Li Sheng (Three Kingdoms)
Li Sheng | |
---|---|
李勝 | |
Inspector of Jing Province (荊州刺史) | |
In office 248 – 5 February 249 | |
Monarch | Cao Fang |
Administrator of Xingyang (滎陽太守) | |
In office ? –? | |
Monarch | Cao Fang |
Intendant of Henan (河南尹) | |
In office ? –? | |
Monarch | Cao Fang |
Chief Clerk (長史) (under Xiahou Xuan) | |
In office 244 –? | |
Monarch | Cao Fang |
Prefect of Luoyang (洛陽令) | |
In office 239 –244 | |
Monarch | Cao Fang |
Personal details | |
Born | Unknown Nanyang, Henan |
Died | [a] Luoyang, Henan | 9 February 249
Parent |
|
Occupation | Politician |
Courtesy name | Gongzhao (公昭) |
Li Sheng (died 9 February 249),[a] courtesy name Gongzhao, was a Chinese politician of the state Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Life
Li Sheng was from Nanyang Commandery (南陽郡), which is around present-day Nanyang, Henan. His father, Li Xiu (李休), was formerly a subordinate of the warlord Zhang Lu. After the Battle of Yangping in 215, Li Xiu switched allegiance to the warlord Cao Cao and eventually came to serve in the Cao Wei state during the Three Kingdoms period.
In his younger days, Li Sheng met and befriended Cao Shuang. Along with other "celebrities" (e.g., sons of famous officials), he engaged in superficial and fame-seeking behaviour to earn themselves praise from other officials and citizens in the imperial capital, Luoyang. The Wei emperor Cao Rui (r. 226–239) felt disgusted when he heard about it and wanted to get rid of such unhealthy and corrupt practices, so he ordered an investigation. Someone reported Li Sheng as one of those involved, resulting in Li Sheng's arrest and imprisonment. However, with help from his wide network of connections, he managed to get himself released after spending a few years behind bars.
In 239, Cao Rui died and was succeeded by his adopted son, Cao Fang, who became the new Wei emperor. As Cao Fang was still young then, Cao Shuang ruled on his behalf as a regent. Cao Shuang appointed Li Sheng as the Prefect of Luoyang. In 244, he was reassigned to be a Chief Clerk (長史) under his friend Xiahou Xuan, who then held the position of General Who Attacks the West (征西將軍). In the same year, Li Sheng and Deng Yang advised Cao Shuang to launch a military campaign against Wei's rival state, Shu, to boost his fame and authority in Wei. Cao Shuang's co-regent, Sima Yi, strongly objected but Cao Shuang ignored him and went ahead. The Wei forces were subsequently defeated at the Battle of Xingshi against Shu forces and suffered heavy casualties.
Between 244 and 248, Li Sheng first served as the Administrator (太守) of Xingyang Commandery (滎陽郡) and later as the Intendant of Henan (河南尹); these two positions put him in charge of the commandery where the imperial capital, Luoyang, was located in. He governed his jurisdictions well during his tenure.
In 248, Li Sheng was appointed as the Inspector (刺史) of
In 249, while Cao Shuang and the emperor
See also
- Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms
- Incident at Gaoping Tombs
Notes
- ^ a b Cao Fang's biography in the Sanguozhi recorded that Cao Shuang and his associates – Ding Mi (丁謐), Deng Yang, He Yan, Bi Gui, Li Sheng and Huan Fan – were executed along with their extended families on the wuxu day of the 1st month of the 1st year of the Jiaping era of Cao Fang's reign.[1] This date corresponds to 9 February 249 in the Gregorian calendar.
References
- ^ ([嘉平元年春正月]戊戌,有司奏収黃門張當付廷尉,考實其辭,爽與謀不軌。又尚書丁謐、鄧颺、何晏、司隷校尉畢軌、荊州刺史李勝、大司農桓範皆與爽通姦謀,夷三族。) Sanguozhi vol. 4.
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms(Sanguozhi zhu).
- Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.