Early life and career as Former Qin general

Lü Guang was ethnically Di (although he claimed ancestry from an ethnically Han man named Lü Wenhe who fled from Pei County (in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu, the same county that Han Dynasty emperors' ancestors came) from a disaster and who settled in Di lands). He was born in 337, when his father Lü Polou was a follower of the Di chieftain and Later Zhao general Pu Hong (蒲洪, who later changed his family name from Pu to Fu). Eventually, after Fu Hong's son Fu Jiàn founded Former Qin, Lü Polou served on the staff of Fu Jiàn's nephew Fu Jiān (notice different tone) the Prince of Donghai. After Fu Jiān overthrew Fu Jiàn's violent and capricious son and successor Fu Sheng in 357, Fu Jiān claimed the throne and made Lü Polou one of his senior advisors. Lü Guang, however, was not well regarded by his father's colleagues, because he did not study much and instead concentrated his efforts on hunting and riding. However, Fu Jiān's prime minister Wang Meng valued him and persuaded Fu Jiān to make him a general. He first received renown when he, while fighting with the army of the warlord Zhang Ping in 358, defeated and captured Zhang Ping's fierce adoptive son Zhang Ci.

When Fu Jiān's cousins Fu Sou (苻廋) the Duke of Wei, Fu Liu (苻柳) the Duke of Jin, Fu Wu (苻武) the Duke of Yan, and brother Fu Shuang (苻雙) the Duke of Zhao rebelled together in 367, Lü Guang was one of the generals sent against Fu Shuang and Fu Wu, and he contributed much to defeating the rebellion. Later, after he served under Wang Meng in the campaign destroying rival Former Yan in 370, he was created the Marquess of Duting.

In 378, Lü Guang was serving as the assistant to Fu Jiān's cousin Fu Chong (苻重) the Duke of Beihai, who, as the governor of Yu Province (豫州, modern Henan) was in charge of the important city Luoyang. Fu Chong planned a rebellion, and Fu Jiān learned this and ordered Lü to arrest Fu Chong, which Lü did successfully. (However, Fu Jiān did not execute Fu Chong but only relieved him of his posts and not even his ducal title.)

In 380, inexplicably, Fu Jiān made Fu Chong the defender of Jicheng (modern Beijing), and Fu Chong soon rebelled along with his brother, the powerful general Fu Luo (苻洛) the Duke of Xingtang. Lü Guang was one of the generals in charge of the campaign against Fu Luo and Fu Chong, and he defeated Fu Chong and killed him, resulting in Fu Luo's subsequent defeat and capture.

In 382, in response to requests by the kings of two Xiyu states—Xiumiduo (休密馱) the King of Shanshan and Mitian (彌窴) the King of Front Cheshi (roughly modern Turpan Prefecture, Xinjiang) -- Fu Jiān commissioned Lü Guang to lead an army of 100,000 infantry soldiers and 5,000 cavalry soldiers to Xiyu, with the intent to, like Han Dynasty did, establish a governor general over Xiyu. The army departed the Former Qin capital Chang'an in spring 383, with the two kings as guides. By early 384, most Xiyu kingdoms had submitted, but Bo Chun (帛純) the King of Qiuzi (or Kucha, 龜茲, in modern Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang) resisted, and Lü put Qiuzi under siege, forcing Bochun to flee. He made Bo Chun's brother Bo Zhen (帛震) the new king, and he also, in a move to show Former Qin suzerainty over Xiyu, ordered the Xiyu kings to turn over the Han Dynasty imperial rods that they had still possessed and exchanged them for Former Qin ones. By this point, however, Former Qin was disintegrating in light of rebellions that happened after its defeat at the Battle of Fei River against Jin, and although Fu Jiān wanted to make Lü the governor general of Xiyu, he was unable to have the commission delivered to Lü. While at Qiuzi, Lü met the Buddhist monk Kumarajiva, and when he, in 385, considered settling in Qiuzi (after hearing of the unrest Former Qin was suffering from), Kumarajiva advised against it, stating that Qiuzi was a land of misfortune and, if he headed back east, he would find a homeland on the way. Lü therefore started to head back east, carrying the plunder he had gathered in Xiyu.

