Background

Fu Cun was born in 862, during the reign of Emperor Yizong of Tang. His family was from Wanqiu (宛丘, in modern Zhoukou, Henan), and his father Fu Chu (符楚) was an officer for the army of Chen Prefecture (陈州, in modern Zhumadian, Henan), which Wanqiu was a part of. When he was young, there was an occasion when he was to be executed for an offense, and he asked to be buried under a part of the city wall that had tilted, so that his body would not be uncovered. The executioner agreed and was set to move his execution to just next to the city wall to facilitate the burial. However, at that time, a high-level officer was holding a feast and sitting with his favorite servant girl; the officer wanted someone to sing for them during the feast, and the servant girl, who was acquainted with Fu, stated, "Fu Cun often sang for me, and he sang well." The officer sent a messenger to summon Fu, and Fu, with the execution having been moved, was not yet executed. Fu sang well at the feast, and was spared.

Service under Li Hanzhi

Fu Cun was said to be magnanimous and just in his youth, and was capable of military strategies. Late in the Qianfu era (874-879) of Emperor Yizong's son and successor Emperor Xizong, the Tang realm was overrun by agrarian rebels, and Fu led a group of locals in defending the prefecture. Later, when Li Hanzhi, who was also from Chen Prefecture and who had been an agrarian rebel, became a Tang general and was made the prefect of Guang Prefecture (光州, in modern Xinyang, Henan), Fu went to join Li Hanzhi's army. Later, when Li Hanzhi was pressured by the renegade general Qin Zongquan, who had declared himself emperor of a new state centered around nearby Cai Prefecture (蔡州, in modern Zhumadian), Li Hanzhi abandoned Guang Prefecture and joined the army of Zhuge Shuang the military governor (Jiedushi) of Heyang Circuit (河阳, headquartered in modern Jiaozuo, Henan), and Fu followed him to serve as a minor officer at Heyang; Fu subsequently distinguished himself in battles against Qin's army. After Zhuge's death, Li Hanzhi was forced by Zhuge's other subordinates to become the defender of Huai Prefecture (怀州, in modern Luoyang, Henan) and Li Hanzhi's soldiers were distributed. Fu thereafter went to the domain of Li Keyong the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河东, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) instead. Li Keyong adopted him as a son and changed his name to Li Cunshen; he became a commander of the wing of Li Keyong's army that Li Keyong put his adoptive sons in charge of.

Service under Li Keyong

As Li Cunshen served under Li Keyong, he was said to draw more and more of Li Keyong's favor due to his bravery in battle and his careful speaking. He often accompanied Li Keyong on his campaigns and distinguished himself during them. During the campaign against Helian Duo, for example, he fought hard and suffered a number of wounds, which Li Keyong personally attended to.

During Li Keyong's 894 campaign against Li Kuangchou the military governor of Lulong Circuit (卢龙, headquartered in modern Beijing), Li Keyong deployed the tactic of facing Li Kuangchou's army headfirst himself, while having Li Cunshen circle around and attack Li Kuangchou's army in the back, leading to a rout of Li Kuangchou's army and Li Kuangchou's subsequent flight and death.

In 895, when Li Keyong, under the directives of Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong, attacked Wang Xingyu the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (静难, headquartered in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi), Li Cunshen was instrumental in defeating Jingnan's elite troops and capturing Longquan (龙泉寨, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi), leading to Wang's subsequent defeat and death. After the battle, Li Cunshen was given the honorary title of acting Zuo Pushe (左仆射). In a subsequent campaign between Li Keyong and Li Keyong's archrival Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) (after Li Hanzhi, who was by that point serving under Li Keyong as well, had seized Zhaoyi Circuit (昭义, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), turned against Li Keyong, and submitted to Zhu), Li Cunshen defeated the Xuanwu general He Delun (贺德伦).

