Participation in his fathers and uncles campaigns

Li Xiong, Li Te's third son, by his wife Lady Luo, was first mentioned in history as having been commissioned by his father as a general in winter 301, after his father had defeated a surprise attack by Xin Ran (辛冉), the chief aide to the Jin governor of Yi Province (modern Sichuan and Chongqing) Luo Shang and had been urged by the Qin Province (秦州, modern eastern Gansu) refugees that he led to assume imperial powers. However, he did not come to the forefront of the action until spring 303 when Li Te, after a major victory over Luo, carelessly believed Luo's request for a truce (against the advice of Li Xiong himself and of Li Te's brother and Li Xiong's uncle Li Liu). Luo subsequently made a surprise attack and killed Li Te. The remnants of Li Te's army made Li Liu their leader and were able to fight back, but when Li Xiong's older brother Li Dang (李蕩) then died in battle, Li Liu became convinced that he should surrender to Jin authorities, against the advice of Li Xiong and another of Li Xiong's uncle, Li Xiang (李驤). Li Xiong then, without Li Liu's knowledge, made a surprise attack against Jin forces, forcing them to withdraw. From that point on, Li Liu trusted and followed Li Xiong's judgment. In winter 303, Li Liu grew ill and, before his death, appointed Li Xiong his successor.

Reign

In early 304, Li Xiong captured Chengdu, the capital of Yi Province, forcing Luo Shang to flee. He then offered the throne to the hermit Fan Changsheng, who was respected by the refugees as a god-like figure and who had supplied his army with food. Fan refused, and the generals then requested that Li declare himself emperor. In winter 304, Li declared himself the Prince of Chengdu, effectively declaring independence from Jin. He made Fan and elders of the Li clan his senior advisors. In 306, he declared himself emperor and named his empire "Cheng" (成). He also honored his mother Lady Luo as empress dowager and posthumously honored his father as an emperor. For the next few years, he gradually pacified and stabilized his borders, occupying all of Yi Province—but then generally stopped, not expanding any further. In particular, oddly enough, he made no serious attempts to capture Jin's Ning Province (寧州, modern Yunnan and Guizhou), to his southwest. (Very late in his reign, in 333, his cousin Li Shou was able to capture Ning Province.) He appeared to, by his actions and inactions, seek to rest his people and stabilize his regime. One area of contention that he did have with Jin was over Liang Province (梁州, modern southern Shaanxi, not to be confused with the more important 涼州 (modern central and western Gansu)), which during his reigns reverted several times between Jin and Cheng Han rule.

Historians generally viewed Li Xiong's reign of Cheng Han as one characterized by leniency and lack of interference with the people's livelihoods. As Li's empire was generally peaceful during his reign while other places were ravaged by warfare, his empire received large numbers of refugees who settled down and added to the richness of the realm. He was also not wasteful. However, he was also criticized for having lack of order in his government. His officials were not given salaries, and therefore, when they needed supplies, they directly requisitioned the supplies from the people which, while in Li Xiong's reign did not appear to create massive corruption, appeared to do so in his successors' reigns.

Late in Li Xiong's reign, Zhang Jun, the leader of Former Liang, a Jin vassal state, made repeated overtures to him to ask him to remove his imperial title and become a Jin vassal. Li Xiong did not do so, but continuously stated to Zhang that he would be willing to do so if Jin were able to be more revived. He also maintained friendly relations with Zhang, and Cheng Han and Former Liang thereafter maintained a trade relationship. Li Xiong also, with some reluctance, allowed Jin and Former Liang messengers to pass through his territory to communicate with each other.

Succession issues and death

In 315, Li Xiong created his wife Lady Ren empress. She was sonless, although Li Xiong had more than 10 sons by concubines. Li Xiong, however, resolved in 324 to create his nephew Li Ban, the son of Li Dang, who had been raised by Empress Ren, crown prince, reasoning that the empire's foundation was actually built by Li Te and Li Dang, and that it would be proper for him to pass the throne to Li Dang's son. He also valued Li Ban highly for his kindness and studiousness. Li Xiang and Wang Da (王達), foreseeing that this action would bring succession issues, objected, but were overruled by Li Xiong.

In 334, Li Xiong grew ill from an infected head wound, which then spread to other wounds that he had suffered over the years over his body. His body was said to be causing such a great stench that his sons avoided him, but Li Ban cared for him day and night. He died in summer 334 and was succeeded by Li Ban. However, as Li Xiang had predicted, Li Xiong's sons were unhappy they were passed over, and later in the year, his son Li Yue (李越) assassinated Li Ban and made another son of his, Li Qi, emperor. Under Li Qi's rule, Cheng Han began to decline.