Former Qin's governor of the rich Liang Province (涼州, modern central and western Gansu and eastern Xinjiang), Liang Xi (梁熙), was weary of Lü's intentions, and he considered sealing the borders and refusing Lü entry. His advisor Yang Han suggested that he cut off the Gaowu Valley (高梧谷, in modern Turpan Prefecture, Xinjiang) or Yiwu Passes (伊吾關, in modern Kumul Prefecture, Xinjiang) to defeat Lü by thirst, but Liang refused. Yang then surrendered to Lü, who quickly advanced on the capital of Liang Province, Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu), capturing Liang Xi and quickly controlling most of Liang Province. For the next several years, he battled local warlords. In winter 386, upon hearing the news of Fu Jiān's death (Fu Jiān having died in 385), he changed the era name to Tai'an—signifying a declaration of independence, although at this point he claimed no formal regal or imperial titles—and therefore 386 is typically considered the date of Later Liang's founding.

Early reign -- laying Later Liangs foundation

Around the new year 387, Lü Guang claimed the title of Duke of Jiuquan—the first formal title of nobility that he claimed for himself that showed a claim on his territory. He concentrated on consolidating his power in Liang Province, while appearing to ignore the deadlock that what remained of Former Qin (under Fu Deng) and Later Qin (under Yao Chang) were having, to his southeast.

In fall 387, Lü Guang captured and executed Zhang Dayu, the son of Former Liang's last prince Zhang Tianxi, who had tried for several years to reestablish Former Liang.

It appeared that Lü was not a particularly effective governor of his domain, and there were repeated rebellions against his rule. In response, he instituted strict laws. His official Duan Ye tried to speak against such strict laws in 388, and while Lü Guang indicated that he agreed with Duan, it appeared that he did not actually make things easier for his people.

In spring 389, Lü Guang claimed the greater title the Prince of Sanhe. Around this time, his wife Lady Shi, son Lü Shao, and brother Lü Deshi arrived in Guzang after having spent several years in Chouchi. He created Lady Shi princess and Lü Shao heir apparent.

In 391, Lü Guang tried to make a surprise attack against Western Qin while its prince, Qifu Gangui, was attacking the rebel Mo Yigan (沒奕干), but Qifu Gangui quickly responded upon hearing about the attack, and so Lü Guang withdrew. This appeared to, however, start a series of battles with Western Qin. In 392, Lü Guang sent his brother Lü Bao against Western Qin and son Lü Zuan against Western Qin's vassal, the Qiang chief Peng Xi'nian (彭奚念), and both Lü Bao and Lü Zuan were defeated, although Lü Guang then personally attacked Peng, capturing Peng's city Fuhan (枹罕, in modern Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu) and forcing him to flee.

In 394, Lü Guang received nominal submission by the powerful Xianbei chief Tufa Wugu, the words of whose advisor Shizhen Ruoliu (石真若留) indirectly showed that Later Liang was in its prime at this point—as Shizhen regarded Later Liang capable of destroying the Tufa tribe at will.

In fall 394, Lü Guang sent his son Lü Fu to take up the defense post at Gaochang (高昌, in modern Turpan Prefecture, Xinjiang), and at this point, Later Liang appeared to be in control of a substantial part of Xiyu.

In fall 395, Lü Guang made a major attack against Western Qin, and Qifu Gangui submitted as a vassal, sending his son Qifu Chibo (乞伏敕勃) as a hostage. However, Qifu Gangui soon regretted this arrangement, and executed his officials Mi Guizhou (密貴周) and Mozhe Gudi (莫者羖羝), who suggested it. Presumably, he also repudiated his submission to Lü Guang.

In 396, Lü Guang claimed the title "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang), signifying a claim to imperial title. He created Lü Shao crown prince, and created 20 of his brothers, sons, and nephews dukes or marquesses, and he bestowed titles on his officials as well. However, when he, as a part of these commissions, he tried to grant titles on Tufa Wugu, Tufa Wugu told Lü Guang's ambassador:

:Heavenly Prince Lü's sons are all corrupt and immoral. His nephews are particularly violent and cruel. People both near and far are angry and ready to rebel. How can I go against the people and accept these unjust titles? I am about to claim a regal title myself.

