The Temple of Wu (part 2)
The Men Honored in the Big Expansion
(The rear view of the Guandi Temple, Yuncheng City, Shanxi, photo from the Wikipedia)
See Part 1 - The Temple of Wu
See Part 3 - Changes to the List of Generals
See Part 4 - What Happened to the Wu Temples?
The Expansion of the Wu Miao
A decade after the An Lushan Rebellion was defeated, Huangdi Dezong of Tang (r. 779-805) ordered a massive expansion to the number of men honored in the Wu Miao. The original eleven men were joined by 64 new men.
The following men who were added and remained in the Wu Miao from this point on:
Guan Zhong (720-645 BC). A chancellor of the State of Qi. Not a general.
Fan Li (active 480-470 BC). Said to have successfully placed the beauty Xi Shi as one of the wives of Fuchai of Wu. Thanks to her distractions, the state of Wu eventually collapsed. Not a general, but a clever strategist.
Sun Bin (active 340-315 BC). A claimed descendant of Sun Tzu, Sun Bin also wrote a book on military strategies. However, the entire book was lost sometime before 400 AD. A partial copy of the book was rediscovered in 1972.
Tian Dan (active 280-260 BC). A general famous for a number of psychological tricks, including routing an enemy army using a herd of oxen with flaming tails.
Lian Po (327-243 BC). A general who commanded soldiers of the Zhao Kingdom.
Zhao She (active 275-265 BC).A part-time general who defeated the Qin army in a short campaign.
Li Mu (active 250-229 BC). A general of Zhao who fought the Qin Army but was ultimately defeated due to political machinations within Zhao.
Wang Jian (active 236-220 BC). A general of Qin, his massive army conquered Chu in 223 BC. One of the six great generals of Qin.
Cao Shen (active 215-190 BC). A friend and military ally of Liu Bang (founder of the Han Dynasty).
Zhou Bo (active 210-169 BC). A friend, ally, and later chancellor for Liu Bang.
Peng Yue (active 215-196 BC). Another friend, ally, and general for Liu Bang.
Zhou Yafu (active 167-143 BC). One of the great generals of the early Han. He fought the Xiongnu and defeated a major rebellion of the seven states in 154 BC.
Li Guang (184-119 BC). A general under Wu of Han but often unlucky. Probably included because he was an ancestor of the founder of the Tang Dynasty.
Wei Qing (active 140-106 BC). One of the top generals of Wu of Han. Born a peasant, he rose to become a relative to Huangdi Wu by marriage. He commanded many successful campaigns in his long career. He remained humble and respected all his life. Wei Qing is one of the truly great generals in Chinese history.
Huo Qubing (140-117 BC). A nephew of Wei Qing. Very successful in his few campaigns against the Xiongnu. He died very young (age 23). Reached Lake Baikal in his 118 BC campaign. Still known in China today.
Deng Yu (2 BC-58 AD). One of the military leaders who helped depose Wang Mang in 22 AD. Worked with the future Huangdi, Liu Xi. A very minor military figure.
Wu Han (active 20-44 AD). Another military commander who helped depose Wang Mang and then brought China under the control of Liu Xi. A far more important general than Deng Yu.
Jia Fu (9-55 AD). Another military ally of Liu Xi. Another minor military figure.
Feng Yi (active 20-34 AD). Another minor military ally of Liu Xi.
Kou Xun (active 20-36 AD). Another military ally of Liu Xi.
Geng Yan (3 - 58 AD). Another military ally of Liu Xi, quite unimportant.
Ma Yuan (14 - 49 AD). Another military ally of Liu Xi. Sent to Vietnam where he defeated the Trung Sisters rebellion.
Duan Jiong (段熲) (Active 160-179 AD). A late Han general.
Huangfu Song (active 180-195 AD). One of the last generals of the Han Army. He defeated the Yellow Turban army along with Dong Zhuo. He appears as a minor character in the Saga of the Three Kingdoms.