In 901, when Zhu launched a major attack on Li Keyong and nearly captured Hedong's capital Taiyuan Municipality, Li Keyong's subordinate Li Tang (李塘) the prefect of Fen Prefecture (汾州, in modern Lüliang, Shanxi) surrendered Fen Prefecture to Zhu; after Zhu's subsequent withdrawal, Li Keyong sent Li Cunshen to attack Li Tang; Li Cunshen took Fen in three days, capturing and executing Li Tang. He was then made the commander of Li Keyong's infantry guards.

In 903, when Wang Jinghui (王敬晖), an officer at Yun Prefecture (云州, in modern Datong, Shanxi), killed Yun's prefect Liu Zaili (刘再立) and submitted to Liu Rengong the military governor of Lulong (who had been a vassal of Li Keyong's but who had by that point turned against Li Keyong), Li Keyong sent his nephew Li Sizhao and Li Cunshen to attack Wang. When Liu subsequently came to Wang's aid, however, Wang was able to escape; angry over Wang's escape. Li Keyong caned both Li Sizhao and Li Cunshen and stripped them of their posts. However, the posts appeared to have been subsequently restored, as in 906, Li Sizhao and Li Cunshen were the ones attacking Zhaoyi (which had been taken by Zhu's subordinate Ding Hui) and who accepted Ding's surrender (as Ding had by that point become disaffected with Zhu due to Zhu's assassination of Emperor Zhaozong in 905) — by this point, Li Cunshen was apparently the deputy commander of all Han and non-Han cavalry and infantry forces directly under Li Keyong, with Li Sizhao serving as the commander of all Han and non-Han cavalry and infantry forces.

In 907, Zhu forced Emperor Zhaozong's son and successor Emperor Ai to yield the throne to him, ending Tang and starting a new Later Liang with him as its Emperor Taizu. Li Keyong, who carried the Tang-bestowed title of Prince of Jin, refused to recognize the new Later Liang emperor (as did several other major warlords — Yang Wo the Prince of Hongnong, Li Maozhen the Prince of Qi, and Wang Jian the Prince of Shu) and continued to use the Tang era name Tianyou. In effect, however, he was the ruler of his own state of Jin by this point. In 908, Li Keyong died and was succeeded by his son Li Cunxu as the Prince of Jin. Li Cunshen continued to serve under Li Cunxu.

Service under Li Cunxu

During Jin

One of the first crises that Li Cunxu had to deal with was the siege that Later Liang forces were conducting against Zhaoyi's capital Lu Prefecture (潞州), defended by Li Sizhao. Li Cunxu himself and Zhou Dewei commanded the subsequent successful relief mission to Lu, and Li Cunshen served under Zhou during the battle. After the battle, he was given the honorary title of acting Situ (司徒, one of the Three Excellencies), and made the prefect of Xin Prefecture (忻州, in modern Xinzhou, Shanxi) and the commander of all Han and non-Han cavalry and infantry forces. In 910, he was made acting Taibao (太保) and the deputy overseer of all Han and non-Han. That year, when Li Cunxu himself went to the rescue of the former Later Liang vassal Wang Rong the Prince of Zhao, who was under attack by Later Liang forces, he put Li Cunshen in charge of Taiyuan. After defeating Later Liang forces, Li Cunxu put Li Cunshen in charge of the defense of the new southeastern border between Jin/Zhao and Later Liang, stationed at Zhao Prefecture (赵州, in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei).

In 912, when Li Cunxu sent Zhou to attack Liu Rengong's son and successor Liu Shouguang — who had declared himself the emperor of a new state of Yan — Later Liang's Emperor Taizu decided to try to come to Liu Shouguang's rescue by attacking Jin and Zhao from the south. Li Cunshen, whose forces were far outnumbered by Later Liang forces under Emperor Taizu himself and his general Yang Shihou, tricked the Later Liang forces by dividing his troops into multiple groups, commanded by himself, Shi Jiantang (史建瑭), and Li Sigong (李嗣肱, another adoptive son of Li Keyong's), eventually misleading Emperor Taizu into believing Li Cunxu and the main Jin forces were at the front and that he was nearing defeat, causing him to withdraw in a panic and ending his attempt to save Yan. As a result of this victory, Li Cunshen was made the military prefect (团练使, Tuanlianshi) of Xin (邢州, in modern Xingtai, Hebei), Ming (洺州, in modern Handan, Hebei), and Ci (磁州, also in modern Handan) Prefectures (which were not yet under Jin control at that time). Later, at Li Cunxu's direction, Li Cunshen took his ethnic Tuyuhun and Qibi (契苾) cavalry soldiers to reinforce Zhou's troops. (Without Later Liang aid, Yan eventually fell in 913.)

