An Sishun
Encyclopedia
An Sishun (died April 6, 756) was a general of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong
, probably of Tujue (Göktürk) extraction. He was related to another general, An Lushan
. After An Lushan rebelled against Emperor Xuanzong's rule in 755, another general who was inimical to An Sishun, Geshu Han
, manufactured evidence that An Sishun was complicit in An Lushan's rebellion, and An Sishun was killed.
, Shanxi
), and so they settled with An Zhenjie.
) of Shuofang
Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia
), when, as a part of governor movements, Emperor Xuanzong
made him the military governor of Hexi Circuit (河西, headquartered in modern Wuwei, Gansu), as well as acting governor of Wuwei Commandery. In 750, he assumed the military governship of Shuofang as well.
In 751, after Emperor Xuanzong met with and was impressed by the ethnically Goguryeo
general Gao Xianzhi
, who was then military governor of Anxi Circuit (安西, headquartered in modern Aksu Prefecture
, Xinjiang
), he issued an order making Gao the military governor at Hexi. However, An encouraged the non-Han
chieftains under his command to cut off their ears and lacerate their faces and request that Emperor Xuanzong allow An to remain at Hexi, and Emperor Xuanzong did so.
In 752, in the middle of a rebellion by the Tujue chieftain Li Xianzhong (李獻忠), the chancellor Li Linfu
, who was then locked in a power struggle with fellow chancellor Chen Xilie
and did not want to leave the capital Chang'an
to react to the rebellion (as he was also the military governor of Shuofang), resigned his governorship of Shuofang and recommended An to take over for him. Emperor Xuanzong agreed, and made An the military governor of Shuofang.
Meanwhile, a rivalry had arisen between An Sishun and his cousin An Lushan, then the military governor of Fanyang Circuit (范陽, headquartered in modern Beijing
) and the general Geshu Han
, then the military governor of Longyou Circuit (隴右, headquartered in modern Haidong Prefecture
, Qinghai
). Emperor Xuanzong tried to foster better relations between them, and in winter 752 summoned all three to Chang'an. He had the powerful eunuch Gao Lishi
hold a feast for the three of them, hoping that they would reconcile -- but the feast degenerated into a bitter argument between Geshu and An Lushan, and it was said that instead of improving relations, it worsened their relations.
, who had succeeded Li Linfu and was the cousin of Emperor Xuanzong's favorite concubine Consort Yang Yuhuan, was planning rebellion due to Yang Guozhong's aggravations. He reported it to Emperor Xuanzong, who did not believe it but nevertheless believed An Sishun to be faithful. After An Lushan did rebel early in 755, Emperor Xuanzong did not punish An Sishun, but recalled him to Chang'an to serve as the minister of census (戶部尚書, Hubu Shangshu). An Sishun's younger brother An Yuanzhen (安元貞) was made the minister of husbandry. An Sishun's subordinate Guo Ziyi
was made the military governor of Shuofang.
However, Geshu Han was still inimical to An Sishun, and soon was put in command of the forces against An Lushan. In 756, Geshu forged a letter from An Lushan to An Sishun, and then had the messenger captured at a pass. He presented the letter to Emperor Xuanzong, along with a petition accusing An Sishun of seven crimes. As a result, An Sishun and An Yuanzhen were executed, and their families were exiled to the Lingnan
region, despite Yang Guozhong's attempt to intercede on An Sishun's behalf.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
, probably of Tujue (Göktürk) extraction. He was related to another general, An Lushan
An Lushan
An Lushan was a general who rebelled against the Tang Dynasty in China.His name was also transcribed into Chinese as Āluòshān or Gáluòshān ,...
. After An Lushan rebelled against Emperor Xuanzong's rule in 755, another general who was inimical to An Sishun, Geshu Han
Geshu Han
Geshu Han , formally Prince Wumin of Xiping , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty of Tuqishi extraction. He became a powerful general late in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong and in 756 became responsible for defending Tong Pass against the rebel forces of An Lushan...
, manufactured evidence that An Sishun was complicit in An Lushan's rebellion, and An Sishun was killed.
Background and flight to Tang territory
An Sishun's father's name might have been An Daomai (安道買), and appeared to be of Tujue extraction. An Daomai's brother An Yanyan (安延偃) had married a sorceress, Lady Ashide, who already had a son named Galuoshan, whom An Yanyan adopted and renamed An Lushan. At some point, An Yanyan's tribe suffered a catastrophe, and An Lushan, An Sishun, and possibly An Yanyan, fled to Tang Dynasty territory. At that time, another son of An Daomai's, An Zhenjie (安貞節), was serving as advisor to the Tang prefect of Lan Prefecture (嵐州, in modern LüliangLüliang
Lüliang is a prefecture-level city in Shanxi province in China. It has an area of 21,000 square kilometers and a population of 3,600,000.-Administration:Lüliang has direct jurisdiction over:-External links:*...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
), and so they settled with An Zhenjie.
