Li Yan (李嚴) | 24 Histories

Overview

Li Yan was a Guest Reception Commissioner and Envoy.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Alternate name	Rangkun	讓坤	Rangkun

Life and dates

Death

AD 927 天成二年正月
Beheaded · At before the steps 階前 · Authority Meng Zhixiang (孟知祥)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 164
Seized and executed · Authority Meng Zhixiang (孟知祥) · At Xichuan 西川
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passages 122, 124
AD 933 知祥擒斬
Executed · With Meng Zhixiang (孟知祥)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 144
Killed · Killed by Meng Zhixiang (孟知祥)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 27, passage 8
executed in Western Chuan 西川解斬
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 62, passage 130

Attested activity

AD 925 AD 925-933
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 104
AD 925 三年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 44, passage 116
AD 925 九月
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 48, 67
AD 925 冬十月
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 109
AD 925 十一月
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 132, 140
AD 925 同光三年
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passages 48, 51; Old History of the Five Dynasties 74, passage 6

Show 11 more source-backed claims

AD 925 同光三年八月戊辰
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 29
AD 923 to AD 926 同光中
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 93
AD 923 to AD 925 唐莊宗平梁，遣客省使李嚴報聘
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passages 98, 102, 113
AD 925 嘗使於蜀
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passages 159-160
AD 927 天成二年正月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passages 164, 167-168
AD 926 天成元年十月
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 37, passage 90
AD 926 to AD 933 明宗時
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 27, passage 8
AD 925 李嚴使西川回
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 57, passage 116
AD 926 西川斬李嚴時
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 62, passage 130
AD 926 辛亥
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passages 108-109
AD 930 長興初
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 121

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Mother of Li Yan (李嚴之母)
mother 母
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 126; New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 133

Key source chapters

Career and standing

commissioner for supply transport and support 供軍轉運應接等使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 73
commissioner of the Reception Bureau 客省使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 93
defender of Sizhou 泗州防禦使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 120
military inspector of Xichuan 西川兵馬都監
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 121
military supervisor of Xichuan 西川監軍
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 159
pacification commissioner of the Three Rivers 三川招撫使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 115

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pacification commissioner within Shu 西川管內招撫使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 73
Si defense commissioner 泗州防禦使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 37, passage 90
Three Rivers Suppression Commissioner 三川招討使
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 126
guest-house envoy 客省使
AD 923 唐莊宗平梁 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 98
army supervisor 監軍
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 27, passage 8
Commissioner of the Guest Bureau 客省使
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 105
Fengxiang military commissioner 鳳翔節度使
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 73
Guest Reception commissioner 客省使
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 29, 67, 73; Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 109
guest-house envoy 客省使
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 159
Pacification commissioner 招撫使
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 44, passage 116
Grand Guardian 太保
Posthumously granted
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 125
Suffered
Execution · Authority Meng Zhixiang (孟知祥) · Mode named-source-report Source Work Record of Mirrors and Warnings 鑒戒錄
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 168

Places and affiliations

AD 923 唐莊宗平梁
Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 98
Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 29
Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 109, 140; Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 159
Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 109
At Youzhou 幽州
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 91; New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 104
AD 925 十一月
At Chengdu 成都 · Relation Entered
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 132, 140

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AD 925 十一月
At Hanzhou 漢州 · Relation Reached
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 132, 140
AD 927 天成二年正月
At Chengdu 成都 · Relation Traveled to
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 167
At Shu 蜀 · Relation Traveled to
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 29-30; Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passages 159-160

Learning and skills

Skill archery and horsemanship 弓馬 · Level adept
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 92
Skill oratory 口辯 · Level ready
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 92

Works and attributed material

Biography of Li Yan 嚴傳
Relation Subject of
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 102
Letter · Author · Addressed to Meng Zhixiang (孟知祥) · Paraphrased · Mode named-source-report Source Work Ouyang's History 歐陽史 Source Person Id Ouyang (歐陽)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 166
AD 925 同光三年八月
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 31
Oral report · Speaker · With Zhuangzong (唐莊宗) · Direct quotation · Mode quotation Speaker Li Yan (李嚴)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passages 104-106
Speech · Speaker · With Song Guangsi (宋光嗣) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passages 98-105, 108, 110-112
Speech · Speaker · With Song Guangsi (宋光嗣)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passages 109, 115, 117