Late in 912, Later Liang's Emperor Taizu was assassinated by his son Zhu Yougui the Prince of Ying, and Zhu Yougui took over the throne (after claiming that instead, it was his adoptive brother Zhu Youwen the Prince of Bo who had carried out the assassination but who had been executed). The Later Liang military governor of Huguo Circuit (护国, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), Zhu Youqian, did not believe Zhu Yougui and resisted Zhu Yougui's subsequent summons to the capital Luoyang. When Zhu Yougui subsequently sent the generals Kang Huaizhen (康怀贞) and Niu Cunjie (牛存节) to attack Zhu Youqian, Zhu Youqian submitted to Jin and requested immediate aid. Li Cunxu sent Li Cunshen, Li Sigong, and Li Si'en (李嗣恩, another adoptive son of Li Keyong's) to aid Zhu Youqian; they had some victories over Later Liang forces, and after Li Cunxu himself joined them, Later Liang forces withdrew from Huguo.

In 915, by which time Zhu Yougui had been killed and replaced by his brother Zhu Zhen, Yang, who had been the military governor of the powerful Tianxiong Circuit (天雄, headquartered in modern Handan, also known as Weibo (魏博)), died. Zhu Zhen, believing that the Weibo army was difficult to control and needed to have its influence reduced, divided Tianxiong into two circuits, with three of its six prefectures, including Tianxiong's capital Wei Prefecture (魏州), governed by He Delun, and with the other prefectures made into a new Zhaode Circuit (昭德), headquartered at Xiang Prefecture (相州, in modern Anyang, Henan), with Zhang Yun as its military governor. The Tianxiong forces did not want to be divided, and they mutinied under the leadership of Zhang Yan, kidnapping He Delun and forcing him to submit to Jin. Hearing of what happened at Tianxiong, Li Cunxu proceeded quickly toward Wei Prefecture, joining forces with Li Cunshen to Linqing (临清, in modern Lintai). Li Cunxu subsequently entered Wei Prefecture and took over the military governorship of Tianxiong himself. Li Cunshen engaged in several subsequent major battles with the Later Liang general Liu Xun, who was trying to recapture Tianxiong, defeating Liu (along with Li Siyuan and Li Cunxu himself). After the Yan Bao (阎宝), the Later Liang military governor of Baoyi Circuit (保义, headquartered at Xing Prefecture) subsequently surrendered the circuit, Li Cunxu made Li Cunshen the military governor of a new Anguo Circuit, headquartered at Xing Prefecture. After the Later Liang military governor of Shunhua Circuit (顺化, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei), Dai Siyuan subsequently abandoned Shunhua, Li Cunxu made Li Cunshen the military governor of Henghai Circuit (横海, i.e., Shunhua, which was originally named Henghai during Tang times). By this point, Jin had taken all of Later Liang territory north of the Yellow River except for the city of Liyang (黎阳, in modern Hebi, Henan). Li Cunxu subsequently bestowed the honorary chancellor designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi on Li Cunshen.

The Jin victories were then tempered by the news, in 917, that Khitan's Emperor Taizu (Yelü Abaoji) had launched a major attack on Lulong's capital You Prefecture (幽州), putting Zhou under siege inside the city. Li Cunxu originally hesitated at launching an army to save Zhou, given that the Yellow River border with Later Liang was a new one and Later Liang forces were still in the vicinity. It was at the urging of Li Cunshen, Li Siyuan, and Yan that he decided to send them north to confront Khitan forces. They defeated Khitan forces near You Prefecture and forced them to flee, lifting the siege on You Prefecture. (Still, it was said that this Khitan incursion dealt a heavy blow to Lulong Circuit, which from this point on was periodically subject to damaging Khitan incursions.)

