Wanyan Wuzhu

Wanyan Wuzhu, also known as Wo chu or Huangwochu, and later known by his Chinese name, Zongbi (宗弼), was a general from the Jurchen (女真) Wanyan (完颜) tribe. He was the fourth son of Emperor Taizu of Jin, and a general of the Jin dynasty (1115–1234). He died in 1148, while his year of birth is not known.

In his teens, Wanyan Wuzhu followed his second elder brother Wanyan Wolibu (完颜斡离不; Chinese name Zongwang 宗望) in pursuit of Emperor Tianzuo of Liao (the last emperor of the Liao Dynasty) near Yuanyang Lake (in modern day's Hebei Province). In 1125 he joined Wolibu's army to attack the Song Dynasty. In 1126 they captured Tangyin (modern day Tangyin, Henan Province), and Wuzhu headed 3000 Jurchen cavalrymen participating in the battle besieging Bianjing (Modern day Kaifeng, Henan Province), the capital of the Song Dynasty.

In 1128 Wuzhu defeated the ten-thousand-man Song army under Zheng Zongmeng to capture Qingzhou (modern day Qingzhou, Shandong Province) . After that, he overcame Puzhou (modern day Juancheng, Shandong Province) and five towns nearby. With Kaidefu (modern day Puyang, Henan Province) and Damingfu (modern day Handan, Hebei Province) captured, all lands to the north of the Yellow River were occupied by the Jin Dynasty. During the later process of conquering the Song Dynasty, Wuzhu defeated Song troops in Hezhou (modern day Hexian, Anhui Province), Huzhou (modern day Huzhou, Zhejiang Province) and Hangzhou, and signed a peace treaty, making Huaishui (modern day Huai River) the border between the two states. In 1137, he was appointed "right vice-marshal" (右副元帅), and was raised to "Lord Shen" (沈王). Zongbi compelled the Song Dynasty to acknowledge allegiance to Jin in 1142.

Later, Wuzhu was appointed "Left Prime Minister" (左丞相) of the Department of State Affairs (尚书省) as well as Palace Attendant (侍中), Taibao (太保), and "Chief Marshal" (都元帅) . In 1142, Wuzhu returned to the capital and supervised the compilation of the national history. Then he was raised to the post of Taifu (太傅).

Wuzhu was appointed Taishi (太师), and took charge of all Three Departments (the main central administrative system adopted in China) in 1147. He died a year later in December, 1148.

Military career

War against the Liao Dynasty

In December, 1121, Emperor Taizu of Jin waged a second war against the Liao Dynasty. It was in this war that Wuzhu joined the army to fight for the first time, following his uncle Wanyan Xieye (also known by his Chinese name, Wanyan Gao), the "Guolun Hulubojilie (忽鲁勃极烈) chief" (a title and an office resembling the Prime Minister in ancient Jurchen government system).^[1]

In January, 1122, Jin troops captured Zhongjing (modern day Ningcheng, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia), the capital of the Liao Dynasty. Wanyan Nianhan (also known by his Chinese name "Zonghan"宗翰),which was an important general of the Jin dynasty and also the male first cousin of Wuzhu, learned that Emperor Tianzuo of Liao was undertaking a fishing expedition near Yuanyang Lake (鸳鸯淖), so Wanyan Xieye and Nianhan separated the troops and advanced by two different routes to attack Emperor Tianzuo of Liao. At that time Wuzhu and Wolibu served as officers in Xieye's troop. When the troops passed over Qingling (青岭), Nianhan, knowing there were over 300 Liao soldiers ahead of them, led Wuzhu and Ma Heshang with about 100 cavalrymen in chase of the enemies. During the battle, since he exhausted his arrows, Wuzhu snatched a spear from a Liao soldier, and killed eight men by his own, capturing five.^[2]

War that conquered the Northern Song

In October, 1125, the Jin Dynasty waged the first war against the Song Dynasty. Wuzhu served as a high official in the Eastern Army (东路军) of the Jurchen, led by the "right vice-marshal" Wanyan Wolibu. The Eastern Army was sent from Pingzhou (modern day Lulong, Hebei Province) and captured Yanjing (modern day Beijing) in December.^[3] In January, 1126, Wolibu sent Wuzhu to take Tangyin, with 3000 Song soldiers captured. Soon afterwards, the Eastern Army conducted an assault crossing of the Yellow River, and Wuzhu headed 3000 cavalrymen to move in on Bianjing. Having heard that Emperor Huizong of Song had left Bianjing and fled to the south, Wuzhu sent 100 cavalrymen to chase him but failed.^[4] Jin troops surrounded Bianjing soon after, and retreated after the Song begged for peace.^[5]

In August, 1126, Wuzhu followed the "right vice-marshal" Wanyan Wolibu down south again. In April the next year, Jin troops captured Bianjing. Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong surrendered to the Jin Dynasty and were captured by the Jurchens, thus ending the Northern Song Dynasty.^[6]

