Background

Fu Cun was born in 862, during the reign of Emperor Yizong of Tang. His family was from Wanqiu (宛丘, in modern Zhoukou, Henan), and his father Fu Chu (符楚) was an officer for the army of Chen Prefecture (陳州, in modern Zhumadian, Henan), which Wanqiu was a part of. When he was young, there was an occasion when he was to be executed for an offense, and he asked to be buried under a part of the city wall that had tilted, so that his body would not be uncovered. The executioner agreed and was set to move his execution to just next to the city wall to facilitate the burial. However, at that time, a high-level officer was holding a feast and sitting with his favorite servant girl; the officer wanted someone to sing for them during the feast, and the servant girl, who was acquainted with Fu, stated, "Fu Cun often sang for me, and he sang well." The officer sent a messenger to summon Fu, and Fu, with the execution having been moved, was not yet executed. Fu sang well at the feast, and was spared.

Service under Li Hanzhi

Fu Cun was said to be magnanimous and just in his youth, and was capable of military strategies. Late in the Qianfu era (874-879) of Emperor Yizong's son and successor Emperor Xizong, the Tang realm was overrun by agrarian rebels, and Fu led a group of locals in defending the prefecture. Later, when Li Hanzhi, who was also from Chen Prefecture and who had been an agrarian rebel, became a Tang general and was made the prefect of Guang Prefecture (光州, in modern Xinyang, Henan), Fu went to join Li Hanzhi's army. Later, when Li Hanzhi was pressured by the renegade general Qin Zongquan, who had declared himself emperor of a new state centered around nearby Cai Prefecture (蔡州, in modern Zhumadian), Li Hanzhi abandoned Guang Prefecture and joined the army of Zhuge Shuang the military governor (Jiedushi) of Heyang Circuit (河陽, headquartered in modern Jiaozuo, Henan), and Fu followed him to serve as a minor officer at Heyang; Fu subsequently distinguished himself in battles against Qin's army. After Zhuge's death, Li Hanzhi was forced by Zhuge's other subordinates to become the defender of Huai Prefecture (懷州, in modern Luoyang, Henan) and Li Hanzhi's soldiers were distributed. Fu thereafter went to the domain of Li Keyong the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) instead. Li Keyong adopted him as a son and changed his name to Li Cunshen; he became a commander of the wing of Li Keyong's army that Li Keyong put his adoptive sons in charge of.

Service under Li Keyong

As Li Cunshen served under Li Keyong, he was said to draw more and more of Li Keyong's favor due to his bravery in battle and his careful speaking. He often accompanied Li Keyong on his campaigns and distinguished himself during them. During the campaign against Helian Duo, for example, he fought hard and suffered a number of wounds, which Li Keyong personally attended to.

During Li Keyong's 894 campaign against Li Kuangchou the military governor of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing), Li Keyong deployed the tactic of facing Li Kuangchou's army headfirst himself, while having Li Cunshen circle around and attack Li Kuangchou's army in the back, leading to a rout of Li Kuangchou's army and Li Kuangchou's subsequent flight and death.

In 895, when Li Keyong, under the directives of Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong, attacked Wang Xingyu the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi), Li Cunshen was instrumental in defeating Jingnan's elite troops and capturing Longquan (龍泉寨, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi), leading to Wang's subsequent defeat and death. After the battle, Li Cunshen was given the honorary title of acting Zuo Pushe (左僕射). In a subsequent campaign between Li Keyong and Li Keyong's archrival Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) (after Li Hanzhi, who was by that point serving under Li Keyong as well, had seized Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), turned against Li Keyong, and submitted to Zhu), Li Cunshen defeated the Xuanwu general He Delun (賀德倫).

In 901, when Zhu launched a major attack on Li Keyong and nearly captured Hedong's capital Taiyuan Municipality, Li Keyong's subordinate Li Tang (李塘) the prefect of Fen Prefecture (汾州, in modern Lüliang, Shanxi) surrendered Fen Prefecture to Zhu; after Zhu's subsequent withdrawal, Li Keyong sent Li Cunshen to attack Li Tang; Li Cunshen took Fen in three days, capturing and executing Li Tang. He was then made the commander of Li Keyong's infantry guards.