In late 918, Li Cunxu decided to, against Zhou's advice, launch a major attack across the Yellow River against Later Liang's capital Daliang itself. In a subsequent battle at Huliu Slope (胡柳陂, in modern Heze, Shandong), Jin forces were initially routed and suffered heavy damage (with Zhou killed in the battle), although it subsequently recovered somewhat and dealt heavy damage to Later Liang forces as well, avoiding a complete disaster. After Zhou's death, Li Cunxu transferred Zhou's title as the overseer of all Han and non-Han to Li Cunshen.

In 920, when Liu Xun was attacking Huguo, Li Cunxu sent Li Cunshen, Li Sizhao, Li Jianji (李建及), and Li Cunxian (李存贤, another adoptive son of Li Keyong's) to aid Zhu Youqian. They were successful in repelling Liu. (On this mission, Li Cunshen made an incursion into Later Liang territory as far as the Guanzhong region and offered tributes to the tombs of the Tang emperors before withdrawing.)

In 921, Wang Rong was assassinated by his adoptive son Wang Deming, who took over the Zhao realms, changed his name back to the original name of Zhang Wenli, and slaughtered the Wang clan. Li Cunxu subsequently prepared for a campaign against Zhang Wenli (who soon died and was succeeded by his son Zhang Chujin). As part of his preparation, he had Li Cunshen and Li Siyuan stationed at Desheng (德胜, in modern Puyang, Henan) and Qicheng (戚城, in modern Puyang as well) respectively and then pretended to withdraw to lure Later Liang forces under Dai. When Dai attacked, Li Cunxu himself (along with Li Siyuan and Li Cunshen) defeated him. This victory allowed Li Cunxu himself to leave the front and go to the Zhao front himself. In 922, Dai, hearing that Li Cunxu had left to siege Zhao's capital Zhen Prefecture, launched another major attack on Desheng. Li Cunshen defended the city, and Dai was unable to capture it. Li Cunxu subsequently came to his aid, and Dai withdrew.

Zhang Chujin's mutineers turned out to be much more challenging to defeat than Li Cunxu anticipated, with several successive Jin commanders of the siege (Yan, Li Sizhao, and Li Cunjin (another adoptive son of Li Keyong's)) either defeated or killed in battle during the siege. In fall 922, Li Cunxu made Li Cunshen the overall commander of the Zhen operations. Zhang Chujin's officer Li Zaifeng (李再丰) opened the city gates and welcomed Jin forces in, allowing Li Cunshen to capture it, putting Zhang Chujin and his brothers to death. For this victory, Li Cunshen received the greater honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中).

In 923, when Khitan was again attacking You Prefecture, Li Cunxu, at the suggestion of his chief of staff Guo Chongtao, despite the fact that Li Cunshen was ill at the time, made Li Cunshen the military governor of Lulong.

During Later Tang

Shortly after Li Cunshen was commissioned as the military governor of Lulong, Li Cunxu declared himself emperor, as the successor to Tang, establishing Later Tang as its Emperor Zhuangzong. He gave Li Cunshen the honorary chancellor title of Zhongshu Ling (中书令). Later in the year, he launched a surprise attack on Daliang after defeating and capturing the Later Liang general Wang Yanzhang, whose defeat left Daliang defenseless. Zhu Zhen committed suicide, ending Later Liang and allowing Later Tang to take over the rest of Later Liang territory.

Meanwhile, Li Cunshen was distressed that, despite being the most senior among Later Tang generals, he was the only main one who did not participate in the conquest of the Later Liang capital. He repeatedly requested to get a chance to pay homage to Emperor Zhuangzong again, including making the requests through his wife Lady Guo, but Guo Chongtao, who was jealous of Li Cunshen, repeatedly had the requests suppressed. Only in spring 924, when Li Cunshen was seriously ill, was the request approved, along with a new commission as the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit. Before Li Cunshen could leave Lulong, however, his illness grew worse, and he died at You Prefecture. Emperor Zhuangzong gave him posthumous honors and, per his dying request, had him buried at Taiyuan.

