Li Tai

Posthumous name
	Gong 恭

Li Tai
Li Tai
Prince of Wei
Born	620
Died	14 January 653 (aged 33)
Spouse	Yan Wan
Issue	Li Xin, Prince of Pu ; Li Hui, Prince of Xinping
Posthumous name
Posthumous name
	Gong 恭
Father	Emperor Taizong of Tang
Mother	Empress Zhangsun

Li Tai (Chinese: 李泰; pinyin: Lǐ Tài; 620^[1] – 14 January 653^[2]), courtesy name Huibao (惠褒), nickname Qingque (青雀), formally Prince Gong of Pu (濮恭王), was an imperial prince of the Chinese Tang dynasty.

Li Tai, who carried the title of Prince of Wei (魏王; "Wei wang"), was favored by his father, Emperor Taizong, for his literary talent and studiousness. His older brother Li Chengqian was crown prince, but Li Tai and his associates had design on that position, eventually pushing Li Chengqian to plot treason in 643. After Li Chengqian's plot was discovered, Li Chengqian was deposed, and Emperor Taizong agreed to create Li Tai the new crown prince. However, Emperor Taizong soon saw that Li Tai had pushed Li Chengqian toward rebellion by machination and further appeared to bear ill intentions toward their younger brother Li Zhi the Prince of Jin, and so Emperor Taizong created Li Zhi crown prince instead. Li Tai was reduced in rank and briefly put under house arrest, and then exiled. He died in exile in 653.

The Buddhist statues in the Main Wall of Bingyang South Cave of the Longmen Caves was dedicated by Li Tai to his deceased mother Empress Zhangsun.^[3]^{[citation needed]}

^ Li Tai being 34 when he died does not reconcile well with historical records also stating that his older brother Li Chengqian was eight (by East Asian reckoning) when he was created crown prince in September 626 -- which would make Li Chengqian's birth year c.619; the 2nd year of the Wude era corresponds to 21 Jan 619 to 8 Feb 620 on the Julian calendar. As Li Tai was clearly younger and born of the same mother as Li Chengqian, the dates cannot be both correct, but it is not clear which, if either, date was correct. Further, given that Li Chengqian was Emperor Taizong's first-born son and Li Tai was the fourth-born son, they could not be twins. According to Li Tai's grave epitaph, Li Tai was actually born in 620; the 3rd year of the Wude era corresponds to 9 Feb 620 to 27 Jan 621 in the Julian calendar.
^ Volume 199 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Li Tai died on the guisi day during the winter of the 3rd year of the Yonghui era of Tang Gaozong's reign. This date corresponds to 14 Jan 653 on the Gregorian calendar [(永徽三年)冬，...，癸巳，濮恭王泰薨于均州。]. His biographies in volume 76 of Old Book of Tang and volume 80 of New Book of Tang recorded that he was 35 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died.
^ Yi Que Fokan Bei (伊阙佛龛碑)

[1] Li Tai being 34 when he died does not reconcile well with historical records also stating that his older brother Li Chengqian was eight (by East Asian reckoning) when he was created crown prince in September 626 -- which would make Li Chengqian's birth year c.619; the 2nd year of the Wude era corresponds to 21 Jan 619 to 8 Feb 620 on the Julian calendar. As Li Tai was clearly younger and born of the same mother as Li Chengqian, the dates cannot be both correct, but it is not clear which, if either, date was correct. Further, given that Li Chengqian was Emperor Taizong's first-born son and Li Tai was the fourth-born son, they could not be twins. According to Li Tai's grave epitaph, Li Tai was actually born in 620; the 3rd year of the Wude era corresponds to 9 Feb 620 to 27 Jan 621 in the Julian calendar.

[2] Volume 199 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Li Tai died on the guisi day during the winter of the 3rd year of the Yonghui era of Tang Gaozong's reign. This date corresponds to 14 Jan 653 on the Gregorian calendar [(永徽三年)冬，...，癸巳，濮恭王泰薨于均州。]. His biographies in volume 76 of Old Book of Tang and volume 80 of New Book of Tang recorded that he was 35 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died.

[3] Yi Que Fokan Bei (伊阙佛龛碑)

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