In 903, when Wang Jinghui (王敬暉), an officer at Yun Prefecture (雲州, in modern Datong, Shanxi), killed Yun's prefect Liu Zaili (劉再立) and submitted to Liu Rengong the military governor of Lulong (who had been a vassal of Li Keyong's but who had by that point turned against Li Keyong), Li Keyong sent his nephew Li Sizhao and Li Cunshen to attack Wang. When Liu subsequently came to Wang's aid, however, Wang was able to escape; angry over Wang's escape. Li Keyong caned both Li Sizhao and Li Cunshen and stripped them of their posts. However, the posts appeared to have been subsequently restored, as in 906, Li Sizhao and Li Cunshen were the ones attacking Zhaoyi (which had been taken by Zhu's subordinate Ding Hui) and who accepted Ding's surrender (as Ding had by that point become disaffected with Zhu due to Zhu's assassination of Emperor Zhaozong in 905) — by this point, Li Cunshen was apparently the deputy commander of all Han and non-Han cavalry and infantry forces directly under Li Keyong, with Li Sizhao serving as the commander of all Han and non-Han cavalry and infantry forces.

In 907, Zhu forced Emperor Zhaozong's son and successor Emperor Ai to yield the throne to him, ending Tang and starting a new Later Liang with him as its Emperor Taizu. Li Keyong, who carried the Tang-bestowed title of Prince of Jin, refused to recognize the new Later Liang emperor (as did several other major warlords — Yang Wo the Prince of Hongnong, Li Maozhen the Prince of Qi, and Wang Jian the Prince of Shu) and continued to use the Tang era name Tianyou. In effect, however, he was the ruler of his own state of Jin by this point. In 908, Li Keyong died and was succeeded by his son Li Cunxu as the Prince of Jin. Li Cunshen continued to serve under Li Cunxu.

Service under Li Cunxu

During Jin

One of the first crises that Li Cunxu had to deal with was the siege that Later Liang forces were conducting against Zhaoyi's capital Lu Prefecture (潞州), defended by Li Sizhao. Li Cunxu himself and Zhou Dewei commanded the subsequent successful relief mission to Lu, and Li Cunshen served under Zhou during the battle. After the battle, he was given the honorary title of acting Situ (司徒, one of the Three Excellencies), and made the prefect of Xin Prefecture (忻州, in modern Xinzhou, Shanxi) and the commander of all Han and non-Han cavalry and infantry forces. In 910, he was made acting Taibao (太保) and the deputy overseer of all Han and non-Han. That year, when Li Cunxu himself went to the rescue of the former Later Liang vassal Wang Rong the Prince of Zhao, who was under attack by Later Liang forces, he put Li Cunshen in charge of Taiyuan. After defeating Later Liang forces, Li Cunxu put Li Cunshen in charge of the defense of the new southeastern border between Jin/Zhao and Later Liang, stationed at Zhao Prefecture (趙州, in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei).

In 912, when Li Cunxu sent Zhou to attack Liu Rengong's son and successor Liu Shouguang — who had declared himself the emperor of a new state of Yan — Later Liang's Emperor Taizu decided to try to come to Liu Shouguang's rescue by attacking Jin and Zhao from the south. Li Cunshen, whose forces were far outnumbered by Later Liang forces under Emperor Taizu himself and his general Yang Shihou, tricked the Later Liang forces by dividing his troops into multiple groups, commanded by himself, Shi Jiantang (史建瑭), and Li Sigong (李嗣肱, another adoptive son of Li Keyong's), eventually misleading Emperor Taizu into believing Li Cunxu and the main Jin forces were at the front and that he was nearing defeat, causing him to withdraw in a panic and ending his attempt to save Yan. As a result of this victory, Li Cunshen was made the military prefect (團練使, Tuanlianshi) of Xin (邢州, in modern Xingtai, Hebei), Ming (洺州, in modern Handan, Hebei), and Ci (磁州, also in modern Handan) Prefectures (which were not yet under Jin control at that time). Later, at Li Cunxu's direction, Li Cunshen took his ethnic Tuyuhun and Qibi (契苾) cavalry soldiers to reinforce Zhou's troops. (Without Later Liang aid, Yan eventually fell in 913.)

