Quick Answer: Who Was Li Mu?
Li Mu (李牧, Lǐ Mù) was a general of Zhao (赵, Zhào) in the late Warring States period. He defended Zhao’s northern frontier and later commanded troops against Qin (秦, Qín).[1]
- Frontier: Li guarded the north from the Yanmen region (雁门, Yànmén) against the Xiongnu (匈奴, Xiōngnú).[1]
- Victory: His success against Qin earned him the title Lord of Wu’an (武安君, Wǔ’ān Jūn).[2]
- Removal: Zhao executed him during Qin’s final campaign against its capital.[2]
The account appears in the same chapter as the biographies of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru, two other figures in Zhao’s history.
At the northern border, Zhao’s court recalled Li after another commander suffered losses. Near the end of Zhao’s war with Qin, the court removed him again. The two episodes show how much a frontier commander’s position depended on decisions at court.
How Li Mu Held Zhao’s Northern Frontier
Sima Qian says Li used beacon warnings, scouted the border and had people withdraw to protected places when raiders came. The aim in this account was to protect people and supplies while avoiding losses. The court replaced him after his restraint was taken for reluctance to fight. His successor suffered losses, and Zhao recalled Li.[1]
Li insisted on returning under the same terms. He could use local market revenues for his troops and trained them in riding and archery. The biography says he later defeated a large Xiongnu force and secured a period of relief along the frontier.[4]
How Li Mu Checked Qin’s Advance
As Qin pressed farther into Zhao, the court put Li in charge of its main defense. In the campaign usually dated 233 BCE, Qin attacked Yi’an (宜安, Yí’ān), and the Zhao annals record Li driving the Qin forces back at Feixia (肥下, Féixià).[4]
Li’s biography calls the victory a battle at Yi’an. The annals connect the attacks on Yi’an and another place with Li’s victory at Feixia. The two chapters use different names for the events of the campaign. The Zhao annals place another repulse of Qin in the following year.[2]
What the Records Say About Li Mu’s Removal
Qin sent Wang Jian (王翦, Wáng Jiǎn) against Zhao in the final offensive. According to Li’s biography, Qin bribed the Zhao courtier Guo Kai (郭开, Guō Kāi) to spread the claim that Li and his fellow commander Sima Shang planned to rebel. Li refused to give up his command and was executed.[1]
The shorter Zhao annals record that Sima Shang was dismissed and new commanders took over. They also place the fall of the capital, Handan (邯郸, Hándān), in the following regnal year.[2]
The Qin annals record the capture of Zhao’s king in the victorious campaign. The fall of the capital became one of the steps toward the founding of the Qin dynasty.[3]
FAQs About Li Mu
What was Li Mu’s title?
Zhao made him Lord of Wu’an after the victory at Feixia. The title marks the court’s recognition of a particular military success.[2]
When did Li Mu die?
He was executed during Qin’s final offensive against Zhao’s capital in 229–228 BCE. The accounts relate his death to the campaign, and it is often dated to 228 BCE.[2][4]
Did Zhao resistance end when Handan fell?
A Zhao prince named Jia established himself in Dai after the capital fell. Sima Qian says the remnant lasted six years before Qin defeated it.[2][3]
Sources
[1] Sima Qian. Records of the Grand Historian, Li Mu in the Biographies of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru
[2] Sima Qian. Records of the Grand Historian, Hereditary House of Zhao
[3] Sima Qian. Records of the Grand Historian, Annals of the First Emperor of Qin
[4] Journal of Weinan Normal University. One Hundred Historical Figures of the Records of the Grand Historian, Part 19