#js125

[bookofjin]

Records of Qifu Guoren

[From JS125. Qifu Guoren (d. 388) was descended from a line of western Xianbei chieftains in Longxi that entered the stage of history around the beginning of Western Jin and spent their time fighting the various other petty chieftains in the area. When Fu Jian, Emperor of Former Qin, conquered Northern China, Guoren’s father Sifan was forced to submit and was rewarded with the title of General who Garrisons the West. When Sifan died, Guoren inherited his post and after Fu Jian’s death in 385, Qifu Guoren established himself as Great Chanyu. In 386 he accepted the title of King of Yuanchuan from Fu Deng, ruler of the rump Former Qin state, but in practice he remained an independent ruler, spending his last years defeating various leaders in the region and incorporating their forces into his own.]

Qifu Guoren was a Xianbei of Longxi. In the past there were the three Rufusi [?], Chulian and Chilu sections. From north of the desert they set out south for Mount Dayin. [?] They came across a single enormous insect on the road, its shape was similar to a spirit tortoise, great like a hill or mound. They therefore killed a horse and sacrificed to it, prayed and said: “If a good spirit, ease the start of the journey; [if] evil spirit, then block and do not pass.” Suddenly it disappeared and there was a small boy there. At the time there was also in the Qifu section an old man without sons. He requested to raise [the boy] as his son, the multitude all allowed it. The old man joyously himself thereby had the relying on and consent [?], naming him He'gan.

He'gan, in the speech of the Xia is to rely on and depend on. [?] At the age of 10 sui, he was brave and fierce and good at riding and shooting,and [could] bend a bow of 500 jin. The four sections submitted to his martial manliness, and pushed him forward to lead and be the master, titling him as Qifu Kehan Tuoduomohe [?]. Tuoduo, the word means not a spirit, not a person [?].

His descendant was Youlin, precisely Guoren's 5th generation grandfather. At the beginning of Taishi [265 – 274], he led 5 000 families to move to the margin of the Xia, the section multitude gradually flourishing. The Xianbei Lujie with more than 70 000 family groups, garrisoned at Gaoping Stream. He and Youlin frequently attacked and struck each other. Lujie was defeated, and fled south to Lüeyang. Youlin completely combined their multitudes and because of that resided at Gaoping Stream.

Youlin died and his son Jiequan was established, he moved to Qiantun. Jiequan died and his son Li'na was established. He struck the Xianbei Tulai at Mount Wushu and punished Yuchi Kequan at Dafei Stream, and gathered his [their?] multitude of 30 000 family groups.

Li'na died and his younger brother Qi'ni was established. Qi'ni died and Li'na's son Shuyan was established. He punished the Xianbei Mohou at Yuan Stream, greatly routing him and taking the surrender of his multitude of 20 000 groups. Because of that he resided at Yuan Stream. Due to his junior uncle Keni being teacher and tutor, appointed him accordingly to the nation's government, Siyin Wuni to be Assistant General of the Left, headquartered at Caiyuan Stream, Chulian Gaohu as Assistant General of the Right, headquartered at Zhibian Stream, Chilu Nahu as General who Leads the Righteous, headquartered at Mount Qiantun.

Shuyan died and his son Rudahan was established. When it happened that Shi Le wiped out Liu Yao [in 326 AD], he was afraid and moved to farm wheat [?] at Mount Wugu.

Dahan died and his son Sifan was established. He first moved to Mount Dujian. Soon after [in 371 AD] he was raided by Fu Jian's general Wang Tong. The section multitudes rebelled and surrendered to Tong. Sifan sighed and spoke to left and right, saying: “The wise do not resist the enemy, the virtuous do not console the multitudes, swords and cavalry have not yet exchanged and yet root and origin is already defeated. Seeing the multitudes separate and scatter, power is likewise difficult to maintain. If [I] flee to the various sections, [they will] surely not accept me. [?] I want to do the plan of Huhanye!” He therefore approached Tong to surrender to Jian.