Late in 912, Later Liang's Emperor Taizu was assassinated by his son Zhu Yougui the Prince of Ying, and Zhu Yougui took over the throne (after claiming that instead, it was his adoptive brother Zhu Youwen the Prince of Bo who had carried out the assassination but who had been executed). The Later Liang military governor of Huguo Circuit (護國, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), Zhu Youqian, did not believe Zhu Yougui and resisted Zhu Yougui's subsequent summons to the capital Luoyang. When Zhu Yougui subsequently sent the generals Kang Huaizhen (康懷貞) and Niu Cunjie (牛存節) to attack Zhu Youqian, Zhu Youqian submitted to Jin and requested immediate aid. Li Cunxu sent Li Cunshen, Li Sigong, and Li Si'en (李嗣恩, another adoptive son of Li Keyong's) to aid Zhu Youqian; they had some victories over Later Liang forces, and after Li Cunxu himself joined them, Later Liang forces withdrew from Huguo.

In 915, by which time Zhu Yougui had been killed and replaced by his brother Zhu Zhen, Yang, who had been the military governor of the powerful Tianxiong Circuit (天雄, headquartered in modern Handan, also known as Weibo (魏博)), died. Zhu Zhen, believing that the Weibo army was difficult to control and needed to have its influence reduced, divided Tianxiong into two circuits, with three of its six prefectures, including Tianxiong's capital Wei Prefecture (魏州), governed by He Delun, and with the other prefectures made into a new Zhaode Circuit (昭德), headquartered at Xiang Prefecture (相州, in modern Anyang, Henan), with Zhang Yun as its military governor. The Tianxiong forces did not want to be divided, and they mutinied under the leadership of Zhang Yan, kidnapping He Delun and forcing him to submit to Jin. Hearing of what happened at Tianxiong, Li Cunxu proceeded quickly toward Wei Prefecture, joining forces with Li Cunshen to Linqing (臨清, in modern Lintai). Li Cunxu subsequently entered Wei Prefecture and took over the military governorship of Tianxiong himself. Li Cunshen engaged in several subsequent major battles with the Later Liang general Liu Xun, who was trying to recapture Tianxiong, defeating Liu (along with Li Siyuan and Li Cunxu himself). After the Yan Bao (閻寶), the Later Liang military governor of Baoyi Circuit (保義, headquartered at Xing Prefecture) subsequently surrendered the circuit, Li Cunxu made Li Cunshen the military governor of a new Anguo Circuit, headquartered at Xing Prefecture. After the Later Liang military governor of Shunhua Circuit (順化, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei), Dai Siyuan subsequently abandoned Shunhua, Li Cunxu made Li Cunshen the military governor of Henghai Circuit (橫海, i.e., Shunhua, which was originally named Henghai during Tang times). By this point, Jin had taken all of Later Liang territory north of the Yellow River except for the city of Liyang (黎陽, in modern Hebi, Henan). Li Cunxu subsequently bestowed the honorary chancellor designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi on Li Cunshen.

The Jin victories were then tempered by the news, in 917, that Khitan's Emperor Taizu (Yelü Abaoji) had launched a major attack on Lulong's capital You Prefecture (幽州), putting Zhou under siege inside the city. Li Cunxu originally hesitated at launching an army to save Zhou, given that the Yellow River border with Later Liang was a new one and Later Liang forces were still in the vicinity. It was at the urging of Li Cunshen, Li Siyuan, and Yan that he decided to send them north to confront Khitan forces. They defeated Khitan forces near You Prefecture and forced them to flee, lifting the siege on You Prefecture. (Still, it was said that this Khitan incursion dealt a heavy blow to Lulong Circuit, which from this point on was periodically subject to damaging Khitan incursions.)

In late 918, Li Cunxu decided to, against Zhou's advice, launch a major attack across the Yellow River against Later Liang's capital Daliang itself. In a subsequent battle at Huliu Slope (胡柳陂, in modern Heze, Shandong), Jin forces were initially routed and suffered heavy damage (with Zhou killed in the battle), although it subsequently recovered somewhat and dealt heavy damage to Later Liang forces as well, avoiding a complete disaster. After Zhou's death, Li Cunxu transferred Zhou's title as the overseer of all Han and non-Han to Li Cunshen.

