Li Renju (李仁矩) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Li Renju as an administrator, courtier, diplomat, and envoy. This record brings together 34 passages from 4 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Li Renju	李仁矩	Li Renju
Surname	Li	李	Li
Personal name	Li Renju	李仁矩	Li Renju
Given	Renju	仁矩	Renju

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:040:s0150, jiuwudaishi:062:s0123
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · jiuwudaishi:070:s0130
Value: male
Explicit · xinwudaishi:026:s0146

Roles

Administrator
Courtier
Diplomat
Envoy
General
Military Officer
Official

Life and dates

Death

Manner: captured and killed with whole clan · Authority Person Id: Dong Zhang (董璋)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0140
Manner: captured and killed · Other Person Id: Dong Zhang (董璋) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 仁矩被擒 · Western Year: AD 933
Explicit · xinwudaishi:026:s0166
Manner: captured and killed / 擒…害之 · Other Person Id: Dong Zhang (董璋)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:062:s0146

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 冬十月壬子 · Inherited Narrative Context: true · Western Year: AD 929
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:040:s0150
Source Date: Text: AD 926-933 · Western Year: AD 926
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:026:s0146
Source Date: Text: 天成中 · Western Interval: Start: AD 926 · End: AD 930
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0132
Source Date: Text: 天成四年夏 · Western Year: AD 929
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:062:s0123
Source Date: Text: 長興元年 · Western Year: AD 930
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:062:s0146
Source Date: Text: 長興元年冬十月 · Western Year: AD 930
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0135
Source Date: Text: 長興初 · Western Year: AD 930
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:070:s0133

Family

Kinship Role: clan members · Note: 举族 killed · Quantity: plural-unspecified
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0140

Career and standing

Label: commissioner of the Reception Bureau / 客省使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0131
Label: Grand General of the Left Guard / 左衛大將軍 · Action: appointed
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0131
Label: Lang military commissioner / 閬州節度使 · Action: appointed · Start Date: Source Date: Text: 冬十月壬子 · Inherited Narrative Context: true · Western Year: AD 929
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:040:s0150
Label: Military Governor of Baoning / 保寧軍節度使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · xinwudaishi:026:s0156
Label: military governor of Langzhou / 閬州節度使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0133
Label: training commissioner of Langzhou / 閬州團練使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:062:s0134
Label: Inner Guest Bureau commissioner / 內客省使 · Action: held
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:040:s0150
Label: Left Guard senior general / 左衛大將軍 · Action: held
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:040:s0150
Label: palace envoy (keshi) / 客省使 · Action: held
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:062:s0123

Places and affiliations

Label: Later Tang / 後唐 · Relation: served
Strongly inferred · jiuwudaishi:040:s0150
Place: Lang prefecture / 閬州 · Relation: posted-to · Start Date: Source Date: Text: 冬十月壬子 · Inherited Narrative Context: true · Western Year: AD 929
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:040:s0150

Events and relationships

Kind: appointment · Role: appointee · Action: appointed-Lang-commissioner · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 冬十月壬子 · Inherited Narrative Context: true · Western Year: AD 929
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:040:s0150
Kind: diplomatic · Role: envoy · Action: collected tribute · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 祀天南郊 · Western Year: AD 926
Explicit · xinwudaishi:026:s0148
Kind: political · Role: provocateur · Action: provoked-rebellion-of · Other Person Id: Dong Zhang (董璋)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0134
Relation: client-of · Person Id: An Chonghui (安重誨)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0131

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: provoked Dong Zhang's rebellion by false reports · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:070:s0134

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 40Volume 40 Book of Later Tang 16: Mingzong Annals 6 · 1 passage

Open chapter

壬子，以內客省使、左衛大將軍李仁矩為閬州節度使。 On renzi Li Renju—inner guest commissioner and left guard senior general—became Lang commissioner.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 62Volume 62 Book of Later Tang 38: Biographies 14: Meng Fangli, Zhang Wenli, Dong Zhang · 10 passages

Open chapter

四年夏，時明宗將議郊天，遣客省使李仁矩齎詔示諭兩川，又遣安重誨馳書於璋，以征貢奉，約以五十萬為數。 In the summer of the fourth year, as Mingzong prepared for the suburban sacrifice, he sent palace envoy Li Renju with an edict to the two Chuan and dispatched An Chonghui with a letter demanding five hundred thousand in tribute from Zhang.

翌日，璋於衙署設宴以召仁矩，日既中而不至，璋使人偵之，仁矩方擁倡婦與賓友酣飲於驛亭。 The next day Zhang gave a banquet at headquarters for Renju, but noon passed and he did not appear; spies found Renju in the relay station drinking with singing girls and guests.

仁矩惶駭，走入閣中，良久引出。 Renju fled in terror to an inner room and was dragged out only after a long delay.

璋坐，立仁矩於階下，戟手罵曰：「當我作魏博都監，爾為通引小將，其時去就，已有等威。 Zhang seated himself and made Renju stand below the steps, then pointed at him and raged: "When I was inspector of Weibo you were a mere escort officer—even then there was rank between us.

因目肘腋，欲令執拽仁矩，仁矩涕淚拜告，僅而獲免。 He signaled his attendants to seize Renju, who wept and kowtowed until he barely escaped with his life.

璋乃馳騎入衙，竟徹饌而不召。 Zhang rode back to headquarters and dismissed the feast without ever summoning Renju.

洎仁矩復命，益言璋不法。 On his return Renju reported Zhang's misconduct at even greater length.