Era names

• Jianxing (建興, jiàn xīng) 304–306

• Yanping (晏平, yàn píng) 306–311

• Yuheng (玉衡, yù héng) 311–334

Personal information

• Father

　• Li Te (third son of)

• Mother

　• Empress Dowager Luo

• Wife

　• Empress Ren (created 315)

• Major Concubines

　• Consort Ran, mother of Prince Qi

• Children (Li Xiong was said to have more than 10 sons, but most were not mentioned in historical records)

　• Li Yue (李越), the Prince of Jianning (created 334, executed)

　• Li Ba (李霸), died (likely poisoned) during Li Qi's reign

　• Li Qi (李期), later emperor

　• Li Bao (李保), died (likely poisoned) during Li Qi's reign

生平

早年

李雄身高八尺三寸，容貌俊美。少年時以剛烈氣概聞名，常常在鄉里間周旋，有見識的人士都很器重他。有個叫劉化的人，是道家術士，常對人說：「關、隴一帶的士人都將往南去，李家兒子中只有仲俊有非凡的儀表，終歸會成為人主的。 」

攻入成都

李特在蜀地率流民起義，承皇帝旨意，任命李雄為前將軍。西晉太安二年（303年），李特被益州刺史羅尚擊殺，李雄的哥哥李蕩追殺晉軍時陣亡，李特的繼任者李流旋亦病故，李雄自稱大都督、大將軍、益州牧，住在郫城。羅尚派部將攻打李雄，李雄將其擊跑。叔父李驤攻打犍為，切斷羅尚運糧路錢，羅尚的軍隊非常缺糧，攻打得又很急，於是留下牙門羅特固守，羅尚棄城在夜晚逃走。羅特打開城門迎李雄進城，接著攻克成都。在當時李雄的軍隊非常飢餓，於是就率部眾到郪地去就食，挖掘野芋頭來吃。蜀人流亡逃散，往東下到江陽，往南進入七郡。李雄因為西山的范長生居住在山崖洞穴裡，求道養志，想要迎他來立為君而自己做他的臣子。范長生執意推辭。李雄於是盡量避讓，不敢稱制，無論大小事情，都由李國、李離兄弟決斷。李國等人事奉李雄更加恭謹。

建立大成

永興元年（304年），將領們執意請李雄即尊位，於是李雄自稱成都王，赦免境內罪犯，建年號建興，廢除晉朝法律，約法七章。任命叔父李驤為太傅，兄長李始為太保，折衝將軍李離為太尉，建威將軍李雲為司徒，翊軍將軍李璜為司空，材官李國為太宰，其餘的人委任各自不同。追尊他的曾祖父李虎（即李武）為巴郡桓公，祖父李慕為隴西襄王，父親李特為成都景王，母親羅氏為王太后。范長生從西山乘坐素車來到成都，李雄在門前迎接，執版讓坐，拜為丞相，尊稱為範賢。建興三年（306年），范長生勸李雄稱帝，李雄於是即皇帝位，赦免境內罪犯，改年號為晏平，國號大成，史稱成漢。追尊父親李特為景皇帝，廟號始祖，母親羅氏為太后。加授范長生為天地太師，封為西山侯，允許他的部下不參與軍事征伐，租稅全部歸入​​他的家裡。李雄當時建國初始，本來沒有法紀禮儀，將軍們仗著恩情，各自爭奪班次位置。他的尚書令閻式上疏說：「凡是治理國家製定法紀，總是以遵循舊制度為好。漢、晉舊例，只有太尉、大司馬執掌兵權，太傅、太保是父兄一樣的官，講論道義的職位，司徒、司空掌管五教九土的事情。秦代設置丞相，統掌各類政務。漢武末期，破例讓大將軍統掌政務。如今國家的基業剛剛建立，百事還沒有周全，諸公大將們的班列位次有不同，隨之競相請求設置官職，和典章舊制不相符合，應該建立制度來作為楷模法式。」李雄聽從了他的建議。