In 920, when Liu Xun was attacking Huguo, Li Cunxu sent Li Cunshen, Li Sizhao, Li Jianji (李建及), and Li Cunxian (李存賢, another adoptive son of Li Keyong's) to aid Zhu Youqian. They were successful in repelling Liu. (On this mission, Li Cunshen made an incursion into Later Liang territory as far as the Guanzhong region and offered tributes to the tombs of the Tang emperors before withdrawing.)

In 921, Wang Rong was assassinated by his adoptive son Wang Deming, who took over the Zhao realms, changed his name back to the original name of Zhang Wenli, and slaughtered the Wang clan. Li Cunxu subsequently prepared for a campaign against Zhang Wenli (who soon died and was succeeded by his son Zhang Chujin). As part of his preparation, he had Li Cunshen and Li Siyuan stationed at Desheng (德勝, in modern Puyang, Henan) and Qicheng (戚城, in modern Puyang as well) respectively and then pretended to withdraw to lure Later Liang forces under Dai. When Dai attacked, Li Cunxu himself (along with Li Siyuan and Li Cunshen) defeated him. This victory allowed Li Cunxu himself to leave the front and go to the Zhao front himself. In 922, Dai, hearing that Li Cunxu had left to siege Zhao's capital Zhen Prefecture, launched another major attack on Desheng. Li Cunshen defended the city, and Dai was unable to capture it. Li Cunxu subsequently came to his aid, and Dai withdrew.

Zhang Chujin's mutineers turned out to be much more challenging to defeat than Li Cunxu anticipated, with several successive Jin commanders of the siege (Yan, Li Sizhao, and Li Cunjin (another adoptive son of Li Keyong's)) either defeated or killed in battle during the siege. In fall 922, Li Cunxu made Li Cunshen the overall commander of the Zhen operations. Zhang Chujin's officer Li Zaifeng (李再豐) opened the city gates and welcomed Jin forces in, allowing Li Cunshen to capture it, putting Zhang Chujin and his brothers to death. For this victory, Li Cunshen received the greater honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中).

In 923, when Khitan was again attacking You Prefecture, Li Cunxu, at the suggestion of his chief of staff Guo Chongtao, despite the fact that Li Cunshen was ill at the time, made Li Cunshen the military governor of Lulong.

During Later Tang

Shortly after Li Cunshen was commissioned as the military governor of Lulong, Li Cunxu declared himself emperor, as the successor to Tang, establishing Later Tang as its Emperor Zhuangzong. He gave Li Cunshen the honorary chancellor title of Zhongshu Ling (中書令). Later in the year, he launched a surprise attack on Daliang after defeating and capturing the Later Liang general Wang Yanzhang, whose defeat left Daliang defenseless. Zhu Zhen committed suicide, ending Later Liang and allowing Later Tang to take over the rest of Later Liang territory.

Meanwhile, Li Cunshen was distressed that, despite being the most senior among Later Tang generals, he was the only main one who did not participate in the conquest of the Later Liang capital. He repeatedly requested to get a chance to pay homage to Emperor Zhuangzong again, including making the requests through his wife Lady Guo, but Guo Chongtao, who was jealous of Li Cunshen, repeatedly had the requests suppressed. Only in spring 924, when Li Cunshen was seriously ill, was the request approved, along with a new commission as the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit. Before Li Cunshen could leave Lulong, however, his illness grew worse, and he died at You Prefecture. Emperor Zhuangzong gave him posthumous honors and, per his dying request, had him buried at Taiyuan.

It was said that Li Cunshen often warned his sons not to take their high status for granted, pointing out to them that he grew up in a low social station and had to fight his way to the top, stating that arrows had to be removed from his body more than 100 times — and showing them the arrowheads, which he had preserved, as proof. Several of his sons became important generals, including Fu Yanqing, whose honored status persisted to the early Song Dynasty.

