This paper has conducted a commentary and translation on the 'Biography on Li-te' and the 'Biography on Li-liu.' In Chapter 2, by translating the latter part of the 'Biography on Li-te,' we could grasp the composition and characteristics of Li-te's fo...
This paper has conducted a commentary and translation on the 'Biography on Li-te' and the 'Biography on Li-liu.' In Chapter 2, by translating the latter part of the 'Biography on Li-te,' we could grasp the composition and characteristics of Li-te's forces. In Chapter 3, by translating 'Biography on Li-liu,' we understood these groups' activities before the Chenghan Kingdom's establishment. In the Ba-Shu (巴蜀) region, the 'migrant soldiers from the six counties' (六郡 流民) acclaimed Li-te (李特) as their leader. In 302 AD, Li-te declared himself as the 'Governor of Yizhou, Commander-in-Chief of Liang and Yi States, Grand General, and Supreme Commander'. This declaration was the typical manner in which many rebellious forces in various regions proclaimed their leaders at the time, and this format closely resembled the provincial governance structure of the Western Jin Empire (西晉).
This phenomenon reflected the changes in the imperial governance system that had evolved since the Later Han (後漢) period. Specifically, as the centralized control of the emperor became challenging, and the decentralization of his authority became inevitable, this dispersed power adopted the form of 'ennobled officials' and coexisted with the emperor's authority. In a decentralized realm, emphasizing military power was natural and maximized the utility of the general's position and the military base (幕府). The trend of a general holding a civil post, whether as a provincial governor (州刺史) or a county magistrate (郡太守), became widespread. This trend embodies the 'Mufu System' (幕府體制; Feudal Lord System).