Guo Ziyi
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Guo Ziyi (Traditional Chinese: 郭子儀, Simplified Chinese: 郭子仪 , Hanyu Pinyin: Guō Zǐyí, Wade-Giles: Kuo Tzu-i) (697–781) was a general of Tang China who ended the Anshi Rebellion, and participated in the expeditions against the people of Huihe (Uyghurs) and Tubo (Tibetans). He is reputed to be one of the greatest generals in Chinese history and was revered as the best general in East Asia during his lifetime. After his death, he was immortalized in Chinese mythology as the God of Richness and Happiness.
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[edit] Early life
Guo Ziyi was born to a family of a middle class civil servant in Hua Prefecture (華州, today Hua, Shaanxi). Unlike his family members, Guo Ziyi entered political life through a martial test (A test for officers), instead of a literal test (for civil servants). In AD 749, he passed the martial test and became an officer for Tang Dynasty in the borders and quickly rose ranks to Jiedushi.
[edit] Anshi Rebellion
Limited records exist about him before the Anshi Rebellion. It was during the Anshi Rebellion, that Guo Ziyi earned his fame. In AD 755, the Anishi Rebellion began. Guo Ziyi was ordered to protect Tong Gate, a strategic location on the Chinese froniter. A large force of a ten thousand rebels were marching toward the guards from Tong. Guo Ziyi had an equivalent number of troops and types of equipment; the only difference was that his force consisting of Chinese diehards were willing to do whatever they could to defend their country, while the rebels consisted of soldiers of Mongolian descent that wanted to loot the riches of Tang. Guo Ziyi took advantage of the situation and lured the Mongolians onto the plains where there were only scarce settlements. The rebels saw little to loot and were discouraged, while the Tang troops fought hard so that their families in Tong Gate and the Capital Chang'an wouldn't be endangered. In a matter of days, he eliminated 7000 rebels and left the remaining enemies scattered, with few Chinese casualties. The Battle, Skirmish of Qingbi, was the first major victory scored by Guo.
By the following year - AD 756 - the capital had already fallen due to the ineptitude and corruption of the chancellor Yang Guozhong and his ennuches. Guo Ziyi confronted a great force of a hundred thousand headed by rebel leader Shi Shiming. Although Guo had only ten thousand men, he decided to stall for time until reinforcements could be sent. He managed to trick Shi Shiming into thinking that there would be an ambush if he came any closer, and managed to stall him for forty days. The comamnder of Tang, Li Guangbi, then came for help with ninety thousand man. The two armies soon clashed, resulting in small government losses - but ten thousand rebels dead. Shi Shiming quickly gathered up what was left and retreated back to Fanyang, the rebels' stronghold. Li recommended Guo to the Emperor XuanZhong and Guo quickly asked the emeperor for permission to launch an immediate counter attack to destroy the remaining rebels, but was rejected.
In July of 756 Xuanzhong perished and his son, Suzong was to be emperor. By this time, the emperor Suzong's authority was weak and many generals of the Tang cared little for the proclamations of the Emperor. There were few generals of Chinese descent remaining in the Tang army and Guo was one of the these. Guo was given the post of Imperial Commander and Suzong provided support for his military operations. This was rewarded with great successses. By 757, Guo Ziyi had entered the Shanxi battlefront, and many locals supported the government against the rebels. It is stated that the government troops increased twice in size during this time. Guo declared victory over the Shanxi Front and the rebels suffered dramatic loses including the deaths of many notable mongolian and turkic rebel generals.
Guo Ziyi immediately attacked Chang'an with fifteen thousand men, the rebels by this time could assemble only ten thousand men, and the result was a great victory for the government, with the battlefield covered with rebels corpses, as recorded by historians. These two devastating defeats contributed to fights within the rebel ranks. The commander of the rebels, An Lushan was killed by his son, An Qingxu. His son gathered up what is left of the rebels and retreated from Luo Yang, a major city and marched on to the North. As Suzong arrived, it is said that tears dropped from his eyes as he stated to Guo, "This may be my country, but it is recreated by general's hand." 「雖吾之家國，實由卿再造。」
Ad 758, Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi and other Jiedushi were ordered to eliminate the last remaining rebels in Yi. Emperor Suzong was worried about the growing power of the Jiedushis, and left only ennuchs to report what had happened on the front. This was once again a disaster, but Guo Ziyi managed to make the best out of the situation by telling the others that they could have one easy victory if they simply surrounded the rebel city. All of them agreed to this strategy and simply depleted the rebel supply through siege. However, when the time came for an attack, there were no central authorities to command a strong attack since all the Jiedushis were of equivalent rank. The rebel reinforcement under Shi Shiming managed to reinforced the rebels under An Qingxu. The Tang missed the perfect chance to eliminate the rebels once and for all. A bloody skirmish followed in Ad 789, the battle was fought in poor weather, and there was no central command. Although both sides suffered a tremedous amount of loss (The Rebel leader Shi Shiming even got killed and most of the mongolian rebels were killed), this was unacceptable for the Tang army which had been known to win with small numbers of losses. The many Jidushi began to blame one another and some of them pinpointed Guo. In fact, Guo Ziyi was the only Jiedushi that the Chinese population would have followed other than the Emperor himself. Suzong seeing it as the perfect chance to get rid of Guo, demoted him from office while the other Jiedushi were rewarded generously.
