Li Yangbing

Who is Li Yangbing?

Li Yangbing was a high-ranking Tang Dynasty Chinese government official, important literary figure, noted calligrapher, and relative of the famous Chinese poet Li Bai. Li Yangbing is notable for being the initial editor and compiler of the poetry of his kinsman, Li Bai; also for writing a preface to this which is important as one of the few primary historical sources on Li Bai.

Li Yangbing was from Zhaojun, or the Zhao Administrative District, which is now Zhao County, in the Province of Hebei, China. His first government position was as an official in Jinyun County, Zhejiang Province. In 755, An Lushan declared himself Emperor, fielding military forces against the current Emperor, Xuanzong. In the ensuing eight years of the disorders, largely conducted under Generals An Lushan and Shi Siming, death and famine stalked the Central Plain of China, and the population decreased by the tens-of-millions. By 762, the imperial troops had retaken both sides of the Yellow River, the rebels were mostly dead and the remnants beleaguered; and, on May 18, Daizong acceded to the throne as Emperor. In Daizong's first year, Li Yangbing, having succeeded in his career despite the sociopolitical turmoil, was still a powerful government officer, and accordingly was in Baoying County, Jiangsu Province.