Later depiction of Li Jing
Later depiction of Li Jing · 2013A transmitted or later depiction, not presented as a contemporary documentary portraitUnknown artistSource·CC-BY-SA

CIVILIZATION DOSSIER

Li Jing李靖

TangHistory × Fiction

General of Chentang Pass, father of Nezha, disciple of Master Duyi, later disciple of Daoist Randeng, holder of the Golden Pagoda.

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DIRECT FIGURES
44
RELATION RECORDS
60
SOURCE WORKS
7

RELATIONSHIP COMPASS

Li Jing, and the people around them.

Open one chapter at a time. Each chapter gives the relationship first, then the source text behind it.

01
MENTORSHIP

Mentorship

Teachers, disciples and transmission

1 figure · 1 record
02
KINSHIP

Kinship

Blood, marriage and sworn bonds

4 figures · 4 records
1 more in the complete record
03
ALLEGIANCE

Allegiance

Rulers, appointments and allegiance

15 figures · 18 records
12 more in the complete record
04
CONFLICT

Conflict

Battles, captures and defeat

12 figures · 14 records
9 more in the complete record
05
THE UNSEEN

Mythic acts

Transformation, aid and divine punishment

3 figures · 3 records
1 more in the complete record
Complete relationships and verbatim sources ↓Open in the civilization atlas ↗

12 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.

FeatureWhy Demons in Journey to the West Almost Always Have Powerful Backers: Fact vs. FictionSun Wukong's battles against demons in Journey to the West follow a striking pattern: monster spirits originating as celestial mounts or divine attendants are invariably spared and reclaimed by their heavenly masters, whereas wild demons lacking celestial backers are routinely struck dead by his golden staff. This dichotomy forms a defining narrative feature of the novel. Drawing upon the hundred-chapter text of Journey to the West, the historical record Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, and the mythological epic Investiture of the Gods, this article examines the past lives of the pilgrim team, the celestial bureaucracy, and the divergent fates of demons, revealing the literary logic behind Ming Dynasty mythological writing.
Event · Mythic timeHavoc in HeavenExcluded from the Peach Banquet, Sun Wukong stole peaches, wine and elixirs. Heavenly troops and Laozi's furnace failed to stop him before the Buddha intervened.

In history · History of Song · Old Book of Tang

Famous general of the early Tang Dynasty, campaigned against Tuyuhun, Turks, etc.; Tang Dynasty general, defeated Jieli Khan; defeated Tuyuhun.

In fiction · Extensive Records of the Taiping Era · Investiture of the Gods · New Book of Tang · Journey to the West · Romance of Sui and Tang

General of Chentang Pass, father of Nezha. Because Nezha returned his bones to his father and was saved, later smashed Nezha's golden body, was subdued by Randeng. Helped Zhou overthrow Shang, used the Golden Pagoda to kill Luo Xuan, stabbed Yu De to death, became a saint in the flesh, resigned and returned to the mountains.

Across source works

How this figure changes across texts

Works are shown side by side, not as a chronology. No influence between texts is inferred.

  1. Literature / legend

    Investiture of the Gods

    21 profile notes
    8 relations13 verified quotations
    • Jiang Ziya→ command →Li Jing
    • Li Jing→ father-son →Nezha
    • Nezha→ pursue and kill →Li Jing
    • Li Jing→ shatter body →Nezha
    Verified original text · 13
    1. 子牙命李靖领柬帖

      command · Investiture of the Gods, ch. 90

    2. 子牙令李靖……领三千人马，速往棋盘山

      dispatch · Investiture of the Gods, ch. 90

    11 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  2. Official history

    Old Book of Tang

    31 profile notes
    15 relations28 verified quotations
    • Li Shimin→ appoint →Li Jing
    • Li Jing→ ruler-subject →Li Shimin
    • Li Jing→ ruler-subject →Li Yuan
    • Wei Zheng→ defend →Li Jing
    Verified original text · 28
    1. 兵部尚书、代国公李靖为尚书左仆射

