Li Hanzhi
Encyclopedia
Li Hanzhi (842-July 26, 899), formally the Prince of Longxi (隴西王), nickname Li Moyun (李摩雲), was a late-Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
warlord. He was initially a follower of the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
, and later became a Tang general, mostly known for his service under Li Keyong
. He was known for ferocity in carrying out raids.
, during the reign of Emperor Wuzong
. He was from Xiangcheng (項城, in modern Zhoukou
, Henan
). His father Li Wen (李文) was, and his family had been, farmers for generations. It was said that in his youth, Li Hanzhi was strong and dextrous, and he was capable of fighting several people at the same time. He initially studied Confucian
doctrines, but could not achieve much in doing so, and thereafter became a Buddhist monk. However, because his behavior was not proper, wherever he went, he found no acceptance; in particular, when he begged for food at Suanzao (酸棗, in modern Xinxiang
, Henan
), no one would give him any food. In anger, he abandoned his monk clothing and became a bandit in the region. At that time, as Huang Chao
had risen in rebellion against then-reigning Emperor Xizong
, Li joined Huang and became a key general in Huang's army. In 879
, however, when Gao Pian
the Tang military governor (Jiedushi
) of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
) sent his officers Zhang Lin (張璘) and Liang Zan (梁瓚) to attack Huang, the Huainan army initially prevailed, and Li surrendered to the Huainan army, along with Qin Yan
, Bi Shiduo
, and Xu Qing (許勍). (It was after this defeat that Huang took his army south to the Lingnan
region.)
, Henan
). At a later point, when Qin Zongquan the military governor of Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered in modern Zhumadian
, Henan
) rebelled against Tang and seized nearby territory, Li was pressured by the Fengguo army and abandoned Guang Prefecture. He returned home to Xiangcheng and gathered his forces there, and submitted to Zhuge Shuang
the military governor of Heyang Circuit (河陽, headquartered in modern Luoyang
, Henan
). Zhuge made him the prefect of Huai Prefecture (懷州, in modern Luoyang).
In 883
, Han Jian
the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan
, Hebei
), who had captured Heyang at one point but then lost it to Zhuge, attacked Heyang again. Zhuge sent Li to engage Han, and Li defeated Han at Wuzhi (武陟, in modern Jiaozuo
, Henan
) and repelled his attack. (As a result of the defeat, Han was subsequently overthrown by his officer Le Xingda
, and was killed shortly after.) Subsequently, when Emperor Xizong commissioned Zhuge as one of the commanders of the forces against Qin, Zhuge commissioned Li as his deputy, as well as the defender of the Tang eastern capital Luoyang
. As Luoyang had been laid waste by the wars by that point, Li made Shengshan Temple (聖善寺) his headquarters. Meanwhile, when the ethnically Shatuo
military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
, Shanxi
), went through Luoyang on the way back to Hedong after a campaign against Huang, Li welcomed him and formed a friendship with him.
In 885
, Qin sent his general Sun Ru
to attack Luoyang. Li battled Sun for several months, but eventually ran out of food supplies, so he abandoned Luoyang and set up his headquarters at Mianchi (澠池, in modern Sanmenxia
, Henan
), allowing Sun to seize Luoyang. However, Sun abandoned Luoyang after a month (after burning the palaces at Luoyang), and Li was able to take his army and return to Luoyang.
In 886
, Zhuge died, and initially the officers Liu Jing (劉經) and Zhang Quanyi
supported Zhuge's son Zhuge Zhongfang (諸葛仲方) as the acting military governor, but Liu held the actual authorities. He feared that Li would not easily be controllable, so he entered Luoyang himself and attacked Li at Mianchi. Li defeated him and slaughtered most of his army. Li then prepared to gave chase across the Yellow River
(as Heyang's capital, the city of Heyang, was just north of the Yellow River). Liu sent Zhang to resist Li, but by this point, Zhang was also alienated by Liu's domination of the circuit, and then instead joined Li in attacking Heyang. They were, however, defeated by Liu, and withdrew to Huai Prefecture.