Notes and references

• History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 56.

• New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 25.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 259, 260, 261, 262, 264, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273.

生平

出身

符存審父親符楚是陳州牙將（統率約5,000兵馬）。符存審少年時性格豪邁，重俠義精神；而且機智多謀，喜歡談論兵法戰事。至唐末中和年間，河南一帶強盜四起，生逢亂世的符存審開始追隨光州刺史李罕之上沙場。後來李罕之因為不敵「蔡州皇帝」秦宗權的軍隊而放棄光州投奔諸葛爽，符存審也跟著到河陽擔當小校一職，屢戰蔡寇有功。諸葛爽死後李罕之逃到懷州，部下不滿其品性暴戾而紛紛四散，符存審此時再擇晉王「獨眼龍」李克用為君主，展開其南征北伐的將領生涯。

早年戰績

符存審自小在軍旅長大，故在沙場上識機知變、行軍法命嚴明如山，又喜歡用奇兵致勝，從來沒有預判或戰略失誤，加上其品性敦厚低調、謹言慎行，因而侍遇日隆；在陪同李克用西征討伐赫連鐸時「冒刃死戰，血流盈袖」，李克用親自為他治療傷勢並日夕慰問。乾寧初年符存審出任先鋒戰李匡籌，一舉攻下居庸關。翌年討邠州時，邠州屯兵於龍泉寨，其位置四面懸崖且石壁險固，符存審擊退王行瑜，又費了九牛二虎之力攻下龍泉寨，回師之後被授予「檢校左僕射」。後以此職輔佐李嗣昭攻打汾州李瑭時，符存審把李瑭生擒，憑這個功勞升遷「左右廂步軍都指揮使」。天祐三年（906年）出征潞州，與李嗣昭在上黨降服丁會，又合兵盧龍節度使周德威在夾城消滅流賊，故受封忻州刺史及「蕃漢馬步都指揮使」。天佑七年（910年），出任「蕃漢副總管」負責領兵鎮守太原。

破朱溫

天祐九年（912年）梁太祖朱溫率號稱五十萬的大軍進攻鎮州、定州，他命令部將楊師厚攻入棗強後血腥屠城，連老人婦孺也不放過；而自己則親率賀德倫等人圍攻蓨縣（今河北景縣）。正在附近趙州駐紮的符存審帶部下史建瑭、李嗣肱（李克用從弟李克修之子）等800人去救。符存審深知雙方兵力有別，在抵達信都後先奪取下博橋，阻止梁軍繼續北上；又派史建瑭、李嗣肱率600騎去捉拿替梁軍牧馬的人，俘獲數百人後統統處刑，卻特意讓當中的十數人逃走。那些僥倖保命的人回寨後驚魂未定，紛紛叫嚷說晉軍主力已經壓陣，使到梁軍士卒人心惶惶。翌日，符存審用經過喬裝的600騎兵突擊梁軍大營，由於他們全部打著梁軍旗號，朱溫不虞有詐之下損失甚鉅，至傍晚時份晉軍直殺到對方副將賀德倫跟前，並放火燒燬梁軍大寨後方才撤退。朱溫見己方損折無數、陣勢大亂，唯有當即拔寨後連夜遁逃，扶病返回洛陽後不久便被兒子所殺。

元城會戰

天祐十二年（915年）夏天李克用已死，年少繼位為晉王的李存勗（後唐莊宗）決定進攻河北魏博（天雄）並派符存審出任前鋒收服臨清。八月，符存審盤踞於魏縣與僅僅相隔三十里的後梁軍劉鄩爭持，一日數戰，互不相讓。九月中，率師五千平定貝州的張源德；又與王建及合兵，用騎兵二千突襲敵陣側翼，擊退劉鄩的援軍一萬人。翌年三月，劉鄩軍終於按捺不住全力犯境魏州，已經會合莊宗的符存審亦率大軍截斷其退路，迫使雙方在元城舊址開戰，梁軍潰敗，而符存審乘勝追擊，趁勢再收復了澶、衛、磁、洺州。直等到秋涼時節，邢州的守將閻寶亦向符存審請降。莊宗以收服五州之功，授予符存審安國軍節度使，兼任邢洺磁等州觀察使。十月，戴思遠得知符存審兵臨滄州立刻聞風而逃，城將毛璋則開城投降。莊宗大喜，加授符存審檢校太傅、橫海節度使，兼領「魏博馬步軍都指揮使」。翌年再加同中書門下平章事之職。

