Li Tong 李通

Li Tong 李通 (c. 168-c.209), courtesy name Wenda 文達, was a general of the very late Eastern Han period and served the warlord Cao Cao 曹操.

He hailed from Pingchun 平春 in the commandery of Jiangxia 江夏 (today's Xinyang 信陽, Henan) and was known as a "gallant knight" (xiayi 俠義). When the Yellow Turbans 黃巾 threatened the peace of the empire, he and Chen Gong 陳恭 jointly raised an army to fight the rebels. In the late 190s he travelled to Xuchang 許昌 and joined Cao Cao, who made him commandant wielding authority (zhenwei zhonglangjiang 振威中郎將). Having defeated Cao's adversary Zhang Xiu 張繡, Li Tong was promoted to the post of assistant general (pi jiangjun 裨將軍) and given the title of Marquis of Establishing Merits (jiangonghou 建功侯). During the decisive battle of Guandu 官渡, Li Tong blocked the tyrant Yuan Shao's 袁紹 retreat to the south and so secured Cao Cao's victory. Li was rewarded with the title of Marquis of Metropolitan Residence (dutinghou 都亭侯), and was appointed governor (taishou 太守) of the commandery of Runan 汝南.

In the next phase of the war, Li Tong played a critical role when Liu Bei 劉備 and Zhou Yu 周瑜 besieged Cao Ren 曹仁 in Jiangling 江陵. He attacked the troops of Guan Yu 關羽 advancing to the north, but died on the battlefield. Li Tong was later bestowed the posthumous title of Marquis Gang 剛侯.