Li Jing (Southern Tang)

Emperor Yuanzong of Southern Tang 南唐元宗
Emperor of (Southern) Tang (more...)
Li Jing, detail from a larger painting by Zhou Wenju (fl. 942-961)
2nd ruler of Southern Tang
Reign	943 – 961
Predecessor	Li Bian (Emperor Liezu), father
Successor	Li Yu, son
Born	Xu Jingtong (徐景通) 916 or January 917 Probably Sheng Prefecture, possibly Guangling
Died	August 12, 961 (Aged 44-45) Nanchang
Burial	Shun Mausoleum (順陵, in modern Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu)
Spouse	Empress Zhong
Concubine	Lady Ling (凌氏)
Issue Among others	Li Hongji, son Li Hongmao (李弘茂), son Li Yu, son Li Congshan, son Li Congyi (李從益), son Li Congqian (李從謙), son Li Congdu (李從度), son Li Congxin (李從信), son
Names Surname: Xú (徐), changed to Lǐ (李) with father Given name: Jǐngtōng (景通), changed to Yáo (瑤), then to Jǐng (璟), and eventually to Jǐng (景) Era dates Bǎodà (保大): 943–957 Zhōngxīng (中興): 958 Jiāotài (交泰): 958 Adopted the era name of Later Zhou: Xiǎndé (顯德): 958[1]–960 Adopted the era name of Song: Jiànlóng (建隆): 960–961 Regnal name Emperor (before 958) King of Tang (唐國主) (after 958) Posthumous name Emperor Míngdào Chóngdé Wénxuān Xiào (明道崇德文宣孝皇帝) Temple name Yuánzōng (元宗)
House	Li (by birth) Xu (adoptive)
Dynasty	Southern Tang
Father	Li Bian
Mother	Empress Song

Li Jing (Chinese: 李璟, later changed to 李景; 916^[2] – August 12, 961^[3][4]), originally Xu Jingtong (徐景通), briefly Xu Jing (徐璟) in 937–939, courtesy name Boyu (伯玉), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Yuanzong of Southern Tang (南唐元宗), also known in historiography as the Middle Lord of Southern Tang (南唐中主), was the second and penultimate monarch of China's Southern Tang dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. He reigned his state from 943 until his death.

During Li Jing's earlier reign, he expanded Southern Tang's borders by extinguishing smaller neighboring states: Min in 945 and Ma Chu in 951. However, the warfare also exhausted the wealth of the country, leaving it ill-prepared to resist the Later Zhou invasion in 956. Forced to cede all prefectures north of the Yangtze River, he also had to relinquish his title as an emperor and accept the Later Zhou's overlordship in 958, and later the Northern Song's overlordship after 960.