Events and relationships

Appointed to Shu campaign
Military · Logistics and pacification
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 73
Attended a private banquet and refuted talk of recent central realm affairs
Diplomatic · Guest · With Song Guangsi (宋光嗣) · At Shu 蜀
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passages 102-103
Beheaded
Legal · Executed · With Meng Zhixiang (孟知祥)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 164
Charged
Military · Commander · At Sanquan 三泉
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 51
Embassy to
Diplomatic · Envoy · At Shu 蜀 · With Wang Yan (王衍)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 94
Escorted
Diplomatic · Escort · With Wang Yan (王衍) · At western capital 西京
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 109

Show 12 more source-backed claims

First entered Chengdu
AD 925 十一月 · Military · Advance envoy
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 132, 140
Mission to Tongliang and report to court
Diplomatic · Envoy · At Tongliang 銅梁
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 67
Proposed conquest of
Political · Planner · At Shu 蜀
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 114
Remained composed despite show of force
Travel · Envoy · Mode named-source-report Source Work Ouyang's History 歐陽史 Source Person Id Ouyang (歐陽)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 166
Requested troops to attack Shu
Diplomatic · Envoy
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 160
Returned the surrender bow
AD 925 其月二十七日 · Ritual · Tang representative · With Wang Yan (王衍)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 129
Returned from embassy to Shu
AD 925 同光三年八月戊辰 · Diplomatic · Envoy · At Shu 蜀
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 29
Sent to buy Shu curios but obtained none
AD 925 同光三年八月 · Diplomatic · Agent · With Cunxu (帝)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 30-31
Struck Shu army with Kang Yanxiao
Military · Commander · With Kang Yanxiao (康延孝) · At Sanquan 三泉
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 109
Urged campaign against
AD 925 決議伐蜀 · Political · Advocate · At Shu 蜀
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passages 122, 125
Visited
AD 925 同光三年 · Diplomatic · Envoy · At Shu 蜀
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 107
Went on a return mission to Shu and tried to buy palace treasures
AD 923 唐莊宗平梁 · Diplomatic · Envoy · At Shu 蜀
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 98

Assessments and attributes

Assessment sharp in debate, inspiring fear and amazement · Assessor Person Id Song Guangsi (宋光嗣) · Mode named-source-report Witness Person Id Song Guangsi (宋光嗣)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 103

Source notes

Ouyang's History and the Record of Mirrors and Warnings differ from Xue Juzheng's History on Li Yan's arrival and execution
Field manner-of-reception-and-death · Witness Person Id Ouyang (歐陽)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passages 166-169
Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 29, 67, 140; Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 109; Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 98
Value historical
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 136, passage 159
Former Name Rangkun 讓坤 · Current Name Li Yan 李嚴
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 104
From Rangkun 讓坤 · To Li Yan 李嚴
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 91

References in the histories

Search passages

History

69 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 33Volume 33 Book of Later Tang 9: Zhuangzong Annals 7 · 6 passages

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戊辰，客省使李嚴使蜀回。 On wuchen Li Yan returned from Shu.

嚴不獲珍貨，歸而奏之，帝大怒曰：「物歸中夏者命之曰『入草』，王衍寧免為入草之人耶！」 Yan brought back no treasures and reported it; Cunxu thundered, "Goods that reach China are called 'entering grass'—is Wang Yan not a man who enters the grass!"

昨客省使李嚴奉使銅梁，近歸金闕，凡於奏對，備述端由。 Yesterday Li Yan returned from Tongliang and laid out the whole case at court.

今命興聖宮使、魏王繼岌充西川四面行營都統，命侍中、樞密使郭崇韜充西川東北面行營都招討製置等使，荊南節度使高季興充西川東南面行營都招討使，鳳翔節度使李嚴充供軍轉運應接等使，同州節度使李令德充行營招討副使，陝府節度使李紹琛充行營蕃漢馬步軍都排陣斬斫使，西京留守張筠充西川管內安撫應接使，華州節度使毛璋充行營左廂馬步都虞候，邠州節度使董璋充行營右廂馬步都虞候，客省使李嚴充西川管內招撫使，總領闕下諸軍，兼西面諸道馬步兵事，取九月十八日進發。 Jiji was made overall Shu commander; Guo Chongtao northeast commander; Gao Jixing southeast commander; Li Yan of Fengxiang supply chief; Li Lingde deputy; Li Shaochen array chief; Zhang Yun pacification chief; Mao Zhang left wing chief; Dong Zhang right wing chief; Li Yan also pacified Shu—leading capital and western forces to march on the eighteenth of the ninth month.

