Li Hui

Historical Record

Li Hui, styled De'ang, was a native of Yuyuan County in Jianning Commandery. He first served as a Supervisor of Records in his commandery. His aunt's husband, Cuan Xi, had served as Prefect of Jianling County and was dismissed for an offense, and Li Hui too was implicated. However, the Administrator Dong He, considering that Cuan Xi belonged to a powerful local clan, did not approve the dismissal. Later Li Hui was recommended to the provincial office, but on the way there he learned that Liu Bei had turned back from Jiameng to attack Liu Zhang. Perceiving that Liu Zhang must be defeated and Liu Bei must prevail, Li Hui, under the pretext of being a commandery envoy, went north to Liu Bei and met him at Mianzhu. Liu Bei thought highly of him and took him along to Luocheng. Liu Bei then sent Li Hui to Hanzhong, where he successfully persuaded Ma Chao to submit^[1].

After Chengdu was pacified, Liu Bei became Governor of Yi Province and appointed Li Hui as Assistant Officer of Merit and Registrar. During this time Li Hui was falsely accused of plotting rebellion by a fugitive, and the authorities arrested and held him for trial. But Liu Bei perceived the truth, judged that Li Hui could not have plotted rebellion, and instead promoted him to Attendant Officer with Separate Carriage. In the first year of the Zhangwu era (221 CE), the Laixiang Area Commander Deng Fang died. Liu Bei asked Li Hui who could succeed to the post, and Li Hui modestly replied: "The talents of men each have their strengths and weaknesses; thus Confucius said, 'In employing men, use them as vessels suited to their use.' Moreover, when an enlightened ruler is above, his ministers below exhaust their feelings; this is why, in the campaign of Xianling, Zhao Chongguo said, 'None is better than this old minister.' I venture, not measuring my own worth—may Your Majesty examine the matter." Hearing this, Liu Bei laughed and said: "My own intention, too, has already settled upon you!" He thereupon appointed Li Hui as Laixiang Area Commander, holding the imperial credentials and concurrently serving as Inspector of Jiaozhou, garrisoned at Pingyi County^[1].

After Liu Bei's death, rebellions erupted one after another in the Nanzhong region: Gao Ding rose in revolt in Yuexi Commandery, Yong Kai grew overbearing in Jianning Commandery, and Zhu Bao rebelled in Zangke Commandery. Chancellor Zhuge Liang led an army on a southern campaign, first attacking Yuexi, while Li Hui led his troops straight toward Jianning. At that time the rebel forces of the various counties joined together and surrounded Li Hui's army at Kunming. Since Li Hui's troops were few and the enemy double their number, and he had not yet received word from Zhuge Liang, he used a ruse against the Nanzhong rebels, declaring: "The government army's grain is exhausted and it intends to withdraw. I have long been cut off from my native region, and now at last I can return; I can go north no more, and wish to come back and join in your plans, so I tell you this in earnest." The Nanzhong rebels believed him and relaxed their siege. Li Hui seized the chance to attack, greatly routing the rebels, and pursued them all the way to the Pan River, bordering Zangke to the east, forming a link of momentum with Zhuge Liang^[2].

After the Nanzhong region was pacified, Li Hui's military merits were outstanding. He was enfeoffed as Marquis of Hanxing Pavilion and additionally appointed General Who Pacifies the Han. Later, when Li Hui's army was returning to court, the southern Yi rebelled again and killed the garrison commander. Li Hui went in person to suppress the revolt, utterly rooting out the rebels and relocating their leaders to Chengdu. He also levied from the Sou and Pu tribes their plow oxen, war horses, gold and silver, rhinoceros hide, and other supplies to replenish military provisions, so that the military expenditures of the time could be sustained^[3]. In the seventh year of the Jianxing era (229 CE), when Jiaozhou was assigned to Eastern Wu, Li Hui was relieved of the post of Inspector of Jiaozhou and reassigned as Administrator of Jianning, returning to dwell in his home commandery. He finally relocated to Hanzhong and died in the ninth year of the Jianxing era (231 CE). His son Li Yi inherited his marquisate. Li Hui's nephew Li Qiu served as Commander of the Right Section of the Imperial Guards and died bravely in battle while resisting Deng Ai at Mianzhu^[3].

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Li Hui's image is endowed with greater drama and a coloring of cunning strategy. He first appears before Liu Bei's entry into Shu, as a subject of Liu Zhang, earnestly remonstrating with Liu Zhang not to invite a wolf into the house by admitting Liu Bei. He bluntly pointed out: "If you allow Liu Bei into Shu, it is like welcoming a tiger at the gate." Liu Zhang, however, would not heed his advice and instead angrily rebuked him and sought to behead him^[4]. This episode has no clear record in the historical texts and is the novel's artistic invention to highlight Li Hui's foresight and Liu Zhang's muddled incompetence.

