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Li Yanshou
Early Tang historian who completed his father's project as the History of the Southern Dynasties and History of the Northern Dynasties.
In an archive hall, tall wooden shelves hold scrolls and bound books with small tags, and one person climbs a ladder with their back turned; a long table in front holds an unrolled river map, a bronze lamp and a copper jug, with a city wall seen through the window.
Also known as Zi Xialing
Li Yanshou, courtesy name Xialing, from Xiangzhou, served at the Tang court during the Zhenguan era and took part in compiling the official histories of the Sui and Jin. Carrying on his father Li Dashi's plan, he spent sixteen years condensing and supplementing earlier histories and in 659 submitted the History of the Southern Dynasties (80 chapters) and History of the Northern Dynasties (100 chapters). Both are among the Twenty-Four Histories, and idioms such as 'two eagles with one arrow' appear in them.
Life and times
Dates Dates unknown; active under Tang Taizong and Gaozong (c. 627–659 CE)