Shi Jian
This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (September 2023) ) |
Shi Jian 石鑒 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emperor of Later Zhao | |||||||||
Reign | 349–350 | ||||||||
Predecessor | Shi Zun | ||||||||
Successor | Shi Zhi | ||||||||
Died | 350 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
House | Shi | ||||||||
Dynasty | Later Zhao | ||||||||
Father | Shi Hu |
Shi Jian (Chinese: 石鑒) (died 350) was briefly (for 103 days) an emperor of the Jie-led Later Zhao dynasty of China. He was the third of four short-lived Later Zhao emperors after the death of his father Shi Hu (Emperor Wu). He is sometimes referred to by his title prior to becoming emperor, Prince of Yiyang (義陽王). Arguably, it was his machinations with his powerful adoptive nephew Shi Min against his brother Shi Zun that finally led to Later Zhao's downfall.
Not much is known about Shi Jian prior to his father's death—including who his mother was. He was created the Prince of Dai in 333 after his father seized power from the founding emperor
In 349, after Shi Hu's death and succession by his youngest son,
Shi Jian could not endure Shi Min's hold on power, and he sent his brother Shi Bao and the generals Li Song (李松) and Zhang Cai (張才) against Shi Min, but after they were defeated, Shi Jian pretended as if they acted independently and executed them all. Another brother of his,
In 350, under duress from Shi Min, Shi Jian changed the name of the state from Zhao to Wei (衛) and the family name of the imperial clan from Shi to Li (李). Many key officials fled to Shi Zhi. Local generals throughout the empire effectively became independent, waiting for the war to resolve itself. As Shi Min was engaging his troops against Shi Zhi's, Shi Jian made one final attempt against him—ordering the general Zhang Shen (張沈) to, after Shi Min left the capital, attack it. However, Shi Jian's eunuchs reported this to Shi Min and Li Nong, and they quickly returned to Yecheng and executed Shi Jian, along with 28 grandsons of Shi Hu and the rest of the Shi clan. Shi Min, restoring his father's original family name of Ran (冉), then took the throne as the emperor of a new state, Wei (魏, note different character than the state declared previously). Effectively, Later Zhao was over, although Shi Zhi would hold out at Xiangguo until 351, when he would be killed by his general Liu Xian (劉顯), finally ending Later Zhao's last hope.
References
- Book of Jin, vols. 106, 107.
- Spring and Autumn Annals of the Sixteen Kingdoms, vol. 2.
- Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 95, 96, 97, 98.