Li Qi
Encyclopedia
Li Qi (314–338), courtesy name Shiyun (世運), posthumous name
Duke You of Qiongdu (邛都幽公), was an emperor
of the Chinese
/Ba
-Di
state Cheng Han
. He seized the throne after his brother Li Yue (李越) assassinated their father Li Xiong
's designated heir, their cousin Li Ban
, in 334. His reign was viewed as one of decadence and deterioration from his father's reign of simplicity. He was subsequently overthrown by his father's cousin Li Shou
the Prince of Han in 338, and committed suicide after being demoted to a duke. Li Shou seized the throne and changed the name of the state from Cheng to Han, although traditional historians treat the Li Qi to Li Shou transition as within a single state.
. When he was young, he was known for being intelligent and charismatic. When Li Xiong asked his sons to scout the population for talented people to serve as officials, Li Qi was the most successful for finding talents, so many Cheng Han officials were people who were discovered by Li Qi.
Li Xiong had named his brother Li Dang (李蕩)'s son Li Ban
as his crown prince
and heir, but after Li Xiong's death in 334 and succession by Li Ban, Li Qi and his brother Li Yue (李越) were disgruntled, and they secretly plotted against Li Ban. Li Ban's younger brother Li Wu (李玝), who had heard rumors of the conspiracy, suggested to Li Ban that he immediately send Li Yue and Li Qi away from the capital, back to their defense posts, but Li Ban did not have the heart to send away Li Xiong's sons before their father was buried. Instead, he sent Li Wu away to try to decrease the friction. In the winter, during one night when Li Ban was on mourning watch before Li Xiong's casket, Li Yue assassinated Li Ban and his older brother Li Du (李都), and made Li Qi emperor, after forging an edict from Empress Dowager Ren accusing Li Ban of crimes.
The officials initially offered the throne to Li Yue, but Li Yue, because Li Qi was considered talented and was raised by Empress Dowager Ren, offered the throne to him instead. Li Qi therefore took the throne.
In 335, Li Ban's uncle Luo Yan (羅演) and the official Shangguan Dan (上官澹) planned to assassinate Li Qi and replace him with Li Ban's son. The conspiracy was discovered, and Li Qi not only executed Luo and Shangguan, but also Li Ban's mother Lady Luo.
In 336, Li Qi, jealous of the talents of his nephew Li Zai (李載), the Duke of Wuling, falsely accused Li Zai of treason and executed him.
Both Li Qi and Li Yue became apprehensive of their father's cousin Li Shou
the Prince of Han (the son of Li Xiong's uncle Li Xiang (李驤)), the most honored Cheng Han general. Li Shou was aware of this and was afraid that he would be the next target of execution, and so whenever he visited the capital Chengdu
from his defense post of Fucheng (涪城, in modern Mianyang
, Sichuan
), he would order his subordinates to falsely report invasions by either Later Zhao
or Jin
, so that he could quickly return. By 338, under the advice of the hermit Gong Zhuang (龔壯), he planned an attack on Chengdu with his advisors Luo Heng (羅恆) and Jie Siming (解思明), with the pledge that after success, he would become a Jin vassal. He then forged a letter from his brother-in-law Ren Diao (任調) stating that Li Qi was planning to execute Li Shou, and he showed the letter to his soldiers. The soldiers believed him, and they then made a surprise attack on Chengdu, catching Li Qi unprepared. Li Shou's heir apparent
Li Shi
, an officer in the capital guards, opened the city gates and welcomed Li Shou in. Li Shou arrested Li Yue and other officials Li Qi trusted and forced Li Qi to order their execution. He then forged an edict from Empress Dowager Ren deposing Li Qi and demoting him to the title Duke of Qiongdu. Li Shou, after some hesitation about whether to take the throne or whether to become a Jin vassal, eventually took the throne and changed the name of the state to Han, showing a break from Li Xiong's regime.
Li Qi, depressed about being a duke of a small county, committed suicide later in 338.
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
Duke You of Qiongdu (邛都幽公), was an emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
of the Chinese
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...
/Ba
Ba (state)
Ba was an ancient state in eastern Sichuan, China. Its original capital was Yicheng , Hubei. Ba was conquered by Qin in 316 BC. The modern ethnic minority Tujia people trace some of their origins back to the Ba people....
-Di
Di (ethnic group)
The Di were an ethnic group in China from the 8th century BCE to approximately the middle of the 6th century CE. Note that the character Di is used to differentiate this group from the Beidi , a generic term for "northern barbarians". They lived in areas of the present-day provinces of Gansu,...
state Cheng Han
Cheng Han
The Cheng Han was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It represented two states, the Cheng state proclaimed in 304 by Li Xiong and the Han state in 338 by Li Shou...
. He seized the throne after his brother Li Yue (李越) assassinated their father Li Xiong
Li Xiong
Li Xiong , courtesy name Zhongjuan , formally Emperor Wu of Cheng , was the first emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han and commonly regarded as its founder...
's designated heir, their cousin Li Ban
Li Ban
Li Ban , courtesy name Shiwen , posthumous name initially Crown Prince Li , later Emperor Ai of Cheng , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han....
, in 334. His reign was viewed as one of decadence and deterioration from his father's reign of simplicity. He was subsequently overthrown by his father's cousin Li Shou
Li Shou
Li Shou , courtesy name Wukao , formally Emperor Zhaowen of Han , was an emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han...
the Prince of Han in 338, and committed suicide after being demoted to a duke. Li Shou seized the throne and changed the name of the state from Cheng to Han, although traditional historians treat the Li Qi to Li Shou transition as within a single state.
