Li Dui 李兌 (www.chinaknowledge.de)

ChinaKnowledge.de -

An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History, Literature and Art

Zhou Dynasty

Oct 25, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald

Li Dui 李兌 was a high minister in the state of Zhao 趙 during the Warring States period 戰國 (5th cent.-211 BCE).

King Wuling of Zhao 趙武靈王 (r. 326-299) decided to retire and hand over the throne to his young son Prince He 何 (King Zhaowen 趙惠文王, r. 299-266). An older brother of the young king, Prince Zhang 公子章, rebelled against his unexperienced half-brother. Li Dui was entrusted to put down the rebellion on the side of Prince Cheng 公子成. Prince Zhang thereupon fled to Shaqiu 沙丘 (near modern Pingxiang 平鄉, Hebei) to the fortified mansion of the King Father (zhufu 主父). Li Dui pursued him and besieged the rebel and the retired king. The defenders ran out food and the King Father starved to death.

From then on Li Dui was the most powerful person in the state of Zhao and rose from the office of Minister of Justice (sikou 司寇) to that of counsellor (xiangguo 相國). He was also given the title of Lord of Fengyang 奉陽君.

His most important role in "international" respect was the cooperation with the famous coalition advisor Su Qin 蘇秦 in the creation of the alliance (meng 盟) of the five states Zhao, Chu 楚, Qi 齊, Wei 魏 and Han 韓 against Qin 秦. The joint army advanced to Chenggao 成皋 (near modern Xingyang 滎陽, Henan) but withdrew without having engaged Qin in battle.

Sources:

Huang Huixian 黃惠賢, ed. (1997). Ershiwushi renming da cidian 二十五史人名大辭典 (Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou guji chubanshe), Vol. 1, 19.

Xiong Tieji 熊鐵基, Yang Youli 楊有禮, ed. (1994). Zhongguo diwang zaixiang cidian 中國帝王宰相辭典 (Wuhan: Hubei jiaoyu chubanshe), 453.

Ya Ming 亞明 (1996). "Li Dui 李兌", in Feng Kezheng 馮克正, Fu Qingsheng 傅慶升, ed. Zhuzi baijia da cidian 諸子百家大辭典 (Shenyang: Liaoning renmin chubanshe), 32.

Yi Xingguo 衣興國, ed. (1988). Shiyong Zhongguo mingren cidian 實用中國名人辭典 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 79.

Zhang Huizhi 張撝之, Shen Qiwei 沈起煒, Liu Dezhong 劉德重, ed. (1999). Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian 中國歷代人名大辭典 (Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe), Vol. 1, 897.

Zhang Jianhua 張建華, ed. (1996). Handan cidian 邯鄲辭典 (Beijing: Kexue puji chubanshe), 45.

Zhang Ke 張克, Huang Kangbo 黃康白, Huang Fangdong 黃方東, ed. (1991). Shiji renwu cidian 史記人物辭典 (Nanning: Guangxi renmin chubanshe), 177.