Background

Li Ning was born in 793, when his father Emperor Xianzong was the Prince of Guangling, during the reign of his great-grandfather Emperor Dezong, as Li Chun's oldest son. His mother was Li Chun's concubine Lady Ji. After Emperor Dezong's death in 805, Li Ning's grandfather Li Song became emperor (as Emperor Shunzong), and, as a grandson of the emperor, Li Ning was created the Prince of Pingyuan. Later in the year, Emperor Shunzong, who was seriously ill, passed the throne to Li Chun (as Emperor Xianzong). In 806, Emperor Xianzong created a number of his sons greater princely titles, and Li Ning was created the Prince of Deng. However, Li Ning's mother Consort Ji was not greatly honored, as the title she received, Meiren (美人), was not a unique title (potentially, there could be nine Meiren at one time) and was only the 15th highest title possible for imperial consorts.

As crown prince

In 809, along with a number of imperial scholars, led by Li Jiang, requesting that Emperor Xianzong create a crown prince, Emperor Xianzong created Li Ning crown prince on May 9. He also changed Li Ning's name to Li Zhou, but soon changed it back to Li Ning. Meanwhile, Li Ning's formal investiture ceremony, initially set for the fourth month of the Chinese calendar, was delayed initially to the 10th month of the lunar year, and then delayed again, both times due to rain, but finally held in the 10th month. He died just before the Chinese new year in 812. Emperor Xianzong mourned his death with a 13-day mourning period. As the regulations on imperial ceremonies at the time lacked any regulations on the funeral for a crown prince, he put a professor of the imperial university, Pei Chai (裴茝), in charge of Li Ning's funeral.

生平

李寧出生時，父親李純是當時皇帝唐德宗的孫子，冊封為廣陵郡王，母親紀氏是他的妾室。嫡母廣陵郡王妃郭氏在其後生下一子李宥。貞元二十一年（805年），曾祖父唐德宗逝世，祖父唐順宗繼位，父親成為太子。做為太子長子，李寧與五位異母弟弟同時受封郡王，食邑三千戶，李寧封號為平原郡王。隨後，父親李純繼位，李寧被晉封為鄧王。嫡母郭氏則未獲皇后的冊封。

元和四年（809年），宰相李絳建議冊封太子，唐憲宗于當年閏三月，冊封李寧為太子，改名李宙，不久又改回原名。冊禮原定于孟夏，有雨，不克，改在孟秋，亦有雨。冬十月，終于行禮。時為十月癸酉朔十八日庚寅（11月28日）。

元和六年歲次辛卯閏十二月廿一日辛亥（812年2月7日），李寧病逝，年十九，謚號惠昭太子。元和七年歲次壬辰二月庚寅朔廿五日丁酉葬于驪山之北原（今臨潼縣西泉鄉椿樹村）。

惠昭太子陵

1990年11月至1992年2月，陝西省考古研究所秦陵工作站與臨潼文管會等單位，對臨潼縣西泉鄉椿樹村一座已經破壞，無法保護的古墓進行了搶救性清理。從墓中出土的玉冊文字得知，此墓為唐憲宗長子惠昭太子陵。

出土文物有銅、鐵、陶、唐三彩、石器、玉器各類文物180件，但大多殘破。在棺床上發現漢白玉冊文和哀冊195段（塊）。經研究修複為136節段。其中完整的17件，形制相同，但大小規格略別，通長12.2—28.5、寬2.8—3.1、厚1.1—1.2厘米。所有冊文刻字，均為楷書，鐫工精美，字跡俊秀遒勁。下為《冊鄧王為皇太子文》

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