Early life
Li Qi was the fourth son of Li Xiong, Cheng Han's founding emperor, by his concubine Consort Ran, but was raised by Li Xiong's wife Empress RenEmpress Ren
Empress Ren was an empress of the Chinese/Di state Cheng Han. Her husband was the founding emperor Li Xiong ....
. When he was young, he was known for being intelligent and charismatic. When Li Xiong asked his sons to scout the population for talented people to serve as officials, Li Qi was the most successful for finding talents, so many Cheng Han officials were people who were discovered by Li Qi.
Li Xiong had named his brother Li Dang (李蕩)'s son Li Ban
Li Ban
Li Ban , courtesy name Shiwen , posthumous name initially Crown Prince Li , later Emperor Ai of Cheng , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han....
as his crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
and heir, but after Li Xiong's death in 334 and succession by Li Ban, Li Qi and his brother Li Yue (李越) were disgruntled, and they secretly plotted against Li Ban. Li Ban's younger brother Li Wu (李玝), who had heard rumors of the conspiracy, suggested to Li Ban that he immediately send Li Yue and Li Qi away from the capital, back to their defense posts, but Li Ban did not have the heart to send away Li Xiong's sons before their father was buried. Instead, he sent Li Wu away to try to decrease the friction. In the winter, during one night when Li Ban was on mourning watch before Li Xiong's casket, Li Yue assassinated Li Ban and his older brother Li Du (李都), and made Li Qi emperor, after forging an edict from Empress Dowager Ren accusing Li Ban of crimes.
The officials initially offered the throne to Li Yue, but Li Yue, because Li Qi was considered talented and was raised by Empress Dowager Ren, offered the throne to him instead. Li Qi therefore took the throne.
Reign
Li Qi largely entrusted the affairs of state to his brother Li Yue, whom he created the Prince of Jianning. He also trusted Jing Jian (景騫), Yao Hua (姚華), Tian Bao (田褒), and the eunuch Xu Fu (許涪), rarely consulting other officials, none of whom was particularly talented or honest. The peaceful order that Li Xiong established began to deteriorate.In 335, Li Ban's uncle Luo Yan (羅演) and the official Shangguan Dan (上官澹) planned to assassinate Li Qi and replace him with Li Ban's son. The conspiracy was discovered, and Li Qi not only executed Luo and Shangguan, but also Li Ban's mother Lady Luo.
In 336, Li Qi, jealous of the talents of his nephew Li Zai (李載), the Duke of Wuling, falsely accused Li Zai of treason and executed him.
Both Li Qi and Li Yue became apprehensive of their father's cousin Li Shou
Li Shou
Li Shou , courtesy name Wukao , formally Emperor Zhaowen of Han , was an emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han...
the Prince of Han (the son of Li Xiong's uncle Li Xiang (李驤)), the most honored Cheng Han general. Li Shou was aware of this and was afraid that he would be the next target of execution, and so whenever he visited the capital Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
from his defense post of Fucheng (涪城, in modern Mianyang
Mianyang
Mianyang is the second largest prefecture-level city of Sichuan province in Southwest China. Its administrative area includes the city proper of Mianyang, with 985,586 inhabitants in the built up area , the county-level city of Jiangyou, and six counties, covering an area of over and a population...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
), he would order his subordinates to falsely report invasions by either Later Zhao
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...
or Jin
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
, so that he could quickly return. By 338, under the advice of the hermit Gong Zhuang (龔壯), he planned an attack on Chengdu with his advisors Luo Heng (羅恆) and Jie Siming (解思明), with the pledge that after success, he would become a Jin vassal. He then forged a letter from his brother-in-law Ren Diao (任調) stating that Li Qi was planning to execute Li Shou, and he showed the letter to his soldiers. The soldiers believed him, and they then made a surprise attack on Chengdu, catching Li Qi unprepared. Li Shou's heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
Li Shi
Li Shi
Li Shi , courtesy name Ziren , historically known by his Jin Dynasty -bestowed title Marquess of Guiyi , was the last emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han...
, an officer in the capital guards, opened the city gates and welcomed Li Shou in. Li Shou arrested Li Yue and other officials Li Qi trusted and forced Li Qi to order their execution. He then forged an edict from Empress Dowager Ren deposing Li Qi and demoting him to the title Duke of Qiongdu. Li Shou, after some hesitation about whether to take the throne or whether to become a Jin vassal, eventually took the throne and changed the name of the state to Han, showing a break from Li Xiong's regime.
Li Qi, depressed about being a duke of a small county, committed suicide later in 338.
Personal information
- Father
- Li XiongLi XiongLi Xiong , courtesy name Zhongjuan , formally Emperor Wu of Cheng , was the first emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han and commonly regarded as its founder...
(Emperor Wu)
- Li Xiong
- Biological mother
- Consort Ran
- Adoptive mother
- Empress RenEmpress RenEmpress Ren was an empress of the Chinese/Di state Cheng Han. Her husband was the founding emperor Li Xiong ....
, Li Xiong's wife
- Empress Ren
- Wife
- Empress YanEmpress Yan (Li Qi)Empress Yan was an empress of the Chinese/Di state Cheng Han. Her husband was Li Qi. He created her empress in 334 after he seized the throne following his brother Li Yue 's assassination of their father Li Xiong's designated heir, their cousin Li Ban...
(created 334)
- Empress Yan