Duan Pidi

Duan Pidi (died 321) was a Duan-Xianbei chieftain during the Jin dynasty (266–420) and Sixteen Kingdoms period. Although his family members aligned themselves with the Han Zhao general Shi Le, Pidi went his own way to become a Jin vassal in 314. He collaborated with the other Jin vassals, Liu Kun and Shao Xu, and was considered the most powerful of them all during the second half of the 310s. However, after betraying Liu Kun, his power dwindled, and in 319, he was living under Shao Xu's domain. In 321, he was handed over to Shi Le (who by then was King of Later Zhao), and despite his initial showing of respect for the captured Duan, Shi had him executed for insolence some time later. His name can be rendered as Duan Pixi. 
Early life and career.
Duan Pidi was a member of the Xianbei Duan clan of Liaoxi. His father, Duan Wuwuchen was the head of the clan between 303 and 311. At the start of the 4th century, the Duan clan became an ally to the Youzhou warlord, Wang Jun and helped him defeat the Prince of Chengdu, Sima Ying during the War of the Eight Princes. They continued to aid him afterwards in his wars against Han Zhao and his rival, Liu Kun. Wuwuchen died either in 310 or 311 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Duan Jilujuan.
In 312, the Han Zhao city of Yuanxiang (苑鄕, in present-day Hebei and Beijing) offered their surrender to Wang Jun. In retaliation, the Han general Shi Le set to recapture the city. Wang Jun diverted Shi Le's attention by striking at his base in Xiangguo, sending his Protector Wang Chang (王昌) and Duan Jilujuan. During the campaign, Jilujuan brought along Pidi, their brother Duan Wenyang (段文鴦) and their cousin Duan Mopei. During the battle of Xiangguo, Mopei was captured by Shi Le, but was shown courtesy during his capture. Jilujuan was impressed by Shi Le's conduct and decided to associate his family with him. This resulted in the Duan clan turning on Wang Jun later that year, causing Wang's power to steadily decline.
Wang Jun was eventually captured and executed by Shi Le in 314. After Wang's defeat, Shi Le appointed a man named Liu Han (劉翰) to be his acting Inspector of Youzhou based in Jicheng. However, Liu Han had no interest serving him, so he fled to Duan Pidi, who he offered control over Jicheng. Pidi accepted, occupied the city and submitted himself to Sima Rui, the paramount leader of Jin in the south. For this, Sima Rui made Pidi Jin's new Inspector of Youzhou. Pidi also urged Shi Le's Administrator of Leling, Shao Xu to submit to the Jin prince as well. Shao Xu did so and Shi Le immediately responded by sending his army to besiege him. However, Pidi sent Duan Wenyang to reinforce Shao Xu, so Shi Le called off his attack.
As Inspector of Youzhou.
Alliance with Liu Kun.
In 316, Shi Le sent his nephew Shi Hu to attack the Administrator of Wei Commandery, Liu Yan (劉演). Pidi sent Wenyang to rescue Liu, and while the commandery fell to Shi Hu, Liu was safely escorted by Wenyang's army. Later that year, the Inspector of Bingzhou, Liu Kun lost his province to Shi Le. Liu Kun was left with nowhere to go, so Pidi sent a letter to invite him over to his base. Liu Kun took what was left of his army to meet with Pidi and the two men quickly befriended each other. Forming a brotherly bond, Pidi and Liu Kun arranged their relatives to marry one another to further cement their friendship.
The next year, Pidi and Liu Kun took their friendship a step further and swore an oath of alliance by smearing their lips with blood. Afterwards, they sent respective envoys to deliver a joint petition urging Sima Rui to claim the imperial title in Jiankang. Liu Kun chose his nephew Wen Jiao to deliver the petition while Pidi chose his Chief Clerk of the Left, Rong Shao (榮卲). After their envoys reached the southern capital, Pidi proclaimed Liu Kun as Grand Commander. He also later tried to get Duan Jilujuan into joining forces with him in a campaign against Shi Le from Gu'an. However, Duan Mopei advised Jilujuan against agreeing with Pidi, as it was improper for the eldest brother to take orders from the younger ones. Jilujuan did not respond, and Pidi had to cancel the campaign.
Arrest and execution of Liu Kun.
Jilujuan passed away in early 318 and was succeeded by his uncle, Duan Shefuchen, as Jilujuan's heir was a mere child. Pidi left Jicheng to attend his funeral but without his knowledge, Duan Mopei manipulated Shefuchen into believing that Pidi was about to usurp his power. At Zuobeiping, Shefuchen attacked Pidi, leaving himself defenseless from behind. Mopei betrayed Shefuchen by assassinating him and declaring himself the new Chanyu. Mopei then took command of the assault and routed Pidi. During the encounter, Mopei capturing Liu Kun's son Liu Qun (劉群), who was escorting Pidi to the funeral.
