Zu Ti (266–321), courtesy name Shizhi, was a Chinese military general of the Jin dynasty. Between 313 and 321, he commanded an expeditionary force to reclaim territory in northern China that were lost during the Upheaval of the Five Barbarians. Although Zu Ti received little support from the Jin court in Jiankang, he was able to push all the way to the south of the Yellow River, battling local warlords, the Han-Zhao dynasty and then the Later Zhao dynasty. Zu Ti fought Later Zhao to a truce before having his authority diminished by the Jin imperial court due to concerns of a civil war back home. He soon died in disappointment, and his gains were quickly overturned by the Zhao following his death. Zu Ti's northern expedition was the first in a series by the Jin launched against the Sixteen Kingdoms, and while it failed in the end, he has been lauded as a hero for his determination to reclaim lost northern territory.
Zu Ti | |
---|---|
Inspector of Yu Province ( | |
In office 313 –321 | |
Monarch | Emperor Min of Jin/Emperor Yuan of Jin |
General Who Exerts Might (奮威 | |
In office 313–321 | |
Monarch | Emperor Min of Jin/Emperor Yuan of Jin |
Personal details | |
Born | 266 Qiuxian county, Hebei |
Died | 321 Zhengzhou, Henan |
Relations | Zu Yue (brother) Zu Gai (brother) Zu Na (half-brother) Zu Dashou (alleged descendant) |
Children | Zu Huan Zu Mi Zu Pei Zu Shei Zu Ji Zu Xian |
Parent |
|
Occupation | Military general |
Courtesy name | Shizhi ( |
Early life
editChildhood
editZu Ti was born into a line of government officials in Qiuxian county, Fanyang commandery. As a child, he was described as unruly and carefree. He was said to be illiterate until the age of 14 or 15. This worried his brothers, but the young Zu was also known to be generous and ambitious. Often, he would distribute his grain and silk among the poor, which garnered him the respect of his village clansmen. As he grew older, he took the initiative to study and moved to the capital, Luoyang, where he educated himself on history and ongoing affairs. The people of Luoyang at the time thought of him as a prodigy.[1] In 289, while living away in Yangping Commandery, Zu Ti was nominated by the local administration to become a Xiaolian and a Xiucai, but he turned down both offers.
War of the Eight Princes
editAfter his stint in Sichuan, Zu Ti went on to serve several different lords during the so-called War of the Eight Princes (291–306). He first served under the Prince of Qi, Sima Jiong, then the Prince of Changsha, Sima Ai, then the Prince of Yuzhang, Sima Chi, before finally working with the Prince of Donghai, Sima Yue. Zu Ti worked as a Registrar under Sima Ai and was in Luoyang when Ai was besieged by the coalition of Sima Yong and Sima Ying between 302 and 304. During the siege, Zu Ti advised Ai to send an imperial edict to Yong's general, Liu Chen (
In 304, Zu Ti participated in Sima Yue's failed campaign in Dangyin (盪陰, today Tangyin County, Henan), where they were badly defeated by Sima Ying and forced back to Luoyang. While Emperor Hui of Jin was held hostage in Chang'an, Zu Ti was approached and invited to serve by several other princes, namely Sima Xiao (
Fleeing south
editIn 311, Luoyang and Emperor Huai of Jin were captured by the forces of Han-Zhao, a Xiongnu-led state that declared independence from Jin in 304. To avoid the chaos in the north, Zu Ti and a group of refugees decided to flee south of Yangtze River to Sikou (泗口, located at Xuzhou, Jiangsu). Zu walked on foot, giving his horses and carriages to the sick and old as well as giving food, clothes, and medicines to those who needed them. The group met with bandits along the way, but Zu was able to help them cope with this. Because of this, the refugees elected Zu to be their leader for the rest of their journey. After arriving in Sikou, Zu Ti was appointed the Inspector of Xuzhou and later the Army Libationer-Advisor by the Prince of Langye, Sima Rui. Zu based himself in Jingkou, where he began recruiting abled men into his army.[4]
Northern expedition
editReturning north
editIn 313, a new Jin government was established in Chang'an headed by Emperor Min of Jin. Min sent an edict to Sima Rui instructing him to advance north to help in restoring the Central Plains. However, Rui showed very little interest in carrying out the edict. Seeing this, Zu confidently approached Sima Rui, volunteering himself to oversee an expedition to the north. Rui was not entirely moved by Zu's display of confidence, but nonetheless permitted him and appointed him as Inspector of Yuzhou and General Who Exerts Might. He also provided Zu Ti with food and clothes for his soldiers but not weapons and armor. Zu also had to do the recruitments himself.
