Li Han (died August 303),7th month of the 2nd year of the Tai'an era, per Emperor Hui's biography in Jin Shu; the month corresponds to 31 Jul to 28 Aug 303 in the Julian calendar. courtesy name Shirong, was an official of the Jin dynasty (266–420). A subordinate of the Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong, his feud with the brothers Huangfu Shang and Huangfu Zhong, was a driving factor in the War of the Eight Princes. To eliminate the brothers, Li Han influenced his prince into first attacking the Prince of Qi, Sima Jiong and then the Prince of Changsha, Sima Ai. He was killed after his plot to assassinate Sima Ai was discovered.
Early life and career Li Han was born into a humble family from Didao County, Longxi Commandery. He was described as being gifted from a young age, and he later moved to Shiping Commandery (始平郡), where he was nominated as xiaolian by both Shiping and Longxi.(李含，字世容，隴西狄道人也。僑居始平。少有才幹，兩郡並舉孝廉。) Jin Shu, vol.60
Around this time (late 270s to early 280s), Li Han met Huangfu Shang, a member of a prominent gentry family from Anding Commandery. Shang initially took pity on Li Han due to his background and attempted to befriend him, but Li Han snubbed him. Angered by his rejection, Shang wrote and circulated a short disparaging letter about him throughout Qin province, which led to Li Han being given the low-ranking position of Gate Chief. However, the Inspector of Yong province, Guo Yi (郭奕; nephew of Guo Huai) had known of Li Han's talents, so after a meeting between the two, he made him a member of his staff as an Assistant Officer at Chang'an.
Li Han became a xiucai and was then recommended to serve in a government office. He was summoned to the capital, Luoyang to serve as Assistant of the Grand Protector and the Prefect of the Gentlemen of the Palace of Qin State. Afterwards, the Minister Over the Masses appointed him as Rectifier of Shiping Commandery. When the Prince of Qin, Sima Jian (司馬柬; Emperor Hui's only full brother to live to adulthood) died in 291, Li Han was ordered to bury him in accordance with the ceremonial rites and carry out the mourning period. After he ended the period, the Master of Writing, Zhao Jun (趙浚), who hated Li Han for refusing to serve under him, reported that Li Han should not have released himself from mourning. Despite the minister Fu Xian (傅咸; son of Fu Xuan) submitting a memorial in his defense, Emperor Hui did not listen, and the Grand Rectifier, Fu Zhi (傅祗; son of Fu Gu) had him demoted to the fifth rank and sent back to Chang'an.(尋舉秀才，薦之公府，自太保掾轉秦國郎中令。司徒遷含領始平中正。秦王柬薨，含依臺儀，葬訖除喪。尚書趙浚有內寵，疾含不事己，遂奏含不應除喪。本州大中正傅祗以名義貶含。中丞傅咸上表理含曰... 帝不從，含遂被貶，退割為五品。) Jin Shu, vol.60
Back in Chang'an, the imperial household appointed him as a Supervisor of the Granary. Eventually, the Minister Over the Masses, Wang Rong appealed on Li Han's behalf, arguing that a minister as high-ranking as he was should not have been demoted to the position he currently had. Emperor Hui agreed and ordered Li Han to drop his post. He was later appointed as the Magistrate of Shiping.(歸長安，歲餘，光祿差含為壽城邸閣督。司徒王戎表含曾為大臣，雖見割削，不應降為此職。詔停。後為始平令。) Jin Shu, vol.60
War of the Eight Princes
Coalition of the Three Princes In February 301, the Prince of Zhao, Sima Lun usurped the throne from Emperor Hui. During this time, someone informed Lun's chief assistant, Sun Xiu of Li Han's talents, and so he was promoted to the Magistrate of Dongwuyang. The Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong petitioned for Li Han to serve under him as his Marshal Who Attacks the West. Under Yong, Li Han became a trusted official, and he was soon promoted to Chief Clerk.(及趙王倫篡位，或謂孫秀曰：「李含有文武大才，無以資人。」秀以為東武陽令。河間王顒表請含為征西司馬，甚見信任。頃之，轉為長史。) Jin Shu, vol.60
Later that year, the Prince of Qi, Sima Jiong launched a coalition to depose Sima Lun and restore Emperor Hui. A former official, Xiahou Shi (夏侯奭) began raising an army at Shiping intending to support Sima Jiong and sent a messenger to Sima Yong urging him to join. Yong consulted with Li Han for his next step, and Li Han advised that they should join forces with Lun and attack Xiahou Shi. Yong sent his generals, Zhang Fang and Fang Yang (房陽) to attack Xiahou, defeating and capturing him before executing him with his subordinates at Chang'an. Li Han also advised Yong to arrest and send an envoy from Jiong to Lun, and have Zhang Fang lead his generals to defend Luoyang.(顒誅夏侯奭，送齊王冏使與趙王倫，遣張方率眾赴倫，皆含謀也。) Jin Shu, vol.60
