Li Le

Li Le (李樂, ? – ?) was a Chinese Han dynasty general of the late Eastern Han period. He was originally a leader of the White Wave Bandits, but he distinguished himself in protecting the emperor during a time of crisis and received an official post. He did not advance to the central government and remained in Hedong Commandery.

Life

Rescuing the Emperor

He was a leader of the White Wave Bandits. In the 11th month of the 2nd year of Xingping (195) (lunar calendar; hereafter all dates are lunar), Emperor Xian's party, which had left Chang'an and was heading east, was attacked by Li Jue, Guo Si, and Zhang Ji due to a series of events. Yang Feng, the General of Revival and Righteousness (興義將軍), and Dong Cheng, the Pacifying General (安集將軍), who were escorting him, suffered heavy losses and barely reached Caoyang Gorge (曹陽澗). There they appealed for aid to Li Le, Han Xian, and Hu Zai, former White Wave Bandits who were in Hedong Commandery, as well as to Qubei (去卑) of the Southern Xiongnu. ¹ Joining forces, they defeated Li Jue and the others and beheaded several thousand of them.

Retreat or Cross the River?

In the twelfth month, they were again routed by Li Jue and the others, who had pursued them. Li Le shouted, "The situation is critical, and Your Majesty must mount a horse!" Emperor Xian replied, "I cannot abandon the officials. What crime have they committed!" Many people died, and they were driven as far as Shan County (陝縣) in Hongnong Commandery. The Tiger Guards (虎賁) and the Forest Guards (羽林) had fewer than a hundred men left, and when Li Jue and the others surrounded them and shouted, the officials and soldiers were struck with terror and their morale was extremely low. Fearing this, Li Le proposed launching boats onto the Yellow River to travel by the current past Dizhu (砥柱) and out to Mengjin (孟津, Mengjin). The Grand Commandant said, "I am a native of Hongnong. From here eastward there are thirty-six rapids, so it is not a place where the can go." Liu Ai (劉艾), the Minister of the Imperial Clan (宗正), also objected, saying, "I was formerly the of Shan County, so I know its dangers. Even in the past, when there were river troops, it was perilous, and now there are not even troops." Therefore, they decided to cross the Yellow River under cover of night, and Li Le first crossed to the north to obtain boats and then signaled with .