Luo Shang

Luo Shang (died 310), courtesy name Jingzhi, also called Luo Zhong, courtesy name Jingzhen, was a military general of the Jin dynasty (266–420). He came to power in Yizhou as its Inspector in 300 when he was sent to quell the rebellion of the previous one, Zhao Xin. However, Zhao Xin was killed by his general Li Te, so Luo Shang settled with maintaining peace between him and Li Te. An order from the Jin court that dictated Li Te and his refugees move back to the north caused ties between the two to be unsteady. They eventually went to war with each other in 301 and although Luo Shang performed poorly in the early stages, he finally killed Li Te in an ambush in 303. However, his family members continued the fight and Li Te's son Li Xiong drove him out to Ba Commandery, where he remained until his death in 310.

Luo Shang
羅尚
Inspector of Yizhou (益州刺史)
In office
300 (300) – 310 (310)
MonarchEmperor Hui of Jin/Emperor Huai of Jin
Inspector of Liangzhou (梁州刺史)
In office
280 (280) – 310 (310)
MonarchEmperor Wu of Jin/Emperor Hui of Jin/Emperor Huai of Jin
Personal details
BornUnknown
Died310
RelationsLuo Xian (uncle)
ChildrenLuo Yu
Luo Yanshou
FatherLuo Shi
Courtesy nameJingzhi (敬之)
Jingzhen (敬真)
Nickname(s)Luo Zhong (羅仲)
In this Chinese name, the family name is Luo.

Early life and career

Luo Shang was from Xiangyang and his father Luo Shi (羅式) died when he was still very young. Luo Shang was thus adopted by his uncle Luo Xian, the famed general of Shu Han who defended Yong'an from 30,000 Eastern Wu soldiers. Luo Shang inherited his uncle's talents in writing articles and found himself a position as Army Adviser under the Inspector of Jingzhou, Wang Rong. He partook in Jin's conquest of Wu in 280, in which he was ordered to attack Wuchang. After the conquest, he was appointed as Inspector of Liangzhou.[1]

Inspector of Yizhou

Establishing ties with Li Te

In 300, the Inspector of Yizhou, Zhao Xin rebelled against Jin in hopes of starting his own state. Hearing this, Luo Shang quickly wrote a petition to the Jin court, volunteering himself to put down the rebellion. The court agreed, and Luo Shang was made the new Inspector of Yizhou. Luo Shang would not be the one to defeat Zhao Xin, however, rather it was a Ba-Di refugee named Li Te, who had originally joined Zhao but turned on him after he had killed his brother. Luo Shang before Luo Shang arrived at Chengdu the following year, he was welcomed by Li Te with gifts. Luo Shang accepted them in spite of opposition from his advisors Xin Ran (辛冉) and Wang Dun (王敦, not to be confused with the more famous Wang Dun). Luo Shang also made Li Te's brother Li Xiang as his Cavalry Commander.[2]

Refugee issue in Yizhou

Later in 301, the Jin court in Luoyang issued an order to all refugees in Yizhou to return north to their original homes in Yongzhou and Qinzhou (秦州, modern eastern Gansu). Many of the refugees refused to abide this as they received news that the north was still a chaotic place. Li Te decided to send his subordinate Yan Shi (閻式) along with bribes to Luo Shang to negotiate their stay until autumn, which Luo Shang permitted. Luo Shang made preparations to have the refugees sent back before autumn despite their woes. Li Te sent Yan Shi again to negotiate with Luo Shang but this time he refused. Yan Shi even got one of Luo Shang's official, Du Tao to argue for him but he would not budge. Luo Shang's popularity continued to deteriorate as he introduced checkpoints to confiscate any goods held by the refugees.[3]

Li Te had Yan Shi meet with Luo Shang for one last time, but his attempt proved futile. Xin Ran had already started placing bounties on Li Te's family for their insubordination, but Li Te used this against him by editing the notices to make it seem that Xin Ran not only wanted the Li family dead, but also the other major refugee families. The notices caused many to band themselves together with Li Te, making war between him and Luo Shang to be inevitable.[4]