開疆擴土

晏平二年（307年），李雄派李離、李國、李雲等率領二萬徒眾攻入漢中，梁州刺史張殷逃奔到長安。李國等人攻陷南鄭，將漢中人全部遷到蜀地。晏平四年（309年），當時李離駐鎮梓潼，他的部將訇琦、羅羕、張金苟等殺了李離和閻式，以梓潼歸降晉益州刺史羅尚。羅尚派他的部將向奮屯兵在安漢的宜福來威逼李雄，李雄率兵攻打向奮，但是不能克敵。晏平五年（310年），鎮守巴西的李國也被他帳下的文碩殺死，並以巴西投降羅尚。面對如此情況，李雄於是率眾退回，但派他的部將張寶以殺了人逃亡的名義進入了梓潼，並取得訇琦等人的信任。不久，張寶趁訇琦等人出迎羅尚使者的機會關了城門，成功重奪梓潼。正逢羅尚去世，巴郡混亂，李驤攻打涪城。玉衡元年（311年）正月，李驤攻陷涪城，擒獲梓潼太守譙登，接著乘勝進軍討伐文碩，將文碩殺死。李雄很高興，赦免境內罪犯，改年號為玉衡。

玉衡四年（314年），成漢南得漢嘉、涪陵二城，遠方的人相繼歸附，李雄於是下了有關寬大的命令，對投降依附的人都寬免他們的徭役賦稅。虛心而愛惜人才，授職任用都符合接受者的才能，益州於是安定下來。玉衡五年（315年），李雄立其妻任氏為皇后。當時氐王楊難敵兄弟被前趙劉曜打敗，逃奔葭萌，派兒子來成漢作人質。隴西賊人的統帥陳安又依附了李雄。

王衡九年（319年），李雄派李驤征伐越巂郡，於次年逼降越巂太守李釗。李驤進兵從小會攻打寧州刺史王遜，王遜讓他的部將姚岳率全部兵眾迎戰。李驤的軍隊失利，又遇上連日大雨，李驤領軍隊撤回，爭著渡過瀘水，士卒死了很多。李釗到了成都，李雄對待他非常優厚，朝廷的儀式，喪期的禮節，都由李釗決定。

楊難敵、楊堅頭兄弟因敗予前趙而逃奔葭萌時，李雄的侄兒安北將軍李稚優厚地撫慰他們，沒有送其到成都，反待前趙退兵時放他們兄弟回武都，楊難敵於是仗著天險幹了很多不守法紀的事，李稚請求討伐他。李雄不聽群臣諫言，派李稚的長兄中領軍李琀和將軍樂次、費他、李乾等從白水橋進攻下辯，征東將軍李壽督統李琀的弟弟李玝攻打陰平。楊難敵派軍隊抵禦他們，李壽不能推進，可是李琀、李稚長驅直入到達武街。楊難敵派兵切斷他們的後路，四面圍攻，俘虜李琀、李稚，死了數千人。李琀和李稚都是李雄的兄長李蕩的兒子。李雄深深痛悼他們，幾天不吃飯，說起來就流淚，深深地責備自己。

擁立太子

玉衡十四年（324年），李雄打算立兄李蕩之子李班為太子。李雄有十多個兒子，群臣都想立李雄親生的。李雄說：「當初起兵，好比常人舉手保護腦袋一樣，本來不希求帝王的基業。適逢天下喪亂，西晉皇室流離，群情舉兵起義，志在拯救塗炭的生靈，而各位於是推舉我，處在王公的地位之上。這一份基業的建立，功勞本來是先帝的。我兄長是嫡親血統，大柞應歸他繼承，恢弘懿美明智聰睿，就像是上天賦予了他這一使命，大事垂成，死於戰場。李班姿質性情仁厚孝順，好學素有所成，必定會成為大器。」李驤和司徒王達諫阻說：「先王樹立太子的原因，是用來防止篡位奪權的萌芽產生，不能不慎重。吳子捨棄他的兒子而立他的弟弟，所以會有專諸行刺的大禍；宋宣公不立與夷而立宋穆公，終於導致宋督的事變。說到像兒子的話，哪裡比得上真兒子呢？懇請陛下深思。」李雄不聽從，終於立了李班。李驤退下後流著淚說：「禍亂從此開始了！」

前涼借道

前涼文王張駿派遣使者給李雄一封信，勸他去掉皇帝尊號，向晉朝稱藩做屬臣。李雄回信說： 「我以前被士大夫們推舉，卻原本無心做帝王，進一步說想成為晉室有大功的臣子，退一步說想和你一樣同為守禦邊藩的將領，掃除亂氛塵埃，以使皇帝的天下安康太平。可是晉室衰微頹敗，恩德聲譽都沒有，我引領東望，有些年月了。正好收到你的來信，在暗室獨處時體會你的真情，感慨無限。知道你想要按照古時候楚漢的舊事，尊奉楚義帝，《春秋》的大義，在這方面沒有人比得上你。」張駿很重視他的話，不斷派使者來往。巴郡曾告急，說有東面來的軍隊。李雄說：「我曾憂慮石勒飛揚跋扈，侵犯威逼琅邪，為這點耿耿於懷。沒想到竟然能夠舉兵，使人感到欣然。」李雄平時清談，有很多類似這樣的話。

