Li Shen (李紳) (died July 29, 846[1][2]), courtesy name Gongchui (公垂), formally Duke Wensu of Zhao (趙文肅公), was a Chinese historian, military general, poet, and politician of the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wuzong.
The warlord Li Qi, who then ruled the region as the military governor (jiedushi) of Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu), was impressed with his talent and invited him to serve on staff as a secretary.
In 821, he was made Sixun Yuanwailang (司勛員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu), and put in charge of drafting edicts.
Both Li Shen and the former chancellor Duan Wenchang had submitted a list of examinees that they hoped would be passed to Qian Hui (錢徽), one of the officials in charge of the examinations that season, but once the results were published, the examinees that Duan and Li Shen recommended did not pass, while those who passed included the several relatives of other officials – Zheng Tan's brother Zheng Lang; Pei Du's son Pei Zhuan (裴譔); Li Zongmin's son-in-law Su Chao (蘇巢); and Yang Yinshi (楊殷士), brother to the other official in charge of the examinations that year, Yang Rushi (楊汝士).
Emperor Muzong thus ordered a reexamination, while demoting Qian, Li Zongmin, and Yang Rushi, along with 10 examinees who passed based on perceived influence.
)[7] In 822, Li Shen was made Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau, and continued to be in charge of drafting edicts.
As a result, Li Shen was exiled and demoted to be the military advisor to the prefect of Duan Prefecture (端州, in modern Zhaoqing, Guangdong).
[5] In 833, during the reign of Emperor Jingzong's brother and successor Emperor Wenzong, when Li Deyu was chancellor, Li Shen was made the governor of Zhedong Circuit (浙東, headquartered in modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang) and the prefect of its capital Yue Prefecture (越州).
Later in the year, he was made the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) and the prefect of its capital Bian Prefecture (汴州).
[2] In 845, Li Shen accused one of his subordinates, the magistrate of Jiangdu (江都, in modern Yangzhou), Wu Xiang (吳湘), whose uncle Wu Wuling (吳武陵) had long had an adversarial relationship with Li Deyu, of embezzlement and forcibly marrying the daughter of a commoner, Yan Yue (顏悅).
Many advisory officials pointed out that the evidence against Wu Xiang was weak, and Emperor Wuzong sent the censors Cui Yuanzao (崔元藻) and Li Chou (李稠) to review the case.
Cui and Li Chou reported that Wu Xiang did embezzle funds, but that his father-in-law Yan was not a commoner, nor was the marriage forced.
Emperor Xuānzong recalled Cui Yuanzao from exile and had him give an account of the case to the Office of the Imperial Censors, which subsequently submitted a report agreeing that Wu Xiang was improperly executed.