Jian Shi (sometimes written as Jian Shuo), was a leader of a eunuch faction of the Han Imperial court. He was good in planning for war and was promoted to First Colonel of Emperer Ling's private army. This meant he was a superior to the General-in-Chief; He Jin, who he held a grudge against. He was not a member of Zhang Rang's Regular Attendants, but rather acted on his own.
Biography[]
Jian Shi was a strong, active, warlike person and good at planning for war, in 188 A.D. he was made the First Colonel of Emperer Ling's new private army, Ling putting Jian Shi as it's leader and as superior to He Jin. A serious insult and demotion for the General-in-Chief, Jian Shi began to enter the political game. He sent away He Xun, who was plotting against the eunuchs with Yuan Shao and, in a bid to destroy his hated rival He Jin, got the eunuchs to memorialize that He Jin should lead an army against Han Sui in 189 A.D. Ling agreed but He Jin heard of the plot and memorialized that Yuan Shao should gather troops in the Xu and Yan Provinces. Yuan Shao was thus a considerable distance from the capital so when He Jin formally received the orders, he still had to wait for Yuan Shao to return before he could go west.
As Ling lay dying, He Jin still in capital, the Emperer entrusted Liu Xie to the care of Jian Shi. On Ling's death, Shuo summoned He Jin in an effort to kill the General and put Liu Xie on the throne but Shuo's subordinate, Major Pan Yin was an old friend of the intended victim and warned He Jin who raced back home, refusing to even come for Emperor Ling's funeral. Liu Bian became Emperer and He Jin was understandably angry, plotting Jian Shi's death, the eunuch was now suspicious and uneasy as He Jin began gathering support. Jian Shi wrote to the eunuchs seeking their support but they refused, Guo Sheng handed the letter to He Jin, who promptly had Jian Shuo executed. Never enoffed.
Notes[]
Fact vs. Fiction[]
- Historically, Jian Shi was executed by He Jin. He was not murdered by Guo Sheng.