Kang Junli was a military general in imperial China's Tang Dynasty, serving the Shatuo leader Li Keyong. He was eventually killed by Li Keyong for speaking ill of the already deceased Li Cunxiao, with whom he did not get along.
Biography
Kang Junli was from a powerful family in Yuzhou near Tang Dynasty's northern border. Some time in the 870s, he was serving as an assistant captain under Duan Wenchu, the Yunzhou defense commissioner. At that time the Tang Dynasty was overran by bandits, and Duan did not treat his soldiers well, even reducing their salaries. In 878, Kang, as well as Xue Zhiqin, Cheng Huaixin, Wang Xingshen and Li Cunzhang plotted with Li Jinzhong, Yunzhou's Shatuo armed commander, to join Li Keyong. Kang was sent to Yuzhou to persuade Li Keyong to mutiny. When Li Keyong expressed he needed to report this to his father Li Guochang in Zhenwu Circuit, Kang uttered: "Now that the secret is out, delays may bring trouble. How could afford the time to report this to thousands of li away?" Li Keyong then agreed to act, resulting in the overthrow and execution of Duan. In 888, Kang was named the "southern bandit suppression commissioner" and given 20,000 soldiers to assist Li Keyong's ally Li Hanzhi recover his former territory Heyang. Li Cunxiao, Xue Atan, Shi Yan, An Quanjun and An Xiuxiu were under his command. They were defeated by Zhu Quanzhong's forces and withdrew after An Xiuxiu fled. In 890, the imperial courtdeclared war on Li Keyong. Li Keyong's brother Li Kegong was killed by a subordinate in Zhaoyi Circuit, who then surrendered to Zhu. Li Keyong then sent Kang and Li Cunxiao to surround the Zhaoyi capital of Luzhou. Kang was on good terms with Li Cunxin, whose relationship with adoptive brother Li Cunxiao was sour at best. After the defeat of the imperial court and the recapture of Luzhou, Kang was named the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit, but Li Cunxiao believed he deserved the post more and went into a jealous rage. In 893, Li Cunxiao rebelled in Xingzhou, prompting Li Keyong to send Kang in a counterattack. Kang performed well in the campaign and was promoted to inspecting grand-guardian. In spring894, Li Cunxiao was captured and begged for mercy, claiming that he rebelled only because of Li Cunxin's false accusations. Li Keyong valued Li Cunxiao and wanted to spare his life. Even as he sentenced Li Cunxiao to death, he believed that other generals would beg on Li Cunxiao's behalf, but nobody did. After Li Cunxiao's death, Li Keyong became very depressed. Later that year, during a banquet in Jinyang, Li Keyong happened to mention Li Cunxiao during a conversation and cried uncontrollably. Kang responded by insulting Li Cunxiao's character. Furious, Li Keyong drew his sword and seriously injured Kang, also ordering his imprisonment. Kang was already dead when Li Keyong decided to release him.
In fiction
In the Yuan Dynasty play "A Grieving Lady Deng Painfully Laments Cunxiao" by Guan Hanqing, which was translated as "Death of the Winged-Tiger General" by Yang Hsien-yi and Gladys Yang in 1958, Kang Junli was along with Li Cunxin one of the antagonists who were blamed for Li Cunxiao's unjustified death. In this fictional play, Kang and Li Cunxin had Li Cunxiao cruelly executed behind Li Keyong's back out of jealousy. Influential Ming Dynasty novelist Luo Guanzhong's classic novel Romance of the End of Tang and Five Dynasties Histories was also based on this account.
