Five Dynasties · General and Rebel

Li Shouzhen 李守貞

First attested AD 946; died AD 949

Passages: 21
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Li Shouzhen was a general and Rebel.

Life and dates

Death

AD 949 城破，守貞與妻子自焚
Cause Self immolation when the city fell · At Hezhong 河中
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 96

Attested activity

AD 949 城破，守貞與妻子自焚
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 96
AD 948 to AD 949 漢遣白文珂、常思等出軍擊之
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passages 76, 83, 89
AD 947 漢高祖定京師
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passages 71, 73
AD 946 遂與重威降於契丹
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passages 64, 69-70
AD 948 隱帝初立
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passages 74-75

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Wife of Li Shouzhen (李守貞之妻)
wife 妻 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 96

Kinship Role children · Quantity unspecified
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 96

Career and standing

Grand Guardian 太保
AD 947 漢高祖定京師 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 73
military governor of Hezhong 河中節度使
AD 947 漢高祖定京師 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 73
military governor of Tianping 天平軍節度使
AD 947 漢高祖定京師 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 72
Minister of Education 司徒
AD 946 遂與重威降於契丹 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 71
overall supervisor 都監
AD 946 遂與重威降於契丹 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 69
King of Qin 秦王
AD 948 隱帝初立 · Urged as
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 77

Places and affiliations

AD 946 遂與重威降於契丹
Polity Id liao · Polity Khitan 契丹 · Relation Surrendered to
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 70
Polity Later Han 漢 · Relation Served then rebelled
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passages 73-74

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Mode quotation Speaker Li Shouzhen (李守貞)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passages 67, 94

Events and relationships

Rebelled
AD 948 隱帝初立 · Military · Rebel leader · At Hezhong 河中
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passages 74-75
Sent wax sealed letters
AD 948 隱帝初立 · Diplomatic · Author
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 78
Relation Patron of · Person Zonglun (總倫)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 74

Assessments and attributes

AD 948 隱帝初立
Item imperial-yellow robe 赭黃衣 · Relation Received
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 75

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 52, passage 64

References in the histories

Search passages

History

21 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 52Volume 52 Miscellaneous Biographies 32: Du Zhongwei, Li Zhouzhen, Zhang Yanze · 21 passages

初，晉大臣皆言重威不忠，有怨望之心，不可用，乃用守貞。 Earlier Jin ministers had all said Zhongwei was disloyal and nursed resentment and should not be used; so Shouzhen was employed instead.

是時，重威鎮魏州，守貞嘗將兵往來過魏，重威待之甚厚，多以戈甲金帛奉之。 At that time Zhongwei held Weizhou. Shouzhen often led troops passing through Wei, and Zhongwei treated him very generously, giving him many weapons, armor, gold, and silk.

出帝嘗謂守貞曰：「卿常以家財散士卒，可謂忠於國者乎！」 The Deposed Emperor once said to Shouzhen, "You often disperse your household wealth among soldiers—is this loyalty to the state!"

守貞謝曰：「皆重威與臣者。」 Shouzhen apologized, "It was all given me by Zhongwei."

於是卒以重威為招討使，守貞為都監，屯於武強。 In the end Zhongwei was made campaign commander and Shouzhen overall supervisor, and they encamped at Wuqiang.

契丹寇鎮、定，守貞等軍於中渡，遂與重威降於契丹。 The Khitan raided Zhen and Ding. Shouzhen and the others encamped at Zhongdu, then surrendered to the Khitan along with Zhongwei.

契丹以守貞為司徒。 The Khitan made Shouzhen Minister of Education.

契丹犯京師，拜守貞天平軍節度使。 When the Khitan assaulted the capital, Shouzhen was appointed military governor of Tianping.

漢高祖入京師，守貞來朝，拜太保、河中節度使。 When Emperor Gaozu of Han entered the capital, Shouzhen came to court and was appointed Grand Guardian and military governor of Hezhong.

高祖崩，杜重威死，守貞懼，不自安，以謂漢室新造，隱帝初立，天下易以圖，而門下僧總倫以方術陰幹守貞，為言有非常之相，守貞乃決計反。 When Gaozu died and Du Zhongwei was killed, Shouzhen was afraid and ill at ease. He thought the Han house was newly established, Emperor Yin had just acceded, and the empire would be easy to seize. A monk under his patronage, Zonglun, used occult arts to work on Shouzhen privately and told him he had the countenance of one destined for extraordinary rule. Shouzhen then resolved to rebel.

而趙思綰先以京兆反，遣人以赭黃衣遺守貞，守貞大喜，以為天人皆應，乃發兵西據潼關，招誘草寇，所在竊發。 Zhao Siwan had already rebelled at Jingzhao and sent someone with an imperial-yellow robe to Shouzhen. Shouzhen was greatly pleased, thinking heaven and men both responded. He raised troops, seized Tong Pass in the west, and recruited bandits, who rose everywhere.

已而王景崇又以鳳翔反，景崇與思綰遣人推守貞為秦王，守貞拜景崇等官爵。 Before long Wang Jingchong also rebelled at Fengxiang. Jingchong and Siwen sent men to urge Shouzhen as King of Qin. Shouzhen invested Jingchong and the others with titles.

行至華州，節度使扈彥珂謂威曰：「三叛連衡，以守貞為主，守貞先敗，則思綰、景崇可傳聲而破矣。 Reaching Huazhou, Military Governor Hu Yanke said to Wei, "The three rebels are allied with Shouzhen as their head. If Shouzhen falls first, Siwen and Jingchong can be broken by rumor alone.

若舍近圖遠，使守貞出兵於後，思綰、景崇拒戰於前，則漢兵屈矣。」 If you abandon what is near to strike what is far and let Shouzhen attack from behind while Siwen and Jingchong hold the front, Han forces will be overmatched."

威以為然，遂先擊守貞。 Wei agreed and first attacked Shouzhen.

守貞出其兵壞長城，威輒補其所壞，守貞輒出爭之，守貞兵常失十三四，如此逾年，守貞城中兵無幾，而食又盡，殺人而食。 Shouzhen sent troops out to destroy the long wall. Wei at once repaired what was broken. Shouzhen again sent men out to contest it. Shouzhen's forces regularly lost three or four tenths. After more than a year there were few troops left in the city and food was exhausted; men killed one another for food.

初，守貞召總倫問以濟否，總倫曰：「王當自有天下，然分野方災，俟殺人垂盡，則王事濟矣。」 Earlier Shouzhen had summoned Zonglun and asked whether he would succeed. Zonglun said, "Your Highness is destined to possess the realm, but the astral field is now afflicted. Wait until men have nearly all been killed—then your cause will succeed."

守貞以為然。 Shouzhen believed him.

嘗會將吏大飲，守貞指畫虎圖曰：「吾有天命者中其掌。」 Once at a great feast with officers he pointed at a painted tiger and said, "Whoever has the Mandate of Heaven will hit its paw."

引弓一發中之，將吏皆拜賀，守貞益以自負。 He drew his bow and hit it with one shot. The officers all bowed in congratulations and Shouzhen grew still prouder.

城破，守貞與妻子自焚，漢軍入城，於煙燼中斬其首，傳送京師，梟於南市，其餘黨皆磔之。 When the city fell Shouzhen burned himself with his wife and children. Han troops entered the city, cut off his head from the embers, sent it to the capital, and displayed it at the southern market. The rest of his partisans were all dismembered.