棉裡裹針退契丹

天祐十四年（917年），契丹三十萬大軍圍困幽州（今北京）的周德威，由於另一邊廂正與梁軍相持不下，莊宗非常苦惱該如何是好。想發兵救幽州，手上兵力不足，如果分兵太多則有危險；但如果不派援兵，又怕幽州全面失陷。他便問策於帳下諸將，當中只有符存審認為幽州不可不救，更自願請纓說：「請借我五千騎兵就夠了！」莊宗見符存審自告奮勇，就讓他與李嗣源、閻寶率軍七萬去救。而符存審亦不負所託，九月五日三人在易州合兵，九月十二日符存審先用鹿角陣大敗契丹的騎兵前鋒。入冬後兩軍主力開戰，符存審採用「棉裡裹針」之計殺破敵將安彥之，一舉擊潰契丹軍；契丹主軍受重創，殘軍倉皇向北山方向逃竄，餘下輜重糧餉遍野。晉軍又再追擊，俘獲敵軍上萬人，皆處刑，遂解幽州之圍。

天祐十五年（918年）二月初參與進攻楊劉城。十月，晉軍駐於麻家渡，符存審進諫莊宗。當時的莊宗年少氣盛、勇於接戰，經常受不住敵營叫囂輕騎而出，符存審每次見到必定叩馬進諫：「王上你身繫光復唐室社稷的大任，應該為了天下蒼生而愛惜自己的身軀。接受對方的舉旗挑戰，只不過是放任刀劍的一時之快，對於聖上你的品德無甚益處，還請交回微臣效勞。古人遇上盜賊時，尚且不會由上司和父親去抵抗，而今我雖無將帥之才，但不敢不擔君之憂」。莊宗聽後通常也從善如流，及時回駕大營。

同年，莊宗與後梁軍於胡柳陂（今河南濮城西）開戰，戰況異常激烈。辰巳時份（晚上7時至11時）另一員大將周德威戰死，戰況急轉直下，莊宗的部隊稍一失神停步，梁軍就從四方八面湧出來。莊宗被敵軍所包圍，一度勢危，此時符存審與三子符彥圖出沒在敵陣沐血奮戰，直到翌晨才歸去與主軍會合重整陣勢，並於午後開始逆轉形勢，至夕陽落後，符存審麾下的銀槍部隊才終於在土山下殲滅所有敵軍。

天祐十六年（919年）春，接替周德威為「內外蕃漢馬步總管」，於德勝口分別建築南北兩座城池而據，時人稱之為「夾寨」。七月，後梁王瓚又從黎陽渡河竄擾澶州誘戰，符存審拒守不出，王瓚退到楊村渡口控制上游，自此日夜交鋒，對壘經年，大小凡百餘戰，未見敗績。至此，昔日一起追隨李克用並與之齊名的周德威已死，使符存審在晉軍中的地位更形重要。

緩師示弱、伺隙出奇

天佑十七年（920年）後梁大軍進犯同州，符存審用緩師示弱、伺隙出奇之策，智解同州之圍。當時後梁的朱友謙以河中同州（今陝西大荔）為條件欲向莊宗投降，後梁朝廷得悉後用劉鄩引重兵進逼同州，朱友謙馬上向莊宗求救，莊宗便託符存審與李嗣昭前赴救援。九月，符存審與李嗣昭取道河東進軍往河中。河中一帶本來兵少且弱，梁軍由於過往多次征服該地而相當輕視之，亦料不到符存審用兵神速，已抵當地。符存審便特意在自己的營中挑選200名精銳騎兵夾雜當地部隊出戰，並先以河中部隊採取佯敗的誘敵戰術；等梁兵出城追擊一段距離後即以200名精騎反擊，果然大勝而歸及俘敵甚多，當梁軍得知對手身份時皆大驚。不過當時河中一帶長期稱臣於後梁，其民眾對支持梁軍或晉軍持兩端態度，加上大軍集結河中後的軍糧消耗不菲，李嗣昭等眾將都怕情況反覆或帳下起亂，故提議速戰速決。

