Li Ju (died 325), courtesy name Shihui, was a Chinese military general and warlord of the Jin dynasty (266–420). During the Upheaval of the Five Barbarians, he became a powerful wuzhu (塢主; literally "castle master") and contested with the Han-Zhao and Later Zhao states over the Luoyang region, which Jin had lost control over after the Disaster of Yongjia in 311. He found much success initially, even briefly recovering the city of Luoyang for Jin. However, with little support from the court in Jiankang, his forces were eventually overwhelmed and he was forced to withdraw. While traveling to Jiankang in 325, he was involved in a horse riding accident and died from his injuries.

Early life

Li Ju was a native of Pingyang Commandery (平陽; west of present-day Linfen, Shanxi). When he was a child, it was said that he displayed adult-like leadership whenever he played with the other children. After growing up, he became a local official and was later appointed by Sima Rong as a General of the Serrated Gates for escorting his county prefect to Chang'an. Li distinguished himself during the campaign against Qi Wannian in the late 290s, which earned him the title of Marquis of Dongming Village.

When he returned to Pingyang, he was made the commandery's new Protector. It was then when an attempt on Li's life was made. The Administrator of Pingyang, Song Zhou (宋胄), wanted to replace Li with his kinsman Wu Ji (吳畿). Li thus pretended to be ill to allow Wu to replace him. Wu received the position, but became afraid that Li may one day return to retake his office. For good measures, Wu sent an assassin after Li but with the help of a friend, he barely escaped with his life.^[1]

As a wuzhu

Amidst the War of the Eight Princes, a Xiongnu noble named Liu Yuan established his state of Han-Zhao in 304. Liu began his conquest of northern China, with Pingyang being one of his targets. Many of Pingyang's inhabitants fled while others went to Li Ju, who they acclaimed as a wuzhu. Soon, refugees from other parts of the north affected by war flocked to Li Ju due to his popularity. Li later shifted his base to Xingyang and then to Xinzheng. The Prince of Donghai, Sima Yue, took notice of him and made him Inspector of Ruyin (汝陰, in modern Fuyang, Anhui). In 307, Li Ju was ordered by Sima Yue to fix the Qianjin Dam (千金堨) at Luoyang with Yuan Fu (袁孚) to improve supply routes.

War over Luoyang

Within Liu's abandoned camp, Li Ju found an edict from the Emperor of Han-Zhao Liu Cong instructing Liu Chang to march to Luoyang, execute the general Zhao Gu (趙固) and have him replaced with Zhao's Chief Clerk Zhou Zhen (周振) after defeating Li. Prior to this, Zhao Gu was already on bad terms with Zhou Zhen, so when Li sent the edict to him, he had Zhou and his children executed. Zhao then personally met with Li to surrender, so Li ordered him to return to Luoyang to defend the city. Zhao Gu and Guo Mo raided Hedong Commandery and received thousands of refugees fleeing from Han-Zhao. Later, Luoyang was attacked by Liu Yasheng (劉雅生), causing Zhao Gu to fall back to Mount Yangcheng (陽城山).

In 318, Li Ju sent Guo Mo and Guo Song to reinforce Zhao Gu from Luorui (洛汭, in modern-day Luonan County, Shaanxi). Guo Song ordered his generals led by Geng Zhi (耿稚) to cross the Yellow River and raid Liu Can's camp. Initially, Geng successfully attacked from all directions and captured many camps, but by dawn, Liu Can realized how little troops Geng actually had, so he viciously led the counter-attack and neither side got the upper hand for the next few days. Li Ju marched to support Geng, but Liu Can's forces formed a defensive line along the Yellow River that prevented him from crossing. Geng destroyed as many supplies as possible in the Han camps he captured before breaking through the lines and fleeing to Hulao. For his achievements, Li was made Chief Controller of Henan, Xingyang, and Hongnong.^[7]

Later that year, Liu Cong died and was succeeded by Liu Can. However, Liu Can was killed in a coup led by Jin Zhun. Zhun sent an envoy to Li Ju with a letter denouncing the Liu clan and informing him that the imperial coffins were being transported south to Jiankang. Li notified Sima Rui of this, who later sent his ministers to welcome the imperial coffins. However, Jin Zhun was eventually defeated by a coalition led by Liu Yao and Shi Le later that year. Liu Yao succeeded Liu Can but in 319, Shi Le broke away and formed Later Zhao. Zhao Gu also died that year, leaving Guo Song to defend Luorui on his own. Song changed his base to Yangdi, where he faced multiple attacks from Shi Le's son, Shi Sheng. In all their encounters, Guo Song was the victor.

In 320, the Han-Zhao commanders guarding Luoyang, Yin An (尹安), Song Shi (宋始), Song Shu (宋恕), and Zhao Shen (趙愼) all decided to surrender to Later Zhao. Shi Le sent Shi Sheng to support them, but the commanders changed their minds and surrendered to Li Ju instead. Guo Mo was sent to reinforce Luoyang. She Sheng felt that it would be risky to attack Luoyang on his own, so he settled with capturing Song Shi's army before retreating north. The people of Henan fled to Li Ju, and Luoyang was virtually abandoned.^[8]

Defeat and death

In 324, Shi Sheng attacked Guo Song, but was once again defeated. In response, Shi Cong and Shi Liang (石良) rushed to rescue him. Guo Mo was struggling against Shi Cong, so he sent his Army Advisor Zheng Xiong (鄭雄) to Li Ju suggesting that they should surrender to Liu Yao, but Li rejected the proposal. Later, Li himself was defeated in an ambush set by Shi Liang. Guo Song's younger brother, Guo Yuan (郭元) had been captured by Zhao troops and was sent to deliver a demoralizing message to Li, offering him the chance to surrender. However, Guo Song encouraged Li to continue fighting. Shi Sheng camped in Luoyang and plundered Henan. The situation worsened for Li as his rations were beginning to run dry. Guo Mo once again asked him to surrender to Liu Yao, and this time he agreed. Liu Yao sent reinforcements in the form of Liu Yue (劉岳) and Huyan Mo (呼延謨), but they were severely routed by Later Zhao forces.

Guo Mo was defeated by Shi Cong again, causing him to abandon his post and secretly make his way to Jiankang. When Li Ju found out, he was furious. He sent Guo Song and his generals to chase after him, but not before telling his nephew, "Do you know the saying, "If the lips are gone, the teeth will grow cold"? It was because of you that I was able to welcome Guo Mo, but now he flees in the face of danger. You must stop him at once!" Guo Song pursued Guo Mo all the way to Xiangcheng, where Guo Mo abandoned his wife and children before continuing his flight south. Song could no longer catch up with Mo, so he took Mo's family back with him to Li Ju.^[9]

Nearly all of Li Ju's men were considering to defect to Later Zhao at this point. Thus, Li had no other choice but to retreat south and join up with the government in Jiankang. Along the way, many of his soldiers chose to abandon him, and only more than a hundred people chose to remain with him, including Guo Song. When Li Ju's party reached Luyang, he accidentally fell off his horse and died. Li was buried at Mount Xian (峴山) at Xiangyang.^[10]

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