Biography

He claimed to be descended from Emperor Ai of Tang, the last Emperor of Tang through a son named Li Xizhao (李熙照).

In 1127, Emperor Qinzong appointed the Li Gang to lead the Song military to fend off the Jurchens, but Qinzong removed Li Gang from his appointment in the hope of starting peace talks with the Jurchens and sent his younger brother Zhao Gou to negotiate. The negotiation worked but not before Zhao Gou was taken hostage, ransomed, and released. Despite this, the Jurchens renewed their war again due to Emperor Qinzong's decisions. Since Emperor Qinzong sent his generals to other parts of the country, Li Gang himself included, he was not captured during the Jingkang Incident but Emperor Qinzong was captured.

Zhao Gou later became Emperor Gaozong in June 1127.

Li Gang became Emperor Gaozong's chancellor and was responsible for pressuring him to execute Zhang Bangchang because Li Gang opposed diplomatic action with the Jurchens.

When one of Li Gang's guerrilla forces, the Red Scarf Army, scored a major victory against the Jin troops and almost captured their commander-in-chief, Gaozong dismissed the minister. The dismissal of Li Gang is seen as implying that Gaozong did not really want to win this battle.

生平

李纲生于宋神宗元丰六年闰六月十日（1083年7月27日）秀州华亭官舍（今上海松江）。靖康元年（1126年）金兵侵汴京时，任京城四壁守御使，击退金兵。曾倡议于河北设立藩镇以抵抗金，遭由秦桧为首的主和派所斥。赵构称帝后，于建炎元年五月初五起用李纲为宰相（尚书右仆射兼中书侍郎）。御史中丞颜岐说：「李纲为金人所恶，不宜为相。」右谏议大夫范宗尹说：「李纲名浮于实，有震主之威，不可以相。」李纲上任，「首陈十事」，决心重整朝纲，主张用两河义军收复失地。李纲主政仅七十五天，建炎元年八月十八日便遭罢相，为观文殿大学士，提举杭州洞霄宫。其施政举措皆被罢。十月八日，受殿中侍御史张浚弹劾，罢观文殿大学士，仍留提举洞霄宫之职。居住鄂州，建炎二年十月间朝廷命其移往澧州（治今湖南常德市澧县）。御史中丞王綯弹劾李纲「经年不赴贬所」。建炎二年十一月四日，又被贬谪万安军（海南岛）。十一月下旬，与子李宗之南渡琼州。建炎四年（1130年），遭贬流放遇赦后，隐居泰宁丹霞岩。绍兴九年（1139年）正月，宋金议和，宋向金称臣纳贡，李纲忧愤成疾。绍兴十年（1140年）正月十五病逝于仓前山椤严精舍寓所，赠少师。淳熙十六年（1189年），特赠陇西郡开国公，谥忠定（虑国忘家曰忠 安民大虑曰定）。著有《梁溪集》180卷，附录6卷。

李纲死后葬于福州市闽侯县荆溪镇光明村大嘉山南麓。

评价

• 文天祥《忠定公赞》：「其道则隆，其运则剥。噫，胡出处之不常，为苍天频卜。」

• 朱熹评价：「纲知有君父而不知有身，知天下之安危而不知身之有痼疾，虽以谗间窜斥濒九死，而爱国忧君之志终不可夺者，可谓一世伟人矣！」

• 郑大漠作诗曰：「吾爱李丞相，经术文章匠。时事不可忘，书生作良将。旧筑读书堂，双江古刹上。」

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