During Lü Guangs reign

Lü Zuan was described as favoring exercises in archery, horsemanship, and hunting when he was young, when he was a university student at the Former Qin capital Chang'an during the reign of Fu Jiān, where he was not studious. When Former Qin collapsed in the midst of multiple rebellions in 384 and 385, Lü Zuan fled initially to Shanggui (上邽, in modern Tianshui, Gansu), and then to Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu), where his father had established Later Liang and placed his capital.

The first actual historical reference to Lü Zuan was in 392, when he served as one of his father Lü Guang's generals in his campaign against Qifu Gangui, the prince of Western Qin, and Lü Zuan was unsuccessful in his attack on Qifu Gangui. In 397, Lü Guang, who had by then claimed imperial title, sent his son Lü Zuan (then referred to as the Duke of Taiyuan) and his brother Lü Yan (呂延) against Qifu Gangui, who had previously agreed to be a vassal and then changed his mind. Initially, Lü Zuan was successful, capturing the important city Jincheng (金城, in modern Lanzhou, Gansu), but after his uncle was defeated and killed in a trap laid by Qifu Gangui, Lü Zuan was forced to withdraw.

Throughout the rest of Lü Guang's reign, Lü Zuan became the general that his father relied on the most. In 397, when the Xiongnu general Juqu Mengxun rebelled, Lü Guang sent Lü Zuan against him, and Lü Zuan was initially successful in defeating Juqu Mengxun and forcing him to flee. However, after Juqu Mengxun's cousin Juqu Nancheng (沮渠男成) persuaded the official Duan Ye to join them and establish Northern Liang, Lü Guang was faced with a serious rebellion at Guzang itself—a rebellion by the general Yang Gui (楊軌) and the magician Guo Nen (郭黁), and Lü Zuan, while he had Duan Ye's capital Jiankang (建康, in modern Zhangye, Gansu) under siege, was forced to withdraw to fight Yang and Guo, allowing Duan Ye's nascent state to survive. In 398, Lü Zuan and his brother Lü Hong (呂弘) joined forces and defeated Yang and Guo, forcing them to surrender to Southern Liang and Western Qin, respectively.

In 399, Lü Zuan and his brother Lü Shao, Lü Guang's heir apparent, attacked Northern Liang, and were initially successfully, but after Southern Liang's prince Tufa Wugu sent Yang Gui and his brother Tufa Lilugu to aid Northern Liang, Lü Zuan and Lü Shao were forced to withdraw.

Coup against Lü Shao

Around the new year 400, Lü Guang grew seriously ill. He ordered Lü Shao to take the throne as "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang), while he himself claimed the title of retired emperor. Lü Zuan was put in charge of the military forces, and Lü Hong the government. Lü Guang told the three to be united, and that Lü Shao should trust his brothers. He also told Lü Zuan and Lü Hong that Lü Shao might not be talented, but was the rightful heir, and that they should assist him faithfully. Lü Guang died later that day.

Initially, Lü Shao was not going to immediately announce Lü Guang's death, in fear that it might draw enemy attacks, but Lü Zuan broke down the door and forcibly entered the palace and mourned. Lü Shao became fearful and offered the throne to Lü Zuan, but Lü Zuan refused. Lü Shao's cousin Lü Chao (呂超) then secretly suggested to Lü Shao that Lü Zuan be arrested and executed, but Lü Shao refused.

However, soon thereafter (either that day or at most several days after), Lü Shao sent his assistant Jiang Ji (姜紀) to encourage Lü Zuan to seize the throne. At night, then, Lü Zuan led his personal guards to attack the palace. Lü Hong joined him. Lü Shao's guards initially resisted, and one of them, Qi Cong (齊從), hit Lü Zuan in the head with a sword but could not kill him. Lü Chao also tried to assist Lü Shao, but their forces were fearful of Lü Zuan and collapsed. Lü Shao fled to a secondary palace and committed suicide. Lü Zuan took the throne.

Reign

Lü Zuan initially entrusted Lü Hong with all governmental matters, and also tried to show generosity by pardoning Qi Chong and Lü Chao. However, Lü Zuan and Lü Hong soon became suspicious of each other, and in spring 400, Lü Hong rebelled with his troops. Lü Zuan defeated Lü Hong's rebellion, and permitted his troops to pillage even the capital city Guzang itself, rewarding the women of the secondary district Dongwan (東苑, eastern half of Guzang) to his soldiers—including Lü Hong's wife and daughters. While he later relented and cancelled those orders under suggestion of Fang Gui (房晷), the damage had been done. When Lü Hong was subsequently captured during his flight to Southern Liang, Lü Zuan had him executed cruelly—by having his ribs repeatedly bounded.

Also in 400, Lü Zuan created his wife Lady Yang empress.

