Li Clan Hierarchy: Version Three

(WARNING:  Spoilers beyond Chapter 72! )

 

A final detailed guide to the Li Clan Hierarchy. 

 

Members of the Li Clan

Principle Characters:

Li Syaoran: The 212th Chosen One of the Li Clan and 77th Great Elder

Li Jinyu: The Li Clan Protector; Head of the Hong Kong mafia, called “Black Dragon,” member of Inner Council, Guard of the Elders

Li Leiyun: Syaoran’s cousin, seven years senior, Li Wutai’s son; originally contender to become Chosen One because Syaoran was too young; member of Inner Council before his disappearance seven years ago

Li Meilin: Syaoran’s cousin, former “fiancée” and assistant to Great Elder

Li Ryuuren: Former Chosen One, Syaoran’s father, deceased

 

Inner Council Members (Following listed in order of relative hierarchy):

Li Renshu: The Great Elder, Syaoran’s great-uncle, deceased

Li Wutai: The Head of the General Council, Syaoran’s uncle, Ryuuren’s oldest brother; once considered next in line to become the Great Elder after Renshu

Li Yunhua: Renshu’s wife, member of Council of Elders, deceased

Li Daifu: CEO of Li Corporation, member of Council of Elders, Ryuuren’s second oldest brother

Li Fenjian: A member of the Inner Council and the Council of Elders

Li Ganliu: Director of the Li Hospital and best healer in the Clan; a member of the Inner Council

Li Yelan: Member of the Inner Council; Syaoran’s mother

Li Dairen: Syaoran’s cousin, 25, second son of Li Daifu and CFO of Li Corporation Hong Kong headquarters, vice president of Li Group

Li Jingmei: Syaoran’s cousin, 25, doctor at the Hong Kong Li Hospital, currently on an exchange program at Kinhoshi Hospital

 

General Council Members:

Li Fuutie: Syaoran’s oldest sister, 24, and a chief adviser and accountant to the Great Elder

Li Shiefa: Syaoran’s second sister, 22, a technology whiz and strong martial artist

Li Fanren: Syaoran’s third sister, 21, a design major in university

Li Feimei: Syaoran’s fourth sister, 19, a prelaw student in university

Li Linglin: Meilin’s mother

Li Wenyen: A cousin to Leiyun and Syaoran

 

The Legacy Arc Characters:

Li Shulin: The Chosen One and one of the Great Five; married Lord Landon Reed and mother of E. C. Reed, later to be known as the great sorcerer Clow Reed. After leaving England, returned to supervise the Clan’s move from Shanghai to their new headquarters in Hong Kong; became the most famous and venerated Great Elder of the Li Clan

Li Shenji: The Clan Protector, cousin and best friend of Shulin, four years senior; golden pair with Shulin back in the most prosperous days of the Li Clan; Syaoran’s direct ancestor

Li Yinlin: Shulin’s least favorite female cousin

Li Dairon: Syaoran’s ancestor; considered the 1st Great Elder of the Li Clan who first sealed a contract with Celes, the Guardian of Dimensions

 

 

Structure and Background of the Li Clan

 

The Great Elder,  Head of the Li Clan: (Li Renshu, succeeded by Li Syaoran): He is the most powerful, wisest, and oldest member of the Li Clan and therefore the most respected and revered. The Great Elder is the Head of the Li Council of Magic and the Council of Elders. Being the representative leader of the Clan, the Great Elder names the Chosen One.

 

 The Head of the Li Clan General Council (Li Wutai): often simply called the “Head.” He is the second most powerful and influential member of the Clan, just under the Great Elder. Most of the daily matters and issues that the Clan faces are turned to the Head. The Great Elder deals only with more pressing, important matters. The Head is also a spokesperson for the Great Elder and to decisions made by the Inner Council to the Outer Council. In case of the absence of the Great Elder, the Head takes command.

