Li Yiji

Li Yiji was from Gaoyang County () in Chenliu Commandery (), which is around present-day Qi County, Kaifeng, Henan. Known for being very studious, he was born in an impoverished family but managed to find a job as a low-ranking officer in the county office. During this time, he was described as a "crazy scholar" () and, despite his lowly status, the local elites did not dare to bully him. Around 209 BC, when uprisings against the ruling Qin dynasty broke out, several rebel groups passed through Chenliu Commandery. Li Yiji felt that the leaders of these rebel groups were rather selfish, petty and opinionated. Thinking that they would be unreceptive to his advice, he decided to maintain a low profile and refused to join any of them. ==Meeting Liu Bang==

When Liu Bang led his rebel group to Chenliu, he asked his men if they knew of any talents living in the area. At the time, one of Liu Bang's horsemen was the son of Li Yiji's neighbour, and he dropped by to visit Gaoyang. Li Yiji met the horseman and told him, The horseman replied, "The Duke of Pei dislikes (Confucian) scholars. When they visit him, he takes off their hats and urinates in them. He also yells at them. If you want to visit him, you can't say that you are a scholar." Li Yiji insisted that the horseman tell Liu Bang exactly what he had said, so the horseman did. Liu Bang later came to Gaoyang and summoned Li Yiji to meet him at the local guesthouse. When Li Yiji showed up, he saw Liu Bang sitting on a bed and having his feet washed by two maids, so he did not kneel before Liu Bang and instead did a fist-and-palm gesture before asking, "Do you want to help Qin attack the rebels? Or do you want to lead the rebels to defeat Qin?" Hearing that, Liu Bang scolded him, "Stupid scholar! Everyone has been suffering under Qin rule for a long time. This is why everyone is rising up against Qin! What do you mean when you ask if I want to help Qin attack the rebels?" Li Yiji replied, "Of course, you want to rally everyone to rise up and destroy the barbaric Qin dynasty! Yet, you shouldn't be so disrespectful when you receive an elderly visitor." Liu Bang immediately stopped washing his feet, tidied his clothes, and invited Li Yiji to take a seat before apologising for his rude behaviour. After Li Yiji shared his views on current affairs, Liu Bang was so pleased that he offered Li Yiji food and asked what he should do next. Li Yiji said, Liu Bang then heeded Li Yiji's advice and led his men to capture Chenliu. To honour Li Yiji for his achievement, Liu Bang gave him the title "Lord Guangye" (). Li Yiji's younger brother Li Shang also led a few thousand men to join Liu Bang in capturing the lands southwest of Chenliu. During this time, Li Yiji was often sent by Liu Bang as an emissary to meet the other rebel leaders. ==Service under Liu Bang during the Chu–Han Contention==

After the Qin dynasty was overthrown in 206 BC, the empire was divided into the Eighteen Kingdoms. Liu Bang was made the ruler of the Kingdom of Han based in Hanzhong and Shu (present-day Sichuan and Chongqing). From 206 to 202 BC, a power struggle – historically known as the Chu–Han Contention – broke out between Liu Bang and his rival Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, for control over China. Li Yiji continued serving as an adviser under Liu Bang during this time. In the autumn of 204 BC, Xiang Yu defeated Liu Bang at the Battle of Xingyang, forcing the latter to retreat to Gong County and Luoyang. At the time, Liu Bang's general Han Xin had defeated a rival kingdom Zhao, while Liu Bang's ally Peng Yue was raiding Xiang Yu's supply lines in the Liang lands; Xiang Yu had no choice but to split up his forces to deal with them. While Han Xin was attacking another rival kingdom Qi, Liu Bang felt tired of battling Xiang Yu at Xingyang and Chenggao, so he considered giving up the territories east of Chenggao and focus on fortifying his positions at Gong County and Luoyang. When Li Yiji heard about it, he advised Liu Bang, Liu Bang heeded Li Yiji's advice and approved his request. ==Persuading Tian Guang to surrender==

When Li Yiji met Tian Guang, the King of Qi, he asked him, "Do you know who the people support?" After Tian Guang replied that he did not know, Li Yiji told him, "If you know, Qi will be safe. If you don't, Qi will be conquered." Tian Guang then asked, "So who do the people support?" Li Yiji replied, "(The Kingdom of) Han." Tian Guang asked, "Why do you say so?" Li Yiji replied, Tian Guang was convinced by Li Yiji's speech so he ordered his troops to withdraw from Licheng and threw a party for Li Yiji. ==Death==

Meanwhile, Liu Bang's general Han Xin, who had been leading the invasion of Qi, was stunned to hear that Li Yiji had managed to get the Qi Kingdom, which had over 70 cities, to surrender just by using his oratorical skills. Heeding Kuai Tong's advice, Han Xin led his troops to attack Qi forces at Pingyuan at night. When Tian Guang heard about Han Xin's attack, he thought that Li Yiji had tricked him to buy time for Han Xin to attack Qi. He threatened Li Yiji, "If you stop the Han forces, I will let you live. If not, I will boil you alive!" Li Yiji replied, Tian Guang then had Li Yiji boiled alive before he led his forces to retreat east. ==Descendants==

In 195 BC, after Li Yiji's brother Li Shang helped Liu Bang suppress Ying Bu's rebellion, the emperor was rewarding his subjects for their contributions when he remembered Li Yiji. Li Yiji's son, Li Jie (), had fought in battles but his achievements were insufficient to earn him a marquis title. However, Liu Bang made an exemption on account of Li Jie's father and enfeoffed Li Jie as the hereditary Marquis of Gaoliang (). The marquisate was passed down over three generations and renamed to Marquis of Wusui () at one point. In 122 BC, Li Yiji's great-grandson Li Ping () attempted to trick Liu Ci (), the Prince of Hengshan, out of a hundred catty of gold but was caught and sentenced to death. He died of illness before his execution and the marquisate was disbanded. ==Anecdotes==

The Chinese phrase "drinker from Gaoyang" (), which originated from an anecdote about Li Yiji, is used to describe someone who indulges heavily in alcohol and behaves in a wanton and unrestrained manner. The anecdote says that when Li Yiji first came to meet Liu Bang, the latter refused to see him upon learning that he was a scholar, so Li Yiji told the sentry to introduce him as a "drinker from Gaoyang". When Liu Bang heard that, he invited Li Yiji to come in immediately. ==Notes==