Jian was greatly pleased and appointed him to be Southern Chanyu, retaining him in Chang'an. [Jian] used Sifan's junior uncle Tulei as Protector-Controller of Yongshi to console their section's multitudes.

Not long after the Xianbei Bohanqin rebelled in Longyou. Jian used Sifan as Envoy Holding the Tally, Commander-in-Chief of All Army Affairs in Punishing the Western Hu and General who Garrisons the West to punish him. Bohan was afraid and requested to surrender. Sifan thereupon headquartered at Yongshi Stream, having extensive power and favour.

Sifan died and Guoren replaced him at headquarters. When Jian fostered the service of Shouchun [?], he summoned him to be General of the Van, to command the first spear-point cavalry. It happened that Guoren's junior uncle Butui rebelled in Longxi. Jian dispatched Guoren to return and punish him.

Butui heard and was greatly pleased, he welcomed Guoren on the road. Guoren set up up drinks and held a great assembly, pushed up the sleeves and made a loud speech, saying: “The Fu clan formerly because of the chaos of Zhao Shi thereupon foolishly stole the famous title, impoverishing soldiers for the furthest military, straddling and usurping eight provinces. The border houses are already tranquil, ought to soothe using virtue, just now the false broad powerful voice [?], industrious heart and distant plans, harassing action green life [?], exhausting and wearing out the Central States, disobeying Heaven and angering Man, how can thereby aid? [?] Moreover when things are their utmost, injury and misfortune fill up and overturn them, the Way of Heaven. Thereby I measure it, in this way doing service, difficult thereby to evade. [?] [I] accept to complete with the various lord the profession of one region.”

When Jian was defeated [at Fei River, 383 AD] and returned, he therefore summoned and assembled the various sections. There were those who did not adhere, he punished and united them. The multitude reached more than 100 000.

When Jian was killed by Yao Chang [in 385 AD], Guoren spoke to his brave leaders, saying: “The Fu clan are using the manners of an exalted generation and yet are besieged by the multitudes of a union of crows, this can be said to be Heaven. As for defending the common and bewildered turning around, first arrive at shaming it [?]. Seeing the moment and arising, the lifting up of brave heroes. [?] I although poor in virtue, rely on amassing the wealth of the generation, how can [I] look at the turning around of the coming times and not act!”

Accordingly in Xiaowu's 10th Year of Taiyuan [385 AD], he called himself Great Commander-in-Chief, Great General, Great Chanyu, Acting Shepherd of Qin and He provinces, and established the inaugural as Jianyi [“Establishing Righteousness”]. He used his general Yizhan Yinni as Chancellor of the Left, Wuyin Chuzhi as Chancellor of the Right, Dugu Piti as Assistant of the Left, Wuqun Yongshi as Assistant of the Right, his younger brother Qiangui as Supreme General, from the remainder he designated each proportionally. He set up 12 commanderies: Wucheng, Wuyang, Angu, Wushi, Hanyang, Tianshui, Lüeyang, Qiangchuan, Gansong, Kuangpeng, Baima and Yuanchuan. He built Yongshi city and accordingly resided there.

The Xianbei Pilan led his multitude of 5 000 to surrender. Next year [386 AD], Miyi of Nan'an and the various Lu Qiang came and struck Guoren, arriving from four sides [?]. Guoren spoke to the various generals, saying: “Previously people had the hearts of plundering people [?], and could not sit and wait for their arrival. [We] ought to restrain our power and bait the enemy, weaken the regiments to thereby stretch them, speak angrily of the army law to me [?] and neglect the robbers.” With that he directed a multitude of 5 000, raided them unexpectedly and greatly defeated them.

Miyi fled and returned to Nan'an. He and his younger brother Mohouti made use of leading a multitude of more than 30 000 families to surrender to Guoren, both were designated Generals and Inspectors.