However, Sun soon returned to the region and captured Heyang, forcing Zhuge Zhongfang to flee to Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
, Henan
). Sun himself claimed the title of military governor of Heyang, but Zhang, who was then still at Huai Prefecture, and Li, who by that point was at Ze Prefecture (澤州, in modern Jincheng
, Shanxi
), held out and refused to submit to Sun. In 887
, after Xuanwu's military governor Zhu Quanzhong defeated Qin when Qin attacked him, the generals that Qin sent out to the surrounding territory, including Sun, all abandoned their campaigns. After Sun abandoned Heyang, Li and Zhang entered Heyang, and jointly sought aid from Li Keyong. Li Keyong sent his officer An Jinjun (安金俊) to aid them and commissioned An the prefect of Ze, Li the military governor of Heyang, and Zhang the mayor of Luoyang.
, while Li was preparing a campaign against Wang Chongying
the military governor of Huguo Circuit (護國, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
), Wang secretly persuaded Zhang to turn against Li. Zhang thus took his forces and attacked Heyang, capturing it and taking Li's family captive. Zhang then claimed the title of military governor of Heyang. Li fled to Ze Prefecture and sought aid from Li Keyong.
Li Keyong sent his officer Kang Junli (康君立) to assist Li Hanzhi to try to recapture Heyang, with Li Cunxiao
, Xue Atan (薛阿檀), Shi Yan (史儼), An Jinjun, and An Xiuxiu (安休休) assisting Kang. Zhang defended against the siege, but soon ran out of food. He thus sought aid from Zhu Quanzhong. Zhu sent Ding Hui
, Ge Congzhou
, and Niu Cunjie (牛存節) to aid Zhang. They inflicted losses on the Hedong army, causing An Xiuxiu to desert (as he feared punishment for the defeat). When the Xuanwu forces next acted as if they were going to cut off Hedong forces' escape path through the Taihang Mountains
, Kang took the Hedong forces and withdrew. Zhu commissioned Ding as the acting military governor of Heyang, while returning Zhang to Luoyang as its mayor. Li Hanzhi, meanwhile, withdrew to Ze Prefecture and continued to claim the title of military governor of Heyang; he also sent his son Li Ken (李頎) to Hedong to serve under Li Keyong. It was said that he spent his days raiding the region as far east as Huai and Meng (孟州, in modern Luoyang) Prefectures and as far west as Jin (晉州, in modern Jincheng) and Jiang (絳州, in modern Yuncheng) Prefectures, such that the region became completely depopulated. In particular, there was a fort built by the people on Mount Moyun (摩雲山, in modern Yuncheng) to defend themselves during the wars. In the past, no army was able to come close to the fort, but Li Hanzhi captured it, earning him the nickname of Li Moyun. When he subsequently tried to again join forces with Hedong troops later that year to recapture Heyang, however, he was repelled by Ding.
, for example, Li Keyong sent him and Li Cunxiao to attack Meng Fangli
the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, long headquartered in modern Changzhi
, Shanxi
, although Meng was then having his headquarters at Xing Prefecture (邢州, in modern Xingtai
, Hebei
)). They defeated Meng's forces, and Meng committed suicide. Meng Fangli's brother Meng Qian tried to hold out against the Hedong forces with aid from Xuanwu, but soon was forced to surrender.
In 890
, when Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong
, at the instigation of the chancellor Zhang Jun
, as well as Zhu Quanzhong, Li Kuangchou
the military governor of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing
), and Helian Duo
the military governor of Datong Circuit (大同, headquartered in modern Datong
, Shanxi
), announced a general campaign against Li Keyong, one of the prongs of the imperial/Xuanwu/Lulong joint attacks at Heyong was aimed at Li Hanzhi at Ze Prefecture, and as part of the announcement, Emperor Zhaozong stripped Li Hanzhi, as well as Li Keyong, of all offices and titles. Li Keyong sent Li Cunxiao to aid Li Hanzhi; Li Cunxiao, after capturing Zhang Jun's deputy Sun Kui (孫揆) in a surprise attack, defeated the Xuanwu forces sieging Ze Prefecture, forcing them to withdraw. After Li Keyong subsequently defeated Zhang's main forces, Emperor Zhaozong was forced to exile Zhang and fellow chancellor Kong Wei
in 891
and restore Li Keyong's and Li Hanzhi's offices.