聞我師至，遣步騎三萬逆戰於三泉，延孝與李嚴以勁騎三千擊之，蜀軍大敗，斬首五千級，餘眾奔潰。 Hearing of our approach he sent thirty thousand foot and horse to Sanquan; Yanxiao and Li Yan with three thousand picked cavalry routed them, took five thousand heads, and drove the rest to flight.

康延孝、李嚴至漢州，王衍遣人送牛酒請降，李嚴遂先入成都。 Kang Yanxiao and Li Yan reached Han; Wang Yan sent oxen and wine to sue for surrender, and Li Yan entered Chengdu first.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 34Volume 34 Book of Later Tang 10: Zhuangzong Annals 8 · 1 passage

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西京上言，客省使李嚴押蜀主王衍至本府。 The western capital reported that Li Yan of Guest Reception had brought Shu ruler Wang Yan there.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 37Volume 37 Book of Later Tang 13: Mingzong Annals 3 · 1 passage

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庚寅，以客省使李嚴領泗州防禦使，以河中節度副使李鈴為太子賓客。 On gengyin Li Yan of Guest Reception became Si defense commissioner and Li Ling of Hezhong became crown prince mentor.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 51Volume 51 Book of Later Tang 27: Biographies 3: Imperial Family · 1 passage

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時偽蜀主王衍率親軍五萬在利州，令步騎親軍三萬逆戰於三泉，康延孝、李嚴以勁騎三千犯之，蜀軍大敗，斬首五千級，餘皆奔潰。 The Shu pretender Wang Yan was then at Lizhou with fifty thousand household troops. He sent thirty thousand foot and horse of his personal guard to meet the Tang advance at Sanquan. Kang Yanxiao and Li Yan charged with three thousand elite cavalry; the Shu force was shattered, five thousand heads were taken, and the survivors fled in disorder.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 57Volume 57 Book of Later Tang 33: Biographies 9: Gao Chongtao · 2 passages

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會客省使李嚴使西川回，言王衍可圖之狀，莊宗與崇韜議討伐之謀，方擇大將。 About then Guest Affairs Commissioner Li Yan returned from his mission to the West River circuit and reported that Wang Yan's realm was ripe for conquest. Emperor Zhuangzong and Guo Chongtao debated the campaign and were still choosing a commander.

乃令李嚴、康延孝先馳書檄，以諭偽鳳州節度使王承捷。 He then ordered Li Yan and Kang Yanxiao to ride ahead with letters and proclamations to summon the puppet Fengzhou military commissioner Wang Chengjie.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 62Volume 62 Book of Later Tang 38: Biographies 14: Meng Fangli, Zhang Wenli, Dong Zhang · 1 passage

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隻如西川解斬客省使李嚴，謂我不能斬公耶！」 Western Chuan executed the envoy Li Yan—do you think I cannot do the same to you!"

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 70Volume 70 Book of Later Tang 46: Biographies 22: Yuan Xingqin, Xia Luqi, Yao Hong, Li Yan, Li Renju, Kang Sili, Zhang Jingda · 16 passages

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李嚴，幽州人，本名讓坤。 Li Yan was a native of Youzhou; his birth name was Rangkun.

嚴復聲韻清亮，蜀人聽之愕然。 Yan recited it again in a clear, ringing voice, and the men of Shu listened in stunned silence.

時蜀偽樞密使宋光嗣召嚴曲宴，因以近事訊於嚴。 Song Guangsi, the bogus Shu commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs, invited Yan to a private banquet and questioned him about recent affairs.

嚴對曰：「吾皇前年四月即位於鄴宮，當月下鄆州。 Yan replied, "Our Emperor took the throne at the Ye palace in the fourth month of the year before last and that same month marched on Yanzhou.

嚴曰：「子言契丹之強盛，孰若偽梁？」 Yan said, "You speak of Khitan might—compared with what? The false Liang?"

嚴曰：「吾國視契丹如蚤虱耳，以其無害，不足爬搔。 Yan said, "Our realm looks on the Khitan as fleas and lice. They do no harm, so they are not worth troubling over.

時王衍失政，嚴知其可取，使還具奏，故平蜀之謀，始於嚴。 Wang Yan's rule was failing, and Yan saw that Shu could be taken. He returned and reported in full, and thus the plan to conquer Shu began with Yan.

郭崇韜起軍之日，以嚴為三川招撫使，嚴與先鋒使康延孝將兵五千，先驅閣道，或馳以詞說，或威以兵鋒，大軍未及，所在降下。 When Guo Chongtao took the field, Yan was made pacification commissioner of the Three Rivers. Yan and the vanguard commander Kang Yanxiao led five thousand men ahead along the mountain roads, winning some places by persuasion and others by force. Before the main army arrived, city after city surrendered.