 

 The Chosen One (Li Ryuuren, succeeded by Li Syaoran): the figurehead of the Clan. In the history of the Li Clan, this sole person is supposed to be the bravest and most loyal in the Clan, with versatile magical powers, extensive knowledge of spells and runes, and mastery of martial arts skills. The Chosen One undertakes the most dangerous and important missions of the Clan. He has to pass the Test of the Elders, also called the Ordeal of Sorcery to be considered for the Chosen One. After passing this test, he also has to pass the Trial of the Chosen One. Having passed both tests, the Li Clan Chosen One pledges his life and blood to upkeep his family honor and serve the Clan. The Chosen One automatically becomes an honorary member of the Council of Elders, despite his age. He alone wields the Li Clan Five Force Sword.

Li Syaoran, at age 10, became the youngest Chosen One in the entire history of the Li Clan. Until Syaoran, Li Ryuuren, at age 16, had been the youngest Chosen One. Li Leiyun, Syaoran’s cousin, served as a temporary Chosen One, in transition between Ryuuren’s death and Syaoran’s coming of age. However, since Leiyun didn’t undertake the Trial of the Chosen One, he was never officially the Chosen One.

 

The Protector of the Li Clan (Li Jinyu): traditionally, the Protector of the Li Clan was the chief guardian of the Clan; whereas the Chosen One is the main figurehead of the Clan, undertaking many missions and oftentimes fighting away from home, it was the job of the Protector to be the bodyguard to defend the Clan from outside attack. The Protector is strong in martial arts and combat skills and is commander in chief of the Li Clan’s armed forces. In recent years, since there is no longer a likelihood that the Li Clan would get attacked from rivaling Clans like in the power struggle back in the 19th century, the role of the Protector has shifter more towards more ambiguous means. Whereas the Chosen One is the face of the Clan, the Protector is the shadow, the one who takes care of all behind the scenes matters without letting his face known. It has been long since rumored that the Li Clan has had hidden dealings with the mafia and by installing their Protector as the shadow boss of the triads, the Li Clan essentially has control over the Hong Kong underworld scene.

 

The Inner Council: the council of magic, which consists of all the members of the Li Clan who are magically talented and have passed the Ordeal of Sorcery, of the Test of the Inner Council. The wisest and oldest members of the Inner Council eventually become a part of the Council of Elders. 

 

The Council of Elders: consists of the oldest and wisest members of the Li Clan. The small group of Elders lead the Inner Council, and the head of both councils is the Great Elder. The gravest and most pressing issues of the Clan are discussed by the Elders, especially when there is a dispute in the Inner or Outer Council. The Elders are the final decision-makers of the well being of the Clan.

 

The Jury: The Council of Elders is the executive branch and the judiciary branch of the Clan. When a Clan member is convicted and put forth into trial before the Inner Council, the verdict is determined by majority ruling of the Elders. When there is an even divide between the Elders, the vote is put to the Inner Council members. In all cases, any decision made by the Inner Council can be vetoed by the Great Elder.

 

The General Council: also called “the Outer Council.” Consists of all the adults of the Li Clan, whether or not they are magically gifted. The Head of the Outer Council is Syaoran’s eldest uncle, who being a member of the Inner Council conveys the decisions made in the Inner Council to the Outer. Though most members of the Li Clan are born with some form of special power, though in differing levels, many choose to lead fairly normal lives and not attempt to pass the Ordeal of Sorcery. Instead, they pursue every day occupations such as becoming doctors, lawyers, economists, and politicians.