In 895
, when Li Maozhen
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
), Wang Xingyu
the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
, Shaanxi
), and Han Jian
(not the same Han Jian who had been the military governor of Weibo) the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan
, Shaanxi
) attacked the imperial capital Chang'an
and executed two former chancellors whom they had perceived to be against them (Wei Zhaodu
and Li Xi
) against Emperor Zhaozong's orders, Li Keyong, assisted by Li Hanzhi, went to the Chang'an region to aid the emperor. They subsequently attacked Jingnan, and Li Hanzhi defeated the forces Li Maozhen sent to aid Wang, causing Wang to flee and be killed by his subordinates in flight, allowing the imperial government to temporary resume control of Jingnan Circuit. For his accomplishments, Li Hanzhi was given the honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中). Emperor Zhaozong also created him the Prince of Longxi.
, claiming that all he wanted was a small circuit at which he and his army could rest. Gai tried to speak on his behalf, to no avail — and, over the next few years, whenever Li Keyong conquered a circuit or one of the circuits under his control needed a military governor, Li Keyong would refuse to consider Li Hanzhi. Gai feared that Li Hanzhi would be resentful, but when he spoke with Li Keyong, Li Keyong stated that the reason why he did not want to give a circuit to Li Hanzhi was that he feared that if Li Hanzhi had a circuit, he would no longer follow Li Keyong's orders.
Around the new year 899
, one of Li Keyong's subordinates, Xue Zhiqin (薛志勤) the military governor of Zhaoyi, died. A replacement was not quickly announced. Li Hanzhi decided to preempt Li Keyong; he entered Zhaoyi's capital Lu Prefecture (潞州), taking it over, and then submitted a report to Li Keyong asking to be made military governor. Li Keyong, in anger, sent messengers to rebuke him. Li Hanzhi then turned against Li Keyong, arresting the Hedong officers at Lu Prefecture and delivering them, with his son Li Hao (李顥), to Zhu Quanzhong, asking for aid. Li Keyong launched an attack on Li Hanzhi, with his nephew Li Sizhao
quickly capturing Ze Prefecture and taking Li Hanzhi's family members prisoner. (Li Keyong also wanted to put Li Ken to death, but Li Keyong's son Li Cunxu, who was friendly with Li Ken, gave Li Ken a horse to escape on.) Zhu thereafter commissioned Li Hanzhi as the military governor of Zhaoyi.
Li Keyong then sent Li Junqing (李君慶) to siege Lu Prefecture. Zhu himself headed to Heyang to prepare further operations, but sent Zhang Cunjing (張存敬) to give immediate aid to Li Hanzhi. Zhang defeated Li Junqing and forced him to withdraw. Li Keyong put Li Junqing to death, and replaced him with Li Sizhao. At that time, Li Hanzhi fell ill, and Zhu decided to swap his and Ding Hui's circuits, making him the military governor of Heyang and Ding the military governor of Zhaoyi. Li Hanzhi thus headed south to Heyang Circuit, and he died after reaching Huai Prefecture.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
warlord. He was initially a follower of the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
, and later became a Tang general, mostly known for his service under Li Keyong
Li Keyong
Li Keyong was a Shatuo military governor during the late Tang Dynasty and was key to developing a base of power for the Shatuo in what is today Shanxi Province in China...
. He was known for ferocity in carrying out raids.
Background
Li Hanzhi was born in 842842
Year 842 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* February 14 – Charles the Bald and Louis the German sign a treaty....
, during the reign of Emperor Wuzong
Emperor Wuzong of Tang
Emperor Wuzong of Tang , né Li Chan , later changed to Li Yan just before his death, was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, reigning from 840 to 846. Emperor Wuzong is mainly known in modern times for the religious persecution that occurred during his reign...