Tufa therefore rejected the titles, although he kept the musicians and artisans that Lü Guang sent to him as part of the title bestowment. While Tufa's remarks were intended to have a propaganda effect, they were probably not inaccurate, based on later events.

Late reign -- gradual collapse of Later Liang

Later Liang's power appeared to start to fall apart in 397, when Lü Guang, determined to punish Qifu Gangui for his shifting positions, launched a major attack against Western Qin's capital Xicheng (西城, in modern Baiyin, Gansu). This frightened Qifu Gangui's officials enough that they recommended a retreat to Chengji (成紀, in modern Tianshui, Gansu) to the east, but Qifu Gangui, seeing weaknesses in Later Liang's forces despite their numbers, stood his ground. Later Liang forces were initially successful, capturing several major Western Qin cities, but Qifu Gangui tricked Lü Guang's brother and major general Lü Yan the Duke of Tianshui into believing that he was retreating, and Lü Yan fell into a trap Qifu Gangui set and was killed. Lü Guang, in fear, withdrew to Guzang.

Soon after Lü Yan's defeat, Tufa Wugu declared himself independent from Later Liang, establishing Southern Liang and capturing Jincheng (金城, in modern Lanzhou, Gansu), which Later Liang had just captured from Western Qin. Lü Guang sent his general Dou Gou (竇苟) to attack Tufa Wugu, but was defeated.

After Lü Yan's death, Lü Guang believed false accusations against Lü Yan's assistants, the brothers Juqu Luochou and Juqu Quzhou (沮渠麴粥) and executed them. Their nephew Juqu Mengxun escorted their caskets back to their home territory of Zhangye (張掖, in modern Zhangye, Gansu) and then persuaded the various Xiongnu tribes to rebel against Later Liang. Initially, Lü Guang sent Lü Zuan to attack Juqu Mengxun and chased him into the mountains, but Juqu Mengxun's cousin Juqu Nancheng (沮渠男成) also rebelled and sieged the Later Liang city Jiankang (建康, in modern Zhangye, Gansu, not to be confused with Jin's capital of the same name). Juqu Nancheng persuaded the governor of Jiankang Commandery, Duan Ye, who was already fearful that Lü Guang would blame him for the Juqus' rebellion, to join them, and Juqu Nancheng offered the title of Duke of Jiankang to Duan Ye, thus establishing Northern Liang. Lü Zuan attacked the nascent state, but could not destroy it.

At this time, the magician Guo Nen (郭黁), whom Lü Guang and his people had trusted greatly, prophesied that Later Liang was about to be destroyed, and therefore started a rebellion himself within the capital Guzang, capturing even Lü Guang's eight grandsons and executing them cruelly. Guo soon supported the general Yang Gui as the leader of the rebellion. Lü Zuan was forced to abandon his attack against Duan and return to Guzang. Eventually, however, Yang and Guo were defeated by Later Liang forces and forced to flee to and submit to Southern Liang and Western Qin, respectively. From this point on, however, Later Liang, by now highly reduced in size and strength, were subject to constant attacks by Southern Liang, Northern Liang, and Western Qin, causing it to be unable to hold its territory. By 398, the western parts of the Later Liang (including Xiyu holdings) had fallen to Northern Liang as well. In 399, Lü Shao and Lü Zuan launched another attack on Northern Liang, but with Southern Liang coming to Northern Liang's aid, they were forced to withdraw.

Around the new year 400, Lü Guang grew gravely ill, and he ordered Lü Shao to take the throne and the title Heavenly Prince; he himself claimed the title of retired emperor. Realizing that Lü Shao lacked talents and ability, he spoke to Lü Shao and his brothers Lü Zuan the Duke of Taiyuan and Lü Hong the Duke of Changshan, telling Lü Shao to trust his brothers and Lü Zuan and Lü Hong to serve Lü Shao faithfully. He died later that day. Soon, however, Lü Zuan and Lü Hong would turn on Lü Shao, and when they started a coup, Lü Shao committed suicide, and Lü Zuan took the throne, starting a series of destabilizing internal disturbances that, in combination with the attacks by the surrounding states, led to Later Liang's surrender to Later Qin in 403.

