and other clans. The Tang dynasty was a golden age for the Li clan, which became the official family name. There were three major migrations of the Li clan to the south: in the early Tang dynasty, some moved to Fujian; during the An Lushan Rebellion, many moved to the south; and during the Five Dynasties, some settled in Fujian and Putian.

Famous Members of the Li Clan#

• Laozi (Li Er): A philosopher and founder of Daoism, known for his work "Tao Te Ching."
• Li Bing: A water engineer during the Warring States period who built the Dujiangyan irrigation system, a famous hydraulic project.
• Li Si: A statesman and calligrapher of the Qin dynasty.
• Li Guang: A famous general of the Western Han dynasty who fought against the Xiongnu.
• Li Gu: A minister of the Eastern Han dynasty known for his wisdom and eloquence.
• Li You: A scholar and writer of the Eastern