Li Zaiyi (Chinese: 李載義) (July 18, 788 - June 4, 837), né Li Zaiyi (李再義, note different character of his later name), courtesy name Fanggu (方谷), formally the Prince of Wuwei (武威王), was a general of the Chinese Tang dynasty who, from 826 to 831, ruled Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing) in de facto independence from the imperial government as the circuit's military governor (Jiedushi), although he was respectful to Emperor Wenzong and participated in the imperial campaign against the rebel general Li Tongjie.
After he was expelled in a mutiny by Yang Zhicheng, the imperial government continued to commission him as a military governor, and he served at two other circuits subsequently.
It was said that his ancestors were known for generations for their battlefield prowess and served at You Prefecture (幽州, in modern Beijing, Lulong Circuit's capital).
Li Zaiyi lost his father early, and he spent his days touring with those from his home area not under anyone's orders.
In 827, the imperial government prepared for a campaign against Li Tongjie, who seized control of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei) after the death of his father, Li Quanlüe (李全略), who had been military governor, without imperial sanction.
Emperor Wenzong initially considered launching an army to reinstate Li Zaiyi, but the chancellor Niu Sengru pointed out that the imperial government had no strength at the time for such a campaign.
Meanwhile, when Li Zaiyi arrived in Chang'an from Yi Prefecture, Emperor Wenzong, because Li Zaiyi had been respectful and had participated in the campaign against Henghai, continued to let him carry the title Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, and further conveyed the title of Taibao (太保, one of the Three Excellencies) on him.
[3] In summer 831, Emperor Wenzong made Li Zaiyi the military governor of Shannan West Circuit (山南西道, headquartered in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi), as well as the mayor of its capital Xingyuan Municipality (興元).
He fled toward Chang'an, and as he went through Hedong, Li Zaiyi had him battered and wanted to kill him, only stopping after earnest advice from the staffers.
[6] Around the new year 836, during a plot by Emperor Wenzong, the chancellor Li Xun, and the general Zheng Zhu, to slaughter the powerful eunuchs who controlled much of imperial governance (an incident later known as the Ganlu Incident), as part of the plot, Emperor Wenzong recalled Li Zaiyi to Chang'an, while naming the official Wang Fan (王璠), who was an associate of Li Xun's, as the new military governor of Hedong.