Era names

• Tai'an (太安 tài ān) 386–389

• Linjia (麟嘉 lín jiā) 389–396

• Longfei (龍飛 lóng fēi) 396–400

Personal information

• Father

　• Lü Polou, minister during reigns of Fu Jiàn, Fu Sheng, and Fu Jiān of Former Qin

• Wife

　• Princess/Empress Shi (created 389)

• Concubines

　• Consort Zhao, mother of Lü Zuan

• Children

　• Lü Zuan, the Duke of Taiyuan, later Emperor Ling

　• Lü Hong, initially the Duke of Changshan, later the Duke of Fanhe (created 399, executed by Lü Zuan 400)

　• Lü Shao, the Crown Prince (created 396), later emperor

　• Lü Wei, the Duke of Longxi (executed by Lü Chao 401)

　• Lü Fu

生平

屢建功勳

呂光得王猛看重，並將他推薦給苻堅，苻堅於是以呂光為美陽令，任內呂光得當地人民愛戴信服。呂光後遷鷹揚將軍，以功封關內侯，並於永興二年（358年）隨苻堅等討伐張平。苻堅與張平於銅壁（今山西忻縣西）決戰，張平驍勇大力的養子張蚝單騎屢次進出前秦軍陣中，呂光於是去襲擊張蚝並成功擊傷他。張蚝受傷被擒，張平潰敗，呂光亦因而聲名大噪。

建元四年（368年），呂光與王鑒等因應楊成世討伐於上邽（今甘肅天水市清水縣）叛變的苻雙失敗而率軍再行討伐，王鑒到後打算與苻雙前鋒苟興速戰速決，但呂光慮及對方因剛獲勝而士氣高漲，建議謹慎待敵，讓其糧盡退兵時就是進攻的時機。二十日後苟興退兵，王鑒追擊並擊敗苟興，隨後又大敗苻雙，終攻下上邽，斬殺苻雙。建元六年（370年），呂光隨軍攻滅前燕，獲封都亭侯。後苻重出鎮洛陽（今河南洛陽巿），呂光擔任其長史。苻重於建元十四年（378年）謀反，苻堅以呂光忠誠正直，不會與苻重連謀，於是下令呂光收捕苻重，呂光聽命並以檻車押送苻重回長安。後呂光遷太子右率，頗受敬重。次年呂光又以破虜將軍身份率兵擊敗進攻成都（今四川成都）的李烏，遷步兵校尉。建元十六年（380年）呂光又奉命與左將軍竇衝共領四萬兵討伐叛亂的苻重，又將其生擒，戰後獲授驍騎將軍。

威震西域

前秦十八年（382年），呂光受命征討西域，以使持節都督西討諸軍事身份率領姜飛等將領、七萬兵及五千鐵騎出發。呂光越過三百多里長的沙漠到達西域，降服焉耆等西域各國，又擊破唯一拒守的龜茲，威震西域。苻堅知呂光征服西域，即任命其為使持節、散騎常侍、都督玉門以西諸軍事、安西將軍、西域校尉，封順鄉侯，但因前秦於淝水之戰後國內大亂而道路不通，未能傳達。呂光本來想要留在龜茲，但是受到名僧鳩摩羅什勸阻，而且部眾們也想回到中原，遂回師。

佔據涼州

太安元年（385年），呂光軍抵宜禾（今新疆安西南），高昌太守楊翰告訴涼州刺史梁熙，稱呂光還軍必定別有所圖，建議關閉天險要道，拒之於外，但梁熙沒有聽從。呂光最初知道楊翰的計劃時曾打算不再前進，但在杜進勸告下還是繼續，楊翰即在呂光到達高昌時向呂光請降。梁熙在呂光到遠玉門時傳檄指責呂光擅自班師，又派其子梁胤等率軍五萬往酒泉阻擊呂光。呂光也傳檄指責梁熙沒有為前秦赴國難的忠誠，還阻攔歸國軍隊，並派了姜飛等為前鋒進攻梁胤。姜飛等在安彌大破梁胤並生擒他，於是周邊外族都紛紛依附呂光，武威太守彭濟更將梁熙抓起來叛歸呂光。呂光殺死梁熙，入主姑臧，自領涼州刺史、護羌校尉。

