Li Dian
| Li Dian | |
|---|---|
| General of Cao Cao | |
| Names | |
| Simplified Chinese | 李典 |
| Traditional Chinese | 李典 |
| Pinyin | Lǐ Diǎn |
| Wade-Giles | Li Tien |
| Style name | Mancheng (曼成) |
| Posthumous name | Marquis Min (湣侯) |
Li Dian was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He participated in the Battle of Guandu between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao. Li Dian also played a significant role in the defense of Hefei during the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford against the forces of Sun Quan.
According to Chen Shou's Records of Three Kingdoms, Li Dian was a keen and humble learner who respected the literati. He did not fight with others for merits, and placed official affairs before himself.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
A local of Juye, Li Dian's father Li Qian (李乾) had strong influence in the region. In the early 190s, Li Qian and his followers joined Cao Cao and participated in the warlord's subsequent campaigns against the Yellow Turban rebels, Yuan Shu, and Tao Qian.
During conflicts with Lü Bu in 194, Cao Cao bade Li Qian return to Chengshi (present day Heze, Shandong) to reaffirm local support. Lü Bu's subjects Xue Lan (薛兰) and Li Feng (李封) tried to persuade Li Qian to defect but were rejected. Hence they killed Li Qian. Cao Cao then gave command of Li Qian's former troops to Li Dian's older brother Li Zheng (李整), who was tasked with avenging Li Qian. After the forces of Xue Lan and Li Feng were quelled, Li Zheng was appointed Inspector of Qing Province (青州).
[edit] Performance in Cao Cao's northern campaign
Following the death of Li Zheng, Li Dian took over command of his father's former troops, although he was rather uninterested in military affairs. Recognizing Li Dian's intellects, Cao Cao appointed him Administrator of Lihu (southeast of present-day Dongming, Shandong), primarily in charge of interior affairs.
In 200, Cao Cao confronted rival warlord Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu. Leading his clansmen and subjects, Li Dian took charge of supplying the frontline troops with food and clothings. After Yuan Shao was defeated, Cao Cao launched his northern campaigns against Yuan's heirs. Li Dian was again entrusted with logistics along with Cheng Yu. They struck out and eradicated an enemy force guarding the waterway to ensure the smooth delivery of military necessities.
In 205, Li Dian was sent to aid Xiahou Dun in the Battle of Bowang where he was to help defend against the attacks led by Liu Bei. Liu Bei burned his encampment and retreated abruptly, whereupon Xiahou Dun gave pursuit despite Li Dian's warnings. True enough, Xiahou Dun was ambushed by the enemy, who dispersed when Li Dian came to rescue with a relief force. In the same year, Li Dian and Yue Jin were also deployed to lay siege on Gao Gan at Hu Pass (壶关). Again Li Dian prevailed. He was then promoted to General who Destroys Barbarians (破虜將軍).
[edit] Battle of Xiaoyao Ford
After Cao Cao lost the Battle of Jiangling in 208, he placed Zhang Liao, Yue Jin and Li Dian at Hefei with approximately 7,000 men to guard the strategic Hefei fortress against advances of the southern warlord Sun Quan. Sun Quan later led a much more massive force upon Hefei (Sun boosted he brought with him 100,000 men, but that number was a mere exaggeration). Under instructions from Cao Cao, Zhang Liao and Li Dian should lead troops to deter the enemy outside the city, while Yue Jin stayed inside the castle for defense. However, Zhang Liao feared that long-running uncordial relationships among the three might jeopardize their mission, Li Dian assured him that affairs of the state should be placed before oneself. Thus, they picked 800 cavalry with them and dashed out, successfully lowered the enemy's morale by killing two of Sun Quan's generals on the field.
After the army was infected with a plague, Sun Quan had to withdraw from the siege he laid upon Hefei castle, and to avoid being infected, Sun Quan stayed at the northern part of Xiaoyao Ford (逍遥津) with only 1,000 soldiers and generals, while waiting for the main army to board the ships in the southern part of the ford. Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Liao led several thousand cavalry to surprise attack Sun Quan, while Li Dian volunteered to break the bridge which connected the northern and southern part of the ford. Sun Quan was immediately surrounded by Zhang Liao's cavalry, but was recused by his general Ling Tong when the latter fought desperately and opened a route. Once Sun Quan was out of the thick of encirclement, Ling Tong turned back to hold the enemies, and urged Sun Quan to go for the bridge. However, Sun Quan was nearly captured when he found out the bridge connecting the southern part (where he could call forth reinforcement) was destroyed. Not knowing the identity of Sun Quan, Li Dian and Zhang Liao focused their attack on Ling Tong, and Sun Quan miraculously leaped over the broken bridge and fled to the southern side, where his main force was returning to save him. Afterwards, Li Dian and Zhang Liao asked a surrendered soldier about the identity of the "purple beard general" who was good at archery, the soldier replied them that was indeed Sun Quan, and the three generals greatly lamented on slipping away such an opportunity. When Cao Cao heard that Sun Quan was nearly captured, he could hardly believe the intelligence right away, and personally travelled east to take a look at the battlefield. Having observed on the field, Cao Cao lamented for some time and greatly praised the merits and bravery of the three; as a result of his performance, Li Dian was rewarded handsomely.
[edit] Death
It was not stated when and how Li Dian died, though his age at death was specified to be around 45. When Cao Pi succeeded Cao Cao in 220, he gave Li Dian the posthumous title of Marquis Min (湣侯), literally meaning "sympathetic marquis", in reminiscence of his merits at the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford.[1] One of his son was given the title of "Interior Marquis" (關内侯; lowest ranked marquis) and tax revenue of one hundred households.
[edit] Appointments and titles held
- Prefect of Yingyin (潁陰令)
- General of the Household (中郎將)
- Administrator of Lihu (離狐太守)
- Major General (裨將軍)
- General Who Destroys Barbarians (破虜將軍)
- Marquis of Du (都亭侯)
- Marquis Min (湣侯) - granted to Li Dian posthumously
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ "在國逢難曰愍。使民折傷曰愍。在國連憂曰愍。禍亂方作曰愍。" An official would be given a posthumous title of "Min" for either one of the following criterions: Being killed while serving the country, letting civilians be harmed, being belittled (or sick) for a long time, or involving in a coup d'etate (or rebellion). As Li Dian's cause of death remains unknown, he could have been received a fatal wound from a battle as the course of his posthumous name. Another Wei general, Xiahou Yuan also shared this posthumous name. See the Lost book of Zhou. Rules on assigning a posthumous name.
[edit] References
- Chen Shou (2002). Records of Three Kingdoms, Chapter 18, Biography of Li Dian. Yue Lu Shu She. ISBN 7-80665-198-5.
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