War with Li Te

Repeated defeats

Luo Shang would fire the first shot although without his knowledge. His officials, Xin Ran and Li Bi (李苾) independently sent Ceng Yuan (曾元) and others to attack Li Te's camp. Hearing this, Luo Shang decided to support them and sent Tian Zuo (田佐) to strengthen their attack. However, Li Te routed Luo Shang's forces and sent their deceased generals' heads as a warning. Li Te then proceeded to attack Guanghan county were Xin Ran was situated. Luo Shang ordered Li Bi and Fei Yuan (費遠) to rescue Xin Ran but they were defeated. The county fell and Xin Ran fled to Deyang County before advancing to Chengdu.[5]

Luo Shang's unpopular policies had taken its toll as more people supported Li Te over him because of this. Luo Shang thus decided to fortify his defense and fought Li Te to a stalemate. Meanwhile, he also asked for reinforcements from Liangzhou. The following year, aid arrived in the form of Ya Bo (衙博) who marched into Zitong, so Luo Shang coordinated by sending Zhang Gui (張龜) to Fancheng. However, Zhang Gui would be defeated by Li Te while Ya Bo was forced into retreating due to an assault by Li Te's son Li Dang. After this victory, Li Te challenged Luo Shang's position of Inspector of Yizhou by proclaiming himself the Governor of Yizhou[6]

Li Te's army arrived at Chengdu later that year. Luo Shang sen army to battle them but were routed by Li Te's brothers Li Xiang and Li Liu. Luo Shang had his general Zhang Xing (張興) feign surrender to get a better look into Li Te's army. Once he returned and informed Luo Shang, Zhang Xing went back to Li Te's camp now with thousands of his strongest soldiers in the night. They killed Li Pan (李攀) and routed Li Xiang but Li Xiang came back with Li Liu's army to defeat Zhang Xing. Many of Luo Shang's men died that night and many of their equipment were abandoned.[7]

Ambushing Li Te

In early 303, the Lesser City of Chengdu surrendered to Li Te. Luo Shang sent his agents to negotiate peace with Li Te. Many of Li Te's generals doubted Luo Shang's intentions but he ignored their concerns and accepted the terms. While they were discussing, Jin forces from Jingzhou led by Sun Fu (孫阜) and Zong Dai (宗岱) made their way to Yizhou to help Luo Shang. It was then when Luo Shang's subordinate, Ren Rui (任叡) proposed a plan to him. Luo Shang and Ren Rui slipped out the city at night. Ren Rui then went to the fortified areas of Chengdu to reveal his plans and date to the leaders of said areas. Ren Rui later surrendered to Li Te and lied to him about Luo Shang's situation. Once finished, Li Te allowed him to return to Chengdu to meet his family. On the tenth day of the second month, Luo Shang and the other leaders of the area ambushed Li Te's camp. Li Te fought desperately for two days but in the end died alongside Li Fu (李輔) and Li Yuan (李遠). Luo Shang had their bodies burnt and sent their heads to the capital.[8]

War with Li Liu and Li Xiong

War with Li Liu

Li Te's sudden death rocked the rebel army. Many of their generals did not know what to do, so they retreated to Chizu (赤祖, in present day Mianzhu, Sichuan), where they elected Li Te's brother Li Liu as the new leader. Luo Shang took advantage of the confusion to strike at them by sending He Chong (何沖) and Chang Shen (常深). A native named Yao Shen (藥紳) also rose up in support of Luo Shang to attack Chizu. As the two sides fought, the Di chieftains, Fu Cheng (苻成) and Kui Bo (隗伯) defected over to He Chong. Li Liu's camp was on the verge of falling but through desperation, Li Liu managed to not only repel Luo Shang's forces but also the traitors within his camp. Li Liu capitalised on his victory by attacking Chengdu, putting Luo Shang under siege again.[9]