延孝在漢州，王衍與書曰：「可請李司空先來，餘即舉城納款。」 Yanxiao was at Hanzhou when Wang Yan wrote to him: "Please ask Minister Li to come first, and I will surrender the city at once."

眾咸以討蜀之謀始於嚴，衍以甘言，將誘而殺之，欲不令往。 The troops all said the Shu campaign had begun with Yan, that Wang Yan's flattering words were a trap to lure and kill him, and they wanted to keep him from going.

嚴聞之喜，即馳騎入益州，衍見嚴於母前，以母、妻為托。 Yan was delighted to hear it and rode at once into Yizhou. Wang Yan received him before his mother and entrusted his mother and wife to Yan's care.

蜀平班師，會明宗即位，遷泗州防禦使兼客省使。 After Shu was pacified the army withdrew. Mingzong then took the throne, and Yan was made defender of Sizhou while keeping his post as commissioner of the Reception Bureau.

長興初，安重誨謀欲控製兩川，嚴乃求為西川兵馬都監，庶效方略。 Early in the Changxing era, An Chonghui schemed to control the Two Chuan, and Yan asked to be made military inspector of Xichuan so he could put his plans into effect.

孟知祥覺之，既至，執而害之。 Meng Zhixiang saw through him, and when Yan arrived he seized and executed him.

〈（《九國誌·王彥銖傳》：李嚴之為監軍也，密懷異謀，知祥數其過，命彥銖擒斬之，嚴之左右無敢動者。）〉 (From the Biography of Wang Yanyin in the Records of the Nine Kingdoms: When Li Yan served as military inspector, he secretly plotted rebellion. Zhixiang listed his offenses and ordered Yanyin to seize and execute him, and none of Yan's attendants dared stir.)〉

初，嚴將赴蜀，母曰：「汝前啟破蜀之謀，今又入蜀，將死報蜀人矣！ When Yan was about to depart for Shu, his mother said, "You first proposed the plan to destroy Shu, and now you enter Shu again. You will die repaying the people of Shu!

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 74Volume 74 Book of Later Tang 50: Biographies 126: Kang Yanxiao, Zhu Shouyin, Yang Li, Dou Tingwan, Zhang Qianzhao, Yang Yanwen · 2 passages

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水深無舟楫可渡，延孝謂招撫使李嚴曰：「吾懸軍深入，利在急兵。 The river was too deep and there were no boats to ferry them across. Yanxiao said to the pacification commissioner Li Yan, "We have driven a detached force deep into enemy country. Our advantage lies in striking fast.

因與李嚴乘馬浮江，於是得濟者僅千人，步軍溺死者亦千餘人。 He and Li Yan then rode their horses across the swollen river. Only about a thousand men made it over; more than a thousand foot soldiers drowned.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 136Volume 136: Biographies of Usurpers 3: Wang Jian, Meng Zhixiang · 11 passages

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唐莊宗平梁，遣使告捷於蜀，蜀人恟懼，致禮復命，稱「大蜀國主致書上大唐皇帝」，詞理稍抗，莊宗不能容，遣客省使李嚴報聘，且市宮中珍玩，蜀人皆禁而不出。 When Tang Emperor Zhuangzong destroyed Liang, he sent envoys to announce victory in Shu. The Shu court was alarmed and replied with gifts, addressing their letter "The Lord of Great Shu writes to the Emperor of Great Tang"—wording Zhuangzong found insolent. He sent the guest-house envoy Li Yan on a return mission and sought to buy palace treasures; the Shu authorities refused to let any leave.

洎嚴至蜀，光嗣等曲宴，因言中國近事，嚴亦引近事折之，語在嚴傳。 When Li Yan reached Shu, Guangsi and his circle entertained him privately and spoke of recent events in the central realm. Yan answered with recent events of his own to refute them; the full account appears in Yan's biography.

光嗣等聞嚴辯對，畏而奇之。 Guangsi and the others heard Yan's sharp replies and were both afraid and impressed.

及嚴使還，奏莊宗曰：「王衍呆童耳，宗弼等總其兵柄，但益家財，不恤民事，君臣上下，惟務窮奢。 When Yan returned he reported to Emperor Zhuangzong: "Wang Yan is a foolish boy. Zongbi and the rest hold all military power, enriching their families while ignoring the people. From top to bottom the court cares only for extravagance.