[edit] Under Emperor Suzong
Although the Anshi Rebellion was erased, the Tang faced another threat, the Tubos, or what will be called modern Tibetans. The Tibetans had benefited a lot during Tang's properous period when Tang aid was frequent. During the Anshi Rebellion, the kingdom of Tibet was in its height of power by treacherously supporting the Rebels. Although the Tibetans had signed a treaty with Tang that they should never be in war with each other, this treaty is only effective when China is strong. Weakened by the Anshi Rebellion, the Tibetans began to harasse the Chinese border. Suzong had to recall Guo Ziyi, but only as a figurehead with no power in hope that the Tibetans would be kept in bay. Most Jiedushi who aren't born Chinese saw little need to protect the empire especially when it was in a poor state. AD 792, in today's Shangxi, a general named Wang Yuanzhi murdered the commander Li Jingzhi with an excuse that the troops missed Guo Ziyi. Suzong was forced to put Guo Ziyi back to office. When Guo Ziyi went to Shangxi, instead of thank Wang, condemns him of killing the commander and giving the Tbetans a golden chance for invasion. General Wang recognized his mistakes and committed suicide. Guo Ziyi quickly assumed the command of the post, and during this time, the Tibetans dare not invade Chinese border towns.
[edit] Under Emperor Daizong and Tibetan Invasion
Not Long, Suzong dies and his son Daizong was to become emperor. The New emperor was worried about Guo ziyi's fame and ordered him back to Chang'an. Guo Ziyi had asked the emperor to take a noted of the threat prevoked by Tibetans but it was largely ignored.
The worst came when the hundred thousand Tibetan regulars actually surrounded the Capital city of Chang'an soon afterward. This was the height of Tibetan power, but it is also the height of Guo's career. Prepared, Guo sent a small force of cavalry to scout the Tibetans with given orders of what to do. This force of men were to lit fire randomly in places where the Tibetans can see them, and retreated immediately. Secret messages was sent to Chang'an to ordered citizens to hit the gong and blow fireworks. The Tibetans were puzzled in this action and when rumors state that Guo Ziyi is coming to them with a large force, the whole force panicked and scattered. One by one, Tibetan army began to deserted and this battle was won without any loss in both sides. Many Chinese military historians stated that this is the cleanest war that had been war since its corrsponded to what Sun Tzu had in mind, "a war with no loss in each side but simply play out a desired effect of the winner". There are also disperancy in the amount of troops Guo sent, some Chinese text stated that Guo had simply thriteen riders as scouts but the Tibetan text stated there were two hundred. Nevertheless, it is a great victory, and when Guo Ziyi arrived with his "large" force of militia, Daizong appeared to him and stated, "If the country had just use general earlier, this would never happen." 「用卿不早，故及於此。」
The next two years saw a peaceful Tang government. However, the Tibetans attacked again in Ad 795, when a Jidushi of Uyghur origin sent false messages to the King of Tibet and Uygur stating that Guo Ziyi had died of certain epidemic. The Tibetan King eager to avenge his earlier defeat, dispatched a large force to attack Tang China again. Various Uyghur kings beieved that Guo is dead and joined force with Tibet. The force was recorded as large as more than thirty thousand (including few thousands of Uyghurs), almost the entire force of Tibetan military at the time.
Emperor Daizong believed GUo Ziyi, who isn't dead yet would be the best choice for the commander of Tang and recruited him to go with a few thousand men. When Guo was near a day journey with the enemy, he told that he will go alone to see the Uyghur cheieftans. His deputies and son were so angered, and panicked that they wouldn't let go of his horse rope, stating that this is simply suicide. Guo laughed and replied that he is going to conduct good business. His deputies let go of him but his son would not. Guo was angered and scorned him saying, that this is a life and dead situation for the country, our forces are few, if we fought, both of us father and son and die. if he succeed that it is the all of the people's fortune and if he fail, just one life is lost. “現在強敵當前，形勢危急，如果交戰，不但我父子難保，就是國家也很危險，不如以誠意勸服他們，如果成功，是天下人的福分，如果失敗，我個人性命又算得了什麼!” and he took out a horse slashing rope and whip it on his son's hand so he will let go.
