From Humble Beginnings to Imperial Favor

Li Yifu’s journey began in the small town of Raoyang (modern-day Henan province), born into a minor bureaucratic family during the tumultuous early Tang Dynasty. His exceptional literary talent became apparent early, catching the attention of Li Daliang, an imperial inspector during Emperor Taizong’s reign in 634 AD. This fateful encounter would launch his political career when Li Daliang brought the promising young scholar to the capital.

The young scholar’s big break came during an audience with Emperor Taizong himself. When commanded to compose an impromptu poem titled “Ode to Birds,” Li Yifu demonstrated both his quick wit and literary skill with verses that impressed the emperor. His metaphorical request for “just one branch to perch upon” was met with imperial generosity – Taizong promised him “the entire tree.” This poetic exchange earned Li Yifu his first official position as Investigating Censor and an appointment to serve Prince Li Zhi, the future Emperor Gaozong.

The Art of Political Survival

Li Yifu’s rise through the bureaucratic ranks showcased his uncanny ability to navigate court politics. As a scholar in the Chongxian Academy, he composed the influential “Admonitions to the Crown Prince,” a work that paradoxically warned against the very flattery and deception he would later master. This apparent contradiction between his writings and actions would become characteristic of his political persona.

When Emperor Gaozong ascended the throne in 649 AD, Li Yifu’s fortunes improved dramatically. By 650 AD, he held the prestigious position of Secretariat Drafter and later added the titles of Historiographer and Scholar of the Hongwen Academy. These promotions placed him at the center of Tang intellectual and political life, where he began cultivating relationships with both reformist and conservative factions.

The Turning Point: Allying with Wu Zetian

The defining moment in Li Yifu’s career came when Chancellor Zhangsun Wuji, recognizing his duplicitous nature, sought to have him demoted to a provincial post. Learning of this impending transfer through his network of informants, Li Yifu made a calculated gamble that would alter the course of Tang history.

Recognizing Empress Wu Zetian’s growing influence over the emperor, Li Yifu submitted a memorial advocating for her elevation to empress – a controversial position that put him at odds with the conservative court faction. This bold move earned him imperial favor, with Gaozong canceling his demotion and showering him with rewards. More importantly, it secured him a place in Wu Zetian’s inner circle as she consolidated power.

Architect of Political Purges

With Wu Zetian’s ascension as empress in 655 AD, Li Yifu’s political star rose rapidly. Appointed as Chancellor and granted the title of Baron of Guangping, he became instrumental in eliminating opposition to the new empress. His methods were ruthless – he orchestrated the downfall of prominent officials like Chu Suiliang and Zhangsun Wuji through false accusations of treason, using the legal system as a weapon against political opponents.

These purges allowed Li Yifu to accumulate unprecedented power. He rose to become Secretariat Director, Censor-in-chief, and eventually Right Chancellor. The imperial court became his personal fiefdom, with family members including infant grandchildren receiving official appointments through his influence.

Corruption and Abuse of Power

As Li Yifu’s power grew, so did his corruption. He transformed the Ministry of Personnel into a lucrative marketplace, selling government positions to the highest bidders. Historical records describe his household as “busy as a marketplace” with seekers of office. Even family members participated in this corrupt enterprise, with his mother, wife, and son-in-law all involved in the sale of appointments.

His personal life reflected this moral decay. The case of the imprisoned woman Chunyu Shi, whom he had released from prison for his personal pleasure, demonstrated his willingness to subvert justice for personal gratification. When the investigating official threatened to expose him, Li Yifu drove the man to suicide.

The Spectacle of Power: A Grandfather’s Reburial

In one of the most extravagant displays of his influence, Li Yifu organized the reburial of his grandfather that became a spectacle of power and corruption. Local magistrates, fearing his wrath, conscripted laborers and supplied materials at great cost to their districts. The funeral procession stretched over seventy li (about 23 miles), with unprecedented pomp that violated sumptuary laws. One magistrate reportedly died from exhaustion while supervising the project.

This event symbolized the erosion of Tang administrative norms under Li Yifu’s influence, where personal loyalty to powerful ministers superseded proper governance.

Cultural Manipulation and Social Engineering

Li Yifu’s influence extended into cultural spheres when Empress Wu tasked him with revising the “Register of Clan Lines.” Seizing this opportunity, he renamed it “Record of Surnames” and inserted his own family into the prestigious Zhao Commandery Li lineage, claiming imperial kinship. In a move born from personal resentment (after failed marriage negotiations with aristocratic families), he prohibited intermarriage among the seven most prestigious clans – a social engineering attempt to weaken traditional aristocracy.

The Downfall of the “Smiling Cat”

Li Yifu’s unchecked corruption eventually provoked widespread outrage. In 663 AD, military officer Yang Xingying courageously submitted a memorial detailing his crimes. Emperor Gaozong, recognizing that Li Yifu’s loyalty lay solely with Empress Wu, authorized an investigation that confirmed the allegations.

Stripped of all positions and titles, Li Yifu was exiled to Xi Prefecture (modern-day Sichuan). His family suffered similar fates, with sons and son-in-law banished to distant regions. The public celebrated their downfall with satirical writings comparing them to the “Four Evils” of legend.

A Lonely End and Historical Legacy

The final irony came in 666 AD when a general amnesty specifically excluded long-term exiles like Li Yifu. Broken by this final blow, he died alone in exile, his body left unattended until unceremoniously buried. The man who once commanded the wealth and attention of the empire met an end fitting for his crimes – unmourned and forgotten.

Li Yifu’s legacy endures as a cautionary tale about power’s corrupting influence. His nickname “Human Cat” or “Smiling Cat” entered Chinese lexicon as shorthand for duplicitous charm masking cruelty. Historians remember him as a master manipulator whose career illustrates the dangers of unchecked ambition in imperial courts. The Tang bureaucratic system never fully recovered from the corruption he institutionalized, contributing to the gradual decline of central authority in later decades.

His life offers timeless insights into political manipulation, the psychology of power, and the consequences when personal ambition overrides public duty – lessons that resonate across cultures and centuries. The “Smiling Cat” remains one of history’s most vivid examples of how charm and intelligence, divorced from moral compass, can enable both remarkable ascent and spectacular downfall.