In June, 1127, Wolibu died of illness, and Wanyan Zongfu (later known as Zongyao, father of Emperor Shizong of Jin), the third elder brother of Wuzhu, became the successor of the "right vice-marshal". In December, Zongfu took orders to wipe out the anti-jin armed forces in parts of Shandong, and Wuzhu served in his army as an officer. First Wuzhu defeated (tens of thousands) the army of Zheng Zongmeng (郑宗孟), and thus captured Qingzhou. After that, he invaded Linqu (in modern-day Shandong), near which he first vanquished the anti-jin armies led by Zhao Cheng (赵成) and then crushed the armies led by Song Huangqiong (宋黄琼), thus taking possession of Linqu. In January, 1128, Zongfu's army moved back. When crossing over the Qing River, they confronted (more than 30 thousands) the army of the Song. Wuzhu's troops demolished the enemies, killing more than ten thousands. He was then assigned to Hejianfu (河间府) by Zongfu, who returned to Yanjing later with his own army.^[7]

War against the Southern Song

In July 1128, Emperor Taizong of Jin issued an imperial edict to chase after Emperor Gaozong of Song, who was running off down Yangzhou. Wuzhu led his own troop following Zongfu's army to the south.^[8] As the van, Wuzhu's troop captured Puzhou, Kaide (开德), Daming (大名) and other places in succession.

In early 1129, Wuzhu was raised to "right vice-marshal". Nianhan and Zongfu sent Talan (Wanyan Chang完颜昌), Wuzhu, Balisu (拔离速) and Mawu (马五) to invade the Southern Song by two routes, and Emperor Gaozong of Song fled southwards from Yangzhou.^[9] Wuzhu moved in upon Guidefu (modern day Shangqiu, Henan Province), and the Song generals guarding the city surrenderd just before his troop attacked. The cities and towns Wuzhu passed through were all easily captured or gave up without a struggle. Wuzhu kept carrying his victorious arms to the north bank of the Yangtze River, and occupied Hezhou (modern day Hexian, Anhui Province), an important city to the north of the Yangtze River. Wuzhu intended to cross the river from Caishiji (in modern day's Anhui), but was blocked by the Song troops from Taipingzhou (太平州) at the ferry, and could not cross the river for three days. So Wuzhu turned to Majiadu (马家渡) and beat the garrison, beheading the Song general Chen Cui (陈淬). In November, Wuzhu crossed the river and defeated the Song troops led by Du Chong (杜充), capturing Jiankang (modern day Nanjing). Having assigned the subordinate generals to the neighboring towns, he headed the army in person to capture Guangdejunlu (广德军路) and Huzhou (now in Zhejiang Province), and arrived in Lin'an (modern day Hangzhou). Hearing that Lin'an was to fall, Emperor Gaozong of Song escaped to Mingzhou (modern day Ningbo, Zhejiang Province). Wuzhu sent Ali (阿里) and Puluhun (蒲卢浑) as the spearhead with 4000 veteran soldiers to chase Emperor Gaozong of Song, and sent another two generals to capture Yuezhou with dramatic swiftness. Ali's troop approached Mingzhou after successive victories, and Emperor Gaozong of Song had to escape to the sea in a boat. Soon afterwards Wuzhu rushed to Mingzhou and captured it. Ali and Puluhun sailed across the sea to Changguoxian (modern day Zhoushan Island, Zhejiang Province) and captured the governor of Mingzhou. Learning that Emperor Gaozong of Song had fled to Fuzhou by way of Wenzhou, they pursued at sea but fell back after being blocked by the naval force of the Song. Wuzhu led his troops back to Lin'an.^[10]

In February, 1130, Wuzhu declared that he had finished the search for Emperor Gaozong of Song, and moved back north along the Jinghang canal, carrying large amounts of gold, silver, treasures and jewels plundered by the troops from all places of Jiangnan. Before leaving, he committed Lin'an, which was a city steeped in history, to the flames, and his troops burned, killed and looted on their way, which became a calamity for the people in Jiangnan.^[11] In march, Wuzhu's army arrived in Zhenjiang. They were blocked by Han Shizhong's troops. The navy led by Han had huge and lofty warships which were guarding the esturary, preventing Jin troops from crossing.^[12] Jin troops had less and smaller battleships and were not good at battles on water, though they outnumbered their enemies. At the beginning, Jin troops suffered great losses, and Wuzhu still could not cross the river after a stalemate for 48 days. His troops had to penetrate up the river to Jiankang. When they got to Huangtiandang (黄天荡), the troops dug a 15-kilometre canal along the old water channel of the Laoguan River (老鹳河) overnight, which led to the Qinhuai River and finally enabled them to escape back to Jiankang. Since Han Shizhong pursued to Jiankang and blockaded the river with warships, Wuzhu posted a reward for the scheme to destroy the warships to cross the river. A man from Fujian gave him a suggestion of shooting fire arrows into the sails of the warships, which could not move without wind. Wuzhu followed his advice and made fire arrows that very night. In a still sunny day, Wuzhu carried out the scheme and succeeded. Countless of Song soldiers were burnt or drowned to death. Han Shizhong had to abandon his ship and escaped back to Zhenjiang with only a handful of men.^[13]

In May, Jin troops set fires to Jiankang before they headed back to the north crossing the Yangtze River. On their way back, Wuzhu's army was attacked by the troops led by Yue Fei from the Southern Song, and suffered a heavy loss.^[14]

