Complete Works of Li Gang (Volume 1, 2, and 3)

Author: Li Gang (Song Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-05-01
Features: The Complete Works of Li Gang was written by Li Gang of the Song Dynasty. Li Gang, styled Boji, was from Shaowu (now in Fujian Province). He descended from the imperial family of the Tang Dynasty. According to Tang Dynasty regulations, his ancestors served as the Governor of Jianzhou as imperial relatives and thus settled in Fujian. From his grandfather onwards, they moved to Wuxi, where there is a river called Liangxi, hence he was known as the "Master of Liangxi." Li Gang was born in Xiuzhou Huating (now Songjiang County, Shanghai) in the sixth year of the Yuanfeng era (1083 AD) of the Northern Song Emperor Shenzong. He served in the court of Emperor Huizong as the Vice Minister of Rites and later became the Vice Minister of War under Emperor Qinzong. After Qinzong ascended the throne, Li Gang became a strong advocate for resisting the Jin invaders. He even bled from his arm to submit a memorial, declaring with unwavering resolve, "The territory of our ancestors must be defended with our lives, not given up by even an inch." However, Qinzong was eager for peace and dismissed Li Gang from his post. After the Southern Song Dynasty fled south, Emperor Gaozong (Zhao Gou) once appointed Li Gang as prime minister. Upon taking office, Li Gang "proposed ten measures" to restore order, reclaim lost lands, and rebuild the nation. However, Gaozong only sought to establish a temporary foothold and had no intention of reclaiming the entire country. As a result, Li Gang was unjustly accused of numerous trumped-up charges. He "held office for only seventy-five days before being dismissed," which later became known as the "seventy-five-day prime minister." The following year, he was exiled to Wan'an Military Prefecture (now Hainan Island). Although he was later pardoned and restored to the position of Grand Secretary of the Capital, he was repeatedly exiled. His great talent and strategic vision were never fully realized, and his dream of resisting the Jin invaders and saving the nation remained unfulfilled. In the tenth year of the Shaoxing era (1140 AD), this national hero, revered alongside Zong Ze, Yue Fei, and Han Shizhong, passed away in the Fengfeng Hall of Songshan in Fujian at the age of 58, filled with regret. To commemorate this patriotic hero, the Neo-Confucian philosopher Zhu Xi of the Southern Song Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty national hero Lin Zexu later established Li Gang Temples in Shaowu and Fuzhou, Fujian. The Li Gang Temple in Wuyi, Zhejiang, was built by the "remarkable literary talent" of the Southern Song Dynasty, Gong Feng, together with his friends Zhu Xi, Lu Zuxian, Chen Liang, and others. It was completed by Li Guomin, the seventh-generation descendant of Li Gang from Xiajiafan, in the first year of the Duanjing era (1276 AD) of the Southern Song Dynasty, making it over 700 years old. This is recorded in Essentials of Wuchuan and The Genealogy of the Li Family of Xiajiafan. The entire work is divided into three volumes and can be considered a history of class struggles between the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties, explaining the reasons behind political corruption, the suffering of the people, and the heavy taxes through these accounts. The collected works are organized into 180 volumes. This book is rich in content and holds extremely high historical value.