Li Rusong

Li Rusong
Li Rusong
Hanyu Pinyin	Zhōngliè

Li Rusong (1549–1598) was a

Imjin War that took place in the Korean peninsula. Upon the request of the Korean King Seonjo of Joseon, the Ming Wanli Emperor sent reinforcements to support the Korean military in its war effort against the Japanese invasion masterminded by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.^[1]

His father, Li Chengliang, was also a Ming general, who defended Liaodong from the Jurchens.^[2] Based on historical documents, Li Rusong's 6th generation ancestor Li Ying (李英) was originally from present-day North Korea, but there are historical documents which state that the further ancestors were from central China who moved to Korea during wartime.

Li Rusong was ultimately captured and executed when the Mongols invaded Liaodong province.

Military career

Li Rusong's first rise of fame was in early 1592, when he managed to defeat a major rebellion at

Ming administrator Song Yingchang, Li Rusong was generally successful in Korea, first retaking the city of Pyongyang in a direct assault within two weeks of setting off (on January 8 of 1593), and then took back the city of Kaesong a couple week later. As he marched south towards the Korean capital of Hanyang (漢陽) in later January, the Ming army clashed with the Japanese forces in the Battle of Byeokjegwan

, which resulted in the Ming army being pushed back briefly. Within two months after this he succeeded in recapturing Hanyang. He ordered Chinese and Korean troops to refrain from killing all Japanese soldiers and grant them the right to retreat.

Sword

Li knew of the sword art jedok geom during his stay in Korea. The Koreans published the sword-style in their martial arts manuals called Muyesinbo (1759) and Muyedobotongji (1791).

Death

In April 1598, the

Liaodong

from the north when Li Rusong was leading a small scouting group around its forests. Surrounded by thousands of Mongol cavalry, he could not escape, and was captured and subsequently killed. He was posthumously given the title of Zhonglie (忠烈) (Lord of Fidelity).

Notes

^ http://www.tianyabook.com/lishi2005/mingshi/020.htm 冬十月壬寅，李如松提督蓟、辽、保定、山东军务，充防海御倭总兵官，救朝鲜。-《明史》
^ http://www.read126.cn/194c6894-51d5-4df3-a4bc-fa1282139f82!39f5412a-ad19-49c8-bffc-bceba1682122.html 成梁英毅骁健，有大将才。家贫，不能袭职，年四十犹为诸生。巡按御史器之，资入京，乃得袭。积功为辽东险山参将。隆庆元年，士蛮大入永平。成梁赴援有功，进副总兵，仍守险山。寻协守辽阳。三年四月，张摆失等屯塞下，成梁迎击斩之，歼其卒百六十有奇。-《明史》

[1] ttp://www.tianyabook.com/lishi2005/mingshi/020.htm 冬十月壬寅，李如松提督蓟、辽、保定、山东军务，充防海御倭总兵官，救朝鲜。-《明史》

[2] ttp://www.read126.cn/194c6894-51d5-4df3-a4bc-fa1282139f82!39f5412a-ad19-49c8-bffc-bceba1682122.html 成梁英毅骁健，有大将才。家贫，不能袭职，年四十犹为诸生。巡按御史器之，资入京，乃得袭。积功为辽东险山参将。隆庆元年，士蛮大入永平。成梁赴援有功，进副总兵，仍守险山。寻协守辽阳。三年四月，张摆失等屯塞下，成梁迎击斩之，歼其卒百六十有奇。-《明史》

[1]

[2]

Military career

Sword

Death

See also

Notes