In September, 1130, Emperor Taizong of Jin made Zongfu command the armies of Shaanxi to attack Sichuan and Shaanxi, followed by Wuzhu with his own army. The two dynasties committed the battle in Fuping (modern day in Shaanxi Province). At that time, the Song soldiers were several times more than those of Jin, and Wuzhu and his soldiers were surrounded by the troops led by Zhang Jun, the local military commissioner of Shaanxi, and had a hard time. With the help of Wanyan Loushi, they finally got through the close siege. With the recovery of Jin troops, the commander of Song troops got afraid and deserted on the eve of battle, which led to the failure of the Song. Not long after the battle in Fuping, Zongfu and Wuzhu captured most of the land in Shaanxi.^[15]

In January, 1131, Zongfu went back to Yanjing, and Wuzhu took the lead of the armies of Shaanxi. In September, Wuzhu led his soldiers to invade Sichuan. While he made his way through Heshangyuan (modern day in the southeast of Baoji in Shaanxi province), he met heavy resistance by Wu Jie and Wu Lin (two famous Song generals in command of anti-jin troops). Wuzhu lost almost half of his troops and was shot by an arrow, which became his biggest failure since Wuzhu joined army. Two years later in November, Wuzhu's troops marched again and this time they defeated Wu Lin and captured Heshangyuan.^[16] In February the next year, Wuzhu sent out troops but was defeated by Wu Jie. In March he returned to Yanjing.^[17]

In 1139, Emperor Xizong of Jin accepted Wuzhu's proposal and declared war against the Song again. The Jurchen troops invaded the area, which had been given back to Song Dynasty in Henan and Shaanxi. Because many of the generals used to be officers of Jin, they soon surrendered and within one month Jin captured most of the area as mentioned before. In that case, Yue Fei and other generals had to retreat to the south of Yingchang (modern day Xuchang, Henan province), and Wuzhu garrisoned Bianjing without difficulty.^[18] Wuzhu had intended to strike while the iron is hot and captured the area to the north of the Huaihe River, so he led his army to north. But was defeated by Liu Qi in Shunchang (modern day Fuyang, Anhui Province), and got a worse defeat by Yue Fei in Yancheng (modern day in Henan province) and Yingchang. Wuzhu was within an inch of being arrested. The situation was very good for Song Dynasty, and Yue Fei was going to recapture the area in Henan and Hebei. But Emperor Gaozong of Song commanded Yue Fei to go back to the capital, so the army of Song retreated from Henan.^[19]

Wuzhu had never given up the idea of being bounded on the Huaihe River with Song Dynasty, though he had met with severe defeat.^[20] In February, 1141, he captured Luzhou and took a battle with Song in Tuogao (modern day in Anhui Province), but was severely defeated. Wuzhu exploit Qin Hui (prime minister of Song) to kill Yue Fei, and later declared that he was willing to keep peace with Song. Emperor Gaozong of Song agreed to have peace talking with Jin, and the next year the two countries signed peace agreement, which is called ”Treaty of Shaoxing”.^[21]

Political career

In 1137, Wuzhu was praised as right vice-marshal and Lord Shen.^[22] In November the same year, Jin gave up the regime of puppet Qi and got the power back to center.^[23]

In 1138, Zongpan and Zongjuan seized power. They connected with left vice-marshal Talan and gave back some areas in Henan and Shaanxi to Song. Wuzhu with Zonggan and some others firmly disagreed with them. The next year, Emperor Xizong of Jin sentenced them crime of conspiring against the state, condemned Zongpan and Zongjuan to death, and deprived Talan's military leadship.^[24]

Later Wuzhu was appointed chief marshal and Lord of Yue Kingdom. In 1140, Wuzhu found the evidence that Talan had connection with Song. Emperor Xizong of Jin made Wuzhu kill Talan, after which praised Wuzhu as Taibao (太保).

In November, Wuzhu went to court, at which time Emperor Xizong of Jin was on a trip to Yanjing, with left vice-marshal Wanyan Xiyin by his side. Wuzhu wanted to go back to his own mansion. At the farewell dinner, Xiying and Wuzhu had an unhappy conversation, which made Wuzhu very angry. The next day when Wuzhu said goodbye to the Queen, he told the details that Xiying was up to no good. After his leaving, the Queen told everything to Emperor Xizong of Jin. Xizong sent out to pursuit Wuzhu back and permitted Wuzhu to take Xiying off. So Wuzhu killed Xiying and his two sons, with his bosom right vice-marshal Xiao Qing and Xiao’s son. The next year Wuzhu was praised as left prime minister and Shizhong (侍中), and was still the chief marshal.

In March, 1142, Wuzhu was appointed Taifu (太傅). In November, 1147, appointed as Taishi (太师), .After the Shaoxin Peace Agreement, Wuzhu stuck to the peace policy, and advocated to wait until everything was ready to destroy Song in a very short time. And in that case, in the later twenty years, there were few wars between the two countries, which was positive to the development of economic and culture for both of the two counties.

In October, 1148, Wuzhu fell ill and died.

References