Background

It is not known when Lu Wenjin was born, but it is known that he was from Fanyang. He was said to be tall and impressive in his appearance, and known for eating and drinking far more than ordinary men. In his youth, he came to serve under the warlord Liu Shouguang, who controlled the region and who would later declare himself the emperor of a state of Yan, as a general of the cavalry.

During Jin

In 913, when Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin attacked Yan, Lu Wenjin surrendered to Jin, and, because he surrendered early, was given the title of prefect of Shou Prefecture (壽州, in modern Lu'an, Anhui) — purely an honorary post as Jin did not then control that region. Li Cunxu assigned Lu to serve under his younger brother Li Cunju (李存矩) the military prefect of Xin Prefecture (新州, in modern Zhangjiakou, Hebei).

As of 917, by which time Li Cunxu had conquered Yan, he was locked into a lengthy campaign with Jin's archrival Later Liang. That year, he ordered Li Cunju to collect the talented soldiers of the region north of the Taihang Mountains and the deserters from the Yan army to deliver them to the Jin-Later Liang front; he also ordered a conscription of horses from the region, which alienated the people. Li Cunju gathered up 500 horses and cavalry soldiers, and decided to personally deliver them south to Li Cunxu, with Lu assisting him. The soldiers were fearful of the dangerous fighting ahead of them, but Li Cunju did not pay heed and did not comfort them. When they reached Qigo Pass (祁溝關, in modern Baoding, Hebei), the officer Gong Yanzhang (宮彥璋) persuaded the soldiers to mutiny, and they killed Li Cunju. They offered the command to Lu, who, after mourning Li Cunju and stating, "These slaves murdered the young master. How can I ever see the Prince again?" accepted. (However, it was also believed that Lu was complicit, as he had resented Li Cunju for forcing him to give his beautiful daughter to Li Cunju to be a concubine.) They returned to Xin Prefecture, but the defender of the city, Yang Quanzhang (楊全章), refused to let them. Lu then attacked Wu Prefecture (武州, in modern Zhangjiakou), but was repelled by the general Li Sigong (李嗣肱). When the major general Zhou Dewei the military governor (Jiedushi) of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered at Fanyang) also launched an army against Lu, Lu was forced to flee to the territory of Khitan Empire and submit to Khitan's Emperor Taizu.

In Khitan Empire

Soon thereafter, with Lu Wenjin as their guide, the Khitan army launched a major attack on Jin's northern borders, quickly capturing Xin Prefecture. Lu made his subordinate Liu Yin (劉殷) its prefect. When, under Li Cunxu's orders, Zhou Dewei then came to attack Xin with his own Lulong army, reinforced by armies of Jin's Hedong (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), as well as the armies of Jin's allies Zhao and Yiwu Circuit (義武, headquartered in modern Baoding), Zhou was defeated by a massive (300,000 men) Khitan army, and was forced to withdraw back to Lulong's capital You Prefecture (幽州, i.e., Fanyang), which, under advice from Lu, the Khitan army put him under siege. While a subsequent Jin army, commanded by the major generals Li Siyuan, Yan Bao (閻寶), and Li Cunshen, were able to lift the siege and force a Khitan retreat, the Lulong/Khitan boundary had been left vulnerable. Emperor Taizu thereafter gave Lu the title of military governor of Lulong as well, stationing him and his ethnic Han soldiers at Ping Prefecture (平州, in modern Qinhuangdao, Hebei). Each year, he would guide Khitan's ethnic Xi soldiers on incursions into Jin territory, as well as on the more major attacks on Jin. The food shipments to Lulong were often pillaged by the Khitan forces, leaving Lulong's prefectures in distress.

In 921, Zhao's prince Wang Rong was assassinated by his adoptive son Wang Deming, who took over the Zhao territories and reassumed his birth name of Zhang Wenli. While Li Cunxu initially tried to placate him by commissioning him as the acting military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, i.e., Zhao territory), Zhang became convinced that Li Cunxu would eventually attack him. He thus sought aid from both Later Liang (whose emperor, Zhu Zhen, declined) and Khitan, through Lu. When Li Cunxu thereafter did, as anticipated, announce a general campaign against Zhang, Emperor Taizu launched a major attack south. However, when Li Cunxu himself engaged the Khitan army in spring 922 and defeated them, Emperor Taizu, stating to Lu, "Heaven did not intend for me to come here," and withdrew. Later in the year, with the Khitan army repelled, Chengde's capital Zhen Prefecture (鎮州, in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), fell. Zhang's son Zhang Chujin (who had taken over after Zhang died shortly after the Jin campaign against him began) was executed, and Jin took over Chengde.