However, Yong decided to switch sides after learning that the coalition were stronger in number. He appointed Li Han as Prancing Dragon General and ordered him to instruct the generals to hold back Zhang Fang's army. After Li Han joined Zhang Fang, they advanced to Tong Pass to support Sima Yong. In May 301, Sima Lun was overthrown in a coup and Emperor Hui was restored. Upon hearing this news, Li Han led his army to return to Chang'an.(後顒聞三王兵盛，乃加含龍驤將軍，統席薳等鐵騎，回遣張方軍以應義師。天子反正，含至潼關而還。) Jin Shu, vol.60
Conspiracy against Sima Jiong When Sima Lun was defeated, Huangfu Shang was serving as the Inspector of Liang province. He was distressed by the news, as he had been favoured by the prince beforehand, so he went to Chang'an and sought permission from Sima Yong to resign. Yong comforted Shang and allowed him to make his way to Luoyang, even holding a banquet to send him off. However, Li Han still held a grudge against Shang and warned his prince not to make any contact with him, which angered Shang. Although Yong was aware about their feud, he remained impartial and tolerated both of them.(初，梁州刺史皇甫商為趙王倫所任，倫敗，去職詣顒，顒慰撫之甚厚。含諫顒曰：「商，倫之信臣，懼罪至此，不宜數與相見。」商知而恨之。及商當還都，顒置酒餞行，商因與含忿爭，顒和釋之。) Jin Shu, vol.60
In 302, the imperial court summoned Li Han to Luoyang again to appoint him as the Colonel Who Assists the Army. At the time, Huangfu Shang and the brother of Xiahou Shi were serving under Sima Jiong, who was Emperor Hui's regent. Li Han was also at odds with Jiong's marshal, Zhao Xiang (趙驤), which made Jiong wary of him. Suspecting he was in danger, Li Han fled on his own and returned to Chang'an, pretending that he had received a secret imperial decree to overthrow Sima Jiong. Li Han presented the decree to Sima Yong at night and advised him:(冏以河間王顒本附趙王倫，心常恨之。梁州刺史安定皇甫商，與顒長史李含不平。含被徵爲翊軍校尉，時商參冏軍事，夏侯奭兄亦在冏府。含心不自安，又與冏右司馬趙驤有隙，遂單馬奔顒，詐稱受密詔，使顒誅冏，因說顒曰：「成都王至親，有大功，推讓還藩，甚得衆心。齊王越親而專政，朝廷側目。今檄長沙王使討齊，齊王必誅長沙，吾因以爲齊罪而討之，必可禽也。去齊立成都，除逼建親，以安社稷，大勳也。」) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.84Sima Yong followed his advice, and in January 303, he sent a petition throughout the empire denouncing Sima Jiong, with specific orders to Sima Ai in Luoyang asking him to depose him. He also appointed Li Han as Chief Controller and ordered him to lead Zhang Fang and others towards the capital. Li Han passed through Yinpan County (陰盤縣) and camped close to Luoyang. Sima Ai, after receiving Sima Yong's order engaged in a three-day battle with Sima Jiong in the city. Unexpectedly, Sima Ai defeated Sima Jiong and executed him. With Sima Jiong dead, Li Han withdrew his forces.(顒從之，遂表請討冏，拜含為都督，統張方等率諸軍以向洛陽。含屯陰盤，而長沙王乂誅冏，含等旋師。) Jin Shu, vol.60
Conspiracy against Sima Ai and death Li Han was dissatisfied that his plan to install Sima Yong and Sima Ying to power did not went as planned, with part of his frustration stemming from his desire to seize real political power for himself. When Sima Ai took control of the imperial court, he also continued to employ Huangfu Shang as an Army Adviser. All the while, Shang's brother, Huangfu Zhong, was serving as the Inspector of Qin province. Li Han advised Sima Yong that the two brothers cannot be trusted and should be removed from power. He proposed a plan petitioning the court to recall Huangfu Zhong back to Luoyang before arresting him en route.(初，李含以長沙王乂微弱，必爲齊王冏所殺，因欲以爲冏罪而討之，遂廢帝，立大將軍穎，以河間王顒爲宰相，己得用事。旣而冏爲乂所殺，穎、顒猶守藩，不如所謀...時皇甫商復爲乂參軍，商兄重爲秦州刺史。含說顒曰：「商爲乂所任，重終不爲人用，宜早除之。可表遷重爲內職，因其過長安執之。」) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.85
However, Zhong saw through their plot and believed that Li Han was planning to rebel, so he asked Sima Ai for permission to use the soldiers of Qin province to suppress him. Sima Ai did not want to escalate the situation any further, so he ordered Zhong to disband his troops and appointed Li Han as Intendant of Henan and moved to Luoyang. Li Han complied but Zhong refused. From Luoyang, Li Han remained in touch with Sima Yong, and suggested to him to use the Prefect of Jincheng, You Kai (游楷) and the Prefect of Longxi, Han Zhi (韓稚) to attack Huangfu Zhong at Jicheng (冀城; in present-day Gangu County, Gansu).(重知其謀，乃露檄上尚書，以顒信任李含，將欲為亂，召集隴上士眾，以討含為名。乂以兵革累興，今始寧息，表請遣使詔重罷兵，徵含為河南尹。含既就徵，重不奉詔，顒遣金城太守游楷、隴西太守韓稚等四郡兵攻之。) Jin Shu, vol.60 (biography of Huangfu Zhong)
Not long after, Sima Yong secretly ordered Li Han to attack Sima Ai with the Palace Attendant, Feng Sun (馮蓀) and Prefect of the Palace Writers, Bian Cui (卞粹). However, before they could act, Huangfu Shang warned Sima Ai about Li Han's involvement in the previous plot against Sima Jiong. Thus, Li Han and his co-conspirators were all captured and killed.(及冏敗，顒以含為河南尹，使與馮蓀、卞粹等潛圖害乂。商知含前矯妄及與顒陰謀，具以告乂。乂乃誅含等。) Jin Shu, vol.59
Notes
References
Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu). Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.