Regardless, Zu Ti led his forces north and crossed the Yangtze. While crossing, Zu Ti was said to have struck his oar and declared, "If Zu Ti is not able to restore the Central Plains and return, then let he be like this great river (and never return)!" Zu Ti landed in Huaiyin county in 313, where he built smithies and foundries to have his soldiers produce their own weapons.[5]
Subduing Zhang Ping and Fan Ya
editZu Ti's first adversaries in his northern expedition were the refugees-turned-warlords, Zhang Ping (
Parts of Qiao were still controlled by Fan Ya, who was startled by Zu Ti's recent actions. He led his troops to launch a night attack on Zu Ti's camp. Zu Ti's troops were caught by surprise, but Zu quickly regrouped them and turned away Fan Ya. Zu then attacked Fan but was caught in a stalemate, so he requested the Administrator of Chenliu, Chen Chuan (
Zu Ti's success in Qiao caught the attention of Han-Zhao's top general, Shi Le. Concerned, Le sent his nephew, Shi Hu, to capture Qiao. Wang Han dispatched Huan Xuan again to help Zu Ti, and together, they defeated and drove back Shi Hu.
Battle of Junyi
editIn 319, Chen Chuan grew abhorrent of Zu Ti after hearing Li Tou lament about not being able to serve Zu, who had treated him well during their time against Fan Ya. Chen Chuan had Li Tou executed for his comments, but this caused Li's friend, Feng Chong (馮寵), to join Zu Ti with 400 people. Angered, Chen Chuan pillaged the commanderies of Yuzhou, but Zu Ti campaigned against and routed him.
After his defeat, Chen Chuan submitted to Shi Le, who at this point, had broken away from Han-Zhao and formed his state of Later Zhao. Zu Ti attacked Chen at Pengguan (
Both sides suffered from food shortages, but Zu Ti was able to sell a false impression that his army was more well-supplied than Tao's, which demoralized the Later Zhao troops. Later, when the Zhao general, Liu Yetang (
Truce with Later Zhao
editAt the same time, Zu Ti moved his base to Yongqiu and launched raids against the Later Zhao army, accepting many surrenders from their troops. He also got the Jin generals Guo Mo, Li Ju, Zhao Gu (
Shi Le restored Zu Ti's grandfather and father's tombs as an act of good faith and offered to allow trade between them. Although Zu Ti did not directly reply, trade between the two sides occurred just as Shi Le had wanted. One time, Zu Ti's General of the Standard, Tong Jian (
Death
editWhile Zu Ti was campaigning against Shi Le, the tension between Sima Rui (Emperor Yuan of Jin as of 318) and his powerful general, Wang Dun was beginning to reach its breaking point. To protect himself from Wang, one decision that Emperor Yuan did in 321 was to appoint the southern gentry Dai Yuan (戴淵) as Chief Controller in Yuzhou, effectively making Zu Ti a subordinate to Dai. This left Zu distraught, as he did not think that Dai had the foresight to realize Zu's plans for the north. He also felt snubbed, seeing how quickly he was reduced to despite his efforts. Combined with the possibility of civil war in the south, Zu believed his ambitions to reclaim the north were over, and he soon became severely ill.[11]
Despite this, Zu insisted on making progress. He camped at Hulao (
