Li gui

The Li gui (Chinese: 利簋) is an ancient Chinese bronze sacrificial gui vessel cast by an early Zhou dynasty official named Li. It has the distinction of being the earliest Zhou bronze vessel to be discovered, the earliest record of metal being given as a gift by the king, one of only two vessels dateable to the reign of King Wu of Zhou to record personal names, and the only epigraphic evidence of the day of the Zhou conquest of Shang. This makes the Li gui highly important to the periodisation of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and it has been described as bearing "the single most important inscription regarding the Zhou conquest of Shang."

A round vessel on a square pedestal, the Li gui measures 28 centimeters high; the mouth of the vessel has a diameter of 22 centimeters. It has two bird-shaped handles and is covered with a high-relief taotie motif similar to earlier Shang ritual objects. It was excavated in 1976 in Lintong district, Shaanxi, and was kept for a time at the Lintong County Museum, before being transferred to the National Museum of China in Beijing, where it now resides. In 2002, it was listed among the cultural artefacts prohibited from leaving Chinese soil.

Li Gui

Li Gui (Chinese: 李軌; died 619), courtesy name Chuze (處則), was the emperor of a short-lived state of Liang, which he established at the end of the Chinese Sui Dynasty. He governed the parts of modern Gansu west of the Yellow River. In 618, he briefly considered submitting to Emperor Gaozu of Tang (Li Yuan), with whom they both believed he had a distant family relationship, but ultimately rejected the idea. In 619, the Tang Dynasty official An Xinggui (安興貴) pretended to submit to him, and then started an uprising at his capital Wuwei (武威, in modern Wuwei, Gansu), overthrowing him and turning him over to Emperor Gaozu, who executed him.

As prince

Li Gui was from Wuwei Commandery (武威, roughly modern Wuwei, Gansu), and he served as a militia officer in the local government. His family was said to be rich, and he used his wealth to help those who were poor, and thus gained a good reputation. He was also said to be well-read and capable in debating and logic. In summer 617, when Xue Ju rebelled against Sui Dynasty's rule at Jincheng (金城, in modern Lanzhou, Gansu), Li discussed with his associates Cao Zhen (曹珍), Guan Jin (關謹), Liang Shuo (梁碩), Li Yun (李贇), and An Xiuren (安修仁) the possibility of also rebelling against Sui rule – under the reasoning that they were fearful that Xue would pillage Wuwei unless someone resisted, and the Sui officials were not capable of doing so. They resolved to do so, and when it came time to decide on a leader, Cao suggested that because prophecies had indicated that the next emperor would be named Li, that Li Gui should be their leader.