Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Ruler

Shi Le 石勒

Attested AD 304 - AD 333

Passages: 17
Chapters: 4
Histories: 3

Overview

The translated histories identify Shi Le as a ruler and warlord. This record brings together 17 passages from 4 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Shi Le	石勒	Shi Le
Personal name	Shi Le	石勒	Shi Le

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · jinshu:108:s0099
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · songshi:359:s0045

Roles

Ruler
Warlord

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 劉淵、石勒之亂 · Western Interval: Start: AD 304 · End: AD 316
Explicit event contextual date · weishu:028:s0125
Source Date: Text: 沒石勒 · Western Interval: Start: AD 319 · End: AD 333
Explicit · weishu:096:s0013
Source Date: Text: 石勒遣使 · Western Interval: Start: AD 319 · End: AD 333
Explicit event contextual date · jinshu:108:s0099
Source Date: Text: 苻堅、石勒之眾 · Western Year: AD 319
Explicit · songshi:359:s0045

Events and relationships

Kind: military · Action: attacked Liu Kun’s Leping and defeated Ji Dan · Other Person Ids: Liu Kun (劉琨), Ji Dan (姬澹)
Explicit · weishu:028:s0121, weishu:028:s0125
Kind: military · Action: sent Kong Chang to destroy Ji Dan · Other Person Ids: Kong Chang (孔萇), Ji Dan (姬澹)
Explicit · weishu:028:s0126
Kind: diplomatic · Role: sender-of-envoys · Other Person Id: Emperor Yuan (元帝)
Explicit · songshi:359:s0087
Relation: enemy-of · Person Id: Murong Hui (慕容廆)
Explicit · jinshu:108:s0099, jinshu:108:s0101

References in the histories

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

Book of Jin, Chapter 108Volume 108 Records 8: Murong Hui · 8 passages

石勒遣使通和，廆距之。 He rebuffed Shi Le's overtures.

勒怒，遣宇文乞得龜擊廆，廆遣皝距之。 Shi Le answered Murong's snub by ordering Yuwen Qidegui north; Huang blocked him.

深怪文武之士，過荷朝榮，不能滅中原之寇，刷天下之恥。 He reproached southern ministers for inertia against Shi Le.

以義聲之直，討逆暴之羯，檄命舊邦之士，招懷存本之人，豈不若因風振落，頓阪走輪哉！ Northern expedition should sweep Shi Le easily.

假號之強，眾心所去，敵有釁矣，易可震盪。 Shi Le's regime was brittle.

惠皇之末，後黨構難，禍結京畿，釁成公族，遂使羯寇乘虛，傾覆諸夏，舊都淪滅，山陵毀掘，人神悲悼，幽明發憤。 Late Emperor Hui's disasters enabled Shi Le.

昔獫狁之強，匈奴之盛，未有如今日羯寇之暴，跨躡華裔，盜稱尊號者也。 Shi Le exceeded ancient northern foes.

車騎雖未能為官摧勒，然忠義竭誠。 He acknowledged logistical limits yet praised devotion.

History of Song, Chapter 359Volume 359 Biographies 118: Li Gang 2 · 2 passages

故以魏武之雄，苻堅、石勒之眾，宇文、拓拔之盛，卒不能窺江表。 Thus even the prowess of Cao Cao, the vast hosts of Fu Jian and Shi Le, and the power of the Yuwen and Tuoba clans could not in the end threaten the lands south of the Yangzi.

東晉渡江，石勒遣使于晉，元帝命焚其幣而卻其使。 When Eastern Jin crossed the Yangzi, Shi Le sent envoys to Jin, and Emperor Yuan ordered the gifts burned and the envoys turned away.

Book of Wei, Chapter 28Volume 23: Wei Cao, Mo Han, Liu Kuren · 6 passages

及劉淵、石勒之亂，勸桓帝匡助晉氏。 When Liu Yuan and Shi Le threw the north into rebellion, he pressed Emperor Huan to stand with the house of Jin.

會石勒攻琨樂平，太守韓據請救於琨。 Just then Shi Le struck Liu Kun at Le'ping; the prefect Han Ju begged Liu Kun for relief.

琨以得雄、澹之眾，欲因其銳，以滅石勒。 Liu Kun, now reinforced by Xiong and Dan's troops, meant to hurl that fresh strength against Shi Le and destroy him.

琨不從，使雄、澹率眾討勒，琨屯廣牧為之聲援。 Liu Kun refused. He sent Xiong and Dan against Le while he held Guangmu to back them.

勒率輕騎與雄、澹戰，澹大敗，率騎千餘，奔于代郡。 Shi Le met them with light cavalry; Dan was routed and fled north with a thousand riders into Dai.

勒遣孔萇追滅之。 Le sent Kong Chang in pursuit to finish him off.

Book of Wei, Chapter 96Volume 90: Retired Officals: Sui Kua, Feng Liang, Li Mi, Zheng Xiu · 1 passage

祖邁，晉東海王越軍謀掾，後沒石勒為徐州刺史。 His grandfather Mai had been a military adviser to Jin's Prince of Donghai, Yue; after capture by Shi Le he became Inspector of Xuzhou.