Li Sui

Biography

His father was 李萬平, his elder brother was 李逢; his sons were 李材 and 李栻 (born in 1527), and his grandsons included 李漢煃 and 李炱. He attained the jinshi degree. In 1531, during the tenth year of the Jiajing reign, he served as chief examiner for the Sichuan provincial examinations; in 1534, during the thirteenth year, he became assistant prefect of Huzhou Prefecture. His subsequent appointments included 行人司行人, 行人司副, 刑部員外郎, 刑部郎中, 禮部郎中, 禮部祠祭司郎中, 司正, 衢州府知府 and 府同知; he served in Nanjing and the capital. In 1541, during the twentieth year of the Jiajing reign, he became a vice commissioner of the Shandong Provincial Surveillance Commission and also served as prefect of Quzhou. His career also included 副使 in the Shandong Provincial Administration, 右布政使, 按察使 in Guangdong, and 兵備副使 for the Su-Song-Chang-Zhen military circuit. From 1549 to 1550 (Jiajing 28–29), he served as Right Associate Censor (都察院右僉都御史) in Nanjing; from 1557 to 1559 (Jiajing 36–38), he again held the post and served as governor of Fengyang. From 1559 to 1560 (Jiajing 38–39), he was Right Vice Minister of War in Nanjing; in 1560 (Jiajing 39), he became Left Vice Minister of War. In 1561 (Jiajing 40), he was promoted to Minister of War in Nanjing, serving until 1565 (Jiajing 44), while also participating in military affairs. In 1566 (Jiajing 45), he became Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent; he also held the title Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent and was posthumously granted that title.

Intellectual life and associations

He was classed as a learned man and studied under Ouyang De (歐陽德). Wang Ji (王畿) wrote a preface to his book, and Xu Jie (徐階) composed his spirit-way stele inscription. Tang Shunzhi (唐順之), Wang Shenzhong (王慎中) and Cai Runan (蔡汝楠) sent him letters; he in turn received replies from Wang Shenzhong (王慎中), Wang Zongmu (王宗沐), Xu Jie (徐階), Ouyang De (歐陽德), Wang Cai (王材) and Liu Jingshao (劉景韶). Wang Shenzhong also composed a shrine inscription for him, and Li Chunfang (李春芳) presented him with poems and prose.

Works

His works include the eight-volume 《督撫經略疏》.

Namesake distinction

Another namesake, Li Sui, had the courtesy name Siliang (嗣良), came from Yin County (鄞縣), was a military jinshi (武進士), and served as a canal-transport dusi (漕運都司); the office is also given as 尚書省左右司. His courtesy name, home and career do not match those of the Bangliang Li Sui from Fengcheng, so the two should be kept separate.