Fu Deng dispatched envoys to appoint Guoren Envoy Holding the Tally, Great Commander-in-Chief, Commander-in-Chief of All Army Affairs of the Mixed Yi, Great General, Great Chanyu and King of Yuanchuan.

Guoren led 30 000 cavalry to raid the Xianbei chieftains Migui, Yuji, Tilun and others, 3 sections, at Liuquan. Meiyiyu of the Gaoping Xianbei and Jin Xi of the Eastern Hu joined troops to come and raid. They encountered each other at Kehun Stream. In a great battle he defeated them, the beheaded tallied 3 000, the captured horses 5 000. Meiyiyu and Xi fled and returned. The three sections shook in fear and he led the multitudes to accept the surrender.

He appointed Migui General who Establish Righteousness and Marquis of Liuquan, Yuji General who Establish Loyalty and Marquis of Lanquan, Tilun General who Establish Authority and Marquis of Mingquan.

Guoren's General who Establish Power, Chilu Wuguba embraced [?] the multitudes and rebelled, guarding Mount Qiantun. Guoren led 7 000 cavalry to punish him, beheading his section general Chilu Hou. Those who surrendered were more than 1 000 families. Ba was greatly afraid, thereupon surrendered and was restored to his office and rank.

Following that, he punished the Xianbei Yuezhi Chili at Pingxiang, greatly routing him and capturing his son Jiegui, his younger brother's son Fuban and section family groups of more than 5 000 people, then he returned.

In the 13th Year of Taiyuan [388 AD], Guoren died, he had been established for 4 years [385 – 388]. He had the bogus posthumous title Propagating and Zealous [xuanlie] King and temple name Zealous Founder [liezu].

[hianha-jiifli]

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[taberio-muwbato]

Brown Leather MacBook Briefcase Satchel Laptop Messenger Bag JS125 http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=2&toolid=10044&campid=5337410323&customid=&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466&item=282346312080

[bookofjin]

After Fei, 383c

Previous parts:

https://bookofjin.tumblr.com/post/184898671714/after-fei-383a

https://bookofjin.tumblr.com/post/185069168099/after-fei-383b

Zhai Bin rebels

In the end it was not Murong Chui who first turned openly against Qin, but Zhai Bin, a leader among the Dingling people who held the Qin office of Assistant Officer Palace Gentleman of the Guards Army. Unfortunately, since none of the source texts are written from Zhai Bin's perspective, nothing is told of how and why Zhai Bin started his rebellion, only that he gathered a force of 4 000 and planned to attack Luoyang (JS114, JS125).

The Qin commander at Luoyang was the Shepherd of Yu province, Fu Hui, the Duke of Pingyuan, he sent the news of Zhai Bin's rebellion to his brother Fu Pi at Ye. (JS123) There also arrived a letter by relay post from Fu Jian that Murong Chui should command against Zhai Bin. (ZZTJ105)

Murong Chui given command against Zhai Bin

Shi Yue, who Fu Jian had earlier sent to strengthen the defences at Ye, protested against decision to Fu Pi. People were still disturbed after the defeat at Fei river, as a result Zhai Bin had rapidly gained the following of criminals who wished to exploit the chaos. However Murong Chui had secret hopes of restoring Yan, and relying on him to command troops was too dangerous. But Fu Pi argued that Murong Chui while at Ye was like sleeping dragon. It was safer to send him away, then he and Zhai Bin could fight each other like two tigers, and they could come after and subdue both. (ZZTJ105)

Fu Pi also talked to Murong Chui. Zhai Bin had dared to rebel because of Qin's weakness, and now his brother Fu Hui was in danger. But he had a hope that the General of the Best of the Army, Murong Chui, could do something about it. Chui replied that he was only a dog or hawk waiting for orders. So Fu Pi gave him command of 2 000 troops, and gifted him gold and silk. Chui refused the gifts, but asked for his old fields and gardens, and that Fu Pi allowed. (JS123)