屯兵朝邑數日後，後梁軍逼向晉軍陣營。當時晉軍中有懂星相觀天之士，說西南方隱現一股如鬥雞之狀的黑氣，當有戰禍發生；符存審回應說：「我方正想與敵決一死戰，而今甚至從氣象中顯示出來，豈不是如有天助嗎！」。乘著士氣大振，當晚立即審閱大軍，並謹慎地揮軍向前。後梁軍接戰後節節敗退，損失二千餘人，從此便天天守在堡壘中不出來。符存審見狀即對身旁的李嗣昭說：「我當初最擔憂的是被劉鄩佔據渭河地利。眼下他的副軍已經大敗，若然你盡封掉他的退路，劉鄩會恐懼我要一舉殲滅他；有雲困獸以窮惡襲人，不可不當作一回事。我們不妨刻意開一個缺口給他，等他撤退時再施以伏擊這樣比較可取」。於是命令部下李建及在沙苑中牧馬，旨在令對方鬆懈，劉鄩、尹皓接報後暗暗竊喜，馬上計劃撤退。歐陽修《舊五代史》對此記載：「鄩以為晉軍且懈，乃夜遁去」。其實符存審此時已經派遣追兵在渭河一帶突襲劉鄩，使他落得近乎全軍覆沒，同州之圍便因此煙消雲散。由此戰役可見符存審善於造勢，以攻心為上，活用兵法，這道緩師示弱之計600多年後的清將多爾袞亦有仿傚，用於藏銳師於明軍身後伏擊闖王李自成。

鎮守疆土

天佑十八年（921年），叛將張文禮謀殺節度使王鎔在鎮州成德（治今河北正定）割地自立，李嗣昭、李存進先後接戰卻相繼陣亡。天佑十九年（922年）符存審率師進攻叛軍於鎮州城下，並以圍城之策使鎮州糧盡。九月，張文禮謀士李再豐暗中送款欲賄賂符存審，符存審未置可否，卻於當夜暗中登城，生擒張文禮之子張處瑾、張處球一干人等。鎮州就此火速平定，捷報獻上朝廷，符存審因功獲封侍中。

天佑二十年（923年）正月，符存審還師魏州，莊宗親自出城以宴樂迎接。未幾，契丹又進犯燕薊之地，莊宗心腹郭崇韜上奏：「後梁尚未平定，契丹就率先背叛我方，而捍衛北方的防禦重任，環顧云云眾將裡非存審不可」，莊宗便遣中使召諭符存審出征。不過符存審此時因為作戰經年而積勞成疾，抱恙在家，但還是上奏曰：「臣願意前往效命，不敢託辭推諉，但老身痛症連連不絕，只恐未堪眼下此戰之用」。符存審於是未有領軍迎擊此役，但仍奉旨兼任幽州盧龍節度使，擔起守衛北面邊疆之重任。

同光元年（923年）後唐終於消滅後梁並立國，遷都洛陽。朝廷升遷符存審為中書令及檢校太師、開府儀同三司、賜食邑千戶，封當朝忠烈扶天啟運功臣。同時卻招惹朝中一些文官詆譭，認為符存審並未有助於收復中原全境。其時，符存審身上的箭傷舊患復發，加上自責身為大將卻未能參與入梁戰役而鬱鬱不歡，病況日下。只得要求入覲尋醫，並請求大臣郭崇韜協助，但郭崇韜一向自負，而且不憤功績和聲望皆在符存審之下，因而符存審每有奏章要求面聖都被駁回。

符存審妻子郭氏哭著痛斥郭崇韜說：「我的夫君一直以來為國家奔馳效命，與你又份屬鄉里舊識，現在你竟然忍心棄他到北方荒地送死，實在是何等的無情無義！」，郭崇韜聽後頓感慚愧，但馬上又遷怒於符存審。符存審屢上奏章，全數不許他請朝京師。