Later, when Liu Bei besieged Chengdu, Li Hui came of his own accord to join him. He explained to Liu Bei: "I have heard, 'A good bird chooses its tree to roost; a worthy minister chooses his lord to serve.' I formerly remonstrated with Liu of Yi Province to exhaust the duty of a subject; since he could not use my counsel, I knew he must fail. Now your benevolence and virtue spread throughout Shu, and I know your cause must succeed, so I have come to submit"^[5]. This exchange shows both Li Hui's grasp of the times and lays the groundwork for his later actions. Just then, when Zhuge Liang was troubled over how to win Ma Chao's surrender, Li Hui volunteered, saying he had once met Ma Chao and was willing to go persuade him. Zhuge Liang was overjoyed and whispered a plan into Li Hui's ear^[5].

The scene of Li Hui persuading Ma Chao is one of the most representative in the novel. He went alone into the lion's den, undaunted before the axe-bearers laid in ambush within Ma Chao's tent. Drawing on the principle that "when the sun reaches its zenith it declines, when the moon is full it wanes," and on Ma Chao's present plight—a blood feud with Cao Cao over his father, reverses in Longxi, unable to save Liu Zhang and unable to control Yang Song—he urged Ma Chao. He pointed out that Ma Chao was "unable to find shelter within the four seas, a single body without a lord," and that if he met with further defeat, "with what face would he meet the men of the world?"^[6] In the end Ma Chao was convinced by Li Hui's words, beheaded Yang Bai to show his resolve, and submitted to Liu Bei together with Li Hui. This episode greatly strengthens Li Hui's image as an "eloquent persuader" and "man of cunning strategy"; though the historical sources record only that Li Hui "befriended Ma Chao, and Ma Chao thereupon submitted," the novel renders the process vividly through dialogue and conflict.

In the later part of the novel, Li Hui was also ordered by Zhuge Liang to oversee the transport of grain and provisions. For example, during Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions, he was appointed to "first transport grain and provisions to the entrance of the Xiegu road and there await orders"^[7]. This echoes the historical record of his procuring military supplies for Shu Han, though the specific details differ.

Key Relationships

* Shu Han (serves): Li Hui was an important official of Shu Han, serving from the time of Liu Bei's entry into Shu, through the two reigns of Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang. He won illustrious military merit in the pacification of Nanzhong and contributed to the stability and development of Shu Han^[2].
* Ma Chao (advises_in): At the crucial time of Liu Bei's entry into Shu, Li Hui was ordered to go to Hanzhong to persuade Ma Chao to submit, successfully bringing about Ma Chao's joining Liu Bei's camp and playing an important role in Liu Bei's ultimate seizure of Yi Province^[1]. In the novel, this process is depicted more thrillingly, displaying Li Hui's eloquence and daring^[6].
* Yong Kai (fights_in): As Laixiang Area Commander, after Liu Bei's death Li Hui joined Zhuge Liang in pacifying the Nanzhong rebellions, including the revolt of Yong Kai in Jianning Commandery. He used a ruse to successfully break the Nanzhong rebels who had surrounded him^[2].
* Liu Zhang (advises_in): In the novel, Li Hui was once a subordinate of Liu Zhang and earnestly remonstrated with Liu Zhang not to admit Liu Bei into Shu, displaying his foresight, but his counsel was not adopted^[4]. In the histories it is recorded that he saw through Liu Zhang's doom and turned to join Liu Bei.
* Zhuge Liang (cooperates_with): In the pacification of Nanzhong, Li Hui formed a link of momentum with Zhuge Liang and together they put down the rebellion^[2]. In the novel, Zhuge Liang also dispatched Li Hui to carry out important missions, such as persuading Ma Chao and overseeing grain transport^[5].

Iconic Scenes

* Joining Liu Bei at Mianzhu: When Liu Bei turned back to attack Liu Zhang, Li Hui perceived the situation, went north to Mianzhu under the pretext of being a commandery envoy, and joined Liu Bei, winning his esteem. This reflects his keen political instinct and decisive action^[1].
* Persuading Ma Chao to Submit: On Liu Bei's order, Li Hui went to Hanzhong and successfully persuaded Ma Chao to submit. In the novel this scene is greatly dramatized: facing Ma Chao's axe-bearers, Li Hui, relying on his eloquent tongue, successfully moved Ma Chao, leading him to forsake darkness for light and become a fierce general in Liu Bei's camp^[6].
* Breaking the Enemy by Ruse at Kunming: During the pacification of Nanzhong, Li Hui was besieged by the rebels at Kunming, vastly outnumbered. He cleverly used a ruse, declaring that the government army's grain was exhausted and it wished to withdraw, luring the rebels into lowering their guard, then seized the chance to attack, greatly routing the enemy, successfully breaking the siege and pursuing the rebels—displaying his outstanding military strategy and adaptability^[2].
* Pacifying Nanzhong and Procuring Military Supplies: After Nanzhong was pacified, Li Hui was not only enfeoffed for his military merit, but when rebellion broke out again he went in person to suppress it and gathered great quantities of local supplies to replenish military provisions, ensuring Shu Han's financial support and reflecting his outstanding administrative and military ability^[3].
* Earnestly Remonstrating with Liu Zhang (unique to the novel): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Li Hui, as a subject of Liu Zhang, earnestly remonstrated with Liu Zhang not to admit Liu Bei, predicting that he would "welcome a tiger at the gate," displaying his foresight and loyalty, but his counsel was not adopted by Liu Zhang^[4].