Sun Fu and Zong Dai's reinforcements did not arrive as Sun Fu was defeated by Li Xiong and Zong Dai died of natural causes. Luo Shang's subordinate Xu Yu (徐轝) begged him to ally with the Taoist hermit at Mount Qingcheng, Fan Changsheng, for he has thousands of families under his wing. Luo Shang's refusal backfire as Xu Yu defected in anger to Li Liu, who allowed him to carry out his plans. As a result, Li Liu's army was supplied with food from Fan Changsheng's followers.[10]

War with Li Xiong

Li Liu would die during the winter of 303. He chose his nephew and Li Te's son Li Xiong to succeed him. Upon his succession, Li Xiong sent a man named Pu Tai (朴泰) to trick Luo Shang into attacking Picheng (郫城, in present-day Pixian County, Sichuan). Luo Shang ordered Kui Bo to do so during the night and Kui Bo was defeated by Li Xiang. Li Xiang went to Chengdu pretending to be Kui Bo's army by shouting at the gates "We had already taken Picheng!" As it was too dark, Luo Shang could not notice in time before Li Xiang swarmed into the Lesser City. Luo Shang holed himself up in the Greater City section of Chengdu.[11]

Li Xiong intensified his attack on Chengdu. Luo Shang's foody supply had been cut off after Li Xiang captured Qianwei, leaving the city with little to no ration. Luo Shang entrusted Zhang Luo (張羅) to hold the city while Luo Shang fled the city through the night in 304. Zhang Luo eventually surrendered and allowed Li Xiong to occupy Chengdu. Luo Shang reached Jiangyang, where he sent a letter to the Jin court about the situation in Yizhou. He also asked the Inspector of Jingzhou, Liu Hong for supplies, which Liu Hong gave.[12]

Commanding from Ba Commandery

With the fall of Chengdu, Luo Shang based himself at Ba Commandery (巴郡; present-day Chongqing). Prior to that, Li Xiong had established himself king of his state of Cheng in Yizhou. He sent his men to raid the Shu region and captured Li Xiang's wife Lady Zan (昝氏) and their child Li Shou.[13] By 307, Luo Shang had established camps and defenses around Yizhou. As many were fleeing from Jingzhou in Yizhou, Luo Shang countered this by setting up new counties and commanderies for the refugees to settle in. Despite his failures in Yizhou, the court rewarded Luo Shang with Cavalier In Regular Attendance and Commander of Yizhou and Liangzhou in 308.

Luo Shang found himself with more success in Ba. In 309, Zitong Commandery was surrendered to Luo Shang by Hong Qi (訇琦). Hong had killed Li Li (李離) and Yan Shi before that. Li Xiong, now emperor as of 306, sent Li Xiang, Li Yun (李雲) and Li Huang (李璜) to retake the commandery. Luo Shang this time managed to defend himself from Li Xiang, even killing Li Yun and Li Huang in the process.[14] Luo Shang then sent Xiang Fen (向奮) to camp at Anhan (安漢, in present-day Nanchong, Sichuan). Li Xiong attacked him but to no avail.

In his last year in 310, Luo Shang received the surrender of Baxi Commandery (巴西郡; in present-day Langzhong, Sichuan) from Wen Shi (文石). However, he would also lose Zitong Commandery after Li Xiong's general Zhang Bao (張寶) tricked him into letting him hold the city. Luo Shang would pass away later that year and was succeeded by Pi Su (邳皮).[15] His son Luo Yu (羅宇) would serve Pi Su but later assassinated Pi Su after he was about to punish him for not helping Qiao Deng. Luo Yu was then killed himself by Bao Zhong (暴重).

