Chinese surname · rank 2
李
李 is read as lǐ.
lǐ
Simplified and traditional 李
plum tree or plum fruit; also recorded as connected with 理 in older judge/official senses
Wood
Time: Traditional early official-title account; historically prominent by Warring States and Han records, with exceptional Tang dynasty prominence from 618 CE
Place: Central Plains tradition; later major Longxi commandery association in today's Gansu Province; Tang imperial-house association from the Chang'an-centered Tang state
Origin note
A common Li surname tradition links it to ancient officials associated with li, written , and to Li Lizhen. The character also means plum, so later explanations often connect the written form with the plum tree image. The Longxi Li lineage and the Tang imperial house gave Li exceptional historical weight.
Historical figures
李世民
598-649 CE · Emperor Taizong of Tang
One of the most famous rulers of the Tang dynasty, remembered for statecraft, military ability and the cultural prestige of the Li imperial surname.