Li Shimin was born in 598 AD (the 17th year of Emperor Wendi) in Lijiating, Wude. His father was Li Yuan, then an official of Sui Dynasty, and his mother was Dou Shi, the royal family of Northern Zhou Dynasty. When Li Shimin was 4 years old, a scholar who claimed to have met him came to his home and said to his father Li Yuan, "You are a noble man and have a precious son." When the scholar met Li Shimin, he actually said: "The dragon and phoenix are auspicious, and the posture of the sun, the moon and the sky will definitely help the people at the age of 20." Li Yuan named his son Shimin, which means "helping the world and the people". As a child, Li Shimin was smart and decisive, informal, educated by Confucianism, studied martial arts and was good at riding and shooting.