References
  1. (尚字敬之，一名仲。父式，牂柯太守。尚少孤，依叔父憲。善屬文。荊州刺史王戎以尚及劉喬為參軍，並委任之。太康末，為梁州刺史。) Book of Jin, Volume 57
  2. (初，梁州刺史羅尚聞廞反，表：「廞非雄才，又蜀人不願為亂，必無同者，事終無成，敗亡可計日而俟。」惠帝因拜尚平西將軍，假節，領護西夷校尉，益州刺史，給衛節兵一千，梁州兵二千，又配上庸都尉義部千五百人，合四千五百人。遷梓潼太守樂陵徐儉為蜀郡，揚烈將軍隴西辛冉為廣漢太守。尚又表請牙門將王敦兵七千餘人入蜀。特等聞尚來，甚懼，使弟驤奉迎。厚進寶物。尚以驤為騎督。特、流奉牛酒勞尚於綿竹。王敦說尚曰：「特等隴上塞盜劫賊，會所殺之。〔軍無後患也。〕」辛冉本趙王倫所用，非資次，召當還，欲〔以〕討廞「以自新」〔自為功〕，亦言之。尚不納。又冉謂特曰：「故人相逢，不吉當凶。」特自猜懼。) Huayang Guozhi, Volume 7.5
  3. (尋有符下秦、雍州，凡流人入漢川者，皆下所在召還。特兄輔素留鄉里，托言迎家，既至蜀，謂特曰：「中國方亂，不足復還，」特以為然，乃有雄據巴、蜀之意。朝廷以討趙廞功，拜特宣威將軍，封長樂鄉侯，流為奮威將軍、武陽侯。璽書下益州，條列六郡流人與特協同討廞者，將加封賞。會辛冉以非次見征，不顧應召，又欲以滅廞為己功，乃寢朝命，不以實上。眾咸怨之。) Book of Jin, Volume 120
  4. (羅尚遣從事催遣流人，限七月上道，辛冉性貪暴，欲殺流人首領，取其資貨，乃移檄發遣。又令梓潼太守張演于諸要施關，搜索寶貨。特等固請，求至秋收。流人布在梁、益，為人傭力，及聞州郡逼遣，人人愁怨，不知所為。羅尚遣從事催遣流人，限七月上道，辛冉性貪暴，欲殺流人首領，取其資貨，乃移檄發遣。又令梓潼太守張演于諸要施關，搜索寶貨。特等固請，求至秋收。流人布在梁、益，為人傭力，及聞州郡逼遣，人人愁怨，不知所為。又知特兄弟頻請求停，皆感而恃之。且水雨將降，年穀未登，流人無以為行資，遂相與詣特。) Book of Jin, Volume 120
  5. (於是六郡流民共推特行鎭北大將軍，承制封拜；以其弟流行鎭東大將軍，號東督護，以相鎭統；又以兄輔爲驃騎將軍，弟驤爲驍騎將軍，進兵攻冉於廣漢。尚遣李苾、費遠帥衆救冉，畏特，不敢進。冉出戰屢敗，潰圍奔德陽。特入據廣漢，以李超爲太守，進兵攻尚於成都。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 84
  6. (河間王顒遣督護衙博、廣漢太守張征討特，南夷校尉李毅又遣兵五千助尚，尚遣督護張龜軍繁城，三道攻特。特命蕩、雄襲博。特躬擊張龜，龜眾大敗。蕩又與博接戰連日，博亦敗績，死者太半。蕩追博至漢德，博走葭萌。蕩進寇巴西，巴西郡丞毛植、五官襄珍以郡降蕩。蕩撫恤初附，百姓安之。蕩進攻葭萌，博又遠遁，其眾盡降於蕩。太安元年，特自稱益州牧、都督梁、益二州諸軍事、大將軍、大都督，改年建初，赦其境內。) Book of Jin, Volume 120
  7. (以騫碩為德陽太守，碩略地至巴郡之墊江。特之攻張征也，使李驤與李攀、任回、李恭屯軍毗橋，以備羅尚。尚遣軍挑戰，驤等破之。尚又遣數千人出戰，驤又陷破之，大獲器甲，攻燒其門。流進次成都之北。尚遣將張興偽降於驤，以觀虛實。時驤軍不過二千人，興夜歸白尚，尚遣精勇萬人銜枚隨興夜襲驤營。李攀逆戰死，驤及將士奔於流柵，與流並力回攻尚軍。尚軍亂，敗還者十一二。晉梁州刺史許雄遣軍攻特，特陷破之。) Book of Jin, Volume 120
