Li Ji Unrest: Difference between revisions
Underbar dk (talk | contribs) m →Notes |
Underbar dk (talk | contribs) m →Notes: doesn't need two columns |
||
| Line 28: | Line 28: | ||
{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
||
==Notes== |
==Notes== |
||
| ⚫ | |||
{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=upper-alpha|colwidth=40em}} |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
{{Cnote2 End}} |
|||
{{Zhou Dynasty topics}} |
{{Zhou Dynasty topics}} |
||
Revision as of 13:22, 7 March 2010
The Li Ji Rebellion (657-651 BCE) (simplified Chinese: 骊姬之乱; traditional Chinese: 驪姬之亂; pinyin: Lí Jī Zhī Luàn) are a set of events took place in the State of Jin during the Spring and Autumn Period in China, caused by Li Ji, the concubine of Duke Xian of Jin, in order to put his son Prince Xiqi into the throne of Jin.
Background
Duke Xian of Jin married six wives who gave birth to five sons. The first was Jia Jun (賈君) from the State of Jia (賈國). Qi Jiang (齊姜) gave birth to Prince Shensheng (申生). Hu Ji (狐姬) was the mother of Prince Chonger (重耳) while her younger sister Xiao Rongzi (小戎子) gave birth to Prince Yiwu (夷吾). Lí Jī (驪姬) was the mother of Prince Xiqi (奚齊) while her dowry younger sister[A] Shao Ji (少姬) gave birth to Prince Zhuozi (卓子).
Duke Xian Marries Li Ji
At the time Duke Xian of Jin considered taking his concubine Li Ji as his first wife. Before doing so he asked the gods through divination whether or not it was wise to do this. The answer he received was that the outcome would not be good. He asked a second time and on receiving a positive response he made Li Ji his first wife, replacing Qi Jiang (齊姜).[1]
The Rebellion of Li Ji
In 665 BC, the twelfth year of the reign of Duke Xian of Jin, Li Ji gave birth to Prince Xiqi (奚齊). Since Li Ji wanted her son to be the crown prince, she bribed two of Duke Xian's most trusted officials, Liang Wu (梁五) and Dongguan Biwu (東關嬖五). The two officials persuaded Duke Xian to let Prince Shensheng (申生), Prince Chonger (重耳) and Prince Yiwu (夷吾) leave the capital, Jiang (絳). The officials told the duke that the northern Rong tribes (戎族) and Di tribes (狄族) frequently attacked Jin such that the princes were needed to defend their territory. Duke Xian of Jin then sent Prince Shensheng to defend Quwo (曲沃), modern Quwo County in Shanxi. Duke Xian also sent Prince Chonger to defend the city of Pu (蒲), northwest of modern Xi County in Shanxi, and Prince Yiwu to Erqu (二屈), modern Ji County in Shanxi.[2].
In 656 BCE, Li Ji started her plot to frame Prince Shensheng. She told Prince Shensheng that he should offer sacrifices to his deceased mother Qí Jiāng while he is in Quwo. Moreover, Li Ji suggested Prince Shēnshēng should bring back some of the sacrificial meat and wine and offer it to his father as tribute. Without the Prince’s knowledge, Lí Jī secretly spiked the meat and wine with poison. Before eating the meat the Prince had brought, Duke Xian of Jin gave a piece to his dog which immediately collapsed. Discovering the poison in the food, Duke Xian sent men to Quwo to arrest Prince Shensheng and killed the master of Prince Shensheng, Du Yuankuan (杜原款). Upon hearing the news, Prince Shensheng escaped to Quwo.
Prince Shensheng was visited by his half-brother Prince Chonger in Quwo who then advised Prince Shensheng to defend himself in front of Duke Xian of Jin by revealing Liji's plot. Prince Shensheng replied that he wouldn't like to break his father's heart by revealing Liji's plot. When Prince Chonger advised him to escape, he replied that if he escaped, then it would look like he really planned to kill his father. He said that no one in the world would protect him then. Prince Shensheng then hanged himself on the 7th day of the second month of 656 BC.
Later generations admired the filial piety and loyalty of Prince Shensheng that they nicknamed him "Gong Taizi" (恭太子) or "Gong Shizi" (恭世子), both meaning "the respectful crown prince".
Aftermath
After Prince Shensheng committed suicide, Li Ji falsely accused Prince Chonger and Yiwu of revolting so both escaped to Pu (蒲) and Erqu (二屈) respectively. In 655 BC, the 22nd year of his reign, Duke Xian of Jin sent troops to Pu and Erqu to capture Prince Chonger and Yiwu. Prince Chonger escaped to the Di tribe (翟族), one of the northern Rong tribes (戎族), with some of his loyal subjects: Zhao Cui (趙衰), Hu Yan (狐偃), Jiu Fan (咎犯), Jia Tuo (賈佗) and Xian Zhen (先軫)[3].
In 655 BCE, Duke Xian of Jin sent troops led by Jia Hua (賈華) to attack Prince Yiwu in Erqu but Prince Yiwu escaped to the State of Liang.
After the death of Duke Xian of Jin on the ninth month of 651 BC, Li Ji placed the 15-year old Crown Prince Xiqi into the throne of Jin and made Xunxi the chancellor of Xiqi to help him in government affairs. On the tenth month of 651 BC, Li Ke (里克) killed Xiqi roughly a month after his ascension. Duke Xian of Jin was not yet properly buried at that time. Xunxi then placed Prince Zhuozi into the throne of Jin even though Zhuozi was still a toddler at that time. After that, Xunxi finished the burial of Duke Xian of Jin. On the eleventh month of 651 BC, Li Ke killed Zhuozi and his aunt Li Ji (驪姬). Xunxi then commited suicide by hanging himelf. Shao Ji, the younger sister of Li Ji and mother of Prince Zhuozi, was imprisoned[4].
Li Ke then invited Prince Chonger who was then in the State of Qi back to the State of Jin to become the next duke. Prince Chonger declined so Li Ke then invited Prince Yiwu who was then in the State of Liang and he accepted. Prince Yiwu ascended the throne of Jin and became Duke Hui of Jin.
References
- ^ Zuo Qiuming, “Mr Zuo’s Annals”, 4th Year of Lu Xi Gong
- ^ Zuo Qiuming, “Mr Zuo’s Annals”, 28th year of Lu Zhuang Gong (666 BCE)
- ^ Zuo Qiuming, “Mr Zuo’s Annals”, 4th year of Lu Xi Gong
- ^ “Mr Zuo’s Annals”, 5th year of Lu Xi Gong
Notes
^ A: Following the custom at the time, Shao Ji, as the sister of Li Ji became the slave and concubine of Duke Xian when the pair married.