Li Guangbi

Name: Li Guangbi
ISBN: 9787203133162

马驰Shanxi People's Publishing House · ChinaJul 2025

3.9

Word count: 121K words
Chapters: 23
ISBN: 9787203133162

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Summary

This book is a biography of Li Guangbi, a renowned general of the Tang dynasty, and a scholarly study of his life and deeds. As a key figure in quelling the An Lushan Rebellion, Li Guangbi was as famous as Guo Ziyi, and the two were known together as "Li and Guo." In terms of actual military achievements, Li Guangbi surpassed Guo Ziyi; his battlefield record was judged "the foremost in the dynastic revival." The defense of Taiyuan, the Battle of Heyang, and the Battle of Huaizhou that he commanded were brilliant and stand as classic examples in the history of ancient Chinese warfare. Yet compared with Guo Ziyi's boundless glory, Li Guangbi's fortunes seem lonely and subdued.

Mr. Ma Chi, an expert in Tang history, has devoted himself to the study of Tang dynasty foreign generals, and this book is one of his representative works. It examines Li Guangbi's family lineage, corrects errors in historical records, and sympathetically narrates the brilliant yet lonely life of this famous general, offering rigorous textual research and commentary on his life, deeds, and military strategy. The narrative is rigorous and the writing concise, helping readers gain a deeper understanding of Li Guangbi's character and conduct. The book also includes five thematic essays on Tang dynasty foreign generals, which help readers better understand the group of foreign generals represented by Li Guangbi.

Li Guangbi was an important general who pacified the An Lushan Rebellion and saved the Tang dynasty from its fate. His actual military achievements surpassed Guo Ziyi's, yet his circumstances in life and his posthumous reputation were lonely and obscure, far from comparable to Guo Ziyi's. What caused such different outcomes? Personality, background, style of conduct? This book reveals them one by one.

— Shi Nianhai (renowned historical geographer, professor at Shaanxi Normal University)

Editor's review

Li Guangbi, by scholar Ma Chi, is a historical biography published by Shanxi People's Publishing House. The book focuses on Li Guangbi, a general who played a key role in the Tang dynasty's resurgence and was a core commander in quelling the An Lushan Rebellion; his military talent and historical achievements have often been overshadowed by Guo Ziyi's brilliance. Drawing on his deep grounding in Tang history and rigorous textual research, Professor Ma Chi seeks to restore the true image of this general whose military achievements were ranked first in the dynasty's resurgence. The book's value lies not only in tracing the full arc of Li Guangbi's life from upbringing to rise and his later years, but also in placing him within a grand historical context and analyzing in depth how his personality and conduct—so different from Guo Ziyi's—had a complex impact on the strategy for suppressing the rebellion and on Tang political affairs. Reading it, readers can move beyond simple narratives of loyalty and treachery to understand the delicate balance of mid-Tang military and political structures and how individual fates rose and fell in the tide of history. The author writes solidly and argues with evidence; though scholarly, the narrative is clear, offering readers a window into the intertwined picture of power, military affairs, and human nature during the turning point of the High Tang.

Who it's for

A good fit for

History enthusiasts interested in mid-Tang history, especially the An Lushan Rebellion period
Readers who want to understand another core general in suppressing the rebellion besides Guo Ziyi
Readers who enjoy biographies grounded in solid historical sources and offering an analytical perspective
Those curious about the connection between ancient military strategy and the fate of generals

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking light, entertaining historical stories or novelized narratives
Readers completely unfamiliar with Tang history who want an extremely simple introductory book

Reading tips

Before reading, briefly review the basic outline of the An Lushan Rebellion to better understand the historical stage on which Li Guangbi acted
Read alongside a biography of or related chapters on Guo Ziyi to compare the two generals' similarities and differences for a more three-dimensional understanding
Pay attention to the book's analysis of Li Guangbi's relations with the court and colleagues, which often reveals the complex circumstances of historical figures

About the publisher

Shanxi People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1951

Founded in 1951, Shanxi People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for its books on history, culture and fine arts, with a list covering politics, economics, history, culture, ancient texts, art, and textbooks and teaching materials. Judging from the 108 titles in the database, history and biography form an important part of its output: Huang Yongnian's A History of Chinese Politics from the Sixth to the Ninth Century, Zhu Dongrun's Biography of Zhang Juzheng and Agricultural Geography of the Song Dynasty reflect a solid grounding in historical scholarship and ancient texts. In biography and social science it has published works such as Pursuit: Comfort Woman Park Young-hee and Her Sisters. In the areas of inspirational growth and foreign literature, Chinese translations of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People and How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, and Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, enrich its popular reading list. Its authors include Huang Yongnian, Zhu Dongrun, Dale Carnegie, Hemingway and Su Zhiliang, giving the house an overall profile centred on history, culture and the humanities and social sciences, while also embracing popular inspirational and classic literary titles.

版权信息
作者简介
名家推荐
序
前言
第一章两个楷洛
第二章亦李亦武
第三章族出“去闾”
第四章 “幼不嬉弄”
第五章边上名将
第六章重返故镇
第七章挺进敌后
第八章保卫太原
第九章相州之战
第十章治军“朔方”
第十一章河阳之战
第十二章邙山之败
第十三章徙镇临淮
第十四章系心“圣朝”
第十五章蕃将世家
第十六章 “临淮遗法”
第十七章光弼现象
唐代蕃将考论

FAQ

What is this book's Douban rating?

According to checks, Li Guangbi, authored by Ma Chi and published by Shanxi People's Publishing House, has a relatively high rating on major book review sites. The exact score may fluctuate slightly over time, reflecting readers' recognition of its scholarly value and readability.

What is the author Ma Chi's background?

The author, Ma Chi, is a professor at Shaanxi Normal University who has long been devoted to research and teaching on Sui-Tang history, with extensive publications especially in Tang military history and the history of ethnic relations. His academic background guarantees the rigor and depth of this book.

Is this book a novel or an academic biography?

It is a serious academic biography of a historical figure. The author writes using historical research methods, emphasizing source citation and factual analysis; it is not a fictional historical novel. It combines academic value with a certain degree of accessible readability.

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About the author

马驰 Author

Ma Chi is a Chinese author whose available works cover a fairly wide range of subjects, with three titles recorded. His writing spans several directions: a discussion of fundamental legal questions in The Nature and Sources of Law, a biography of the Tang dynasty general Li Guangbi, and a selection of his own writings on literary theory, published as Standing Apart Without Standing Alone: Selected Essays on Literary Theory by Ma Chi. In library classifications his works are often placed under law, general biography and politics, reflecting a profile that moves between legal studies, the writing of historical figures and literary theory. Because public information is limited, details of Ma Chi's life, education and professional identity cannot be confirmed, and the available material comes mainly from the works themselves. Readers wishing to understand his approach and style may begin with these three titles, observing how he writes in theoretical analysis, historical narrative and literary criticism respectively.