Wang Dun had long feared Zu Ti's strength, so he was relieved by the news of his death and became more eager to oppose Sima Rui. Zu Ti's younger brother, Zu Yue, was appointed to replace him as General Who Pacifies The West and Inspector of Yuzhou, but he was not as talented Ti and not on good terms with his brother's generals. Later Zhao capitalized on Zu's death by resuming hostilities with Jin in 322. Zu Yue was unable to defend his territory and retreated to Shouchun, allowing Zhao to regain the territories they had lost to Zu Ti.[13]
Friendship with Liu Kun
editZu Ti is most known for his friendship with another famous Jin general during his time, Liu Kun. The two met each other while serving as registrars in Sizhou in the 290s. The two were very close to one another, often discussing worldly affairs among themselves and even sharing the same bedchamber. When they could not sleep at night, they would often remind each other, "When the Four Seas boil and heroes rise side by side, you and I should avoid each other on the Central Plains."[14] After Zu Ti was transferred to a higher office, Liu Kun wrote to his relatives, "The spear is my pillow as I await dawn, for my ambition is to vanquish the enemy. I often fear that Zu Ti would be the first to crack the whip."[15]
"Rising at Cockcrow to Practice the Sword"
editA famous story goes that one night, when Zu Ti and Liu Kun were sleeping on the same bed, Zu heard the sound of a cockcrow in the middle of the night. In old times, this was seen as a bad omen. However, Zu saw this differently. He kicked Liu Kun awake, telling him, "This is no evil sound." They then got out of their bed and performed a sword dance. A Chinese proverb, "rising at cockcrow to practice the sword (聞雞
References
edit- ^ (
世 吏二 千 石 ,為 北 州 舊姓 。逖性豁蕩,不 修 儀 檢 ,年 十 四 五 猶 未知 書 ,諸兄 每 憂 之 。然 輕 財 好 俠,慷慨 有 節 尚 ,每 至 田舍 ,輒稱兄 意 ,散 穀 帛以周 貧乏 ,鄉黨 宗族 以是重之 。後 乃博覽 書記 ,該涉古今 ,往來 京師 ,見 者 謂 逖有贊 世才 具 。) Jin Shu, vol.62 - ^ (驃騎
主 簿 范陽祖 逖言於乂曰:「劉 沈忠義 果 毅 ,雍州兵 力足 制 河間 ,宜 啓上 爲 詔 與 沈,使 發 兵 襲 顒。顒窘急 ,必召張 方 以自救 ,此良策 也。」乂從之 。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.85 - ^ (
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時 帝 方 拓 定 江南 ,未 遑北伐 ,逖進說 曰:"晉 室 之 亂 ,非 上 無道 而下怨叛也。由 藩 王 爭 權 ,自 相 誅滅 ,遂 使 戎 狄乘隙 ,毒 流 中原 。今 遺 黎 既 被 殘酷 ,人 有 奮擊之 志 。大王 誠 能 發 威 命 將 ,使 若 逖等為 之 統 主 ,則 郡 國 豪傑 必因風向 赴,沈弱之 士 欣於來 蘇 ,庶幾 國 恥 可 雪 ,願 大王 圖 之 。"帝 乃以逖為奮威將軍 、豫 州 刺史 ,給 千 人 稟,布 三 千 匹 ,不 給 鎧 仗,使 自 招募。仍將本流 徙部曲 百 餘 家 渡江 ,中流 擊 楫 而誓曰:「祖 逖不能 清 中原 而復濟 者 ,有 如大江 !」辭色 壯烈 ,眾皆慨歎 。屯 于江陰 ,起 冶鑄兵器 ,得 二 千 餘人 而後進 。) Jin Shu, vol.62 - ^ (
初 ,北中 郎 將 劉 演 距于石 勒也,流人 塢主張 平 、樊雅等 在 譙,演 署 平 爲 豫 州 刺史 ,雅 爲 譙郡太守 。又 有 董 瞻、于武、謝 浮等十 餘 部 ,眾各數 百 ,皆 統 屬 平 。逖誘浮使取 平 ,浮譎平 與 會 ,遂 斬 以獻逖。帝 嘉 逖勳,使 運 糧 給 之 ,而道遠 不 至 ,軍 中大 饑 。進 據 太 丘 。樊雅遣 眾夜襲 逖,遂 入 壘 ,拔戟大呼 ,直 趣 逖幕,軍 土 大亂 。逖命左右 距之,督 護 董 昭 與 賊 戰 ,走 之 。逖率眾追討 ,而張平 餘 眾助雅 攻 逖。蓬 陂塢主 陳 川 ,自 號 甯朔將軍 、陳 留 太守 。逖遣使 求 救 於川,川 遣 將 李 頭 率 眾援之 ,逖遂克 譙城。) Jin Shu, vol.62 - ^ (含遣
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祖 逖牙門 童 建 害 新 蔡內史 周密 ,遣 使 降 於勒。勒斬之 ,送 首 於祖逖,曰:“天下 之 惡 一也 。叛臣逃吏,吾 之 深 仇 ,將軍 之 惡 ,猶 吾 惡 也。”逖遣使 報謝 。自 是 兗豫間 壘壁 叛者,逖皆不納 ,二州之人率多兩屬矣。) Jin Shu, vol.105 - ^ (逖雖內懷
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祖 逖旣卒 ,後 趙 屢寇河南 ,拔襄城 、城 父 ,圍 譙。豫 州 刺史 祖 約 不能 禦,退 屯 壽 春 。後 趙 遂 取 陳 留 ,梁 、鄭 之 間 復 騷然 矣。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.91 - ^ (逖、琨並
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