Sui–Tang historian and writer who completed his father Li Delin's draft into the History of Northern Qi for Emperor Taizong.
Mural guide
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.
Li Baiyao, courtesy name Chonggui, was a native of Anping in Dingzhou and the son of Li Delin, Sui Director of the Secretariat. Known early for his talent, he endured demotions and exile under the Sui but won Emperor Taizong's favour under the Tang, serving as Secretariat drafter, Vice Minister of Rites and tutor in the heir's household, and was enfeoffed as baron and later viscount of Anping. Commissioned to revise the rites and statutes, he also built on his father's history of the Qi to complete in 636 the work now called the History of Northern Qi, for which he was made Cavalier Attendant-in-ordinary. He died in 648 aged 84, posthumously named Kang.
In 627 Li Baiyao was summoned by Emperor Taizong to serve as Secretariat drafter, and was ordered to revise the Five Rites and the statutes and to compile the History of Qi. In 636 he was given the rank of Cavalier Attendant-in-ordinary for completing the history, and held the post of Acting Left Tutor of the Heir Apparent.
Left a thirty-chapter collection, with an essay and rhapsodies
Late Sui to early Tang
Li Baiyao could compose prose at seven, and a collection of his writings in thirty chapters is recorded. While imprisoned by Du Fuwei he wrote the rhapsody Examining the Self to state his case; as tutor to the crown prince he wrote the rhapsody On Upholding the Way as a warning to the prince; and he presented the essay On Enfeoffment when the court debated enfeoffing princes. Emperor Taizong ordered him to write a poem alongside the Imperial Capital poem he had composed. He was especially skilled in five-character verse.
MUZIChinese Matrix
Northern and Southern
Sui
Tang
Literature · Prose53