It was said that Li Cunshen often warned his sons not to take their high status for granted, pointing out to them that he grew up in a low social station and had to fight his way to the top, stating that arrows had to be removed from his body more than 100 times — and showing them the arrowheads, which he had preserved, as proof. Several of his sons became important generals, including Fu Yanqing, whose honored status persisted to the early Song Dynasty.

Notes and references

• History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 56.

• New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 25.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 259, 260, 261, 262, 264, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273.

生平

出身

符存审父亲符楚是陈州牙将（统率约5,000兵马）。符存审少年时性格豪迈，重侠义精神；而且机智多谋，喜欢谈论兵法战事。至唐末中和年间，河南一带强盗四起，生逢乱世的符存审开始追随光州刺史李罕之上沙场。后来李罕之因为不敌「蔡州皇帝」秦宗权的军队而放弃光州投奔诸葛爽，符存审也跟著到河阳担当小校一职，屡战蔡寇有功。诸葛爽死后李罕之逃到怀州，部下不满其品性暴戾而纷纷四散，符存审此时再择晋王「独眼龙」李克用为君主，展开其南征北伐的将领生涯。

早年战绩

符存审自小在军旅长大，故在沙场上识机知变、行军法命严明如山，又喜欢用奇兵致胜，从来没有预判或战略失误，加上其品性敦厚低调、谨言慎行，因而侍遇日隆；在陪同李克用西征讨伐赫连铎时「冒刃死战，血流盈袖」，李克用亲自为他治疗伤势并日夕慰问。乾宁初年符存审出任先锋战李匡筹，一举攻下居庸关。翌年讨邠州时，邠州屯兵于龙泉寨，其位置四面悬崖且石壁险固，符存审击退王行瑜，又费了九牛二虎之力攻下龙泉寨，回师之后被授予「检校左仆射」。后以此职辅佐李嗣昭攻打汾州李瑭时，符存审把李瑭生擒，凭这个功劳升迁「左右厢步军都指挥使」。天佑三年（906年）出征潞州，与李嗣昭在上党降服丁会，又合兵卢龙节度使周德威在夹城消灭流贼，故受封忻州刺史及「蕃汉马步都指挥使」。天佑七年（910年），出任「蕃汉副总管」负责领兵镇守太原。

破朱温

天佑九年（912年）梁太祖朱温率号称五十万的大军进攻镇州、定州，他命令部将杨师厚攻入枣强后血腥屠城，连老人妇孺也不放过；而自己则亲率贺德伦等人围攻蓨县（今河北景县）。正在附近赵州驻扎的符存审带部下史建瑭、李嗣肱（李克用从弟李克修之子）等800人去救。符存审深知双方兵力有别，在抵达信都后先夺取下博桥，阻止梁军继续北上；又派史建瑭、李嗣肱率600骑去捉拿替梁军牧马的人，俘获数百人后统统处刑，却特意让当中的十数人逃走。那些侥幸保命的人回寨后惊魂未定，纷纷叫嚷说晋军主力已经压阵，使到梁军士卒人心惶惶。翌日，符存审用经过乔装的600骑兵突击梁军大营，由于他们全部打著梁军旗号，朱温不虞有诈之下损失甚钜，至傍晚时份晋军直杀到对方副将贺德伦跟前，并放火烧毁梁军大寨后方才撤退。朱温见己方损折无数、阵势大乱，唯有当即拔寨后连夜遁逃，扶病返回洛阳后不久便被儿子所杀。

