Lei Man
Encyclopedia
Lei Man (d. 901), courtesy name Bingren (秉仁), was a warlord late in the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, who seized control of Lang Prefecture (朗州, in modern Changde
, Hunan
) in 881 and controlled it and the surrounding region (which was made into Wuzhen Circuit (武貞)) to accommodate him, who was made military governor (Jiedushi
) until his death in 901. He was known for devastating pillages of the surrounding circuits.
extraction, whose people lived in caves in the Wuling (武陵, in modern Changde
, Hunan
) region, in Lang Prefecture. During the time when the Tang general Gao Pian
served as the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou
, Hubei
), which Lang Prefecture belonged to then, Lei became an officer under Gao, commanding non-Han soldiers of the region. As Gao was later transferred to Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang
, Jiangsu
), and then Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
), Lei followed him to those circuits along with his non-Han soldiers.
In 881, Lei, for reasons unclear, fled back from Huainan to his home region. He gathered 1,000 men and attacked Lang Prefecture, capturing it and killing its prefect Cui Zhu (崔翥). With the Tang imperial government then battling the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
, then-reigning Emperor Xizong
made Lei the acting prefect. From this point on, Lei, in control of Lang Prefecture, would make periodic pillages, three or four times a year, against Jingnan's capital Jiangling Municipality. Lei's pillages appeared to briefly stop in 885, when then-military governor of Jingnan, Chen Ru
, bribed him to stop the pillages, but after Chen was overthrown by Zhang Gui
later that year, Lei appeared to continue his pillages. It was said that these pillages laid the region on the Yangtze River
to waste.
In 893, Lei (who was by then referred to as full prefect of Lang), in alliance with Deng Chune the prefect of Shao Prefecture (邵州, in modern Shaoyang
, Hunan
), attacked Tan Prefecture (潭州, in modern Changsha, Hunan
), the capital of Wu'an Circuit (武安), killing Wu'an's military governor Zhou Yue
(who was also from the Wuling tribes) and allowing Deng to take over as the military governor of Wu'an.
carved Lang and neighboring Li Prefecture (澧州, in modern Changde) out of Jingnan Circuit and made it into a separate Wuzhen Circuit, commissioning Lei as its military governor. In 898, Emperor Zhaozong bestowed on Lei the honorary chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). It was said that whenever there were emissaries from the neighboring circuits who arrived at Wuzhen, Lei would hold feasts for them at a pavilion upon the water, stating, "Dragons and water monsters all dwell here, as this is where their government is." He would, during feasts, throw jewels into the water, and then strip naked and jump into the water to retrieve them; he would then put on his clothes back on and resume the feast, as if nothing had occurred. He also diverted the waters of Yuan River
such that waters surrounded Lang Prefecture's main city, believing that this made the city uncapturable.
Lei Man died in 901 and was succeeded by his son Lei Yanwei.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, who seized control of Lang Prefecture (朗州, in modern Changde
Changde
Changde is a city in the north of Hunan Province, China, with a population of 5,717,218 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,232,182 in the built up area made of 2 urban districts .-History:...
, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
) in 881 and controlled it and the surrounding region (which was made into Wuzhen Circuit (武貞)) to accommodate him, who was made military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) until his death in 901. He was known for devastating pillages of the surrounding circuits.
Background and occupation of Lang Prefecture
It is not known when Lei Man was born, but it is known that he was of non-HanHan Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
extraction, whose people lived in caves in the Wuling (武陵, in modern Changde
Changde
Changde is a city in the north of Hunan Province, China, with a population of 5,717,218 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,232,182 in the built up area made of 2 urban districts .-History:...
, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
) region, in Lang Prefecture. During the time when the Tang general Gao Pian
Gao Pian
Gao Pian , courtesy name Qianli , formally the Prince of Bohai , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
served as the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou
Jingzhou
Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
), which Lang Prefecture belonged to then, Lei became an officer under Gao, commanding non-Han soldiers of the region. As Gao was later transferred to Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Jiangsu province in the eastern People's Republic of China . Sitting on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Changzhou to the east, and Yangzhou across the river to the north.Once...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), and then Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), Lei followed him to those circuits along with his non-Han soldiers.
In 881, Lei, for reasons unclear, fled back from Huainan to his home region. He gathered 1,000 men and attacked Lang Prefecture, capturing it and killing its prefect Cui Zhu (崔翥). With the Tang imperial government then battling the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
, then-reigning Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
made Lei the acting prefect. From this point on, Lei, in control of Lang Prefecture, would make periodic pillages, three or four times a year, against Jingnan's capital Jiangling Municipality. Lei's pillages appeared to briefly stop in 885, when then-military governor of Jingnan, Chen Ru
Chen Ru
Chen Ru was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Jingnan Circuit from 882 to 885, most of that time as its military governor...
, bribed him to stop the pillages, but after Chen was overthrown by Zhang Gui
Zhang Gui (Tang Dynasty)
Zhang Gui was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Jingnan Circuit from 885 to 888.- Background :...
later that year, Lei appeared to continue his pillages. It was said that these pillages laid the region on the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
to waste.
In 893, Lei (who was by then referred to as full prefect of Lang), in alliance with Deng Chune the prefect of Shao Prefecture (邵州, in modern Shaoyang
Shaoyang
-Administrative divisions:*Shuangqing District *Daxiang District *Beita District *Wugang City *Shaodong County *Shaoyang County *Xinshao County *Longhui County *Dongkou County *Suining County...
, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
), attacked Tan Prefecture (潭州, in modern Changsha, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
), the capital of Wu'an Circuit (武安), killing Wu'an's military governor Zhou Yue
Zhou Yue
Zhou Yue , courtesy name Junzhao , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Wu'an Circuit from 886 to 893.- Background and takeover of Heng Prefecture :...
(who was also from the Wuling tribes) and allowing Deng to take over as the military governor of Wu'an.
As military governor
At some point, at Lei Man's request, Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor ZhaozongEmperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
carved Lang and neighboring Li Prefecture (澧州, in modern Changde) out of Jingnan Circuit and made it into a separate Wuzhen Circuit, commissioning Lei as its military governor. In 898, Emperor Zhaozong bestowed on Lei the honorary chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). It was said that whenever there were emissaries from the neighboring circuits who arrived at Wuzhen, Lei would hold feasts for them at a pavilion upon the water, stating, "Dragons and water monsters all dwell here, as this is where their government is." He would, during feasts, throw jewels into the water, and then strip naked and jump into the water to retrieve them; he would then put on his clothes back on and resume the feast, as if nothing had occurred. He also diverted the waters of Yuan River
Yuan River
The Yuan River is one of the four largest rivers in Hunan province in southeast-central China, and is a tributary of Yangtze River.It is long and rises in Guizhou province in the Miao Mountains near Tu-yün and is navigable. The upper stream is called the Lung-t'ou River, and downstream it is...
such that waters surrounded Lang Prefecture's main city, believing that this made the city uncapturable.
Lei Man died in 901 and was succeeded by his son Lei Yanwei.