Fu Pi appointed one Fu Feilong, commanding 1 000 Di cavalry, as Murong Chui's deputy. He instructed Feilong that as a royal kinsman he would actually be the one in charge. While formally Murong Chui had been put in command, he would rely on Feilong to lead the troops to victory, and to look out for any disloyalty. (ZZTJ105)

Fu Pi ordered Murong Chui's son Nong along with three of his nephews, Kai, Shao, and Zhou, to stay behind inside Ye city as hostages to Chui's good behaviour. Kai and Shao were sons of Chui's late older brother Ke, Zhou the son of one of his younger brothers. (JS123)

Murong Chui leaves Ye

Fu Pi had actually quartered Murong Chui west of Ye, rather than inside the city. As he prepared to leave, he asked for permission to enter and visit the old Yan ancestral temple, but Fu Pi refused, still wary it seems of allowing Chui inside the city. Murong Chui disguised himself and entered anyway, but then the pavilion clerk refused him entry. Chui in anger killed the clerk, and burnt down the pavilion. Then he left. (JS123)

Shi Yue talked to Fu Pi again, saying that when Murong Chui was in Yan, he brought chaos to his own state, but when he came to Qin he had to behave himself. Now that he had exposed himself as a troublemaker, they could attack him. Fu Pi replied that he was still indebted to Chui for saving his father after everyone else had run away. Shi Yue retorted that Murong Chui had not been loyal to Yan, but maybe he would be fully loyal to Qin. When Chui had fled captivity in Yan, Fu Jian had bestowed him high honours in Qin, but had never been able to ascertain his loyalty. Chui still intended to rebel, and if they did not attack him now they would suffer from it later. But Fu Pi still refused. Afterwards Shi Yue told people that Fu Jian and Fu Pi were too busy looking into small kindnesses to see the big picture, and before long they would all be captives of the Xianbei. (JS123)

Murong Chui kills Fu Feilong

Murong Chui travelled south from Ye. At Tang pond near Anyang, Min Liang and Li Man/Pi caught up with him, they had come from Ye to tell him of Fu Pi conspiring with Fu Feiling. Murong Chui complained that he was fully loyal to Qin, yet Fu Pi still plotted against him. Whatever his wishes, this was the case. (ZZTJ105) Min Liang and Li Man had earlier been sent by Fu Jian to escort Murong Chui to Ye.

Murong Chui halted in Henei with the excuse that his army was too small. After a few days recruiting, his strength had increased to 8 000. Fu Hui sent messengers from Luoyang asking Chui to hurry his advance. But Chui told Fu Feilong that if they moved at night and halted at day, they could take the enemy unaware. Feilong accepted this plan. (ZZTJ105)

At night on 5 February 384, Chui put his oldest son, Bao, in charge of the troops in front, and one of his younger sons, Long, of the troops in the rear. Then at the sound of drums, front and rear all attacked Feilong's Di troops. They killed Feilong and massacred all the Di. With that done, Chui then sent all the westerners among his staff back to his home, he also sent a letter to Fu Jian to explain his actions. (ZZTJ105)

Murong Feng defeats Mao Dang

Meanwhile, when Murong Feng, Wang Teng and Duan Yan heard that Zhai Bin had risen in rebellion, they all came to join him with their private retinues. Murong Feng was another nephew of Murong Chui, while Wang Teng and Duan Yan were sons of former Yan ministers. Fu Jian had earlier left behind the General of the Garrison Army, Mao Dang, to strengthen the defences at Luoyang, and Fu Hui now sent him out against Zhai Bin. When Murong Feng heard that Mao Dang was coming, he put on his armour and rode out accompanied by the Dingling forces. They defeated Mao Dang, and killed him, then they attacked and took Lingyun Terrace west of Luoyang where they seized more than ten thousand sets of arms and armour. (ZZTJ105)

(The location of Zhai Bin on the reference map should not be taken too literally.)