元城会战

天佑十二年（915年）夏天李克用已死，年少继位为晋王的李存勖（后唐庄宗）决定进攻河北魏博（天雄）并派符存审出任前锋收服临清。八月，符存审盘踞于魏县与仅仅相隔三十里的后梁军刘鄩争持，一日数战，互不相让。九月中，率师五千平定贝州的张源德；又与王建及合兵，用骑兵二千突袭敌阵侧翼，击退刘鄩的援军一万人。翌年三月，刘鄩军终于按捺不住全力犯境魏州，已经会合庄宗的符存审亦率大军截断其退路，迫使双方在元城旧址开战，梁军溃败，而符存审乘胜追击，趁势再收复了澶、卫、磁、洺州。直等到秋凉时节，邢州的守将阎宝亦向符存审请降。庄宗以收服五州之功，授予符存审安国军节度使，兼任邢洺磁等州观察使。十月，戴思远得知符存审兵临沧州立刻闻风而逃，城将毛璋则开城投降。庄宗大喜，加授符存审检校太傅、横海节度使，兼领「魏博马步军都指挥使」。翌年再加同中书门下平章事之职。

棉里裹针退契丹

天佑十四年（917年），契丹三十万大军围困幽州（今北京）的周德威，由于另一边厢正与梁军相持不下，庄宗非常苦恼该如何是好。想发兵救幽州，手上兵力不足，如果分兵太多则有危险；但如果不派援兵，又怕幽州全面失陷。他便问策于帐下诸将，当中只有符存审认为幽州不可不救，更自愿请缨说：「请借我五千骑兵就够了！」庄宗见符存审自告奋勇，就让他与李嗣源、阎宝率军七万去救。而符存审亦不负所托，九月五日三人在易州合兵，九月十二日符存审先用鹿角阵大败契丹的骑兵前锋。入冬后两军主力开战，符存审采用「棉里裹针」之计杀破敌将安彦之，一举击溃契丹军；契丹主军受重创，残军仓皇向北山方向逃窜，馀下辎重粮饷遍野。晋军又再追击，俘获敌军上万人，皆处刑，遂解幽州之围。

天佑十五年（918年）二月初参与进攻杨刘城。十月，晋军驻于麻家渡，符存审进谏庄宗。当时的庄宗年少气盛、勇于接战，经常受不住敌营叫嚣轻骑而出，符存审每次见到必定叩马进谏：「王上你身系光复唐室社稷的大任，应该为了天下苍生而爱惜自己的身躯。接受对方的举旗挑战，只不过是放任刀剑的一时之快，对于圣上你的品德无甚益处，还请交回微臣效劳。古人遇上盗贼时，尚且不会由上司和父亲去抵抗，而今我虽无将帅之才，但不敢不担君之忧」。庄宗听后通常也从善如流，及时回驾大营。

同年，庄宗与后梁军于胡柳陂（今河南濮城西）开战，战况异常激烈。辰巳时份（晚上7时至11时）另一员大将周德威战死，战况急转直下，庄宗的部队稍一失神停步，梁军就从四方八面涌出来。庄宗被敌军所包围，一度势危，此时符存审与三子符彦图出没在敌阵沐血奋战，直到翌晨才归去与主军会合重整阵势，并于午后开始逆转形势，至夕阳落后，符存审麾下的银枪部队才终于在土山下歼灭所有敌军。

天佑十六年（919年）春，接替周德威为「内外蕃汉马步总管」，于德胜口分别建筑南北两座城池而据，时人称之为「夹寨」。七月，后梁王瓒又从黎阳渡河窜扰澶州诱战，符存审拒守不出，王瓒退到杨村渡口控制上游，自此日夜交锋，对垒经年，大小凡百馀战，未见败绩。至此，昔日一起追随李克用并与之齐名的周德威已死，使符存审在晋军中的地位更形重要。

缓师示弱、伺隙出奇

天佑十七年（920年）后梁大军进犯同州，符存审用缓师示弱、伺隙出奇之策，智解同州之围。当时后梁的朱友谦以河中同州（今陕西大荔）为条件欲向庄宗投降，后梁朝廷得悉后用刘鄩引重兵进逼同州，朱友谦马上向庄宗求救，庄宗便托符存审与李嗣昭前赴救援。九月，符存审与李嗣昭取道河东进军往河中。河中一带本来兵少且弱，梁军由于过往多次征服该地而相当轻视之，亦料不到符存审用兵神速，已抵当地。符存审便特意在自己的营中挑选200名精锐骑兵夹杂当地部队出战，并先以河中部队采取佯败的诱敌战术；等梁兵出城追击一段距离后即以200名精骑反击，果然大胜而归及俘敌甚多，当梁军得知对手身份时皆大惊。不过当时河中一带长期称臣于后梁，其民众对支持梁军或晋军持两端态度，加上大军集结河中后的军粮消耗不菲，李嗣昭等众将都怕情况反覆或帐下起乱，故提议速战速决。