. He was from Xiangcheng (項城, in modern Zhoukou
Zhoukou
Zhoukou is a prefecture-level city in eastern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders Zhumadian to the southeast, Xuchang and Luohe to the west, Kaifeng to the northwest, Shangqiu to the northeast, and the province of Anhui on all other sides....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
). His father Li Wen (李文) was, and his family had been, farmers for generations. It was said that in his youth, Li Hanzhi was strong and dextrous, and he was capable of fighting several people at the same time. He initially studied Confucian
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
doctrines, but could not achieve much in doing so, and thereafter became a Buddhist monk. However, because his behavior was not proper, wherever he went, he found no acceptance; in particular, when he begged for food at Suanzao (酸棗, in modern Xinxiang
Xinxiang
Xinxiang is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to its southwest, Kaifeng to its southeast, Hebi and Anyang to its north, Jiaozuo to its west, and the provinces of Shanxi and Shandong to its northwest and...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), no one would give him any food. In anger, he abandoned his monk clothing and became a bandit in the region. At that time, as Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
had risen in rebellion against then-reigning Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
, Li joined Huang and became a key general in Huang's army. In 879
879
Year 879 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Pope John VIII recognizes the Duchy of Croatia as an independent state....
, however, when Gao Pian
Gao Pian
Gao Pian , courtesy name Qianli , formally the Prince of Bohai , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
the Tang military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
) sent his officers Zhang Lin (張璘) and Liang Zan (梁瓚) to attack Huang, the Huainan army initially prevailed, and Li surrendered to the Huainan army, along with Qin Yan
Qin Yan
Qin Yan , né Qin Li , was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who seized control of Xuanshe Circuit , and thereafter briefly seized control of Yang Prefecture , the capital of Huainan Circuit , before being defeated by Yang Xingmi...
, Bi Shiduo
Bi Shiduo
Bi Shiduo was an army officer of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He initially was part of the agrarian rebellions of Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao, but later became a Tang officer...
, and Xu Qing (許勍). (It was after this defeat that Huang took his army south to the Lingnan
Lingnan
Lingnan is a geographic area referring to lands in the south of China's "Five Ranges" which are Tayu, Qitian, Dupang, Mengzhu, Yuecheng. The region covers the Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces of modern China and northern Vietnam...
region.)
Initial service under Gao Pian and Zhuge Shuang
Gao Pian made Li Hanzhi an officer in his army, and later commissioned as the prefect of Guang Prefecture (光州, in modern XinyangXinyang
Xinyang is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Henan province, People's Republic of China, the southernmost such administrative division in the province.-Recent history:...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
). At a later point, when Qin Zongquan the military governor of Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered in modern Zhumadian
Zhumadian
Zhumadian is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders Xinyang to the south, Nanyang to the west, Pingdingshan to the northwest, Luohe to the north, Zhoukou to the northeast, and the province of Anhui to the east.Its population is 7,230,744 at the...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
) rebelled against Tang and seized nearby territory, Li was pressured by the Fengguo army and abandoned Guang Prefecture. He returned home to Xiangcheng and gathered his forces there, and submitted to Zhuge Shuang
Zhuge Shuang
Zhuge Shuang was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Heyang Circuit for some time and who vacillated between allegiance to Tang and to the Qi state of the agrarian rebel Huang Chao.- Background and early career :It is not known when Zhuge Shuang was born, but it is...
the military governor of Heyang Circuit (河陽, headquartered in modern Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
). Zhuge made him the prefect of Huai Prefecture (懷州, in modern Luoyang).
In 883
883
Year 883 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Oldest known mention of the city of Duisburg.* Monte Cassino is sacked and burned down by the Saracens....
, Han Jian
Han Jian (Weibo)
Han Jian , formally the Prince of Changli or Prince of Wei Commandery , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Weibo Circuit...
the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
), who had captured Heyang at one point but then lost it to Zhuge, attacked Heyang again. Zhuge sent Li to engage Han, and Li defeated Han at Wuzhi (武陟, in modern Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the south, Xinxiang to the east, Jiyuan to the west, Luoyang to the southwest, and the province of Shanxi...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
) and repelled his attack. (As a result of the defeat, Han was subsequently overthrown by his officer Le Xingda
Le Yanzhen
Le Yanzhen , né Le Xingda , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Weibo Circuit as its military governor from 883 to 888.- Background :...