  8. (益州從事任明說尚曰：「特既凶逆，侵暴百姓，又分人散眾，在諸村堡，驕怠無備，是天亡之也。可告諸村，密克期日，內外擊之，破之必矣。」尚從之。明先偽降特，特問城中虛實，明曰：「米穀已欲盡，但有貨帛耳。」因求省家，特許之。明潛說諸村，諸村悉聽命。還報尚，尚許如期出軍，諸村亦許一時赴會。二年，惠帝遣荊州刺史宋岱、建平太守孫阜救尚。阜已次德陽，特遣蕩督李璜助任臧距阜。尚遣大眾奄襲特營，連戰二日，眾少不敵，特軍大敗，收合餘卒，引趣新繁。尚軍引還，特復追之，轉戰三十餘里，尚出大軍逆戰，特軍敗績，斬特及李輔、李遠，皆焚屍，傳首洛陽。在位二年。其子雄僭稱王，追諡特景王，及僭號，追尊曰景皇帝，廟號始祖。) Book of Jin, Volume 120
  9. (三月，羅尚遣督護何沖、常深攻李流，涪陵民藥紳亦起兵攻流。流與李驤拒紳，何沖乘虛攻北營，氐苻成、隗伯在營中，叛應之。蕩母羅氏擐甲拒戰，伯手刃傷其目，羅氏氣益壯；會流等破深、紳，引兵還，與沖戰，大破之。成、伯率其黨突出詣尚。流等乘勝進抵成都，尚復閉城自守。蕩馳馬逐北，中矛而死。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 85
  10. (遂入郫城，流移營據之。三蜀百姓並保險結塢，城邑皆空，流野無所略，士眾饑困。涪陵人范長生率千餘家依青城山，尚參軍涪陵徐轝求為汶山太守，欲要結長生等，與尚掎角討流。尚不許，轝怨之，求使江西，遂降於流，說長生等使資給流軍糧。長生從之，故流軍復振。) Book of Jin, Volume 120
  11. (九月，流病死。雄復稱大將軍、都督、州牧。尚數攻郫。雄使武都朴泰譎尚曰：「李驤與雄，以飢餓孤危，日鬥爭相咎。驤欲將民江西食穀。若潛軍來，我為內應，可得也。」尚以為然，大與金寶，泰曰：「今事故未立，效後取，不晚也。」又求遣人自隨覘伺。尚從之。泰要：發火，遣隗伯諸軍攻郫。驤使「道」設伏〔導〕，以長梯上伯軍。伯軍見火起，皆爭緣梯。雄因放兵擊之，大破尚軍。雄徑追退，夜至城下，稱萬歲，曰：「已得郫城矣。」入少城，尚乃覺，保「太」〔大〕城。) Huayang Guozhi, Volume 8.7
  12. (永興元年，春正月，尚至江陽，〔遣〕軍司辛寶詣洛表狀。詔書權統巴東、巴郡、涪陵三郡，供其軍賦。〔二年[月]，都督荊州軍事劉弘，運米三萬斛助尚。〕) Huayang Guozhi, Volume 8.8
  13. (羅尚移屯巴郡，遣兵掠蜀中，獲李驤妻昝氏及子壽。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 85
  14. (天水人訇琦等殺成太尉李離、尚書令閻式，以梓潼降羅尚；成主雄遣太傅驤、司徒雲、司空璜攻之，不克，雲、璜戰死。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 87
  15. (秋七月，尚薨於巴郡。尚字敬之，一名仲，字敬真，襄陽人也。歷尚書丞、郎，武陵、汝南太守，徙梁州，臨州。詔書除長沙太守「下邳」皮素「泰昆」為益州刺史，兼西夷校尉、揚烈將軍，領義募人及平西「將」軍。當進治三關。) Huayang Guozhi, Volume 7.8
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