Kang Yanxiao

Kang Yanxiao (died 926), known as Li Shaochen from 923 to 926, was a Chinese military general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period states Later Liang and Later Tang. It was his defection from Later Liang to Later Tang in 923 and subsequent offering of intelligence to Later Tang's emperor Li Cunxu that persuaded Li Cunxu to launch a surprise attack on the Later Liang capital Daliang that resulted in the fall of Later Liang, for which Kang was rewarded and given the imperially-bestowed name of Li Shaochen. He subsequently had major contributions in Later Tang's conquest of Former Shu as well. After Former Shu's fall, however, with Li Cunxu killing the major generals Guo Chongtao and Li Jilin (Zhu Youqian), Li Shaochen became apprehensive and decided to rebel, but was subsequently defeated and executed.

Background and defection to Later Liang Kang Yangxiao was said to be a tribesman from the Daibei region (代北, i.e., the region north of modern Xinzhou, Shanxi), who served as a soldier at Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi). At one point, he was guilty of a crime, and he fled to Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan). (While the accounts do not give a date for his defection, the fact that the History of the Five Dynasties referred to Xuanwu as "Bian Liang" by its prefectural and regional designations, suggests that this occurred in the very late Tang dynasty, when Hedong and Xuanwu were respectively ruled by powerful rival warlords Li Keyong and Zhu Quanzhong.) After Zhu Quanzhong seized the throne and established Later Liang as its founding emperor, Kang was gradually promoted in the soldier ranks. He had further military accomplishments during the reign of Zhu Quanzhong's son and successor Zhu Zhen.

Redefection to Later Tang In 923, Zhu Zhen commissioned his general Duan Ning to prepare to launch a major attack on Later Liang's archrival Later Tang—i.e., the successor state of what was the power bloc centered around Hedong, by this point ruled by Li Keyong's son Li Cunxu, who had just recently declared himself emperor. Kang Yanxiao was assigned as an army commander under Duan. rendezvousing with the Later Tang emperor at Chaocheng (朝城, in modern Liaocheng, Shandong).

Li Shaochen quickly attacked the Former Shu city of Weiwu (威武, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi) and forcing its surrender; he then advanced and captured Feng (鳳州, in modern Baoji) and Xing (興州, in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi). When a major Former Shu counterattack force, under the commands of the generals Wang Zongxun , Wang Zongyan , and Wang Zongyu , engaged him, he crushed them, forcing them to flee. He then headed directly for the major Former Shu city of Li Prefecture (利州, in modern Guangyuan, Sichuan); the Former Shu major general Wang Zongbi abandoned the city and fled.

By this point, Wang Zongbi had become intent on surrendering to Later Tang, to save himself. He forcibly seized Wang Yan and the rest of the imperial household at Chengdu, and then made an overture to surrender on Wang Yan's behalf, addressed to Li Yan. Li Yan went to Chengdu, ascertained that in fact a surrender was forthcoming, and advised Guo and Li Jiji of the same. Li Shaochen thus stopped at Han to wait for Li Jiji and Guo. Wang Zongbi also arrived there to express his intent to surrender. They then headed toward Chengdu together, where Wang Yan formally surrendered, ending Former Shu. Later Tang took control of its territory.

Notes and references

History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 74. New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 44. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 272, 273, 274, 275.