[2] Based on historical documents, Li Rusong's 6th generation ancestor Li Ying (李英) was originally from present-day North Korea, but there are historical documents which state that the further ancestors were from central China who moved to Korea during wartime.

Li Rusong's first rise of fame was in early 1592, when he managed to defeat a major rebellion at Ningxia.

Together with Ming administrator Song Yingchang, Li Rusong was generally successful in Korea, first retaking the city of Pyongyang in a direct assault within two weeks of setting off (on January 8 of 1593), and then took back the city of Kaesong a couple week later.

He ordered Chinese and Korean troops to refrain from killing all Japanese soldiers and grant them the right to retreat.

In April 1598, the Mongols invaded the Ming province of Liaodong from the north when Li Rusong was leading a small scouting group around its forests.