屯兵朝邑数日后，后梁军逼向晋军阵营。当时晋军中有懂星相观天之士，说西南方隐现一股如斗鸡之状的黑气，当有战祸发生；符存审回应说：「我方正想与敌决一死战，而今甚至从气象中显示出来，岂不是如有天助吗！」。乘著士气大振，当晚立即审阅大军，并谨慎地挥军向前。后梁军接战后节节败退，损失二千馀人，从此便天天守在堡垒中不出来。符存审见状即对身旁的李嗣昭说：「我当初最担忧的是被刘鄩占据渭河地利。眼下他的副军已经大败，若然你尽封掉他的退路，刘鄩会恐惧我要一举歼灭他；有云困兽以穷恶袭人，不可不当作一回事。我们不妨刻意开一个缺口给他，等他撤退时再施以伏击这样比较可取」。于是命令部下李建及在沙苑中牧马，旨在令对方松懈，刘鄩、尹皓接报后暗暗窃喜，马上计划撤退。欧阳修《旧五代史》对此记载：「鄩以为晋军且懈，乃夜遁去」。其实符存审此时已经派遣追兵在渭河一带突袭刘鄩，使他落得近乎全军覆没，同州之围便因此烟消云散。由此战役可见符存审善于造势，以攻心为上，活用兵法，这道缓师示弱之计600多年后的清将多尔衮亦有仿效，用于藏锐师于明军身后伏击闯王李自成。

镇守疆土

天佑十八年（921年），叛将张文礼谋杀节度使王熔在镇州成德（治今河北正定）割地自立，李嗣昭、李存进先后接战却相继阵亡。天佑十九年（922年）符存审率师进攻叛军于镇州城下，并以围城之策使镇州粮尽。九月，张文礼谋士李再丰暗中送款欲贿赂符存审，符存审未置可否，却于当夜暗中登城，生擒张文礼之子张处瑾、张处球一干人等。镇州就此火速平定，捷报献上朝廷，符存审因功获封侍中。

天佑二十年（923年）正月，符存审还师魏州，庄宗亲自出城以宴乐迎接。未几，契丹又进犯燕蓟之地，庄宗心腹郭崇韬上奏：「后梁尚未平定，契丹就率先背叛我方，而捍卫北方的防御重任，环顾云云众将里非存审不可」，庄宗便遣中使召谕符存审出征。不过符存审此时因为作战经年而积劳成疾，抱恙在家，但还是上奏曰：「臣愿意前往效命，不敢托辞推诿，但老身痛症连连不绝，只恐未堪眼下此战之用」。符存审于是未有领军迎击此役，但仍奉旨兼任幽州卢龙节度使，担起守卫北面边疆之重任。

同光元年（923年）后唐终于消灭后梁并立国，迁都洛阳。朝廷升迁符存审为中书令及检校太师、开府仪同三司、赐食邑千户，封当朝忠烈扶天启运功臣。同时却招惹朝中一些文官诋毁，认为符存审并未有助于收复中原全境。其时，符存审身上的箭伤旧患复发，加上自责身为大将却未能参与入梁战役而郁郁不欢，病况日下。只得要求入觐寻医，并请求大臣郭崇韬协助，但郭崇韬一向自负，而且不愤功绩和声望皆在符存审之下，因而符存审每有奏章要求面圣都被驳回。

符存审妻子郭氏哭著痛斥郭崇韬说：「我的夫君一直以来为国家奔驰效命，与你又份属乡里旧识，现在你竟然忍心弃他到北方荒地送死，实在是何等的无情无义！」，郭崇韬听后顿感惭愧，但马上又迁怒于符存审。符存审屡上奏章，全数不许他请朝京师。