 

                Currently, the Li Clan is an extensive family, with affluence in not only in Hong Kong, but all over the world. The Li Clan has many non-magic factions, including a hospital branch which has gained a credible reputation and reliability in Hong Kong, headed by Li Ganliu; a business branch, Li Corporation International, which was passed down generation after generation, gaining more and more wealth and prominence over the years. The CEO of Li Corp. is another one of Syaoran’s uncles, Li Daifu— his oldest son, who is the Treasurer of the Li Clan, is a senior financial analyst at the HSBC Group (Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation , Hong Kong Branch), the largest bank in the world, and handles all the Li Clan’s financial affairs; his second son works at the Hang Seng Index (the Hong Kong Stock Exchange), the second largest stock exchange in Asia, next to Tokyo Stock Exchange ); a political branch, with influential politicians and high government position officials, enabling the Clan to have easy access to top-secret information and have extra privileges and move around high society; and an IT branch, consisting of the younger Clan members, who keep the Li Clan up to date about the quick advancements in the world of technology (one of Syaoran’s cousins specializes in hacking into top-secret databases, another in developing a Li Clan information database, yet another in designing high-tech equipment for the use of the Clan—including Syaoran’s nifty gadgets.) All the heads of the different branches report in the General Council how the Li Clan is doing in their respective area.

                Special Note: The Li Clan is not a patriarchal structure. In the past, there have been women heads as well. The previous Great Elder was a woman, Syaoran’s grandmother. Also the “Great One,” one of the five greatest sorcerers of the ancient days, was once the Chosen One of her Clan. She later forfeited this title to her younger brother upon marrying one of the Great Five from England, and bearing his child, Clow Reed.

 

The Ordeal of Sorcery: also called the “Test of Inner Council.” Taken by those talented magicians of the Clan who want to join the Li Council of Magic. Most clan members wait to pass this test in their thirties or even forties. Those extremely talented in magic from birth may attempt to pass this test in their late twenties, however such cases are rare. To date, Syaoran is the youngest ever to pass the Test at age ten. Both Ryuuren and Leiyun passed it at age 16, youngest ever before Syaoran.

 

The Trial of the Chosen One: the test that each Chosen One of his generation has to pass in order to become the representative of the Clan. Only the Chosen One and the Great Elder knows.

 

The Trial of the Great Elder: the test that the Great Elder candidate of the Li Clan has to undergo in order to take on the title. The candidate travels to the Dragon Isles and must make it back through Limbo and seal a contract with the Dragon in order to qualify as the leader of the Li Clan. Li Syaoran undergoes this test and becomes the 77th Great Elder.

 

 

Members of the Wu Clan

 

Note: The Wu Clan is one of the three most powerful magic-wielding families in Hong Kong. It has traditionally controlled the Hong Kong underworld and is the newest of the three major clans.

Wu Zian: The Head of the Wu Clan, nicknamed “Golden Leopard” and Second in the Hong Kong triads; same age and longtime childhood friends with Li Feimei

Wu Zilai: Older sister of Zian, nicknamed “Flaming Flamingo” and Third in Hong Kong triads, obsessed with the Black Dragon

Wu Zino: Older brother of Zian and Zilai, former Head of the Wu Clan and leader of the Hong Kong triads, nicknamed “White Tiger,” Li Fuutie’s lover, deceased

Red Dragon: The head of the Hong Kong triads before Zino, known to be one of the most brutal and merciless mafia bosses in recent history

 

Members of the Tang Clan

 

Note: The Tang Clan is the second most  powerful magic-wielding families in Hong Kong, especially with strong ties to government. Currently suffers from factionalism and rivalry between the head and his younger brother.

Simon Tang: The Head of the Tang Clan, considered ruthless and intent on bringing down the Li Clan

Stephen Tang: Younger brother of Simon, a longtime outcast in the United States but currently vying for power in the Tang Clan again

Tyler Tang: Older son of Stephen, 27, a vice president at Tang Corp. U.S. branch, upperclassmen of Dairen at Harvard Business School and avid tennis player

Tony Tang: Second son of Stephen, 19

Tiffany Tang: Only daughter of Stephen, 16

Tang Suyung: A sorceress in love with her mentor Clow Reed, who ends up becoming a vengeful spirit after being spurned by him, also called “Madoushi”

 

 

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