Yin Li (Eastern Wu)
Yin Li (fl. 220s), courtesy name Desi, was an official of the state of Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Yin Li | |
|---|---|
殷禮 | |
| Administrator of Lingling (零陵太守) | |
| In office ? – ? | |
| Monarch | Sun Quan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown Danyang, Jiangsu |
| Died | Unknown |
| Children | Yin Ji |
| Occupation | Official |
| Courtesy name | Desi (德嗣) |
Life
Yin Li was from Yunyang Commandery (雲陽郡), which is in present-day Danyang, Jiangsu. He came from a humble family background. He was physically weak and not active, but was known for being highly perceptive. He was also well versed in divination. He was a friend of Gu Shao. He served as a minor officer in Yunyang Commandery when he was young. When he was 18, he became an Assistant (丞) in the county office of Wu County (present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu). When Sun Quan was ruling the territories in Jiangdong as the King of Wu from 222–229, he recruited Yin Li to serve as a langzhong (郎中). In the summer of 224, Yin Li accompanied Zhang Wen on a diplomatic mission to Wu's ally state, Shu Han,[1] where they met the Shu chancellor-regent Zhuge Liang, who was very impressed with Yin Li. After returning from Shu, Yin Li was supposed to assume the appointment of langzhong, but Zhang Wen arranged for him to work in the Imperial Secretariat instead.[2] Yin Li became the Administrator (太守) of Lingling Commandery (零陵郡; around present-day Yongzhou, Hunan) later in his career. He died in office.[3][4]
Family
Yin Li's son, Yin Ji (殷基), served as the Area Commander (督) of Wunan County (無難縣) and was known for being a talented writer. He wrote the Tongyu (通語). Yin Ji's son, Yin Ju (殷巨), whose courtesy name was Yuanda (元大), served as a Lieutenant-General (偏將軍) in Wu. He became the Administrator of Cangwu Commandery (蒼梧郡) later. Yin Ji's younger son, Yin You (殷祐), whose courtesy name was Qingyuan (慶元), served as the Administrator of Wu Commandery.[5]
References
- (三年夏，遣輔義中郎將張溫聘于蜀。) Sanguozhi vol. 47.
- (權幽之有司，下令曰：「 ... 又殷禮者，本占候召，而溫先後乞將到蜀，扇揚異國，為之譚論。又禮之還，當親本職，而令守尚書戶曹郎，如此署置，在溫而已。 ... 」) Sanguozhi vol. 57.
- (禮子基作通語曰：禮字德嗣，弱不好弄，潛識過人。少為郡吏，年十九，守吳縣丞。孫權為王，召除郎中。後與張溫俱使蜀，諸葛亮甚稱歎之。稍遷至零陵太守，卒官。) Tongyu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 52.
- (初，錢唐丁諝出於役伍，陽羨張秉生於庶民，烏程吳粲、雲陽殷禮起乎微賤，邵皆拔而友之，為立聲譽。 ... 諝至典軍中郎，秉雲陽太守，禮零陵太守， ...) Sanguozhi vol. 52.
- (文士傳曰：禮子基，無難督，以才學知名，著通語數十篇。有三子。巨字元大，有才器，初為吳偏將軍，統家部曲，城夏口，吳平後，為蒼梧太守。少子祐，字慶元，吳郡太守。) Tongyu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 52.
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).