Prior To Western Liang's Establishment
Li Gao was born in 351, and was a posthumous child of his father Li Chang (李昶), who traced his ancestry to the Han Dynasty general Li Guang. After Li Chang's death, Li Gao's mother married a man named Song, and she bore him at least one son, Song Yao (宋繇). In Li Gao's youth, he was known to be studious, rational, and open-minded. When he grew older, he also studied the military strategies of Sunzi and Wu Qi. He had, for a time, lived in the same house with his half-brother Song Yao and Guo Nen (郭黁), a minister of Later Liang's founding emperor Lü Guang known for his magical and prophetic abilities. Guo once told Song, "Your place will be among the most honored of all subjects, but Mr. Li will one day found an independent state. This will happen when a mare bears a pony with a white forehead."
After Lü Guang's official Duan Ye, with support from the generals Juqu Nancheng (沮渠男成) and Juqu Mengxun, broke away from Later Liang and established Northern Liang in 397, Li Gao became a county magistrate under Duan Ye's governor of Dunhuang Commandery (roughly modern Dunhuang, Gansu), Meng Min (孟敏). When Meng died in 400, the officials of Dunhuang Commandery, because Li Gao was popular with the people, asked him to take over. Initially, Li Gao was hesitant, but Song advised him to accept, stating to him that a pony with a white forehead had just recently been born. Li Gao therefore accepted and requested confirmation from Duan Ye, and Duan Ye agreed.
However, Duan Ye's official Suo Si (索嗣), a friend of Li Gao's, warned Duan Ye of Li Gao's ambitions and advised Duan Ye not to allow Li Gao to remain in control of Dunhuang. Duan Ye therefore sent Suo Si to take over Li Gao's post. Li Gao, in fear, initially was going to receive Suo and turn over authorities to him. At the urging of Song and Zhang Miao (張邈), however, Li Gao first sent messengers to flatter Suo, and instead made a surprise against Suo, defeating him and forcing him to flee back to the Northern Liang capital Zhangye (張掖, in modern Zhangye, Gansu). Li Gao, angry at what he saw as Suo's betrayal, then sent messengers to Duan Ye demanding that he execute Suo. Juqu Nancheng, who also disliked Suo, advised Duan Ye to execute Suo to pacify Li, and Duan Ye did so.
Later in 400, Li Gao's subordinate Tang Yao (唐瑤) declared a general secession by the six commanderies around Dunhuang and offered the rulership to Li Gao. Li Gao accepted and took the title of Duke of Liang, thus establishing Western Liang.
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