同光二年（924年）春天，符存审病情加剧，便上奏恳求最后一次面见皇上庄宗，亦不许。符存审伏在床枕上叹曰：「老夫我历事两位君主，至今已经四十年，有幸今天见证到天下复归李家，藉此机会不管四方蛮夷都可以入朝觐见圣上；敌方亡国丧主之将，也无不拜倒在你的宫殿之前，但是独独我却被排除在外，岂不是命运弄人！」。郭崇韬思忖符存审既然命不久矣，此时也就不怕他争权，方肯奏请中央让他入觐面圣。同光二年四月，朝廷本来已经拟定要授符存审宣武节度使、蕃汉马步军总管，可惜诏告未至，符存审五月十五日便卒于幽州官舍，时年六十三，及后下葬于太原。

符存审的遗言陈述不获圣上面觐，言词凄惋，庄宗闻讯后悔悼良久，废朝三日，又追赠尚书令，諡号同忠烈扶天启运功臣，天成年间配飨庄宗庙廷，追封秦王。符存审死后，其子嗣后裔三辈里再出了两位藩王、三位皇后及诸位将军，又多次与北宋赵氏宗室联姻，使符氏成为当朝显赫一时的名门豪族。

逸事

• 死里逃生 符存审年少时曾经成为敌军的俘虏（一作犯罪），将要于郊外被处决，临行刑之前他指著一堵危墙对对方说：「请将我斩于此面墙下，好等那些颓垣败瓦覆盖我的尸体，也算为孤魂造福，不至客死异乡无人葬。」对方可怜他，便要把他移到墙下处斩。就在小兵押符存审动身之际，对方首领拥著歌妓饮酒，正想找个人唱歌助兴。那名歌妓就对首领建议：「俘虏中有个叫符存审的乃妾身的旧识，不如就要他击掌伴奏吧。」那首领一时兴起，就即场把符存审释放了。

• 以镞诫子 符存审生九子，晚年时召各人于厅堂训曰：「我本来自幼家寒，年少时带上一把剑便只身离乡别井闯功名，四十年时间过去，终于位极人臣出将入相。当中经历过如履薄冰、万死犹生般的凶险危难不下一次，剖开皮肉从伤口中取出箭头也百馀次。」之后就把曾经取出来的箭头都给儿子们看，并吩咐他们收藏起来，用以提醒他们：「你们这代都出生在富贵之中，更应铭记著你们的父祖当年起家举步维艰，家业得来不易，尤其切忌奢侈。」其九个儿子亦紧记教诲，日后各居朝廷要职；当中尤以四子魏王符彦卿闻名，成为北宋立国初期的朝中巨擘，三个女儿亦分别成为皇后：周世宗宣懿皇后、周太后、宋太宗懿德皇后。

子嗣

• 长男： 彦超 北京留守、太原尹、汾州刺史、昭义节度使

• 次男： 彦饶 梁州马部军都指挥使、义成节度使，耀州团练使

• 三男： 彦图 骁骑将军

• 四男： 彦卿 魏王、大将军、太傅、太师

• 五男： 彦能 楚州防御使、奉国节度使

• 六男： 彦琳 金吾上将军、太子太师

• 七男： 彦彝 武安节度使

• 八男： 彦伦 严州知州、定远节度使

• 九男： 彦升 昭庆节度使

十三太保

后唐武皇李克用共有十三名儿子（包括义子），俱列太保，是为十三太保而名动一时，符存审在其中排行第九：

• 大太保 - 李嗣源

• 二太保 - 李嗣昭

• 三太保 - 李存勖（庄宗）

• 四太保 - 李存信

• 五太保 - 李存进

• 六太保 - 李嗣本

• 七太保 - 李嗣恩

• 八太保 - 李存璋

• 九太保 - 符存审

• 十太保 - 李存贤

• 十一太保 - 史敬思

• 十二太保 - 康君立

• 十三太保 - 李存孝

参考文献及注脚

• 《旧五代史·唐书三十二·列传八》

• 《新五代史·唐臣传第十三》