Zhang Liao (169-222 AD). One of Cao Cao’s top generals. Considered one of the five best generals of his time by Chen Shou, the man who wrote the first history of the Three Kingdoms.
Zhou Yu (175-210 AD). One of the great commanders of his age, Zhou Yu joined Sun Ce in 195 and together they conquered the lower Yangtze region. He led the Wu Kingdom army & fleet and defeated Cao Cao in the most famous battle in Chinese history: the Battle of the Red Cliffs. He died just two years later. He was immortalized by Su Shi in one of his best known poems.
Lu Meng 吕蒙 (178-220 AD). One of the lesser generals of Wu Kingdom, Lu Meng did only one thing: he conquered the part of Jing Province held by Guan Yu in 220 and he captured and killed Guan Yu. Seems like a thin record of accomplishment to me.
Lu Xun (183-245 AD). He commanded the kingdom of Wu’s army in 222 and defeated Liu Bei’s invasion of Jing. Fairly successful for the rest of his career.
Lu Kang (226-274 AD). A general of the Wu Kingdom. An unimportant commander.
Yang Hu (221-278 AD). A strategist for Wei but he has no actual accomplishments. He made a plan to conquer the Kingdom of Wu but he died before the invasion took place.
Wang Jun (206-286 AD). One of the generals in the conquest of Wu (280 AD). He played only a minor role in the operation.
Murong Ke (active 340-367 AD). A Xianbie (barbarian) general, and commander of the northern army. He recaptured Luoyang from the Jin State in 365 and worked with Wang Meng.
Wang Meng (325-375 AD). An major official of the northern kingdom, but not a military leader. This is another statesman - not a general - honored in the Wu Miao.
Xie Xuan - (343-388 AD). The victorious commander of the southern kingdom’s army at the battle of Fei River, one of the most important battles of the century.
Wang Zhen (373-418) - A minor general who fought for the Southern Jin government and was later murdered by the future ruler of the south, Liu Yu.
Hulu Guang (515-572). One of the only capable commanders of the North East State (called Northern Qi). Six years after his death, Northern Qi was conquered by the North West State (called Northern Zhou).
Yuwen Jin (493-568 AD). A commander of the army under Yuwen Tai (the military ruler of Western Wei/Northern Zhou). Another curious choice, as Yuwen Tai is the man credited with commanding the army of Wei. Although Yuwen Jin had a long career, the men he worked for, Yuwen Tai & Yuwen Jue, are far more important. I guess Yuwen Tai & Yuwen Jue were later declared Huangdi and thus they could not be honored in the Wu Miao.
Yuwen Xian (545-578 AD). A son of the great Yuwen Tai, General Xian was one of the commanders of the army of Northern Zhou which conquered the larger state of North Qi in 576-578. He was murdered by his nephew Yuwen Yun (AKA King Xuan).
Yuwen Xiaokuan (509-580) (AKA: Wei Xioakuan). General Xiaokuan was also one of the commanders of the army of Northern Zhou that defeated the larger state of North Qi in 576-578.
Han Qinhu (538-592 AD). One of the chief commanders of the Sui Dynasty, he built and commanded the Sui fleet which sailed down the Yangtze and conquered the capital of the Southern Kingdom.
Shi Wansui (549-600 AD). An important general of the Sui, he commanded the army which reconquered Vietnam in 602 AD. Yang Su arranged to have him accused of treason and executed. Ironically, Yang Su is also one of the honored generals.
Li Xiaogong (591-640 AD). A cousin of the founder of the Tang Dynasty (Li Yuan). He played a modest role in the civil war which the Tang won (618 to 623).
Yuchi Gong (585-658 AD). A warrior and bodyguard for Li Shimin (Taizong of Tang). Though he was not a general, he is famous as one of the two guardian Door Gods whose image is seen on doors and in art across East Asia.
Su Dingfang (591-667 AD). A colleague of Li Jing and Li Xuan, General Su commanded Tang armies on many major successful campaigns, including the conquest of Baekje in 660 AD and apparently defeated the Tibetan army in 664. One of the great military commanders in Chinese history.
