Background
Li Jingzhong was born in 704, during the reign of Wu Zetian. He was castrated early in his childhood, and became a servant at the imperial stables. He was said to be ugly in appearance, but knew how to read and write, and eventually became a servant of the powerful eunuch Gao Lishi. When he was in his 40s, he became in charge of the imperial stables' financial accounts. During the Tianbao era (742–756) of Wu Zetian's grandson Emperor Xuanzong, the official Wang Hong (王鉷), who oversaw the imperial stables, was impressed with Li Jingzhong's management of the stables and recommended him to serve on the staff of Emperor Xuanzong's crown prince Li Heng. He soon became a trusted servant of Li Heng's.
In 755, the general An Lushan rebelled against Emperor Xuanzong's rule, and by 756 was approaching the Tang Dynasty capital Chang'an, forcing Emperor Xuanzong and Li Heng to flee. During flight, the angry imperial guard soldiers escorting them killed the chancellor Yang Guozhong and his cousin (Emperor Xuanzong's favorite concubine) Consort Yang Yuhuan, whom they blamed for An's rebellion. After Yang Guozhong's and Consort Yang's deaths, Emperor Xuanzong was intent to continue to head to Jiannan Circuit (劍南, modern Sichuan and Chongqing), but Li Heng, at the suggestion of his son Li Tan the Prince of Jianning and Li Fuguo, decided to take some of the soldiers and head for the important border defense post Lingwu, and Li Jingzhong subsequently accompanied Li Heng to Lingwu, where Li Heng was declared emperor (as Emperor Suzong).
Read more about this topic: Li Fuguo
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