Career as general
As of 747, An Sishun was serving as the military governor (jiedushiJiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) of Shuofang
Shuofang
Shuofang was a fort built in the land of nomadic horse hasbandry tribes at the dawn of the Chinese written history. According to Bamboo Annals, Shuofang was built by the Emperor Di Yi of Shang state on the third year of his reign in 1098 BC in the midst of the Kun Barbarians territory in the...
Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia
Ningxia
Ningxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
), when, as a part of governor movements, Emperor Xuanzong
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
made him the military governor of Hexi Circuit (河西, headquartered in modern Wuwei, Gansu), as well as acting governor of Wuwei Commandery. In 750, he assumed the military governship of Shuofang as well.
In 751, after Emperor Xuanzong met with and was impressed by the ethnically Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
general Gao Xianzhi
Gao Xianzhi
Gao Xianzhi, or Ko Sōnji, was a Tang general of Korean descent. He was known as a great commander during his lifetime. He is most well known for taking part in multiple military expeditions to conquer the Xiyu region over the infamous Pamir Mountains, all the way to the Aral Sea and the Caspian...
, who was then military governor of Anxi Circuit (安西, headquartered in modern Aksu Prefecture
Aksu Prefecture
Aksu Prefecture is located in mid-western Xinjiang, China. It has an area of 132,500 km² and 2.19 million inhabitants .The name Aksu is Turkic for 'white water'.-Geography:...
, Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
), he issued an order making Gao the military governor at Hexi. However, An encouraged the non-Han
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
chieftains under his command to cut off their ears and lacerate their faces and request that Emperor Xuanzong allow An to remain at Hexi, and Emperor Xuanzong did so.
In 752, in the middle of a rebellion by the Tujue chieftain Li Xianzhong (李獻忠), the chancellor Li Linfu
Li Linfu
Li Linfu , nickname Genu , formally the Duke of Jin , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor for 18 years , during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong—one of the longest terms of service for a chancellor in Tang history, and the longest during Xuanzong's reign.Li...
, who was then locked in a power struggle with fellow chancellor Chen Xilie
Chen Xilie
Chén Xīliè was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. During the An Shi Rebellion, he surrendered to An Lushan and served as chancellor of An's state of Yan at Luoyang...
and did not want to leave the capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
to react to the rebellion (as he was also the military governor of Shuofang), resigned his governorship of Shuofang and recommended An to take over for him. Emperor Xuanzong agreed, and made An the military governor of Shuofang.
Meanwhile, a rivalry had arisen between An Sishun and his cousin An Lushan, then the military governor of Fanyang Circuit (范陽, headquartered in modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
) and the general Geshu Han
Geshu Han
Geshu Han , formally Prince Wumin of Xiping , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty of Tuqishi extraction. He became a powerful general late in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong and in 756 became responsible for defending Tong Pass against the rebel forces of An Lushan...
, then the military governor of Longyou Circuit (隴右, headquartered in modern Haidong Prefecture
Haidong Prefecture
Haidong Prefecture is a prefecture of Qinghai province in Western China. Its name literally means "east of the Lake."-Geography:...
, Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
). Emperor Xuanzong tried to foster better relations between them, and in winter 752 summoned all three to Chang'an. He had the powerful eunuch Gao Lishi
Gao Lishi
Gao Lishi , formally the Duke of Qi , was a eunuch official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, becoming particularly powerful during Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's reign...
hold a feast for the three of them, hoping that they would reconcile -- but the feast degenerated into a bitter argument between Geshu and An Lushan, and it was said that instead of improving relations, it worsened their relations.
Death
At some point, An Sishun became aware that An Lushan, who also had a rivalry with chancellor Yang GuozhongYang Guozhong
Yang Guozhong , né Yang Zhao , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor late in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong...
, who had succeeded Li Linfu and was the cousin of Emperor Xuanzong's favorite concubine Consort Yang Yuhuan, was planning rebellion due to Yang Guozhong's aggravations. He reported it to Emperor Xuanzong, who did not believe it but nevertheless believed An Sishun to be faithful. After An Lushan did rebel early in 755, Emperor Xuanzong did not punish An Sishun, but recalled him to Chang'an to serve as the minister of census (戶部尚書, Hubu Shangshu). An Sishun's younger brother An Yuanzhen (安元貞) was made the minister of husbandry. An Sishun's subordinate Guo Ziyi
Guo Ziyi
Guo Ziyi , formally Prince Zhongwu of Fenyang , was a general during the Tang Dynasty who ended the An Shi Rebellion, and participated in expeditions against the peoples of Huihe and Tubo...
was made the military governor of Shuofang.
However, Geshu Han was still inimical to An Sishun, and soon was put in command of the forces against An Lushan. In 756, Geshu forged a letter from An Lushan to An Sishun, and then had the messenger captured at a pass. He presented the letter to Emperor Xuanzong, along with a petition accusing An Sishun of seven crimes. As a result, An Sishun and An Yuanzhen were executed, and their families were exiled to the Lingnan
Lingnan
Lingnan is a geographic area referring to lands in the south of China's "Five Ranges" which are Tayu, Qitian, Dupang, Mengzhu, Yuecheng. The region covers the Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces of modern China and northern Vietnam...
region, despite Yang Guozhong's attempt to intercede on An Sishun's behalf.