Pei Xingjian (619-682 AD). A general of the Tang army in the West, he fought in Central Asia from 677 to 681.
Zhang Renyuan (active 690-714 AD). A minor general who fought in the wars which nearly destroyed China during the years of Wu Zetian. He helped to stabilize the northern frontier.
Wang Jun (660-732 AD). A very effective general, Wang Jun was constantly successful during the first 15 years of Xuanzong’s reign, eventually becoming the Minister of War (兵部尚書). Then court politics caused his demotion to provincial governor in 726.
Guo Ziyi (697-781 AD). General Guo Ziyi had a very long career, which spanned the entire An Lushan rebellion and continued on to the Tang’s wars with the Nine Clans. He is given credit for saving the Tang Dynasty.
Removed 963 - Re-added in 1123
These men were part of the original 64 but they were removed in 963 and then they were re-added to the Wu Miao in 1123.
Guan Yu - (Active 190-220 AD). The most famous warrior-general in Chinese history. Guan Yu joined Liu Bei and Zhang Fei around 193 AD. During the late Ming Dynasty, Guan Yu was elevated to be the #1 man in the Wu Temple (displacing Jiang Ziya). This is why the Wu Miao are now known as Guandi (Temple of Guan Yu). It is very interesting that Gyan Yu was removed from the Wu Miao in 960 and only added back 150 years later.
Zhang Fei - (Active 190-221 AD). One of the most famous warrior-generals in Chinese history. He joined Liu Bei and Guan Yu around 193 AD and served Liu Bei loyally till his death. Known for his boisterous personality, his great courage and his somewhat uncouth manners.
Deng Ai (197-264 AD). Deng Ai was a friend of Sima Yi and had a number of positions in the Kingdom of Wei’s government. He was in charge of the Wei army which conquered Shu Han in 264 but he was executed shortly after the conclusion of that campaign.
Du Yu - (223 - 285 AD). A writer and a general of Wei who helped conquer the Kingdom of Wu in 280 AD. A commander of no significance.
Tao Kan - (259-334 AD). Tao Kan was the successor to Zhou Fang. He successfully commanded the army of the newly formed Southern Kingdom against the northern barbarians. He also defeated the revolt by Su Jun in 327-29, who captured the capital for two years.
Wang Senjie (active 545-555 AD). An unimportant general who supported the wrong man following the collapse of Wudi’s government. He was killed by the future leader of the Southern Kingdom, Chen Baxian.
Wu Mingche (510-580 AD). A general of the Southern Kingdom who helped stabilize the state after the chaotic collapse of Wudi of Liang. The Southern Kingdom was finally conquered by the Sui in 580 AD and general Wu Mingche died at the end of the campaign. Honoring this general seems to be an implied criticism of the Sui Dynasty.
Yang Su (544-606 AD). Yang Su had a long career as a military leader and political power in the northern Kingdom (which eventually became the Sui Dynasty). One of the most significant men of his age.
He Ruobi (544-607 AD). Another colleague of Yang Su and Shi Wansui. Ruobi is only famous because he openly opposed some policies of the bad Huangdi Yang of Sui, Yang - and was executed for his efforts.
Wang Xioajie (active 678-697 AD). A commander of Tang armies under Wu Zetian. He was unsuccessful in all of his campaigns (lost to Tibetan and the Eastern Turks). His only claim to fame is bravely dying in a battle against the Khitans.
Guo Yuanzhen (656-713 AD). He worked as a diplomat for the ruler of China, Wu Zetian. He later had a number of civil positions within the Tang government. He has no military connection that I can find.
Removed in 963, and never re-added.
Murong Shaozong (501-549 AD). One of the rulers of the Northern (barbarian) Kingdom. Unclear why he was honored as kings are never honored in the Wu Miao. Not a particularly successful general.
Zhang Qiqiu (Tang Dynasty). The most mysterious man honored in the Wu Miao. It is unclear who this man was or what he did. Perhaps they were thinking of Zhang Xun?