In
129 BCE, general Li Guang of Han Dynasty China was captured by his foes during
a campaign against Xiongnu nomads. Although he subsequently made a remarkable
escape and returned to China, the consequences of his defeat and capture at the
hands of the emperor’s enemies caused Li Guang to be arrested and imprisoned by
his own government. He could have possibly been executed for his military failures,
but the general was able to pay his own ransom. The ransom was more than just a
monetary cost—in addition to money, Li Guang also had to relinquish his
military command and all of his government titles.
Although
he had been deprived of his command and was downgraded to the status of a
commoner, Li Guang was still famous and apparently was followed by a band of
loyalists even after he was released from prison. From what we know of Li
Guang, it is easy to see why the man would draw followers—he was a legend in
his own day, known for his great fighting prowess. His weapon of choice was a
bow, with which he was said to be able to achieve consistent miraculous shots. As
such, some of his favorite pastimes were hunting and various archery games,
some involving alcohol. Li Guang was reportedly a clumsy speaker, but his lack
of verbal charisma was made up for by his charitable nature and the aura of
companionship that he cultivated with the men he led into battle. Many of these
loyal friends and companions joined their former general as he lived in
retirement at Lantian, in the Southern Mountains.
During
his several-year retirement, Li Guang’s lifestyle did not change much. He
continued to lead a band of followers out into the countryside, yet, instead of
tracking enemies of China, the general now brought his troops on hunting trips.
When he was not hunting, the former general could be found drinking with his
friends at various scenic locations, such as meadows or fields. In such
merriment, Li Guang and his friends were known to sometimes socialize until
after sundown.
The
former general’s drinking parties, however, would soon bring him into conflict
with a by-the-book watchman who was stationed at Baling. As the story goes, the
watchman spotted two men on horses trotting up the road after dark. The
travelers happened to be Li Guang and one of his friends. The two had just
departed one of the aforementioned social gatherings hosted by the former
general. Yet, the two men’s pleasant
evening stroll would soon be interrupted, for the region was under a curfew,
and the watchman intended to enforce the law.
Out
came the watchman from his station, shouting commands for the two travelers to
stop. When Li Guang and his comrade complied with the order, the watchman
announced that the men were violating curfew, and they would be detained at the
watch station until morning. Upon
hearing this, the companion of Li Guang tried to use his friend’s celebrity to
their advantage, proclaiming, “This is the former General Li” (Sima Qian, Shi
Ji 109). Yet, the unwavering watchman replied that not even generals currently
on active duty could wander around after curfew, and proceeded to herd the two
men into the station. Although Li Guang and his companion were able to continue
on their journey the next morning, the incident apparently annoyed and
humiliated the former general.
Unfortunately
for the watchman, Li Guang was called back to active duty by Emperor Wu in 127 BCE.
At the time of his reappointment, the general evidently still held a grudge
against the poor official of Baling. As soon as he regained power, one of Li
Guang’s first moves was to have the watchman transferred to be under his
command. When the dutiful man arrived at the army’s camp, he was promptly put
under arrest for some reason or other. Sadly, he was not released the next
morning. Instead, Li Guang had the watchman mercilessly executed. After the
execution was carried out, Li Guang sent a letter to Emperor Wu, apologizing for
the self-serving act of vengeance. Interestingly, Emperor Wu reportedly forgave
Li Guang and replied that he did not mind if his generals gained a merciless,
fear-inspiring reputation.
Written
by C. Keith Hansley.
Picture
Attribution: (Depiction of Qingming in peace, c. Ming dynasty (1368–1644),
[Public Domain] via Creative Commons).
Sources:
- Records of the Grand Historian (Shi ji) by Sima Qian, translated by Burton Watson. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993.
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