When he arrived to the Uyghur's camp, he stated out that Guo Ziyi is coming to see them. The Uyghur cheiftans who many joined the Anshi Rebellion on the Rebel side were panicked but decided that they must see him. Guo ZIyi laughed at them and asked why do they want to face him again when they had fought enough during the Anshi Rebllion . The Uyghur cheiftains quickly replied that they were tricked into thinking he isn't alive as he is alive, they will gladly retreat. However Guo insisted that this is not his wish but he want the uyghur to help the Tang in the war of the Tang have to destroy them as well. At the momment, the Uyghur cheiftains quickly state that Tibet had treacherously tricked them into fithinging Tang and how despicable they have been to violate the treaty made by them. They even tell Guo stories that the Shamans says a great man will lead them to a right path and now they know that great man is Guo. Though, Guo is able to gain the Uyghurs as allies and find the location of the Uyghur hideouts.
When Guo returned to camp, he ordered a thousand light horsemen to made a quick rush at the Tibetan camp. The Tibetans still thinking the Uyghurs as allies proudly celebrating about the victory they may have on Tang, but when news arrived that Uyghurs will not fight on their side, they quickly try to withdraw. However, it is too late, a thousand light horsemen arrived and scattered the Tibetan forces. In the same time, the uyghurs arrived to make sure the Tibetans cannot leave the scene peacefully. Over ten thousand Tibetans were killed in battle and another ten thousand were caught as prisoners of war. Guo continue to pursue and recovered over four thousand civilians captured by the Tibetans during the time Tibet launch attack on China.
When the Tibetan King heard that his force were defeated, he quickly sent message to Emperor Daizong for peace stating that his army were actually on a hunting trip and have no intention to fight the Tang and they had already signed a treaty for no war between the two countire. Although Daizong know that the Tibet is up to no good but as the treaty state that neither country should conquer the other and the Tibetan army had barely arrived into China, agreed the peace. Tibet was never again able to threaten the inland of China again after this battle, which is known by name of its battle site Xiyuan.
[edit] Later Life
Guo was made Prefectural ruler of Fenyang (汾陽郡王), hence he is sometimes called "Li Fenyang" for his actions. He lived up to the age of 85. He was given the posthumous name of Zhongwu (忠武 "Loyal and Martial" after his death.
There is a commonly remembered anecdote from the year AD 797 in which his son, who was married to a princess, had an argument with his wife. In the argument, the princess and his son compared Emperor Daizong and Guo, the father. His son was recorded as saying, "What is so great about being an emperor, my father can become an emperor anytime if he wants to." This angered Guo so much that he locked his son up and waited for Emperor Daizong to punish him. The princess noticed what trouble she had bought to her husband and ask Guo to forgive him but with no success. Emperor Daizong arrived and said to Guo, "The son and daughter are fighting, we as father in laws can do little" ：“不痴不聾，不作家翁。兒女子閨房之言，何足聽也！”
In another instance, the son hit his wife, the princess, in a drunken rage. The same thing happened and the emperor forgave his son in law again. The son was scorned heavily by his father and was locked up, the princess begged for her husband to be forgiven and Emperor Daizong stepped in. The story of the lives of Guo's son and the princess are popularized by the rather literally titled Beijing Opera "Hitting the Princess While Drunk" 醉打金枝.
Popular folklore states that a fairy from Avalon came down to Guo and asked about his greatest desire as Jade emperor was fond of his efforts in preserving the Tang dynasty and giving happiness to the people. Guo stated that he had fought far too long and had seen too much bloodshed, and would only want happiness and fortune. Thus, Guo was guided to Avalon and given the post of God of Prosperity and Happiness.
[edit] Achievements
Guo Ziyi was credited by many historians to allow the Tang to surived for a longer period, significantly ended the Anshi Rebellion. Many characterized him as the man who single handly saved the Tang dynasty. His impact on East Asia is also dramatic, he allowed the Chinese to regain much of it s Uyghur allies which will act as mercenaries in the later period of Tang and the destruction of Tibetan power. After the various battles with him, the Tibetans were never able to restore its military might and lost its imporatnace.
Guo's family will find more famous generals, amongst them Guo Puyo, a general, heavily used by Genghis Khan, and Guo Kan,one of the best general in the mongol empire.