Lü Zuan soon started a campaign against Southern Liang, whose prince was by now Tufa Lilugu, but he was quickly defeated by Tufa Lilugu's brother Tufa Rutan. In summer, he started another campaign against Northern Liang, which was initially successful, as he put Northern Liang's new capital Zhangye (張掖, in modern Zhangye, Gansu) under siege, but as the official Jiang Ji (姜紀), who tried to persuade him not to carry out the campaign, predicted, Tufa Rutan made a major attack and even entered the city of Guzang before retreating, forcing Lü Zuan to end his campaign against Northern Liang.

Despite these military defeats, Lü Zuan spent much of his time drinking and hunting. When his official Yang Ying (楊穎) tried to persuade him to change his ways, he thanked and apologized to Yang, but could not change his ways.

In 401, Lü Chao, without prior approval from Lü Zuan, attacked the Xianbei chief Sipan (思盤). Sipan sent his brother Qizhen (乞珍) to file a protest with Lü Zuan, and Lü Zuan summoned Lü Chao and Sipan both to Guzang, which got Lü Chao nervous. Once Lü Zuan met with both, he threatened Lü Chao with death—but had no intent to carry the threat out; rather, he intended only to scare Lü Chao. He then held a feast for Lü Chao and Sipan, intending to create peace between them. During the feast, Lü Chao's brother Lü Long repeatedly offered Lü Zuan wine, and Lü Zuan was soon drunk. He sat on a man-pulled cart and gave Lü Chao and Sipan a tour of the palace. When the cart came to a threshold between two palaces, the cart could not roll over the threshold, and Lü Zuan's guards Dou Chuan (竇川) and Luo Teng (駱騰) left their swords on the side in order to lift the cart across. As they did, Lü Chao took their swords and attacked Lü Zuan. Lü Zuan tried to combat Lü Chao, unarmed, but Lü Chao quickly pierced him with a sword. Both Dou and Luo tried to combat Lü Chao but were also killed by him. Lü Zuan's wife Empress Yang tried to mobilize the guards to combat Lü Chao, but the guards soon abandoned her, and Lü Chao made his brother Lü Long emperor to succeed Lü Zuan. Lü Zuan's head was cut off and shown to the populace, but Lü Zuan was still later given an imperial posthumous name, albeit an unflattering one.

Era name

• Xianning (咸寧 xían níng) 400–401

Personal information

• Father

　• Lü Guang (Emperor Yiwu)

• Wife

　• Empress Yang (created 400, committed suicide 401)

生平

入涼為將

呂纂年少時已熟練弓馬，雖然入了太學，但不愛讀書，只會交結公侯。淝水之戰後前秦國亂，呂纂逃到上邽（今甘肅天水市），至太安元年（386年）才到達後涼都城姑臧（今甘肅武威市），拜虎賁中郎將。麟嘉四年（392年），呂光派了呂纂進攻南羌彭奚念，但在盤夷大敗而還。呂光遂親率大軍再攻，讓呂纂及楊軌、沮渠羅仇進軍左南（今青海西寧市東），逼得彭奚念憑湟河自守，然呂光還是派兵渡過湟河，攻下枹罕（今甘肅臨夏市），令彭奚念敗走甘松（今甘肅疊部縣東南）。

龍飛元年（396年），呂光稱天王，以呂纂為太原公。次年，呂光攻西秦，派呂纂、楊軌及竇苟等率三萬兵攻金城（今甘肅蘭州市），攻陷了金城。同年，呂光殺沮渠羅仇及沮渠麴粥，令得羅仇侄沮渠蒙遜反叛。蒙遜堂兄沮渠男成也推了建康太守段業為主，呂纂奉命討伐段業，然而因為沮渠蒙遜率眾到臨洮為聲援段業，呂纂在合離大敗給段業。同時，太常郭黁在姑臧作亂，呂光立即召回呂纂，當時諸將顧慮段業會乘大軍撤退而從後跟隨，建議乘夜暗中撤走，不過呂纂看準段業無謀略，乘夜退走只會助長敵人，於是在退兵時前派了使者向段業說：「郭黁作亂，吾今還都。卿能決者，可出戰。」段業果然不敢追擊。郭黁派軍於白石邀擊呂纂，呂纂大敗，但不久因西安太守石元良率兵援救才得以擊敗郭黁，攻入姑臧。呂纂隨後在城西擊破郭黁將王斐，令郭黁勢力開始衰敗。不過郭黁卻推了楊軌為盟主，讓楊軌前赴姑臧支援自己。時呂弘為段業所逼，呂纂就前去迎接呂弘，楊軌認為這是機會，於是率兵邀擊，但卻為呂纂所敗，郭黁於是出奔西秦，楊軌隨後亦奔廉川，亂事終告平定。

龍飛四年（399年），呂纂與弟弟太子呂紹一同統兵攻打北涼天王段業，段業求救于南涼天王禿髮烏孤，禿髮烏孤之弟禿髮利鹿孤率援軍趕到，段業堅守不戰，呂纂、呂紹于是退兵。