Murong Chui crosses the He

On 6 February 384, Murong Chui crossed the He, and burnt the bridge behind him. By now his forces had swelled to 30 000. He left the Xianbei leader Kezuhun Tan behind in Henei to continue recruiting, and sent Tian Shan/Sheng to Ye to secretly warn Murong Nong and the others there, and to tell them to also raise troops. (ZZTJ105)

When Tian Shan came to Ye, it was already after sunset, so only Murong Shao went out while the others remained inside the city. Shao went to Pu Pond where he stole several hundred of Fu Pi's finest horses and waited for the others. (ZZTJ105)

The next day, 7 February 384, the last day of the year, Murong Nong and his cousins put on unassuming clothes, and set out from Ye with a few horsemen. (ZZTJ105) Nong and Zhou then fled to Lieren, while Shao and Kai went to Piyang. (JS123)

[bookofjin]

After Fei, 383b

Previous posts:

https://bookofjin.tumblr.com/post/184898671714/after-fei-383a

Murong Chui escapes capture

(This section is a redo of the final section of the previous post, as I managed to dig up another source)

While Fu Jian had allowed Murong Chui's journey to Ye, Quan Yi secretly dispatched soldiers at night to intercept him before he crossed the bridge across the During the night Murong Chui dreamt he was travelling along a road. The road came to an end, and he looked back to see Master Kong's grave, flanked by eight mounds. When he woke up, Murong Chui summoned someone to interpret the dream. The dream interpreter thought that the road coming to an end meant it could not be travelled. Furthermore, at Master Kong's tomb, the grave-site (丘) is paired with eight (八) mounds.  丘 and  八 combines to form  兵 "troops”, meaning there would be troops hiding in ambush on the road. (TPYL400 quoting the Xu Jinyangqiu)

Murong Chui instead left the road and prepared rafts to cross at a different place. He also sent his Army Director Cheng Tong, dressed in his clothes and riding his horse, with some of the page boys to the bridge. When the ambushers sprung their trap, Cheng Tong galloped away and escaped. (ZZTJ105)

I would guess the dream sequence is an original part of this story, which Sima Guang has excised in his retelling. I am not sure if Sima Guang used the Xu Jinyangqiu as a source, he may have gotten it from the SLGCQ where supernatural stories are very common.

Fu Jian arrives at Chang'an

In the twelfth lunar month, 10 January – 7 February 384, Fu Jian arrived back at his capital Chang'an. Before entering he wept for the loss of his brother Fu Rong. Once inside the city, he announced his defeat to the ancestral temple, proclaimed a great amnesty and increased  the rank of his civil and military officials by one grade. He also announced several fairly generic government reform measures, such as honing the troops and inspecting agriculture, relief for orphans and the elderly, and tax remittance for the families of those lost during the campaign. Fu Rong was given the posthumous rank and titles of Grand Marshal and Duke Ai (“the Lamented”) of Yangping. (JS114)

Lü Guang lays siege to Qiuci

Meanwhile the Qin empire was still expanding in the west. Earlier Fu Jian had appointed his general Lü Guang Envoy Holding the Tally and Commander-in-Chief of All Army Affairs of Western Chastising, and tasked him with conquering the city states of the Western Regions with an army if 70 000 troops and 5 000 heavy cavalry. Lü Guang like Fu Jian was of Di ethnicity. (JS122)

When Lü Guang arrived at Gaochang he heard that Fu Jian had invaded Jin. He first hesistated, wishing to wait for further orders, but his advisor Du Jin convinced him he should speedily attend to the important task he had been given. So Lü Guang set out across the desert. For a long distance there was no water and his men grew worried. But Lü Guang reminded them how a spring had burst forth to reward the old Han general Li Guang (different character than Lü Guang) for his virtue. Heaven would surely reward them as well. Soon after there was a heavy rainfall. (JS122)

