Yuan Xiangxian

Yuan Xiangxian (864? /865? – July 11, 924? ), known briefly as Li Shao'an during the reign of Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang, was a general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period states Later Liang and Later Tang. He was a nephew of Later Liang's founding emperor Zhu Wen (Zhu Quanzhong).

Background Yuan Xiangxian was born in either 864 (according to the History of the Five Dynasties) as he thereafter became an officer at Xuanwu. He was gradually promoted through the ranks within the Xuanwu army itself. In 899, Zhu Quanzhong put him in charge of Su Prefecture (宿州, in modern Suzhou, Anhui), and in 901 made him full military prefect of the prefecture (團練使, Tuanlianshi). Shortly after, the army of Zhu's rival Yang Xingmi the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) put Su under siege, but Yuan capably defended it, and the city did not fall. In 903, he was put in charge of Ming Prefecture (洺州, in modern Handan, Hebei) In 906, he was made the prefect of Chen Prefecture (陳州, in modern Zhumadian, Henan). Shortly after, he was moved to be the acting military governor of Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong). At that time, the circuit was suffering through a major famine, and Yuan was credited with opening up the military food reserves to feed the people. He was thereafter recalled to the imperial government to serve as an imperial guard general. It was said that during Emperor Taizu's reign, a culture of corruption developed among the generals. In particular, Yuan, as a nephew of the emperor, while governing the circuits, took much wealth from the people and enriched himself. Emperor Zhuangzong changed the name of his circuit from Xuanwu to Guide (歸德, "returning with virtue") (as Emperor Zhuangzong returned the Xuanwu name to Daliang), and bestowed the imperial clan name of Li on him with a new name of Shao'an, before sending him back to his circuit. He died later next summer while still serving at Guide, and was given posthumous honors.

Notes and references

History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 59. New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 45. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 268, 269, 272.