Li Gu 李固

Li Gu 李固 (94-147 CE), courtesy name Zijian 子堅, was a high minister during the mid-Later Han period 後漢 (25-220 CE).

He hailed from Hanzhong 漢中 (modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi) had a love for reading and studying in his early age. He was therefore later often consulted in all different affairs. In an age, when eunuchs and relatives of empresses interferred into government, and the empire was beset with corruption and rebellion, Li Gu was one of the scholar-officials that complained about the unruly times they lived in.

In 133 CE therefore, he was urged by a lot of collegues to submit a memorial to Emperor Shun 漢順帝 (r. 125-144), in which he explained the problems of the government and suggested restraining the power of Liang Ji 梁冀, the Empress' brother and to dismiss the most powerful eunuchs.