禮畢，拜，魏王、崇韜、李嚴皆答拜。 When the rites were finished they bowed, and the Prince of Wei, Guo Chongtao, and Li Yan all returned the bow.

是時，客省使李嚴以嘗使於蜀，洞知其利柄，因獻謀於重誨，請以己為西川監軍，庶效方略，以制知祥，朝廷可之。 The guest-house envoy Li Yan, who had once served as envoy to Shu and knew its leverage points well, offered An Chonghui a plan: appoint him military supervisor of Xichuan so he could apply stratagems to control Zhixiang. The court agreed.

及嚴至蜀，知祥延接甚至，徐謂嚴曰：「都監前因奉使，請兵伐蜀，遂使東、西兩川俱至破滅，川中之人，其怨已深。 When Li Yan reached Shu, Zhixiang received him with the utmost courtesy and said slowly, "Supervisor, on your former mission you requested troops to attack Shu and brought ruin on both eastern and western Chuan. The people of the river valleys bear deep resentment.

即遣人拽下階，斬於階前。 He immediately had men drag Yan down the steps and behead him on the spot.

〈（《歐陽史》云：李嚴至境上，遣人持書候知祥，知祥盛兵見之，冀嚴懼而不來，嚴聞之自若。 (Ouyang's History records: When Li Yan reached the border he sent a letter ahead to Zhixiang. Zhixiang displayed his army in strength, hoping Yan would be afraid and turn back. Yan heard of this and remained perfectly composed.

天成二年正月，嚴至成都，知祥置酒召嚴，因責嚴曰：「今諸方鎮已罷監軍，公何得來？」 In the first month of Tiancheng year 2 Li Yan reached Chengdu. Zhixiang set out wine and summoned him, then rebuked him: "Every other frontier post has abolished military supervisors—how dare you come?"

《鑒戒錄》云：李嚴於天成初復來臨護，孟祖加之禮分，從容數其五罪，命劍斬之。 The Record of Mirrors and Warnings records: Li Yan returned early in the Tiancheng era as military supervisor. Meng Zhixiang treated him courteously, calmly enumerated five crimes, and ordered him executed by the sword.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 26Volume 26 Later Tang Biographies 6: Fu Xi, Wu Zhen, Kong Qian, Zhang Yanlang, Li Yan, Li Renju, Mao Zhang · 25 passages

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李嚴，幽州人也，初名讓坤。 Li Yan came from Youzhou; he was first called Rangkun.

嚴為人明敏多藝能，習騎射，頗知書而辯。 Bright and quick, he mastered many crafts, rode and shot well, read widely, and spoke with force.

衍樞密使宋光嗣召嚴置酒，從容問中國事。 Wang Yan’s chief of military affairs, Song Guangsi, called Yan to wine and, at ease, asked how things stood in the Central Realm.

嚴對曰：「前年天子建大號於鄴宮，自鄆趨汴，定天下不旬日，而梁之降兵猶三十萬，東漸於海，西極甘涼，北懾幽陵，南逾閩嶺，四方萬里，莫不臣妾。 Yan answered: “Two years ago the Son of Heaven took the great title at Ye. From Yunzhou he drove on to Bian and settled the realm in less than ten days—and Liang’s surrendered troops still numbered three hundred thousand. East to the sea, west to Gan and Liang, north to You and Ling, south beyond Min Ridge: for ten thousand li in every direction, all bowed as subjects.

嚴曰：「契丹之強，孰與偽梁？」 Yan said: “Tell me—which is stronger, Khitan or false Liang?”

嚴曰：「唐滅梁如拉朽，況其不及乎！ Yan said: “Tang broke Liang like pulling rotten timber. These are less still!

蜀人聞嚴應對，愈益奇之。 Shu listeners who heard Yan’s answers thought him stranger and more formidable than before.

嚴自蜀還，具言可取之狀。 When Yan came back from Shu, he laid out in detail how the state could be taken.

初，莊宗遣嚴以名馬入蜀，市珍奇以充後宮，而蜀法嚴禁以奇貨出劍門，其非奇物而出者，名曰「入草物」，由是嚴無所得而還，惟得金二百兩、地衣、毛布之類。 Zhuangzong had first sent Yan into Shu with fine horses to buy treasures for the inner palace. Shu forbade precious goods from passing Sword Gate; anything ordinary enough to leave was called “grass-bound goods.” Yan came back with almost nothing—two hundred taels of gold, moss cloth, hair-felt, and little else.

