According to the Song dynasty text Lushi, a collection of historical facts, legends, and folklore, some of the descendants of Laozi (fl.

6th century BC) adopted the surname Li, in honour of their ancestor Lizhen (利贞) who lived during the Shang dynasty.

According to the 9th-century Tang dynasty text Yuanhe Xing Zuan, during the Spring and Autumn period, a prince of the Chu state was enfeoffed at the settlement of Li (in present-day Guangyuan, Sichuan province), and his descendants adopted Li as their surname.

Also during the Spring and Autumn period, a minister of Jin state was enfeoffed at another settlement with the same name Li.

[4] During the Northern Wei dynasty (386–535), the Xianbei rulers pursued a policy of drastic sinicization, and ordered many non-Chinese people to adopt Chinese surnames.