Li Su was a military general serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo

Dong Zhuo

Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...

 during the late Han Dynasty

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

 era of Chinese history

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...

.

Li Su originally served as a Commandant of Cavalry (騎都尉) under Dong Zhuo. He later assisted Lü Bu

Lü Bu

Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...

, who was from the same village as him, in the assassination of Dong Zhuo. Li Su's role was to pretend to guard the entrance and to attack Dong Zhuo upon his entry. Dong Zhuo called out for the assistance of Lü Bu, who was his adoptive son, and was promptly slain by the latter.

Following Dong Zhuo's death, Li Su served under Lü Bu as he contested with Dong Zhuo's followers for control. Following his return from a defeat against Niu Fu

Niu Fu

Niu Fu was a general serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.Niu Fu served under Dong Zhuo, who was also his father-in-law. When Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang to the ground and retreated to Chang'an, Niu Fu was sent to defend Anyi. After Dong Zhuo was...

, Li Su was executed by Lü Bu.

In fiction

In Luo Guanzhong

Luo Guanzhong

Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...

's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...

, Li Su was also credited with persuading Lü Bu to kill his adoptive father Ding Yuan

Ding Yuan

Ding Yuan was a regional governor and minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. In 189, both he and Dong Zhuo were summoned into the capital Luoyang with their individual troops to assist in the struggle against the powerful eunuch faction...

 and join Dong Zhuo. Amongst the many gifts that Li Su took along with him was the Red Hare

Red Hare

Red Hare was Lü Bu's horse during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Historical records only mention the horse when Lü Bu temporarily became a subordinate of Yuan Shao, where he charged and defeated the armies of Zhang Yan while riding the Red Hare...

.

See also

• List of people of the Three Kingdoms