Li Ji Rebellion
Encyclopedia
The Li Ji Rebellion 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.
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). Li Ji
(驪姬) was the mother of Prince Xiqi
(奚齊) while her dowry younger sister Shao Ji (少姬) gave birth to Prince Zhuozi (卓子).
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 Qi Jiang while he is in Quwo. Moreover, Li Ji suggested Prince Shensheng should bring back some of the sacrificial meat and wine and offer it to his father as tribute. Without the Prince’s knowledge, Li Ji 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 Li Ji's plot. Prince Shensheng replied that he wouldn't like to break his father's heart by revealing Li Ji'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".
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 committed suicide by hanging himelf. Shao Ji, the younger sister of Li Ji and mother of Prince Zhuozi, was imprisoned.
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
.
Li Ji (concubine)
Li Ji was a concubine and later wife of Duke Xian of Jin, ruler of the State of Jin between 676 BC and 651 BC during the Spring and Autumn Period of China. Li Ji is renowned for starting the Li Ji Rebellion which led to the suicide of Prince Shensheng...
, the concubine of Duke Xian of Jin
Duke Xian of Jin
Duke Xian of Jin , Ancestral name is Ji, given name is Guizhu , was the nineteenth ruler of the State of Jin. He was also the ninth ruler of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period and the second duke of Jin. When his father, Duke Wu of Jin, died in 677 BC, Guizhu ascended the throne of Jin and became...
, in order to put his son Prince Xiqi
Prince Xiqi of Jin
Prince Xiqi , was the son of Li Ji, the concubine of Duke Xian of Jin, and the crown prince of the State of Jin since he replaced Prince Shensheng as crown prince. Late in his life, he became duke for about a month before he was killed....
into the throne of Jin.
Background
Duke Xian of JinDuke Xian of Jin
Duke Xian of Jin , Ancestral name is Ji, given name is Guizhu , was the nineteenth ruler of the State of Jin. He was also the ninth ruler of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period and the second duke of Jin. When his father, Duke Wu of Jin, died in 677 BC, Guizhu ascended the throne of Jin and became...
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
Prince Shensheng of Jin
Prince Shensheng , was the eldest son of Duke Xian of Jin and the crown prince of the State of Jin during the reign of Duke Xian of Jin before he was replaced by his half-brother Prince Xiqi .-Biography:...
(申生). Hu Ji (狐姬) was the mother of Prince Chonger
Duke Wen of Jin
Duke Jin Wen led the state of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history from 636 BC to 628 BC. His ancestral name is Ji,clan name is Jin Duke Jin Wen (晋文公) (697 BC - 628 BC) led the state of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history from 636 BC to 628 BC. His ancestral...
(重耳) while her younger sister Xiao Rongzi (小戎子) gave birth to Prince Yiwu
Duke Hui of Jin
Duke Hui of Jin ,Ancestral name is Ji, given name is Yiwu , was the duke of the State of Jin during Spring and Autumn Period in China. He was the younger brother of Prince Shensheng and Duke Wen of Jin.-Before Reign as Duke:...
(夷吾). Li Ji
Li Ji (concubine)
Li Ji was a concubine and later wife of Duke Xian of Jin, ruler of the State of Jin between 676 BC and 651 BC during the Spring and Autumn Period of China. Li Ji is renowned for starting the Li Ji Rebellion which led to the suicide of Prince Shensheng...
(驪姬) was the mother of Prince Xiqi
Prince Xiqi of Jin
Prince Xiqi , was the son of Li Ji, the concubine of Duke Xian of Jin, and the crown prince of the State of Jin since he replaced Prince Shensheng as crown prince. Late in his life, he became duke for about a month before he was killed....
(奚齊) while her dowry younger sister 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).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.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 Qi Jiang while he is in Quwo. Moreover, Li Ji suggested Prince Shensheng should bring back some of the sacrificial meat and wine and offer it to his father as tribute. Without the Prince’s knowledge, Li Ji 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 Li Ji's plot. Prince Shensheng replied that he wouldn't like to break his father's heart by revealing Li Ji'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).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
Liang (state)
The State of Liang was one of the states during the Spring and Autumn Period , bordering the State of Qin and was conquered by Duke Mu of Qin in 641 BCE. The rulers of the State of Liang has the surname Ying , similar to the neighboring State of Qin...
.
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 committed suicide by hanging himelf. Shao Ji, the younger sister of Li Ji and mother of Prince Zhuozi, was imprisoned.
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
Liang (state)
The State of Liang was one of the states during the Spring and Autumn Period , bordering the State of Qin and was conquered by Duke Mu of Qin in 641 BCE. The rulers of the State of Liang has the surname Ying , similar to the neighboring State of Qin...
and he accepted. Prince Yiwu ascended the throne of Jin and became Duke Hui of Jin
Duke Hui of Jin
Duke Hui of Jin ,Ancestral name is Ji, given name is Yiwu , was the duke of the State of Jin during Spring and Autumn Period in China. He was the younger brother of Prince Shensheng and Duke Wen of Jin.-Before Reign as Duke:...
.