After this failed campaign, Lu and another Han officer who surrendered to Khitan, Wang Yu (王郁), returned to their routines of guiding Khitan soldiers in harassing Jin's northern borders, causing much worries for Li Cunxu in his resumed campaign against Later Liang. Despite this and other difficulties, however, he was able to capture Later Liang's capital Daliang in a surprise attack in 923. Zhu committed suicide as Daliang fell, ending Later Liang and allowing Li Cunxu to take over its territory as the emperor of a new Later Tang. In light of the Later Tang victory, Khitan did not relent in its pressure, and continued yearly raids against Later Tang, and further demanded that Li Cunxu cede Lulong so that it could be given to Lu; Li Cunxu refused. When Emperor Taizu later that year decided to try to conquer Khitan's eastern neighbor Balhae, he left Lu and the Xi chieftain Tunei (禿餒) on guard on the Later Tang borders to ward against a potential Later Tang attack, although he was unable to conquer Balhae at that time. (He was eventually able to in 926, and bestowed Balhae lands on his oldest son Yelü Bei.)

During Later Tang

In 926, Li Cunxu was killed in a mutiny at then-Later Tang capital Luoyang. Li Siyuan, who had earlier rebelled against him, quickly arrived at Luoyang and claimed the imperial title (as he was an adoptive brother of Li Cunxu's). Shortly after, he began to send secret emissaries to Lu Wenjin, trying to persuade him to defect back — pointing out that with a new Later Tang regime, the past hatred for Lu's killing of Li Cunju was gone. Lu's own soldiers, predominantly Han, wanted him to do so, and he thereafter killed the commander of the Khitan garrison (sent to assist him) and took his army (described to be about 100,000 men in strength with 8,000 wagons) to You Prefecture to submit to Later Tang. Li Siyuan made him the military governor of Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan) and gave him the honorary chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). About a year later, he was moved to Weisheng Circuit (威勝, headquartered in modern Nanyang, Henan), and later recalled to the imperial government to serve as a general of the imperial guards. Yet later in Li Siyuan's reign (during the Changxing era (930-933)), he was made the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi). Later, during the Qingtai era of Li Siyuan's adoptive son and successor Li Congke (934-936), he served as the military governor of Anyuan Circuit (安遠, headquartered in modern Xiaogan, Hebei).

During Wu/Southern Tang

In 936, Li Congke's brother-in-law (Li Siyuan's son-in-law) Shi Jingtang, then the military governor of Hedong, rebelled against Li Congke and, with aid from Khitan's Emperor Taizong (Emperor Taizu's son and successor), defeated the Later Tang army sent against him. Li Congke committed suicide with his family, and Shi established Later Jin to replace it. Lu Wenjin, hearing of the news, became fearful, as he had himself rebelled against Khitan, and therefore decided to abandon his post and flee to Wu. As he passed through each garrison, he entered and informed its commander the reasons for his flight; those commanders, respecting his decision, bowed to him and allowed him to proceed to Wu.

Upon Lu's arrival at the Wu court, the Wu regent Xu Zhigao greatly honored him, and Wu's emperor Yang Pu made him the military governor of Ningguo Circuit (寧國, headquartered in modern Xuancheng, Anhui). He later served as the military governor of Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu). Yet later — by which point Xu had seized the Wu throne, established Southern Tang, and changed his name to Li Bian — Lu was recalled to the Southern Tang court to serve as a general of the imperial guards; he was also given the honorary chancellor title of Zhongshu Ling (中書令) and created the Prince of Fanyang. It was said that Lu, during this time, was respectful to others and welcomed guests, but only talked about civilian matters, not military matters. For reasons unknown, he developed a rivalry with the official Feng Yanji. After his death in 944, by which time Li Bian's son Li Jing was emperor, Feng made false accusations against Lu and wanted to confiscate not only his property, but his household as well. His assistant Gao Yue (高越), who was also his son-in-law, submitted a petition rebutting Feng's charges. While Gao was subsequently exiled as a result, Feng's accusations against Lu also stopped, causing his household to be spared.

Notes and references

• History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 97.

• New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 48.

• Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms, vol. 24.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 275, 276, 280, 281.