      appoint · Old Book of Tang, 太宗本纪下

    2. 命特进李靖、兵部尚书侯君集、刑部尚书任城王道宗、凉州都督李大亮等为大总管

      order attack · Old Book of Tang, 太宗本纪下

    26 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  3. Official history

    History of Song

    8 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  4. Literature / legend

    Romance of Sui and Tang

    15 profile notes
    8 relations9 verified quotations
    • Li Shimin→ appoint →Li Jing
    • Qin Shubao→ meet →Li Jing
    • Li Jing→ acquaintance →Qin Shubao
    • Li Jing→ besiege →Wang Shichong
    Verified original text · 9
    1. 长孙无忌与杜如晦到李靖那里去

      consult · Romance of Sui and Tang, 066

    2. 秦叔宝见了李靖

      meet · Romance of Sui and Tang, 017

    7 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  5. 10 profile notes
    1 relations1 verified quotations
    • Li Jing→ ruler-subject →Li Shimin
    Verified original text · 1
    1. 得以助文皇缔构之资，遂匡大业。

      assist · Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, 豪侠一

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  6. Official history

    New Book of Tang

    28 profile notes
    17 relations23 verified quotations
    • Li Shimin→ appoint →Li Jing
    • Li Jing→ ruler-subject →Li Yuan
    • An Lushan→ sacrifice →Li Jing
    • Li Jing→ defeat →Jiali Khan
    Verified original text · 23
    1. 刑部尚书李靖检校中书令

      appoint · New Book of Tang, 太宗本纪

    2. 诏疾小瘳，三两日一至中书门下平章事

      decree · New Book of Tang, 官一志

    21 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  7. Literature / legend

    Journey to the West

    4 profile notes
    3 relations1 verified quotations
    • Li Jing→ father-son →Nezha
    • Yang Jian→ fellow disciple and comrade →Li Jing
    • Jade Emperor→ ruler-subject →Li Jing
    Verified original text · 1
    1. 我乃托塔天王三太子哪吒是也

      father-son · Journey to the West, ch. 4

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TRACEABLE IMAGE ARCHIVE

Images across historical and literary reception

Each image keeps its source, licence and interpretive boundary. Later depictions are not presented as contemporary portraits.

Deified image of Li Jing as a deity
Deified image·Investiture of the Gods

Deified image of Li Jing as a deity · 2014

A later devotional image, not a historical portrait

Photo Dharma from Penang, Malaysia

Source·CC-BY

History vs. fiction

Li Jing's mentorship and source of magic treasure differ between the two books

  • based on factThe Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West have different portrayals of Li Jing

    In volume 012 of 「Fengshen Yanyi」, it is recorded: “话说陈塘关有一总兵官，姓李，名靖，自幼访道修真，拜西昆仑度厄真人为师。” Later, in volume 014, it is recorded that the Daoist Randeng said: “我秘受你这一座金塔。如哪吒不服，你便将此塔祭起烧他。” In contrast, chapter 083 of 「Journey to the West」 refers to him as Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li, and because of the feud with Nezha, the Tathagata Buddha bestowed upon him the Sarīra Wish-Fulfilling Golden Pagoda.

Relationship network

36 figures · 179 links
Li JingLi JingLi ShiminLi ShiminJiang ZiyaJiang ZiyaLi YuanLi YuanAn LushanAn LushanQin ShubaoQin ShubaoWang ShichongWang ShichongWei ZhengWei ZhengNezhaNezhaKing WuKing WuYang JianYang JianJiali KhanJade EmperorEmpress XiaoYuwen HuajiXiao YuYang SuCen WenbenHou JunjiZhang GongjinXiao XianEmperor Gaozu of HanFu GongshiTang JianJinzhaTujueJialiXue WancheMu ZhaJia RunfuLi DaozongLi XiaogongLi DaliangRandeng DaorenKong XuanBull Demon King
historyliteraturedual
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Sources: Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, 卷第314; History of Song, 兵九志; Investiture of the Gods, ch. 12; New Book of Tang, 侯君集张亮薛万钧弟 万彻弟 万淑弟 万备附 盛彦师附 卢祖尚附 刘世让附 刘兰等传; Old Book of Tang, 侯君集张亮薛万彻传; Journey to the West, ch. 4; Romance of Sui and Tang, 003; Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, 将帅一

This page was extracted from classical texts with AI assistance and revised; errors remain possible. Spotted a mistake? Tell us →

Compiled with AI assistance from public-domain texts; for cultural reference. Mythological accounts vary — corrections welcome.