未幾，重誨奏以仁矩為閬州團練使，尋升為節鎮。 Soon afterward Chonghui recommended Renju as training commissioner of Langzhou, then promoted him to full military governor.

時兩川刺史嘗以兵為牙軍，小郡不下五百人，璋已疑間，及聞除仁矩鎮閬州，璋由是謀反乃決。 The two Chuan governors each maintained guard armies of at least five hundred men even in small prefectures; Zhang already suspected encirclement, and when he learned Renju had been appointed to Langzhou his decision to rebel was fixed.

尋率其兵陷閬州，擒節度使李仁矩、軍校姚洪等害之。 He soon marched on Langzhou, captured Governor Li Renju and the officer Yao Hong, and executed them.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 70Volume 70 Book of Later Tang 46: Biographies 22: Yuan Xingqin, Xia Luqi, Yao Hong, Li Yan, Li Renju, Kang Sili, Zhang Jingda · 8 passages

Open chapter

李仁矩，本明宗在藩鎮時客將也。 Li Renju had originally been a guest officer in Mingzong's household when he held a princely fief.

明宗即位，錄其趨走之勞，擢居內職，復為安重誨所庇，故數年之間，遷為客省使、左衛大將軍。 When Mingzong took the throne, he rewarded Renju for his years of service and promoted him to the inner court. Under An Chonghui's patronage he rose within a few years to commissioner of the Reception Bureau and Grand General of the Left Guard.

天成中，因奉使東川，董璋張筵以召之，仁矩貪於館舍，與倡妓酣飲，日既中而不至，大為璋所詬辱，自是深銜之。 During the Tiancheng era, while on mission to Eastern Chuan, Dong Zhang held a banquet in his honor. Renju stayed at the lodge drinking with courtesans and did not arrive until after noon. Dong Zhang rebuked him harshly, and from that day Renju nursed a deep hatred.

長興初，璋既跋扈於東川，重誨奏以仁矩為閬州節度使，俾伺璋之反狀，時物議以為不可。 Early in the Changxing era, Dong Zhang was already acting arrogantly in Eastern Chuan. Chonghui memorialized appointing Renju military governor of Langzhou to watch for signs of rebellion, though public opinion at the time held this unwise.

及仁矩至鎮，偵璋所為，曲形奏報，地裏遐僻，朝廷莫知事實，激成璋之逆節，由仁矩也。 Once Renju reached his post, he spied on Dong Zhang and sent distorted reports to court. The region was remote, and Beijing knew nothing of the truth. Dong Zhang's rebellion was provoked by Renju.

仁矩召軍校謀守戰利害，皆曰：「璋久圖反計，以賂誘士心，凶氣方盛，未可與戰，宜堅壁以守之。 Renju summoned his officers to discuss whether to defend or attack. They all said, "Dong Zhang has long plotted rebellion and has bought the soldiers' loyalty. His momentum is fierce. We should not fight yet but hold the walls firm.

仁矩曰：「蜀兵懦，安能當我精甲！」 Renju said, "Shu troops are cowards. How can they stand against our elite armor!"

既而城陷，仁矩被擒，舉族為璋所害。 Soon the city fell. Renju was captured, and Dong Zhang killed his entire clan.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 26Volume 26 Later Tang Biographies 6: Fu Xi, Wu Zhen, Kong Qian, Zhang Yanlang, Li Yan, Li Renju, Mao Zhang · 15 passages

Open chapter

李仁矩 Li Renju

李仁矩，不知其世家。 Li Renju—nothing is known of his house.

明宗祀天南郊，東、西川當進助禮錢，使仁矩趣之。 When Mingzong sacrificed to Heaven at the southern suburb, East and West Circuit owed ritual aid money. Renju was sent to collect it.

仁矩恃恩驕恣，見藩臣不以禮。 Renju traded on imperial favor and grew proud and reckless. He showed frontier lords no courtesy.

東川節度使董璋置酒召仁矩，仁矩辭醉不往，於傳舍與倡妓飲。 Dong Zhang, military governor of Dongchuan, sent wine and called Renju in. Renju claimed he was too drunk and stayed away, drinking at the relay station with singing girls instead.

璋怒，率衙兵露刃之傳舍，仁矩惶恐，不襪而靴走庭中，璋責之曰：「爾以西川能斬李嚴，謂我獨不能斬爾邪！」 Zhang in fury marched his guard, blades bare, to the relay station. Renju in terror ran into the courtyard in boots but no stockings. Zhang raged at him: “Because Xichuan killed Li Yan, you think I cannot kill you?”

顧左右牽出斬之。 He signaled his men to drag Renju out and take his head.

仁矩涕泣拜伏謝罪，乃止。 Renju wept, threw himself down, and begged pardon. Only then did Zhang stay his hand.

明日，璋置酒召仁矩，見其妻子，以厚謝之。 The next day Zhang called Renju to wine, brought out his wife and children, and made lavish amends.

仁矩還，言璋必反。 When Renju returned he said Zhang would rebel for certain.

仁矩素為安重誨所親信，自璋有異志，重誨思有以制之，乃分東川之閬州為保寧軍，以仁矩為節度使，遣姚洪將兵戍之。 Renju had long stood in An Chonghui’s trust. Once Zhang turned disloyal, Chonghui looked for a way to pin him. He split Lang prefecture from Dongchuan to form the Baoning army, made Renju its military governor, and sent Yao Hong to garrison it.