Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Ruler

Lü Guang 呂光

Attested AD 386 - AD 399

Passages: 11
Chapters: 2
Histories: 1

Overview

Lü Guang was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 386 to AD 399 呂光之悖德
Dated from the passage context · Book of Jin 129, passages 258, 263
AD 389 呂光為三河王故事
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 151
AD 397 to AD 399 呂光遣其二子紹、纂伐業
Dated from the passage context · Book of Jin 129, passage 35
AD 397 呂光龍飛二年
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passages 5, 14
AD 386 to AD 397 梁熙、呂光皆奇而憚之
Dated from the passage context · Book of Jin 129, passage 4
AD 386 to AD 399 超母子奔于呂光
Dated from the passage context · Book of Jin 128, passage 11

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Lü Shao (呂紹)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 35
Parent of Lü Zuan (呂纂)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 35

Kinship Role sons · Quantity unspecified
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 5

Key source chapters

Book of Jin, Chapter 129 Volume 129 Records 29: Juqu Mengxun 10 passages
Book of Jin, Chapter 128 Volume 128 Records 28: Murong Chao 1 passage

Career and standing

king 王
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 11
King of Sanhe 三河王
AD 389 呂光為三河王故事 · Held
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 151
put Luoqiu and Quzhou to death 殺羅仇、麹粥
Executed · With Juqu Luoqiu (沮渠羅仇)
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 9
put Luoqiu and Quzhou to death 殺羅仇、麹粥
Executed · With Juqu Quzhou (沮渠麹粥)
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 9

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Liang 後涼 · Relation Ruled
Strongly inferred · Book of Jin 128, passage 11; Book of Jin 129, passages 151, 258
Polity Lü regime 呂 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passages 5, 11, 14

Events and relationships

Sent sons Shao and Zuan to campaign against Duan Ye
Military · Dispatcher · With Duan Ye (段業)
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 35
Vanguard suffered crushing defeat
AD 397 光前軍大敗 · Military · Commander · At south of the River 河南
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 5

Assessments and attributes

Assessment contrary in virtue; suspected heroic men · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passages 258, 263
Assessment senile, arrogant, and unrestrained; sons form factions · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Juqu Quzhou (沮渠麹粥)
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 5
Assessment senile, willful, cruel, and without the Way · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Juqu Mengsun (沮渠蒙遜)
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 11

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Jin 129, passage 151

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

Book of Jin, Chapter 128Volume 128 Records 28: Murong Chao · 1 passage

平又將超母子奔于呂光。 Huyan Ping then fled with mother and son to Lü Guang.

Book of Jin, Chapter 129Volume 129 Records 29: Juqu Mengxun · 10 passages

蒙遜博涉群史，頗曉天文，雄傑有英略，滑稽善權變，梁熙、呂光皆奇而憚之，故常遊飲自晦。 Mengxun read widely in history, knew something of astronomy, was bold and resourceful, and had a ready wit for stratagem; Liang Xi and Lü Guang both admired and feared him, so he often hid his light beneath feasting and drink.

會伯父羅仇、麹粥從呂光征河南，光前軍大敗，麹粥言于兄羅仇曰：「主上荒耄驕縱，諸子朋黨相傾，讒人側目。 When his uncles Luoqiu and Quzhou followed Lü Guang on the southern campaign, Lü Guang's vanguard suffered a crushing defeat. Quzhou said to his brother Luoqiu, "The ruler is senile and willful, his sons tear at one another in factions, and men who whisper slander watch for their chance.

俄而皆為光所殺。 Before long Lü Guang had them both put to death.

呂王昏耄，荒虐無道，豈可不上繼先祖安時之志，使二父有恨黃泉！」 The Lü king is senile and cruel without principle—can we fail to carry on our forebears' wish for peace and leave our two fathers unrevenged in the grave!"

遂斬光中田護軍馬邃、臨松令井祥以盟，一旬之間，眾至萬餘。 They slew Ma Sui, the central-field guard under Lü Guang, and Jing Xiang, magistrate of Linsong, to seal their oath, and within ten days their following passed ten thousand.

屯據金山，與從兄男成推光建康太守段業為使持節、大都督、龍驤大將軍、涼州牧、建康公，改呂光龍飛二年為神璽元年。 They occupied Jin Mountain and, with his cousin Juqu Nancheng, set up Duan Ye, Lü Guang's governor of Jiankang, as commissioner with full powers, grand commander, grand general soaring dragon, governor of Liangzhou, and Duke of Jiankang, reckoning the first year of their rule from Lü Guang's second year of Longfei under the new era name Shenxi.

呂光遣其二子紹、纂伐業，業請救于禿髮烏孤，烏孤遣其弟鹿孤及楊軌救業。 Lü Guang sent his sons Shao and Zuan against Duan Ye, who begged aid from Tufa Wugu; Wugu sent his brother Lugu and Yang Gui to relieve him.

置官僚，如呂光為三河王故事。 He organized a full administration on the model of Lü Guang's enthronement as king of Sanhe.

屬呂光之悖德，深懷仇粥之冤； When Lü Guang turned cruel, he deeply harbored the grievance of Quzhou;

贊曰：光猜人傑，業忌時賢。 The encomium runs: Lü Guang feared great men; Duan Ye resented talent;