晉國年間

盧文進年輕時，為軍閥盧龍節度使劉守光騎將。劉守光後據盧龍軍稱燕帝。應天二年（912年），晉王李存勖攻燕，時任納降軍使的盧文進降晉，因其早降，得拜蔚州（一作遙授不在晉國管下的壽州）刺史，並被任為李存勖弟新州刺史李存矩手下裨將。

李存勖滅燕後，天祐十四年（917年）二月時，他正陷入與大敵後梁的長期戰事中，命時任威塞軍防禦使李存矩募太行山以北部落驍勇者及燕國逃亡士卒送到晉梁前線，又下令徵集馬匹，百姓生怨。李存矩聚集了五百騎，親自南運，以盧文進為偏裨將隨行。士兵們害怕遠行打仗，李存矩卻不體恤。他們到祁溝關時，小校宮彥璋說服士兵兵變，殺死李存矩。他們擁盧文進為首，盧文進拊膺哀哭：「奴輩已經殺害郎君，使我有何面目再見晉王！」並接受擁戴。但鑑於李存矩強奪盧文進年輕貌美的女兒為側室，盧文進也被《契丹國志》等史書認為參與謀劃此次兵變。他們返回新州，但被守將楊全章拒入。盧文進轉攻武州，又被北都知防禦兵馬使李嗣肱擊敗。當大將盧龍軍節度使周德威也率軍伐盧文進時，盧文進被迫逃到遼國境內，投降契丹太祖皇帝。

效力契丹

三月，契丹軍以盧文進為嚮導，大舉進攻晉國北境，很快攻陷新州。盧文進任部將劉殷為新州刺史。周德威奉李存勖命率本部盧龍軍合河東軍及晉國盟友趙國、義武軍士兵攻新州，卻被契丹三十萬大軍所敗，被迫撤回盧龍軍部幽州（即范陽）。契丹軍乘勝進圍幽州，盧文進招誘幽州亡命之人，教契丹軍用飛梯、衝車、地道、土山攻城，周德威亦採取相應策略防禦。四月，晉大將李嗣源、閻寶奉命赴援，契丹戰敗，隨軍的牛羊也已吃了一半，太祖後悔出兵，責讓盧文進。六月，契丹太祖因天熱班師，命耶律曷魯、盧文進留守，八月，李嗣源、閻寶及李存審援軍到，耶律曷魯、盧文進等因軍少無援也撤退，幽州圍解，但此後盧龍與契丹的邊境仍然易受攻擊。盧文進娶契丹公主，契丹太祖任盧文進為平州刺史、盧龍留後，再任為節度使，讓他和部下漢族士兵屯平州。每年他都帶領奚族騎兵入侵晉國，對晉國的大舉進攻也更多。運往盧龍的糧食常被契丹軍掠奪，盧龍軍下轄諸州因而殘破。契丹俘獲數州士人和女子，並因而學會紡織，契丹人強盛，都是得到盧文進的緣故。

神冊六年（921年），趙王王鎔被養子王德明所殺，王德明接管趙地，改回本名張文禮。李存勖起初意圖安撫，任他為成德軍（即趙國轄地）留後，但張文禮相信李存勖最終會攻打自己，于是求援于後梁，並通過盧文進求援于契丹。後梁皇帝朱瑱拒絕，而契丹太祖則應允。李存勖討伐張文禮時，契丹太祖發起大舉南攻。但當次年（922年）正月李存勖親自迎戰契丹並擊敗之後，太祖對盧文進說：「老天不想讓我到此啊。」遂退。契丹軍被擊退後，又于四月攻克薊州，以盧文進和耶律涅魯古典軍民事。雖然契丹出兵相助，但九月成德軍軍部鎮州仍然淪陷。張文禮在遭晉討伐後不久即病死，子張處瑾繼。張處瑾伏誅，晉國兼併成德軍。

此戰失利後，盧文進和同樣投降契丹的漢族軍官王鬱回到以往帶領契丹士兵騷擾晉國北境的路子，使李存勖在討伐後梁時有後顧之憂。但李存勖仍克服種種困難，在天祐二十年（923年）三月建立後唐稱帝，雖然九月王鬱與盧文進召契丹南侵瀛、涿，李存勖仍在十月突襲攻破後梁都城大梁，朱瑱自殺，梁亡，李存勖接管後梁領地。契丹沒有因後唐取勝而有所收斂，繼續每年襲擾後唐，次年七月更要求李存勖割讓盧龍軍給盧文進，李存勖拒絕。契丹太祖決定征服東面鄰國渤海，留盧文進和將領禿餒（又作托諾）屯後唐邊境的營、平等州以防後唐攻擊。天贊五年（926年），太祖滅渤海，以渤海地封長子耶律倍。後唐同光年間，盧文進和契丹對後唐燕、薊的侵擾尤其深重，前後禍亂晉國、後唐十餘年。