Mopei treated Liu Qun well and was even considering to support Liu Kun into becoming the new Inspector of Youzhou. He had Liu Qun write a letter to his father asking him to work as an agent within Pidi's camp but his messenger was caught by Pidi's scouts en route. Although Liu Kun knew nothing of the letter, Pidi decided to confront and inform him of the incident. Pidi harboured no suspicion towards him and Liu himself assured him that he had no intentions of betrayal. Pidi let him off at first when his younger brother, Duan Shujun (段叔軍), told him, "We are tribesmen, after all, and anyone who can retain the loyalty of the Jin people (ethnic Han) will fear our own forces. Now there is this strife within our family, splitting apart the flesh and the bones, and Liu Kun must have planned for this day all along. If you allow Liu Kun to rise, it will mean the end of all our clan."
Pidi quickly retracted his decision and had Liu Kun arrested. Liu Kun's son, Liu Zun (劉遵), upon hearing his father's arrest, mounted a defense in his camp but was defeated by Pidi. Two of Liu Kun's generals, Pilü Song (辟閭嵩) and Han Ju (韓據), also planned to retaliate but Pidi had the conspirators executed after their plot leaked. On the 22nd of June, Pidi claimed that he had received an imperial edict to arrest Liu Kun and subsequently executed him along with his four sons and nephews via strangulation.
Sima Rui took no action against Pidi despite his killing a popular figure at the time, as he and the court believed that Pidi was worth keeping as a vassal. No mourning was held but petitions from Wen Jiao and Duan Mopei to have him posthumously honoured were made and came into effect years later. Pidi had underestimated the Liu Kun's influence, and the breaking of his oath caused many of the Han Chinese and tribal people to lose their trust for Pidi.
Alliance with Shao Xu.
Fleeing to Shao Xu.
Seeing that support for Pidi was declining, Duan Mopei took the opportunity to attack him. Pidi led his army away from battle and tried to flee to Shao Xu in Leling but was badly routed by Shi Le's general Shi Yue (石越) at Mount Yan. Pidi retreated back to Jicheng while Mopei declared himself the new Inspector of Youzhou. Pidi remained in his city for a year but by 319, the situation had worsened. Shi Le's general Kong Chang had taken all of Youzhou's commanderies while most of Pidi's soldiers abandoned him due to the depleting rations. Pidi planned to escape through Shanggu but the Prince of Dai, Tuoba Yulü, was waiting to attack him there. Desperate, Pidi abandoned his wife and children and made another attempt to flee to Shao Xu, this time successfully doing so.
Defense of Yanci.
In 320, Pidi's army was once again harassed by Mopei. Pidi pleaded to Shao Xu to assist him in getting revenge on Mopei, so the two men headed out and routed him. Pidi followed up his victory by attacking Jicheng together with Duan Wenyang to reclaim his old base. This proved a fatal mistake as Shao Xu was left exposed to Shi Le. Shi Le sent his nephew Shi Hu to attack Yanci (厭次, around present-day Dezhou, Shandong) and Shao Xu was captured alive. News of Shao Xu's defeat reached Pidi, causing him to rush back to save the city. Duan Wenyang helped the army fight their way back into the city, where Pidi commanded the defense together with Shao Xu's family. In the middle of the year, Wenyang claimed a victory against Shi Le's star general Kong Chang but it was not enough to completely repel him.
Fighting continued into the next year in 321. Shi Hu attacked Pidi at Yanci again while Kong Chang occupied the inner cities. Duan Wenyang volunteered himself to lead a daring charge with his cavalries to drive back the invaders. Wenyang valiantly fought and killed dozens of Shi Hu's soldiers. Even after his horse had collapsed, Wenyang fought back with his spear, and when his spear snapped, he fought with his blade. This lasted for a day but Wenyang was eventually captured Shi Hu. This defeat lowered the morale of the city's defenders.
Defeat and death.
Faced with imminent defeat, Pidi planned to flee alone to the south to serve Sima Rui. However, Shao Xu's brother, Shao Ji (邵樂) detained him and handed over Sima Rui's envoy, Wang Ying (王英) to Shi Hu. Pidi scolded him, "It is bad enough that you are unable to honor your brother's legacy and that you stop me from going to join the court. But now you want to arrest the envoy of the Son of Heaven too. Even I, a tribesman, have never heard of such a thing before!" Shortly after, Shao Ji and his sons bound themselves to coffins and went out to surrender.
When Pidi met with Shi Hu, he said to him, "I have received the favor of Jin, and my ambition was to destroy you. It is my misfortune that things have come to this, but I cannot respect you." Shi Le and Shi Hu had always respected Pidi, so much so that after his capture, Shi Hu lifted him up in the air and had him saluted as a gesture of companionship. Pidi was made Champion General while Wenyang was made General of the Household Gentlemen of the Left.
Despite Shi Le's favour, Pidi never saw him as a mutual. Pidi often dressed himself in clothing used in the Jin court and held the imperial staff of authority that Sima Rui gave him. Shi Le was worried that Pidi's attitude foreboded a future revolt. In the end, Shi Le had Pidi put to death along with Wenyang and Shao Xu, although his other immediate family members were spared.