Li Xiong

Li Xiong (李雄) (274–334), courtesy name Zhongjuan (仲雋), formally Emperor Wu of Cheng (Han) (成(漢)武帝), was the first emperor of the Chinese/Ba-Di state Cheng Han and commonly regarded as its founder (although some historians date Cheng Han's founding to Li Xiong's father Li Te). Li Xiong's declaration of himself as the Prince of Chengdu in 304 (and thus, independence from Jin Dynasty (265-420)) is commonly regarded as the start of the Sixteen Kingdoms era.

Li Xiong, Li Te's third son, by his wife Lady Luo, was first mentioned in history as having been commissioned by his father as a general in winter 301, after his father had defeated a surprise attack by Xin Ran (辛冉), the chief aide to the Jin governor of Yi Province (益州, modern Sichuan and Chongqing) Luo Shang (羅尚) and had been urged by the Qin Province (秦州, modern eastern Gansu) refugees that he led to assume imperial powers. However, he did not come to the forefront of the action until spring 303 when Li Te, after a major victory over Luo, carelessly believed Luo's request for a truce (against the advice of Li Xiong himself and of Li Te's brother and Li Xiong's uncle Li Liu). Luo subsequently made a surprise attack and killed Li Te. The remnants of Li Te's army made Li Liu their leader and were able to fight back, but when Li Xiong's older brother Li Dang (李蕩) then died in battle, Li Liu became convinced that he should surrender to Jin authorities, against the advice of Li Xiong and another of Li Xiong's uncle, Li Xiang (李驤). Li Xiong then, without Li Liu's knowledge, made a surprise attack against Jin forces, forcing them to withdraw. From that point on, Li Liu trusted and followed Li Xiong's judgment. In winter 303, Li Liu grew ill and, before his death, appointed Li Xiong his successor.

In early 304, Li Xiong captured Chengdu, the capital of Yi Province, forcing Luo Shang to flee. He then offered the throne to the hermit Fan Changsheng, who was respected by the refugees as a god-like figure and who had supplied his army with food. Fan refused, and the generals then requested that Li declare himself emperor. In winter 304, Li declared himself the Prince of Chengdu, effectively declaring independence from Jin. He made Fan and elders of the Li clan his senior advisors. In 306, he declared himself emperor and named his empire "Cheng" (成). He also honored his mother Lady Luo as empress dowager and posthumously honored his father as an emperor. For the next few years, he gradually pacified and stabilized his borders, occupying all of Yi Province—but then generally stopped, not expanding any further. In particular, oddly enough, he made no serious attempts to capture Jin's Ning Province (寧州, modern Yunnan and Guizhou), to his southwest. (Very late in his reign, in 333, his cousin Li Shou was able to capture Ning Province.) He appeared to, by his actions and inactions, seek to rest his people and stabilize his regime. One area of contention that he did have with Jin was over Liang Province (梁州, modern southern Shaanxi, not to be confused with the more important 涼州 (modern central and western Gansu)), which during his reigns reverted several times between Jin and Cheng Han rule.

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