Li Su (Han dynasty)

Li Su (died 192) was a military general serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.

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

In fiction

In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Li Su was also credited with persuading Lü Bu to kill his adoptive father Ding Yuan and join Dong Zhuo. Amongst the many gifts that Li Su took along with him was the Red Hare.

See also

Li Su

Li Su (李愬) (773–821), courtesy name Yuanzhi (元直), formally Duke Wu of Liang (涼武公), was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was most well—known for his surprise attack on Cai Prefecture (蔡州, in modern Zhumadian, Henan), then held by the warlord Wu Yuanji, successfully capturing Wu.

Background

Li Su was born in 773, during the reign of Emperor Daizong. His father was Li Sheng, who would later rise to prominence as a major general during the reign of Emperor Daizong's son Emperor Dezong. When Li Su was young, on account of his father's accomplishments, he was first made Xielü Lang (協律郎), a low-level official in charge of music at the ministry of worship (太常寺, Taichang Si), and later the deputy minister of army supplies (衛尉少卿, Weiwei Shaoqing). His birth mother died early, so he was raised by another concubine of Li Sheng's, Lady Wang, who was created the Lady of Jin. When Lady Wang died, Li Sheng, because she was not his wife, did not have Li Su observe the mourning rites for a mother, but Li Su tearfully requested to be allowed to observe those rituals, and Li Sheng agreed.