, and was killed shortly after.) Subsequently, when Emperor Xizong commissioned Zhuge as one of the commanders of the forces against Qin, Zhuge commissioned Li as his deputy, as well as the defender of the Tang eastern capital Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
. As Luoyang had been laid waste by the wars by that point, Li made Shengshan Temple (聖善寺) his headquarters. Meanwhile, when the ethnically Shatuo
Shatuo
The Shatuo were a Turkic tribe that heavily influenced northern Chinese politics from the late ninth century through the tenth century. They are noted for founding 3 of the 5 dynasties and 1 of the kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period....
military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
), went through Luoyang on the way back to Hedong after a campaign against Huang, Li welcomed him and formed a friendship with him.
In 885
885
Year 885 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Vikings besiege Paris.* Godfrith, the Sea King is killed in Lobith...
, Qin sent his general Sun Ru
Sun Ru
Sun Ru , formally the Prince of Le'an , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who initially served as a general under the pretender emperor Qin Zongquan...
to attack Luoyang. Li battled Sun for several months, but eventually ran out of food supplies, so he abandoned Luoyang and set up his headquarters at Mianchi (澠池, in modern Sanmenxia
Sanmenxia
-Administration:The prefecture-level city of Sanmenxia administers one district, two county-level cities and three counties.*Hubin District*Lingbao City*Yima City*Lushi County*Shan County*Mianchi County*Sanmenxia Development Zone...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), allowing Sun to seize Luoyang. However, Sun abandoned Luoyang after a month (after burning the palaces at Luoyang), and Li was able to take his army and return to Luoyang.
In 886
886
Year 886 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :...
, Zhuge died, and initially the officers Liu Jing (劉經) and Zhang Quanyi
Zhang Quanyi
Zhang Quanyi , né Zhang Juyan or Zhang Yan , known as Zhang Zongshi during Later Liang Dynasty, courtesy name Guowei , formally Prince Zhongsu of Qi , was a late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty warlord who later was a senior official during the succeeding Later Liang Dynasty and Later Tang Dynasty...
supported Zhuge's son Zhuge Zhongfang (諸葛仲方) as the acting military governor, but Liu held the actual authorities. He feared that Li would not easily be controllable, so he entered Luoyang himself and attacked Li at Mianchi. Li defeated him and slaughtered most of his army. Li then prepared to gave chase across the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
(as Heyang's capital, the city of Heyang, was just north of the Yellow River). Liu sent Zhang to resist Li, but by this point, Zhang was also alienated by Liu's domination of the circuit, and then instead joined Li in attacking Heyang. They were, however, defeated by Liu, and withdrew to Huai Prefecture.
However, Sun soon returned to the region and captured Heyang, forcing Zhuge Zhongfang to flee to Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
). Sun himself claimed the title of military governor of Heyang, but Zhang, who was then still at Huai Prefecture, and Li, who by that point was at Ze Prefecture (澤州, in modern Jincheng
Jincheng
Jincheng is a prefecture-level city in the southeast of Shanxi province of north China. It is an industrial city in an area where coal mining is an important industry. It has a population of 2.2 million....
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
), held out and refused to submit to Sun. In 887
887
Year 887 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The city of Toledo rises against the Umayyad leader....
, after Xuanwu's military governor Zhu Quanzhong defeated Qin when Qin attacked him, the generals that Qin sent out to the surrounding territory, including Sun, all abandoned their campaigns. After Sun abandoned Heyang, Li and Zhang entered Heyang, and jointly sought aid from Li Keyong. Li Keyong sent his officer An Jinjun (安金俊) to aid them and commissioned An the prefect of Ze, Li the military governor of Heyang, and Zhang the mayor of Luoyang.