政變登位

同年，呂光病重，立呂紹為天王，以呂纂為太尉，掌握軍權。呂光死前曾向呂纂及呂弘說：「永業並非治理亂世的人才，只不過因嫡長的規舉才讓其處元首之位。現在外有強寇，人心不定，你們兄弟和睦則會讓國家流傳萬世；若果自己內鬥，則禍亂立即就會來了。」另也特別對呂纂說：「你本性粗豪勇武，很令我擔心。開展基業本來就艱難，守成也不容易。好好輔助永業，不要聽讒言呀。」不久呂光去世，呂紹懼怕呂纂，曾經想要讓位給呂纂，然而呂纂以嫡庶之別拒絕；另呂光侄呂超又勸呂紹殺了呂纂，但呂紹不肯。可是不久呂纂就在呂弘的煽動下反叛，夜裏率壯士數百進攻廣夏門，守融明觀的齊從抽劍攻擊呂纂，擊中其額，但為呂纂部眾制服。呂紹所派部隊因懼怕呂纂而潰散，呂紹被逼自殺。呂纂遂即天王位，改年號咸寧。

咸寧二年（400年），呂弘舉兵反叛，但為呂纂將焦辨擊敗，出奔廣武（今甘肅永登縣），不久為呂方所捕，被殺。呂纂隨後縱兵大掠，以原屬呂弘的東苑中之婦女賞給軍士，呂弘的妻兒都被士兵侵辱。呂纂笑著對群臣說：「今日一戰怎樣呀？」侍中房晷卻答：「天要降禍給涼室，故藩王起兵釁。先帝駕崩不久，隱王幽逼而死，山陵才剛建好，大司馬就因驚懼疑惑而反叛肆逆，京邑成了兄弟交戰的戰場。雖然呂弘自取滅亡，亦是因為陛下沒有棠棣所說的兄弟之義。現在應該反思自省，以為向百姓謝過，卻反而縱容士兵大肆掠奪，侮辱士女。兵釁因呂弘而起，百姓有甚麼錯！而且呂弘的妻子是陛下的弟婦，女兒也是陛下的姪女，怎能讓她們成為無賴小人的婢妾。天地神明怎會忍心見到這樣！」呂纂聽後向房晷道歉，又接回呂弘的妻兒到東宮。

隨後，呂纂不顧中書令楊穎反對堅決攻伐南涼，卻為南涼將禿髮傉檀所敗。呂纂不久又不聽姜紀諫言而攻北涼，圍攻張掖（今甘肅張掖）並攻略建康郡地，然而禿髮傉檀果如姜紀所言進攻姑臧，呂纂亦被逼退兵。呂纂在位時沉溺於酒色，又常常出獵，諸大臣皆曾勸阻，然而呂纂皆不能聽從。

胡奴斫頭

咸寧三年（401年）呂纂因番禾太守呂超擅攻鮮卑思盤一事召呂超及思盤入朝，呂超因恐懼而事先結交了殿中監杜尚。呂纂憤怒地斥責呂超，更聲言「要當斬卿，然後天下可定」，嚇得呂超叩頭稱不敢。不過呂纂及後就和呂超及眾大臣宴會，呂超兄呂隆於是頻頻向呂纂勸酒要灌醉他。呂纂飲至昏醉便乘坐步輓車與呂超等人在宮內遊走，在到琨華殿東閤時步輓車過不了去，呂纂親將竇川及駱騰於是放下配劍推車。呂超乘此機會拿起二人配劍襲擊呂纂，呂纂試圖下車抓住呂超但被對方刺穿胸部；呂超又殺了竇川和駱騰。呂纂皇后楊氏下令禁軍討伐呂超，但杜尚卻命禁軍放下武器。將軍魏益多遂斬下呂纂的頭，聲言：「呂纂違反先帝遺命，殺害太子、沉溺飲酒和田獵、親近小人、輕易殺害忠良、視百姓為草芥。番禾太守呂超以骨肉之親，恐懼國家傾覆，已經除去他了。上可以安寧宗廟，下可為太子報仇。但凡國人都應歡慶。」

陵墓

呂隆不久繼位，諡呂纂為靈皇帝，葬白石陵。

逸事

• 即序胡安據曾盜張駿的墓，獲得大量珍寶，呂纂誅殺安據和其親黨五十多家人，派使者弔祭張駿，並復修其陵墓。

• 咸寧二年，有母豬生下小豬，一身三頭，又有飛龍夜裡從東廂的井中出現，名僧鳩摩羅什以為不祥，勸纂廣施仁德。一日羅什與呂纂玩博戲，呂纂吃多子，玩笑道：「砍胡奴頭！」羅什糾正說：「不斫胡奴頭，胡奴斫人頭。」預言了呂纂因小字「胡奴」的呂超而被殺的命運。

妻子

• 楊皇后

註釋