冬，魏王繼岌西伐，以嚴為三川招討使，與康延孝以兵五千先行，所過州縣皆迎降。 That winter the Prince of Wei marched west on Shu. Yan was named Three Rivers suppression commissioner and with Kang Yanxiao took five thousand men ahead. Every prefecture and county they reached opened its gates.

延孝至漢州，王衍告曰：「得李嚴來即降。」 When Yanxiao reached Han prefecture, Wang Yan sent word: “Send Li Yan and I surrender at once.”

眾皆以伐蜀之謀自嚴始，而衍怨嚴深，不宜往。 Everyone said the war on Shu had begun with Yan, and Wang Yan hated him bitterly—he should not go.

嚴聞之喜，即馳騎入益州。 Yan heard and was glad. He galloped straight into Yizhou.

衍見嚴，以妻母為托，即日以蜀降。 Wang Yan met Yan, entrusted wife and mother to his care, and that day Shu surrendered.

嚴還，明宗以為泗州防禦使，客省使如故。 When Yan returned, Mingzong made him defense commissioner of Sizhou and kept him as guest bureau commissioner.

其後孟知祥屈強於蜀，安重誨稍裁抑之，思有以制知祥者，嚴乃求為西川兵馬都監。 Later Meng Zhixiang grew bold in Shu. An Chonghui reined him in where he could and looked for a man to hold him in check. Yan asked to be made military inspector of Xichuan horse and foot.

嚴不聽。 Yan would not hear her.

初，嚴與知祥同事莊宗，時知祥為中門使，嚴嘗有過，莊宗怒甚，命斬之，知祥戒行刑者少緩，入白莊宗曰：「嚴小過，不宜以喜怒殺人，恐失士大夫心。」 Long ago Yan and Zhixiang had served Zhuangzong together. Zhixiang was then middle gate attendant. Yan once offended, and Zhuangzong in fury ordered his head. Zhixiang told the executioners to hold, went in, and said: “Yan’s fault is small. A ruler should not kill in heat and lose the scholar-officials’ hearts.”

莊宗怒稍解，命知祥監笞嚴二十而釋之。 Zhuangzong’s rage cooled. He had Zhixiang oversee twenty strokes and set Yan free.

知祥雖與嚴有舊恩，而惡其來。 Zhixiang owed Yan an old debt of life, but he hated seeing him come.

蜀人聞嚴來，亦皆惡之。 When Shu heard Yan was coming, the hatred was general.

嚴至，知祥置酒從容問嚴曰：「朝廷以公來邪？ Yan arrived. Zhixiang poured wine and asked, calmly: “Did the court send you?

嚴曰：「君命也。」 Yan said: “The ruler’s command.”

即擒斬之，明宗不能詰也，知祥由此遂反。 He seized Yan and killed him. Mingzong could not call him to account. From that day Zhixiang turned rebel.

璋怒，率衙兵露刃之傳舍，仁矩惶恐，不襪而靴走庭中，璋責之曰：「爾以西川能斬李嚴，謂我獨不能斬爾邪！」 Zhang in fury marched his guard, blades bare, to the relay station. Renju in terror ran into the courtyard in boots but no stockings. Zhang raged at him: “Because Xichuan killed Li Yan, you think I cannot kill you?”

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 27Volume 27 Later Tang Biographies 7: Zhu Hongzhao, Liu Yanlang, Kang Sili, Kang Yicheng, Yao Yanchou · 1 passage

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西川孟知祥殺其監軍李嚴，弘昭大懼，求還京師，璋不許，遂相猜忌，弘昭益開懷待之不疑，璋頗重其為人。 Meng Zhixiang of Xichuan killed the army supervisor Li Yan. Hongzhao was terrified and begged to return to court, but Dong Zhang refused. Suspicion grew between them—yet Hongzhao treated him openly and without mistrust, and Zhang came to respect him.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 44Volume 44 Miscellaneous Biographies 24: Liu Zhijun, Ding Hui, He Delun, Yan Bao, Kang Yanxiao · 2 passages

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延孝謂招撫使李嚴曰：「吾遠軍千里，入人之國，利在速戰。 Yanxiao told Pacification Commissioner Li Yan: “We are a thousand li from home in another man’s land. Speed is everything.

因與嚴乘馬浮江，軍士隨之濟者千餘人，遂入鹿頭關，下漢州，居三日，後軍始至。 He and Yan forded the river on horseback; a thousand men swam after them. They took Lutou Pass and Han, camped three days, and only then did the main body come up.