Lü Guang arrived at Yanqi, and the king of Yanqi, Niliu, submitted together with the other neighbouring states. Bochun, the King of Quici, however decided to resist. So Lü Guang marched against Quici, where he arrived in the twelfth month, and laid siege to the city. Lü Guang's army took position south of the city and built fortified encampments every 5 li (about 2 km). They built imitation soldiers dressed in wooden armour, and placed them on the walls of the encampment. Bochun on his side pulled the people living outside the wall, and employed commoners and nobles alike in defence of the city. (JS122)

As the siege dragged on there were several portents pointing to Lü Guang's future greatness. The blood vessels on his left arm rose up to form the characters  巨霸, “Vast Hegemon”. One night a huge black creature appeared, moving with a swaying motion, with horned head and eyes shining like lightning. The creature disappeared in the morning clouds, but left behind a track five li long and thirty paces wide, and the scales now hidden in the earth shone like if they were still there. Lü Guang recognized this as a black dragon. Soon after a rain storm wiped out the dragon's track. Du Jin explained that dragons were portentous creatures of good fortune, and demonstrated Lü Guang's virtue and future greatness. (JS122)

Qifu Guoren gathers forces

The Qifu branch of the Xianbei are said to have originally migrated south from north of the desert and settled in the Longxi. During the early Western Jin, their leader Youlin (or Tuolin) united many of the local Xianbei. A century later, in 371 AD, his descendant Sifan was forced to submit to Qin. Fu Jian appointed him General who Garrisons the West. When Sifan died, his son Guoren inherited his titles. (TPYL127)

In 383 AD, when Fu Jian was planning his Shouchun campaign, he summoned Qifu Guoren to be General of the Van, planning for him to command the vanguard cavalry. Then news arrived that Guoren's uncle Butui had rebelled in Longxi, so Fu Jian instead chose to send Guoren to deal with him. (JS125) Presumably because Butui was not only a rebel against Qin, but also posed a challenge to Guoren's leadership of the Qifu Xianbei.

But Butui welcomed Guoren's return, and pushed him forward to take leadership. Guoren gathered followers for a great feast, and held a speech where he said that the Fu clan had only risen to power due to the chaotic downfall of Zhao. Having acquired a vast territory, they did not allow for peace to show their virtue, but rather engaged in distant schemes, wasting the lands, defying Heaven and angering the people. It was the Way of Heaven that such a thing must be brought down. With his followers' support, Guoren would become the ruler of the region. (JS125)

When news reached Guoren that Fu Jian had been defeated, he summoned and assembled the various local tribes. Those who did not submit willingly, he conquered and annexed. Eventually he had gathered a force numbering a hundred thousand. (JS125) We next hear from Qifu Guoren in 385 AD, so this was not an instantaneous process.

Murong Chui comes to Ye

Murong Chui arrived at Anyang, and sent his Army Advisor Tian Shan with a note to the commander at Ye, Fu Pi, Duke of Changle and Fu Jian's oldest son. Fu Pi worried about Murong Chui's true intentions, but decided to go south and meet with Murong Chui personally. (ZZTJ105)

Fu Pi at first planned to attack Murong Chui, but his Attendant Gentleman Jiang Rang protested that since Murong Chui had so far not openly displayed any rebellious intentions, Fu Pi could not kill him on his own initiative. Instead he should treat Murong Chui with all courtesy but put stern soldiers in charge of guarding him. Then he could inform the court of his feelings, and, after receiving official advise, start plotting against Chui. On the other side Murong Chui was advised by one of his officials, Zhao Qiu, that he ought to seize Fu Pi at meeting, but Murong Chui rejected this plan. (ZZTJ105)

And so, while I guess it was a fairly tense meet-up, no hostile actions were taken by either side. Fu Pi found quarters for Murong Chui to the west of Ye, and Murong Chui explained the circumstances around the defeat south of the Huai. (JS123) One source adds that Murong Chui now began plotting the restoration of Yan with former Yan officials. (ZZTJ105)