Loss of Heyang Circuit
Li Hanzhi and Zhang Quanzhong had a close friendship initially, but the friendship gradually waned over Li's lack of respect for Zhang's campaign to rebuild Luoyang. Further, even though Zhang tried to supply Li's army well, Li often seized Zhang's subordinates and tortured them if they could not satisfy Li's demands. In 888888
Year 888 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* January 13 – With the death of Charles the Fat, the Frankish kingdom is split again, and this time permanently...
, while Li was preparing a campaign against Wang Chongying
Wang Chongying
Wang Chongying was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who was known for his successive rules of Shanguo Circuit and Huguo Circuit as military governor .- Background :It is not known when Wang Chongying was born, and the official...
the military governor of Huguo Circuit (護國, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
), Wang secretly persuaded Zhang to turn against Li. Zhang thus took his forces and attacked Heyang, capturing it and taking Li's family captive. Zhang then claimed the title of military governor of Heyang. Li fled to Ze Prefecture and sought aid from Li Keyong.
Li Keyong sent his officer Kang Junli (康君立) to assist Li Hanzhi to try to recapture Heyang, with Li Cunxiao
Li Cunxiao
Li Cunxiao , né An Jingsi , was an adoptive son of the late-Tang Dynasty warlord Li Keyong who contributed much to Li Keyong's campaigns, but who later rebelled against his adoptive father...
, Xue Atan (薛阿檀), Shi Yan (史儼), An Jinjun, and An Xiuxiu (安休休) assisting Kang. Zhang defended against the siege, but soon ran out of food. He thus sought aid from Zhu Quanzhong. Zhu sent Ding Hui
Ding Hui
Ding Hui , courtesy name Daoyin , was a general who, for most of his career, served under Zhu Quanzhong while Zhu was a major warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
, Ge Congzhou
Ge Congzhou
Ge Congzhou , courtesy name Tongmei , formally the Prince of Chenliu , was a general serving under Emperor Taizu of Later Liang while Zhu Quanzhong was a warlord late in the Tang Dynasty...
, and Niu Cunjie (牛存節) to aid Zhang. They inflicted losses on the Hedong army, causing An Xiuxiu to desert (as he feared punishment for the defeat). When the Xuanwu forces next acted as if they were going to cut off Hedong forces' escape path through the Taihang Mountains
Taihang Mountains
The Taihang Mountains are a Chinese mountain range running down the eastern edge of the Loess Plateau in Henan, Shanxi and Hebei provinces. The range extends over 400 km from north to south and has an average elevation of 1,500 to 2,000 meters. The principal peak is Xiao Wutaishan...
, Kang took the Hedong forces and withdrew. Zhu commissioned Ding as the acting military governor of Heyang, while returning Zhang to Luoyang as its mayor. Li Hanzhi, meanwhile, withdrew to Ze Prefecture and continued to claim the title of military governor of Heyang; he also sent his son Li Ken (李頎) to Hedong to serve under Li Keyong. It was said that he spent his days raiding the region as far east as Huai and Meng (孟州, in modern Luoyang) Prefectures and as far west as Jin (晉州, in modern Jincheng) and Jiang (絳州, in modern Yuncheng) Prefectures, such that the region became completely depopulated. In particular, there was a fort built by the people on Mount Moyun (摩雲山, in modern Yuncheng) to defend themselves during the wars. In the past, no army was able to come close to the fort, but Li Hanzhi captured it, earning him the nickname of Li Moyun. When he subsequently tried to again join forces with Hedong troops later that year to recapture Heyang, however, he was repelled by Ding.
Service under Li Keyong
Li Hanzhi thereafter often served under Li Keyong in Li Keyong's campaigns. In 899899
Year 899 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Edward the Elder becomes King of Wessex.* Regino of Prüm is expelled from Prüm and becomes abbot of St...
, for example, Li Keyong sent him and Li Cunxiao to attack Meng Fangli
Meng Fangli
Meng Fangli was a warlord in the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who, from 881 to 889, controlled all or part of Zhaoyi Circuit — the headquarters of which he moved from Lu Prefecture to his home Xing Prefecture — as its military governor...
the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, long headquartered in modern Changzhi
Changzhi
Changzhi is a prefecture-level city in Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China. It lies between the city of Huozhou in Shanxi and the city of Hebi in Henan....