後唐年間

同光四年（926年）四月，李存勖在後唐都城洛陽死于兵變。先前反叛他的李嗣源很快來到洛陽，以李存勖養兄身份稱帝，又派使者對盧文進指出政權更替、不計前嫌，說服盧文進複歸。盧文進所部都是漢族人，都想回歸中原，于是十月，已為契丹檢校太尉的盧文進殺死幫助自己戍守平州的契丹人，率所部十五萬、車帳八千乘奔幽州，歸唐。百官稱賀。充北面招討房知溫因此功加特進、同平章事。盧文進所率投降家畜人口首尾約七十里，到幽州後遣軍吏上表。十一月，准詔盧文進所率戶口免租稅三年，每口給糧五斗。十二月，盧文進及將吏四百人入見，獲賜鞍馬、玉帶、衣被、器玩、錢帛各有差，盧文進受任為特進、檢校太尉、同中書門下平章事、使持節滑州諸軍事、守滑州刺史、充義成軍節度滑濮管內觀察處置等使，封范陽郡開國侯，食邑一千三百戶，兼賜推忠翊聖保義功臣。天成三年（928年）二月，遷威勝軍節度使，罷官，長興元年（930年）八月，又入為左衛上將軍。四年（933年）三月，出為昭義軍節度使，擒拿奸人，體察民隱，很被時人稱譽。期間具禮幣招納燕趙名士進士高越為賓客。罷官，李嗣源養子李從珂清泰元年（934年）九月，他又任安遠軍節度使，高越相從，為掌書記。盧文進次女才貌雙全，能作文，時人號女學士，高越愛慕，謁見盧文進，盧文進把她嫁給高越。

吳國、南唐年間

清泰三年（936年），李嗣源婿河東節度使石敬瑭叛亂，在契丹太宗皇帝幫助下擊敗後唐派去討伐他的軍隊。李從珂全家自殺，石敬瑭建立後晉取代後唐。盧文進因背叛契丹，聞訊害怕，身為燕人又不肯屈身事晉，十二月決定棄官逃到吳國。他殺死部下行軍司馬馮知非（《五代史》作馮知兆，馬令《南唐書》作姚知兆，《十國春秋》從陸游《南唐書》）、副使杜重貴，率高越等數騎出奔，每行經戍軍之所，都召戍守主將禆將李藏機等，告知逃跑的原因，主將們都拜泣退下，許他奔吳。

吳攝政齊王徐知誥遣祖全恩率兵二千在安陸迎盧文進，很尊敬他，天祚三年（937年）二月，吳帝楊溥任他為天雄統軍、寧國軍節度使，兼侍中。後又以天威統軍出任鎮海軍節度使。委任賓佐，政績很好。一次潤州集市大火，盧文進使馬步軍救火，火更大了，盧文進怒，親自出府門斬馬步使，火隨聲而滅。人們都以為異事。十月，徐知誥篡吳，建立南唐，改名李昪。昇元七年（943年）召回盧文進為左武衛上將軍、兼中書令、范陽郡王，奉朝請，仍食節度使俸祿。盧文進尊敬他人，禮待文士，只談朝廷儀制、台閣故事，不談軍事。他和官員馮延巳不合，因出身高貴而不相讓對方。李璟保大二年（944年）三月，盧文進去世，馮延巳誣告盧文進，想沒收盧文進的財產和田宅，盧文進諸子被下獄。時任浙西營田判官的高越上表反駁馮延巳指控。結果高越被貶，但馮延巳的彈劾也被擱置，盧家得以保全。

軼聞

盧文進攻打新州不克，趁夜撤離，墜入壕溝，一躍而出，第二天再看，是數丈懸崖包圍的深不可測的黑龍潭。還有一次有大蛇來到盧文進座位間，蛇頭夠到盧文進的膝蓋，盧文進取食物給它，蛇便離去。盧文進因此自負。盧文進後來在金陵也曾對客人說以前在契丹時，曾在郊外打獵，遇到白天暗得像黑夜一樣，星星璀璨，大驚，偶遇一個當地人，問之，說：「這就是所謂『笪日』（契丹人指代日食），何足為異？一會兒就恢復了。」良久，果然如此，當時只到中午。又曾至無定河，見人脛骨大如柱，長七尺，都是異事。

評價

• 《十國春秋》論曰：李金全、盧文進，故北方之虎臣，負釁來歸，咸稱名將，乃援師不進，全軍而還。倘兵法所云「知彼知已」非與！至文進奏績宣潤，折節禮賢，抑亦可謂善保功名者矣。

注釋及參考文獻