During Lü Guangs reign

When Lü Guang founded Later Liang in 386 (after he had taken over Liang Province (涼州, modern central and western Gansu after a return for a military campaign in central Asia on Former Qin's behalf), Lü Shao and Lü Guang's wife Lady Shi were not with him—they had remained in the Former Qin capital Chang'an during Lü Guang's campaign, and had fled to Chouchi when Chang'an subsequently fell to Western Yan in 385. In 389, they, along with Lü Guang's brother Lü Deshi (呂德世), arrived in Later Liang territory. Lü Guang, then with the title Prince of Sanhe, created Lü Shao his heir apparent. In 396, after Lü Guang claimed the title of "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang, roughly equivalent to emperor), he created Lü Shao crown prince.

Lü Shao, however, was not Lü Guang's oldest son—he had at least two older brothers, Lü Zuan the Duke of Taiyuan and Lü Hong (呂弘) the Duke of Changshan, both of whom were regarded for their military abilities. Lü Shao was considered weak and untalented, and Later Liang's enemies (including Southern Liang and Northern Liang) took this into account when they attacked Later Liang. The only military campaign that Lü Shao was recorded to have commanded was one in summer 399, when he and Lü Zuan attacked Northern Liang's prince Duan Ye. After Duan Ye sought aid from Southern Liang's prince Tufa Wugu, and Tufa Wugu's brother Tufa Lilugu arrived to assist Duan Ye, Lü Shao and Lü Zuan were forced to withdraw.

Around the new year 400, Lü Guang grew seriously ill. He ordered Lü Shao to take the throne as Heavenly Prince, while he himself claimed the title of retired emperor. Lü Zuan was put in charge of the military forces, and Lü Hong the government. Lü Guang told the three to be united, and that Lü Shao should trust his brothers. He also told Lü Zuan and Lü Hong that Lü Shao might not be talented, but was the rightful heir, and that they should assist him faithfully. Lü Guang died later that day.

Coup and death

Initially, Lü Shao was not going to immediately announce Lü Guang's death, in fear that it might draw enemy attacks, but Lü Zuan broke down the door and forcibly entered the palace and mourned. Lü Shao became fearful and offered the throne to Lü Zuan, but Lü Zuan refused. Lü Shao's cousin Lü Chao (呂超) then secretly suggested to Lü Shao that Lü Zuan be arrested and executed, but Lü Shao refused.

However, soon thereafter (either that day or at most several days after), Lü Hong sent his assistant Jiang Ji (姜紀) to encourage Lü Zuan to seize the throne. At night, then, Lü Zuan led his personal guards to attack the palace. Lü Hong joined him. Lü Shao's guards initially resisted, and one of them, Qi Cong (齊從), hit Lü Zuan in the head with a sword but could not kill him. Lü Chao also tried to assist Lü Shao, but their forces were fearful of Lü Zuan and collapsed. Lü Shao fled to a secondary palace and committed suicide. Lü Zuan took the throne, and when he gave Lü Shao a posthumous name, he only referred to Lü Shao as prince, not emperor.

Personal information

• Father

　• Lü Guang (Emperor Yiwu)

• Mother

　• Princess/Empress Shi

• Wife

　• Lady Zhang

生平

呂光出征西域時，呂紹與石氏等人留在前秦。淝水之戰後，前秦因戰敗而國亂，長安亦構亂，呂紹等人於是出奔仇池，直至麟嘉元年（389年）才到後涼，甫稱三河王的呂光遂立呂紹為世子。龍飛元年（396年），呂光立其為太子。

呂紹唯一一次有記載的親自指揮的軍事行動在龍飛四年（399年），當時他與庶兄呂纂攻打北涼天王段業，段業求助于南涼天王禿髮烏孤。禿髮烏孤的弟弟禿髮利鹿孤率援軍趕到，呂紹和呂纂只得撤退。

同年年末，呂光病重，立呂紹為天王，以呂纂為太尉，呂弘為司徒，臨終前叮囑呂紹說：「如今三寇（乞伏乾歸、段業和禿髮烏孤）未平，我死之後，呂纂帶領軍隊，呂弘治理朝政，你自己無為而治，把重任交給兩個哥哥」。也對兩位長子有所囑咐：「永業並非治理亂世的人才，只不過因嫡長的規舉才讓其處元首之位。現在外有強寇，人心不定，你們兄弟和睦則會讓國家流傳萬世；若果自己內鬥，則禍亂立即就會來了。」還對呂纂說：「你本性粗豪勇武，很令我擔心。開展基業本來就艱難，守成也不容易。好好輔助永業，不要聽讒言呀。」不久呂光去世，呂紹秘不發喪，呂纂推門入殿哭喪，竭盡哀思才出來。呂紹害怕被殺害，想讓位給他，但呂纂以呂紹是嫡子身份推辭，呂紹固請也不獲呂纂答允，於是即位。呂光侄子呂超勸呂紹及早除去既有兵權，又有極高威名的呂纂，但呂紹雖也憂心呂纂，但仍以父親遺命及袁尚兄弟相爭之事一再拒絕對付呂纂，令呂超很失望。呂紹在湛露堂面見呂纂時，呂超持刀在側侍候，用眼神請求呂紹收捕呂纂，但呂紹都不肯。

在呂紹到後涼前，呂光曾經想立呂弘為世子，不過因為知道呂紹在仇池而打消念頭。可是呂弘一直記恨在心，不久即派尚書姜紀唆使呂纂和他一起叛變。呂纂順從，於是在一夜率軍攻入宮廷，呂紹試圖出兵抵抗，但兵眾都因為忌憚呂纂威名而潰散。呂紹見此便在紫閣自殺。呂纂即位後諡呂紹為隱王。

妻子

• 張美人，敦煌人，長得十分美艷，呂紹死後請出家為尼。及後登位的呂隆逼迫她，於是在張掖門樓跳下自殺。

註釋

參考書目

• 《晉書·載記·呂纂傳》

• 《資治通鑑》（卷一百一十一）