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
, although Meng was then having his headquarters at Xing Prefecture (邢州, in modern Xingtai
Xingtai
Xingtai is a city in southern Hebei province, North China. The prefecture-level city of Xingtai, with a total area of , administers 2 districts, 2 county-level cities and 15 counties. In 2004 it had an urban population of 561,400 and a total population of 6.73 million...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
)). They defeated Meng's forces, and Meng committed suicide. Meng Fangli's brother Meng Qian tried to hold out against the Hedong forces with aid from Xuanwu, but soon was forced to surrender.
In 890
890
Year 890 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The sovereignty of Great Moravian king Svatopluk I in Bohemia is confirmed.* Lusatia becomes a part of Great Moravia....
, when Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
, at the instigation of the chancellor Zhang Jun
Zhang Jun (Tang Dynasty)
Zhang Jun , courtesy name Yuchuan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong...
, as well as Zhu Quanzhong, Li Kuangchou
Li Kuangchou
Li Kuangchou was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, ruling Lulong Circuit from 893, when he overthrew his older brother Li Kuangwei, to his own defeat in late 894/early 895, as its military governor .- Background and takeover of Lulong Circuit :It is not known when Li Kuangchou...
the military governor of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
), and Helian Duo
Helian Duo
Helian Duo was an ethnically-Tuyuhun warlord in late Tang Dynasty. He had a long-running enmity with the Shatuo chieftain Li Keyong, and was killed by Li Keyong in 894.- Background and initial campaign against Li Keyong :...
the military governor of Datong Circuit (大同, headquartered in modern Datong
Datong
Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
), announced a general campaign against Li Keyong, one of the prongs of the imperial/Xuanwu/Lulong joint attacks at Heyong was aimed at Li Hanzhi at Ze Prefecture, and as part of the announcement, Emperor Zhaozong stripped Li Hanzhi, as well as Li Keyong, of all offices and titles. Li Keyong sent Li Cunxiao to aid Li Hanzhi; Li Cunxiao, after capturing Zhang Jun's deputy Sun Kui (孫揆) in a surprise attack, defeated the Xuanwu forces sieging Ze Prefecture, forcing them to withdraw. After Li Keyong subsequently defeated Zhang's main forces, Emperor Zhaozong was forced to exile Zhang and fellow chancellor Kong Wei
Kong Wei
Kong Wei , courtesy name Huawen , formally the Duke of Lu , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong.- Background and early career :Kong Wei's family was descended from the Spring...
in 891
891
Year 891 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Arnulf of Carinthia defeats the Normans at the Battle of Leuven....
and restore Li Keyong's and Li Hanzhi's offices.
In 895
895
Year 895 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The seven tribes of the Magyars settle in the Carpathian Basin under the leadership of Árpád...
, when Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen , né Song Wentong , courtesy name Zhengchen , formally Prince Zhongjing of Qin , was the only ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Qi...
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
Baoji
Baoji is a prefecture-level city in Shaanxi province, China.-Geography:The prefecture-level city of Baoji has a population of 3,716,731 according to the 2010 Chinese census, inhabiting an area of . The city itself has a population of approximately 800,000. Surrounded on three sides by hills,...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
), Wang Xingyu
Wang Xingyu
Wang Xingyu was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Jingnan Circuit from 887 to his death in 895...
the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
Xianyang
Xianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi province, on the Wei River, a few kilometers upstream from Xi'an. It has an area of...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
), and Han Jian
Han Jian (Tang Dynasty)
Han Jian , courtesy name Zuoshi , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who eventually became a subject of the succeeding Later Liang Dynasty...