但李雄因為中原地區喪亡禍亂，就頻繁派遣使者與北方的代王拓跋猗盧往來，更和他約定分割天下。張駿又曾派傅穎向成漢借道，以便向建康的晉廷報送表章，遭李雄拒絕。張駿遂派治中從事張淳向成漢自稱藩屬，以此來借道。李雄很高興，對張淳說：「貴主英名蓋世，地形險要兵馬強盛，為什麼不自己在一方稱帝？」張淳說：「寡君因為先祖世代是忠良，沒能夠為天下雪恥，解眾人於倒懸，因而日頭偏西還想不起吃飯，枕戈待旦。想憑藉琅邪來中興江東，所以遠隔萬里仍然翼戴朝廷，打算成就齊桓公、晉文公一樣的事業，說什麼自取天下呢！」李雄表情慚愧，說：「我的先祖先父也是晉朝臣民，從前和六郡人避難到此，被同盟的人推舉，才有今天。琅邪如果能在中原使大晉中興，我也會率眾人助他一臂之力。」張淳回去後，向建康報送了表章，獲得晉帝讚揚。

盡得南中

當時李驤去世，李雄任命李驤的兒子李壽為大將軍、西夷校尉。玉衡二十年（330年）十月，李壽督率征南將軍費黑、征東將軍任巳攻陷巴東，太守楊謙退守建平。李壽另派費黑侵擾建平，東晉巴東監軍毌丘奧退守宜都。

玉衡二十一年（331年）七月，李壽進攻陰平、武都，氐王楊難敵投降。。玉衡二十三年（333年），李雄再派李壽進攻朱提，任命費黑、仰攀為先鋒，又派鎮南將軍任回征伐木落，分散寧州的援兵。寧州刺史尹奉投降，於是佔有南中地區。李雄在這種情況下赦免境內罪犯，派李班討伐平定寧州的夷人，任命李班為撫軍。

逝世

玉衡二十四年（334年），李雄頭上生毒瘡。六月二十五日，李雄去世，時年六十一歲，在位三十一年。諡號武皇帝，廟號太宗。葬於安都陵。

軼事

兄死弟貴

李雄的母親羅氏，夢見兩道彩虹從門口升向天空，其中一道虹中間斷開，而後生下李蕩。後來羅氏因為去打水，忽然間像是睡著了，又夢見大蛇繞在她的身上，於是有了身孕，十四個月之後才生下李雄。羅氏常常說：「我的兩個兒子如果有先死的，活著的必定有大富貴。」最終李盪死在李雄前面。

任回勸諫

李雄的母親羅氏去世時，李雄相信巫師的話，有很多忌諱，以至於想不入葬。他的司空趙肅諫阻他，李雄才聽從了。李雄想行三年守喪之禮，群臣執意諫阻，李雄不聽。李驤對司空上官惇說：「如今正有急難還沒有消解，我想堅持諫阻，不讓主上最終守居喪之禮，你認為怎麼樣？」上官惇說：「三年的喪制，從天子直到庶人，所以孔子說：'不一定是高宗，古時候的人都是這樣。'但是漢魏以後，天下多難，宗廟是最重要的，不能長時間無人管理，所以不行衰絰一類的禮，盡哀就罷了。」李驤說：「任回將要到來，這個人在處事方面很有決斷，而且主上常常很難不聽他的話，等他到了，就和他一起去請求。」任回抵達後，李驤和任回一同去見李雄。李驤脫去冠流著淚，一再請求因公除去喪服。李雄大哭不答應。任回跪著上前說：「如今王業剛剛開始建立，各種事情都在草創階段，一天沒有主上，天下人心惶惶。從前周武王披著素甲檢閱軍隊，晉襄公繫著墨絰出征，難道是他們希望做的嗎？是為了天下人而委屈自己的原故呀！希望陛下割捨親情順從權宜的方法，以使國運永遠興隆。」於是強行扶李雄起來，脫去喪服親理政事。

家庭

妻妾

• 任皇后

• 冉氏，生李期

子女

• 李越，協助弟李期殺害成哀帝李班。

• 李霸，李期年間卒，疑為被毒殺。

• 李期，殺害成哀帝李班，並自立為帝。

• 李保，李期年間卒，疑為被毒殺。

李雄共有庶子十五人，其餘後來都被李壽所殺。