李

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Li Linfu李林甫

TangHistory × Fiction

Powerful chancellor during Emperor Xuanzong's reign.

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DIRECT FIGURES
28
RELATION RECORDS
46
SOURCE WORKS
3

RELATIONSHIP COMPASS

Li Linfu, and the people around them.

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

01
KINSHIP

Kinship

Blood, marriage and sworn bonds

2 figures · 2 records
02
ALLEGIANCE

Allegiance

Rulers, appointments and allegiance

15 figures · 19 records
10 more in the complete record
03
CONFLICT

Conflict

Battles, captures and defeat

14 figures · 19 records
9 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.

In history · Old Book of Tang

Powerful chancellor during Emperor Xuanzong's reign.

In fiction · New Book of Tang · Romance of Sui and Tang

Treacherous chancellor, monopolized power, colluded with Yang Guozhong and others. Chancellor, ignorant of foreign scripts, suggested strict defense. Treacherous chancellor of Tang dynasty, monopolized power, framed loyal officials.

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. Official history

    Old Book of Tang

    46 profile notes
    26 relations44 verified quotations
    • Emperor Xuanzong of Tang→ appoint →Li Linfu
    • Li Linfu→ fear →Emperor Suzong of Tang
    • Li Linfu→ employ →An Lushan
    • Li Linfu→ impeach →Zhang Yue
    Verified original text · 44
    1. 二十二年，户部尚书李林甫又受诏改修格令

      受诏改修 · Old Book of Tang, 刑法志

    2. 封仙客为邠国公，林甫为晋国公

      reward · Old Book of Tang, 刑法志

    42 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  2. Literature / legend

    Romance of Sui and Tang

    9 profile notes
    7 relations7 verified quotations
    • Emperor Xuanzong of Tang→ appoint →Li Linfu
    • Li Linfu→ slander →Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
    • Li Linfu→ send off →An Lushan
    • Yang Guozhong→ frame →Li Linfu
    Verified original text · 7
    1. 李林甫也便乘间奏他妖妄惑众。

      slander · Romance of Sui and Tang, 085

    2. 李林甫等设席饯行

      send off · Romance of Sui and Tang, 083

    5 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  3. Official history

    New Book of Tang

    53 profile notes
    28 relations30 verified quotations
    • Emperor Xuanzong of Tang→ appoint →Li Linfu
    • Li Linfu→ slander →Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
    • Li Linfu→ employ →An Lushan
    • An Lushan→ call tenth son →Li Linfu
    Verified original text · 30
    1. 中书令李林甫以租庸、丁防、和籴、春彩、税草无定法

      改革制度 · New Book of Tang, 食货志一

    2. 擢安禄山、高仙芝、哥舒翰等专为大将

      elevate · New Book of Tang, 奸臣传上

    28 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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History vs. fiction

In the official history, Li Linfu was deep, cunning, and framed many people in major cases, while the novel exaggerates his foolishness through Li Bai's drunken drafting of the intimidating letter.

  • novel inventionLi Linfu could not recognize the foreign script and was humiliated by Li Bai

    The New Book of Tang, Biographies of Guo, Two Ers, Wang, Zhang, and Niu, records that Li Linfu was autocratic and vicious, 'and Li Linfu especially resented his achievements, daily seeking faults and accusations,' framing the loyal and good. The Sui and Tang Romance, chapter 82, fabricates that the foreign letter was shaped like tadpoles, 'Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong both stepped forward to look, but they were as blind as if they had eyes, unable to recognize a single character,' and it was Li Bai who recited and drafted the edict to humiliate them. This is fictional embellishment in the novel.

Relationship network

29 figures · 187 links
Li LinfuLi LinfuEmperor Xuanzong of TangEmperor Xuanzong of TangEmperor Suzong of TangEmperor Suzong of TangAn LushanAn LushanLi DeyuLi DeyuZhang YueZhang YueYang GuozhongYang GuozhongGeshu HanGeshu HanLi MiLi MiZhang JiulingZhang JiulingGao LishiGao LishiCui QunXiao SongGao XianzhiYuwen RongWang ZhongsiWang HongPei YaoqingYuan QianyaoChen XilieHan XiuPei GuangtingWei JianLi YongJi WenLi ShizhiCrown PrinceYang ShenjinWei Zhi
historyliteraturedual
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Sources: New Book of Tang, 三宗诸子传; Old Book of Tang, 刑法志; Romance of Sui and Tang, 081; New Book of Tang, 三郑高权崔传; Old Book of Tang, 刘幽求锺绍京郭元振张说传; Romance of Sui and Tang, 082; New Book of Tang, 二王韦陆二李杜传; Old Book of Tang, 后妃下

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.