Li Keyong

"The One-Eyed Dragon," who defeated Huang Chao and recaptured Chang'an, and spent his life contending with Zhu Wen.

Life

The One-Eyed Dragon

Li Keyong was of the Shatuo people and blind in one eye, so he was called "the One-Eyed Dragon." A skilled horseman and archer from youth, he rose to power with his father Li Guochang in the region north of Dai.

Recaptured Chang'an

In 883 CE he led Shatuo troops south, inflicted a crushing defeat on Huang Chao's army at Liangtianpo, and was the first to enter Chang'an; for this he was made military governor of Hedong, based at Taiyuan. In 884 CE, passing through Bianzhou after pursuing Huang Chao, he was feasted by Zhu Wen at Shangyuan Station, where Zhu set fire to his quarters and attacked him in the night. He narrowly escaped, and from then on the two were mortal enemies.

Dying charge of the three arrows

Enfeoffed as Prince of Jin, he fought Zhu Wen for more than 20 years, often getting the worst of it. He died in 908 CE; it is said that on his deathbed he gave his son Li Cunxu three arrows, charging him to take revenge on Zhu Wen, Liu Rengong and the Khitan (see Ouyang Xiu's "Preface to the Biographies of the Actors").

Legacy

Li Keyong laid the foundations of the Shatuo regime, and his son Li Cunxu later founded the Later Tang and destroyed the Later Liang.

Major works & achievements

• Defeated Huang Chao and recaptured Chang'an

Did you know? The story of the "Dying charge of the three arrows" became widely known through Ouyang Xiu's "Preface to the Biographies of the Actors."

Key dates

• 883Defeated Huang Chao and recaptured Chang'an
• 884Ambushed at Shangyuan Post Station
• 895Enfeoffed as Prince of Jin
• 908Died