同光二年（924年）春天，符存審病情加劇，便上奏懇求最後一次面見皇上莊宗，亦不許。符存審伏在床枕上歎曰：「老夫我歷事兩位君主，至今已經四十年，有幸今天見證到天下復歸李家，藉此機會不管四方蠻夷都可以入朝覲見聖上；敵方亡國喪主之將，也無不拜倒在你的宮殿之前，但是獨獨我卻被排除在外，豈不是命運弄人！」。郭崇韜思忖符存審既然命不久矣，此時也就不怕他爭權，方肯奏請中央讓他入覲面聖。同光二年四月，朝廷本來已經擬定要授符存審宣武節度使、蕃漢馬步軍總管，可惜詔告未至，符存審五月十五日便卒於幽州官舍，時年六十三，及後下葬於太原。

符存審的遺言陳述不獲聖上面覲，言詞淒惋，莊宗聞訊後悔悼良久，廢朝三日，又追贈尚書令，諡號同忠烈扶天啟運功臣，天成年間配饗莊宗廟廷，追封秦王。符存審死後，其子嗣後裔三輩裡再出了兩位藩王、三位皇后及諸位將軍，又多次與北宋趙氏宗室聯姻，使符氏成為當朝顯赫一時的名門豪族。

逸事

• 死裡逃生 符存審年少時曾經成為敵軍的俘虜（一作犯罪），將要於郊外被處決，臨行刑之前他指著一堵危牆對對方說：「請將我斬於此面牆下，好等那些頹垣敗瓦覆蓋我的屍體，也算為孤魂造福，不至客死異鄉無人葬。」對方可憐他，便要把他移到牆下處斬。就在小兵押符存審動身之際，對方首領擁著歌妓飲酒，正想找個人唱歌助興。那名歌妓就對首領建議：「俘虜中有個叫符存審的乃妾身的舊識，不如就要他擊掌伴奏吧。」那首領一時興起，就即場把符存審釋放了。

• 以鏃誡子 符存審生九子，晚年時召各人於廳堂訓曰：「我本來自幼家寒，年少時帶上一把劍便隻身離鄉別井闖功名，四十年時間過去，終於位極人臣出將入相。當中經歷過如履薄冰、萬死猶生般的凶險危難不下一次，剖開皮肉從傷口中取出箭頭也百餘次。」之後就把曾經取出來的箭頭都給兒子們看，並吩咐他們收藏起來，用以提醒他們：「你們這代都出生在富貴之中，更應銘記著你們的父祖當年起家舉步維艱，家業得來不易，尤其切忌奢侈。」其九個兒子亦緊記教誨，日後各居朝廷要職；當中尤以四子魏王符彥卿聞名，成為北宋立國初期的朝中巨擘，三個女兒亦分別成為皇后：周世宗宣懿皇后、周太后、宋太宗懿德皇后。

子嗣

• 長男： 彥超 北京留守、太原尹、汾州刺史、昭義節度使

• 次男： 彥饒 梁州馬部軍都指揮使、義成節度使，耀州團練使

• 三男： 彥圖 驍騎將軍

• 四男： 彥卿 魏王、大將軍、太傅、太師

• 五男： 彥能 楚州防禦使、奉國節度使

• 六男： 彥琳 金吾上將軍、太子太師

• 七男： 彥彞 武安節度使

• 八男： 彥倫 嚴州知州、定遠節度使

• 九男： 彥昇 昭慶節度使

十三太保

後唐武皇李克用共有十三名兒子（包括義子），俱列太保，是為十三太保而名動一時，符存審在其中排行第九：

• 大太保 - 李嗣源

• 二太保 - 李嗣昭

• 三太保 - 李存勗（莊宗）

• 四太保 - 李存信

• 五太保 - 李存進

• 六太保 - 李嗣本

• 七太保 - 李嗣恩

• 八太保 - 李存璋

• 九太保 - 符存審

• 十太保 - 李存賢

• 十一太保 - 史敬思

• 十二太保 - 康君立

• 十三太保 - 李存孝

參考文獻及注腳

• 《舊五代史·唐書三十二·列傳八》

• 《新五代史·唐臣傳第十三》