(not the same Han Jian who had been the military governor of Weibo) the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan
Weinan
Weinan is a Municipality in the province of Shaanxi, PRC. The Grand Historian Sima Qian was born in Weinan.-Administration:...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) attacked the imperial capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
and executed two former chancellors whom they had perceived to be against them (Wei Zhaodu
Wei Zhaodu
Wei Zhaodu , courtesy name Zhengji , formally the Duke of Qi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong...
and Li Xi
Li Xi
Li Xi or Li Qi , courtesy name Jingwang , nicknamed Li Shulou , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving briefly as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
) against Emperor Zhaozong's orders, Li Keyong, assisted by Li Hanzhi, went to the Chang'an region to aid the emperor. They subsequently attacked Jingnan, and Li Hanzhi defeated the forces Li Maozhen sent to aid Wang, causing Wang to flee and be killed by his subordinates in flight, allowing the imperial government to temporary resume control of Jingnan Circuit. For his accomplishments, Li Hanzhi was given the honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中). Emperor Zhaozong also created him the Prince of Longxi.
Submission to Zhu Quanzhong
However, the Jingnan campaign also sowed the seed of Li Hanzhi's dissatisfaction toward Li Keyong. After Jingnan fell to Li Keyong, Li Hanzhi requested that he be given the circuit, which Li Keyong refused — citing the fact that he had promised to turn the circuit to the imperial government and had already recommended the imperial general Su Wenjian (蘇文建) as the new military governor. Li Hanzhi complained bitterly to Li Keyong's strategist Gai YuGai Yu
Gai Yu , formally the Duke of Chengyang , was a key strategist of Li Keyong, a major warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty.- Background :...
, claiming that all he wanted was a small circuit at which he and his army could rest. Gai tried to speak on his behalf, to no avail — and, over the next few years, whenever Li Keyong conquered a circuit or one of the circuits under his control needed a military governor, Li Keyong would refuse to consider Li Hanzhi. Gai feared that Li Hanzhi would be resentful, but when he spoke with Li Keyong, Li Keyong stated that the reason why he did not want to give a circuit to Li Hanzhi was that he feared that if Li Hanzhi had a circuit, he would no longer follow Li Keyong's orders.
Around the new year 899
899
Year 899 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Edward the Elder becomes King of Wessex.* Regino of Prüm is expelled from Prüm and becomes abbot of St...
, one of Li Keyong's subordinates, Xue Zhiqin (薛志勤) the military governor of Zhaoyi, died. A replacement was not quickly announced. Li Hanzhi decided to preempt Li Keyong; he entered Zhaoyi's capital Lu Prefecture (潞州), taking it over, and then submitted a report to Li Keyong asking to be made military governor. Li Keyong, in anger, sent messengers to rebuke him. Li Hanzhi then turned against Li Keyong, arresting the Hedong officers at Lu Prefecture and delivering them, with his son Li Hao (李顥), to Zhu Quanzhong, asking for aid. Li Keyong launched an attack on Li Hanzhi, with his nephew Li Sizhao
Li Sizhao
Li Sizhao , né Han , known at one point as Li Jintong , courtesy name Yiguang , formally the Prince of Longxi , was a major general under Li Keyong and Li Keyong's son and successor Li Cunxu, the princes of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Jin...
quickly capturing Ze Prefecture and taking Li Hanzhi's family members prisoner. (Li Keyong also wanted to put Li Ken to death, but Li Keyong's son Li Cunxu, who was friendly with Li Ken, gave Li Ken a horse to escape on.) Zhu thereafter commissioned Li Hanzhi as the military governor of Zhaoyi.
Li Keyong then sent Li Junqing (李君慶) to siege Lu Prefecture. Zhu himself headed to Heyang to prepare further operations, but sent Zhang Cunjing (張存敬) to give immediate aid to Li Hanzhi. Zhang defeated Li Junqing and forced him to withdraw. Li Keyong put Li Junqing to death, and replaced him with Li Sizhao. At that time, Li Hanzhi fell ill, and Zhu decided to swap his and Ding Hui's circuits, making him the military governor of Heyang and Ding the military governor of Zhaoyi. Li Hanzhi thus headed south to Heyang Circuit, and he died after reaching Huai Prefecture.