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Overview Han Jian was a warlord and Governor.
Identity Historical · Male
Other names Type English Chinese Pinyin
Courtesy name
Zuoshi
佐時
Zuǒshí
Life and dates Attested activity Places and affiliations At Changshe in Xu Prefecture 許州長社 Learning and skills Skill literacy and historical study 書史 · Level self-taughtWorks and attributed material Assessments and attributes Assessment soothed soldiers and people and loved books · Mode historian-judgmentReferences in the histories
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New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 40 Volume 40 Miscellaneous Biographies 20: Li Maozhen, Han Jian, Li Renfu, Han Xun, Yang Chongben, Gao Wanxing, Wen Tao · 30 passages
韓建，字佐時，許州長社人也。
Han Jian, styled Zuoshi, came from Changshe in Xu Prefecture.
從楊復光攻黃巢於長安，巢已破，復光亦死，晏弘與建等無所屬，乃以麾下兵西迎僖宗於蜀，所過攻劫。
He followed Yang Fuguang against Huang Chao at Chang’an. When Chao fell and Fuguang died, Yanhong and Jian were left masterless. They marched west to fetch Emperor Xizong from Shu, looting every mile.
已而不能守，晏弘東走許州，建乃奔於蜀，拜金吾衛將軍。
They could not hold the ground. Yanhong fled east to Xu; Jian went to Shu and was made a Gold Crow Guard general.
僖宗還長安，建為潼關防禦使、華州刺史。
When Xizong returned to Chang’an, Jian became Tong Pass defense commissioner and governor of Hua.
華州數經大兵，戶口流散，建少賤，習農事，乃披荊棘，督民耕植，出入閭里，問其疾苦。
Hua had been ravaged again and again; the people had fled. Jian, raised poor and knowing the soil, cleared the scrub, drove the farmers back to the plow, and walked the lanes asking after their wants.
建初不知書，乃使人題其所服器皿床榻，為其名目以視之，久乃漸通文字。
Jian could not read at first. He had his bowls, beds, and tables marked with their names until, slowly, he learned the script.
是時，天下已亂，諸鎮皆武夫，獨建撫緝兵民，又好學。
The realm was already broken; every circuit had a warlord—only Jian soothed his soldiers and people and loved books besides.
當時號為「北韓南郭」。
Men called them “Han in the north, Guo in the south.”
大順元年，以兵屬張濬伐晉，濬敗，建自含山遯歸。
In Dashun 1 (890) he lent his troops to Zhang Jun’s campaign against Jin. Jun was beaten, and Jian fled back from Hanshan.
河中王重盈死，諸子珂、珙爭立，晉人助珂，建與王行瑜、李茂貞助珙。
When Wang Chongying of Hezhong died, his sons Ke and Gong fought over the circuit. Jin backed Ke; Jian, Wang Xingyu, and Li Maozhen backed Gong.
昭宗不許，建等大怒，以三鎮兵犯京師。
Zhaozong refused. Jian and his allies, furious, marched on the capital from three circuits.
昭宗見建等責之，行瑜、茂貞惶恐戰汗不能語，獨建前自陳述。
Zhaozong confronted Jian and his allies and rebuked them. Xingyu and Maozhen shook with fear and could not speak. Only Jian stepped forward to plead his case.
會晉舉兵且至，建等懼，乃還。
Jin was marching too, and Jian and his allies, afraid, pulled back.
晉兵問罪三鎮，兵傅華州，建登城呼曰：「弊邑未常失禮於大國，何為見攻？」
Jin pressed the three circuits and besieged Hua. Jian mounted the wall and shouted: “My city has never slighted your great state—why attack us?”
乾寧三年，李茂貞復犯京師，昭宗將奔太原，次渭北，建遣子允請幸華州。
In Qianning 3 (896) Maozhen struck Chang’an again. Zhaozong meant to flee to Taiyuan and halted north of the Wei. Jian sent his son Yun to beg him to come to Hua.
昭宗又欲如鄜州，建追及昭宗於富平，泣曰：「藩臣倔強，非止茂貞，若舍近畿而巡極塞，乘輿渡河，不可復矣！」
Zhaozong thought to go on to Yan. Jian overtook him at Fuping and wept: “The warlords are proud—Maozhen is not the only one. Leave the heartland for the far border, cross the river, and you will never come back!”
建已得昭宗幸其鎮，遂欲制之，因請罷諸王將兵，散去殿後諸軍，累表不報。
Once Zhaozong was on his ground, Jian meant to cage him. He asked that princes be stripped of command and the Rear Guard dissolved. Memorial after memorial went unanswered.
酒酣，與從臣悲歌泣下，建與諸王皆屬和之。
Deep in wine he and his court sang until they wept. Jian and the princes took up the refrain.
建心尤不悅，因遣人告諸王謀殺建、劫天子幸佗鎮。
Jian’s mood turned darker still. He sent word that the princes plotted to murder him and drag the emperor to another warlord.
昭宗召建，將辨之，建稱疾不出，乃遣諸王自詣，建不見。
Zhaozong summoned Jian to answer the charge. Jian pleaded illness and stayed away. He made the princes come to his door. Jian refused them.
建乃率精兵數千圍行宮，請誅李筠。
Jian surrounded the traveling palace with picked troops and demanded Li Yun’s head.
戒丕還，建與中尉劉季述誣諸王謀反，以兵圍十六宅，諸王皆登屋叫呼，遂見殺。
When Jiepi returned, Jian and Chief Eunuch Liu Jishu accused the princes of treason, ringed the Sixteen Mansions with troops, and cut them down as they screamed from the rooftops.
昭宗無如之何，為建立德政碑以慰安之。
Zhaozong was powerless to stop it and raised a monument to Han Jian’s “virtuous rule” to soothe him.
梁太祖以兵向長安，遣張存敬攻同州，建判官司馬鄴以城降，太祖使鄴召建，建乃出降。
Liang Taizu marched on Chang’an and sent Zhang Cunjing against Tong. Jian’s judge Sima Ye opened the gates. Taizu sent Ye to call Jian out, and Jian surrendered.
太祖責建背己，建曰：「判官李巨川之謀也。」
Taizu accused Jian of betrayal. Jian said, “Judge Li Juchuan talked me into it.”
太祖怒，即殺巨川，以建從行。
Taizu flew into a rage, killed Juchuan on the spot, and kept Jian with the army.
建已殺諸王，乃營南莊，起樓閣，欲邀昭宗遊幸，因以廢之而立德王裕。
After killing the princes, Jian built the Southern Villa with towers and pavilions, hoping to lure Zhaozong on a visit, depose him, and raise Prince of De Yu.
李茂貞、梁太祖皆欲發兵迎天子，建稍恐懼，乃止。
Li Maozhen and Liang Taizu both prepared to march and rescue the emperor. Jian grew afraid and dropped the plan.
光化元年，昭宗還長安，自為建畫像，封建潁川郡王，賜以鐵券。
In Guanghua 1 (898) Zhaozong returned to Chang’an, painted Jian’s portrait himself, made him Prince of Yingchuan, and granted him an iron certificate of mercy.
建辭王爵，乃封建許國公。
Jian refused the princely title and was made Duke of Xu instead.