386年，呂光收到苻堅死訊，改元太安，並自稱使持節、侍中、中外大都督、督隴右河西諸軍事、大將軍、涼州牧、酒泉公。呂光入主涼州時，因尉祐與彭濟共謀抓住梁熙的功勞而寵任他，但呂光卻在尉祐中傷下殺了姚皓、尹景等十多個名士，人心見離。當時國內米價也高漲至一斗五百，饑荒中更發生人吃人事件，死了很多人。呂光與群僚在飲宴中談及為政時用嚴峻刑法的問題，在參軍段業勸言下終下令自省並行寬簡之政。

屢見變亂

呂光於太安二年（387年）殺了進逼姑臧的張大豫，但王穆尚據酒泉；西平太守康寧也叛變，阻兵據守，呂光試圖討伐但都不果。及後連呂光部將徐炅及張掖太守彭晃都謀叛，並聯結了王穆及康寧。呂光力排眾議親率三萬兵速攻彭晃，二十日後攻破張掖，殺了彭晃。不久，呂光乘王穆進攻其將索嘏的機會率二萬兵襲破酒泉，王穆率兵東返但部眾在途中就潰散，王穆隻身逃走但為騂馬令郭文所殺。

389年，呂光稱三河王，改元麟嘉。396年六月又改稱天王，國號大涼，改元龍飛。呂光曾先後多次進攻西秦，其中呂光弟呂延於龍飛二年（397年）的進攻中兵敗被殺。呂光聽信讒言，怪罪從軍的尚書沮渠羅仇及三河太守沮渠麴粥，並殺二人。二人歸葬時，因諸部聯姻而共計有萬多人參與葬禮，羅仇之侄沮渠蒙遜遂反，蒙遜堂兄沮渠男成舉兵響應，並推建康太守段業為主，建北涼與後涼對抗，呂光曾派呂纂討伐，但最終無法消滅北涼。

同年，善於天文術數的太常郭黁與僕射王詳認為呂光年老、太子闇弱而呂纂等兇悍，料定呂光死後必會有禍亂，並禍及自己，故圖謀攻奪姑臧東西苑城，推王乞基為主。不過王詳因事洩而被殺，郭黁遂據東苑叛變，當時民間還有很多人支持郭黁。呂光召呂纂回兵討伐郭黁，呂纂遂屢破郭黁，令其於龍飛三年（398年）出走西秦，平定亂事。

龍飛四年（399年），呂光病重，立太子呂紹為天王，自號太上皇帝。呂光又讓呂纂及呂弘分任太尉及司徒，告誡呂紹要倚重二人，放權讓他們處理軍政大事才能保國家安穩；另也對呂纂及呂弘說二人要與天王呂紹同心合力才能保全國家，否則禍亂必會來。呂光於不久去世，享年六十三歲，諡懿武皇帝，廟號太祖。

性格特徵

• 呂光年輕時已展現其軍事能力，十歲時與其他小童一起玩耍時就創制戰爭陣法，於是同年的人都推其為主，而呂光處事平允，更令眾小童佩服。呂光也不喜歡讀書，只好打獵。

• 呂光高八尺四寸，雙目重瞳，為人沈著堅毅，凝重且寛大有度量，喜怒不形於色，故王猛賞識他，稱：「此非常人。」

逸事

• 呂光出生於枋頭（今河南浚縣西南），當夜有神光，全家覺得奇怪，遂以光為名。

• 呂光左肘有一肉印，據說在一次戰爭中肉印隱約顯出「巨霸」兩字。

家庭

妻

• 石皇后，呂光出征西域時留在前秦，前秦內亂時走到仇池，後到涼州。呂光稱三河王時立其為後。

子

• 太原公呂纂，呂光庶長子，後發動政變登位，靈帝

• 常山公呂弘，399年改番禾公，400年被呂纂處死

• 隱王呂紹

• 隴西公呂緯，401年被呂超處死

• 呂覆，都督玉門諸軍事、西域大都護

注釋