Duan Zhixuan

Duan Xiong
Duan Xiong
段だん雄ゆう
Consultant of Imperial Kitchen (光ひかり禄ろく大夫たいふ)
	In office; 617–626
Monarch	Emperor Gaozu of Tang
Grand (Senior) General of Left Brave Guard (左ひだり骁卫大将たいしょう军)
	In office; 627–637
Monarch	Emperor Taizong of Tang
Prefectural Governor of Jinzhou (金かね州しゅう刺史しし）
	In office; 637–638
Monarch	Emperor Taizong of Tang
Grand (Senior) General of Right Guard (右みぎ卫大将たいしょう军)
	In office; 638–640
Monarch	Emperor Gaozu of Tang
Zhenjun Grand General (镇军大将たいしょう军)
	In office; 640–642
Monarch	Emperor Taizong of Tang
Personal details
Born	598; Zouping
Died	642; Chang'an
Children	Duan Zan (son) ; Duan Guan (son) ; Duan Gui (son)
Parent	Duan Yanshi (father);
Occupation	General, Official
Courtesy name	Zhixuan (志こころざし玄げん)
Title	Duke of Bao (褒国公こう)
Posthumous name	Zhongzhuang (忠ただし壮たけし)

Duan Xiong (Chinese: 段だん雄ゆう), titled Duke Zhongzhuang of Bao, better known by his courtesy name as Duan Zhixuan (Chinese: 段だん志こころざし玄げん), was a general and officer of the early Tang dynasty. He is one of 24 honored founding officials of the Tang dynasty at Lingyan Pavilion.

In history[edit]

Duan Zhixuan was the son of Duan Yanshi, a mid-low ranked officer of Taiyuan during the Sui dynasty, and a friend to Li Yuan, the founding emperor of the Tang dynasty. Duan Zhixuan and his father joined the rebellion led by Li Yuan that eventually overthrew the Sui dynasty in 617–618. During the rebellion, Duan Zhixuan, Chai Shao and Liu Wenjing defeated and captured the Sui generals Sang Xianhe and Qutu Tong in a battle near Tong Pass. Duan was rewarded the title Marquis of Linji after this battle.^[1] Later, he became a subordinate to Li Shimin and took part in unification wars against various warlords including Xue Ju, Liu Wuzhou^[2] and Wang Shichong.^[3] In 626, he was a key figure that helped Li Shimin obtain the crown in the Xuanwu Gate Incident. When Li Shimin became the emperor (Emperor Taizong of Tang), Duan Zhixuan was rewarded the title Duke of Fan and appointed to be the Grand General of Left Brave Guard.^[4] During the reign of Emperor Taizong, Duan Zhixuan served in different positions both in the military and in local government. He also took part in the early stage of the campaign against Tuyuhun in 634. In 637, his title changed to Duke of Bao, and his descendants were given the privilege to inherit his title.^[5] He died in 642 and was given a posthumous name Zhongzhuang (Chinese: 忠ちゅう壮たけし; lit. 'loyal and heroic').

In popular culture[edit]

In Chinese folklores and some classic novels, Duan Zhixuan is often mistakenly referred to as Duan Zhiyuan (Chinese: 段だん志こころざし远) or Duan Zhixian (Chinese: 段だん志こころざし贤). In those folk stories, Duan Zhixuan is one of four close guards (along with Ma Sanbao, Liu Hongji and Yin Kaishan) protecting Li Shimin. He was killed by the Korean general Yeon Gaesomun during a war between Tang and Goguryeo.

Family[edit]

Grandfather: Duan Yuan, the County Mayor of Pingling during the Northern Qi dynasty.
Father: Duan Yanshi, the secretary of law in Taiyuan Prefecture during the Sui dynasty; rewarded Duke of Yidu County during the Tang dynasty.
Elder brother: Duan Zhihe (Duan Hui), served in local military divisions during the Tang dynasty, Baron of Quwo County.
Younger Brother: Duan Zhigan, a junior general in the Left Guard during the Tang dynasty.
Son: Duan Zan, Grand (Senior) General of Left Station Guard during the reign of Wu Zetian.^[6]
- Grandson: Duan Huaijian, Taizi Zhanshi (officer for crowned prince affairs) in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong.^[7]
- Grandson: Duan Huaigu
- Guandson: Duan Huaiyi, Prefectural Governor of Fangzhou.
Son: Duan Guan, an assistant managing imperial seals.
- Grandson: Duan Huaixu, a mid-low ranked officer in Dezhou.
  - Great Grandson: Duan Chengzong (686—753), Vice Prefectural Governor of Jinling,
    - 4th Generation Grandson: Duan Xian
- Grandson: Duan Huajiao.
  - Great-grandson: Duan E.
    - 4th Generation Grandson: Duan Wenchang, Duke of Zouping, serveed as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Muzong
      - 5th Generation Grandson: Duan Chengshi, poet and writer, the author of Ye Xian.
- Grandson: Duan Huaiyan.
Son：Duan Gui
- Grandson: Duan Huaiben, Prefectural Governor of Suzhou.

References[edit]

^ Tombstone of Duan Zhixuan (段だん志こころざし玄げん碑ひ): 又また与あずか柴しば绍、刘文静しずか破やぶ桑くわ显和、屈こごめ突通つきとお，累るい迁右光こう禄ろく大夫たいふ、上うえ柱ばしら国こく，封ふう临济县侯，食しょく邑一千せん户。
^ Tombstone of Duan Zhixuan (段だん志こころざし玄げん碑ひ): 又また从上讨薛举、刘武周しゅう。
^ Old Book of Tang: 后きさき从讨王おう世よ充たかし
^ Old Book of Tang: 太ふとし宗むね即位そくい，累るい迁左骁卫大将たいしょう军，封ふう樊国公こう，食しょく实封九きゅう百ひゃく户。
^ Old Book of Tang: 十じゅう一いち年ねん，定てい世よ封ふう之これ制せい，授金州しゅう刺史しし，改あらため封ふう褒国公こう。
^ Old Book of Tang: 子こ瓚，袭爵褒国公こう，武たけ太ふとし后きさき时，官かん至いたり左ひだり屯たむろ卫大将たいしょう军。
^ Old Book of Tang: 子こ怀简，袭爵，开元中ちゅう，官かん至いたり太子たいし詹事。

[1] Tombstone of Duan Zhixuan (段だん志こころざし玄げん碑ひ): 又また与あずか柴しば绍、刘文静しずか破やぶ桑くわ显和、屈こごめ突通つきとお，累るい迁右光こう禄ろく大夫たいふ、上うえ柱ばしら国こく，封ふう临济县侯，食しょく邑一千せん户。

[2] Tombstone of Duan Zhixuan (段だん志こころざし玄げん碑ひ): 又また从上讨薛举、刘武周しゅう。

[3] Old Book of Tang: 后きさき从讨王おう世よ充たかし

[4] Old Book of Tang: 太ふとし宗むね即位そくい，累るい迁左骁卫大将たいしょう军，封ふう樊国公こう，食しょく实封九きゅう百ひゃく户。

[5] Old Book of Tang: 十じゅう一いち年ねん，定てい世よ封ふう之これ制せい，授金州しゅう刺史しし，改あらため封ふう褒国公こう。

[6] Old Book of Tang: 子こ瓚，袭爵褒国公こう，武たけ太ふとし后きさき时，官かん至いたり左ひだり屯たむろ卫大将たいしょう军。

[7] Old Book of Tang: 子こ怀简，袭爵，开元中ちゅう，官かん至いたり太子たいし詹事。

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