Bi Shiduo
Encyclopedia
Bi Shiduo (d. March 2, 888) was an army officer of the late Chinese
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...

. He initially was part of the agrarian rebellions of Wang Xianzhi
Wang Xianzhi
Wang Xianzhi , courtesy name Zijing , was a famous Chinese calligrapher of the Eastern Jin.He was the seventh and youngest son of the famed Wang Xizhi. Wang inherited his father's talent for the art, although his siblings were all notable calligraphers. His style is more fluid than his father's,...

 and Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...

, but later became a Tang officer. His rebellion in 887
887
Year 887 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The city of Toledo rises against the Umayyad leader....

 against Gao Pian
Gao Pian
Gao Pian , courtesy name Qianli , formally the Prince of Bohai , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...

 the military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
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 Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...

, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...

) would be the start of sustained warfare that left the once-wealthy circuit in devastation.

Background and participation in agrarian rebellions

It is not known when Bi Shiduo was born, but it is known that he was from Yuanju (冤句, in modern Heze
Heze
Heze is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. The westernmost prefecture-level city in Shandong, it borders Jining to the east and the provinces of Henan and Anhui to the west and south respectively. The old name of Heze was Caozhou and now a part...

, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...

), where Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...

 was from as well. When Wang Xianzhi
Wang Xianzhi
Wang Xianzhi , courtesy name Zijing , was a famous Chinese calligrapher of the Eastern Jin.He was the seventh and youngest son of the famed Wang Xizhi. Wang inherited his father's talent for the art, although his siblings were all notable calligraphers. His style is more fluid than his father's,...

 started a rebellion against the reign of Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...

 in 874
874
Year 874 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Ingólfur Arnarson arrives as the first permanent Viking settler in Iceland, settling in Reykjavík ....

, Bi joined the rebellion. He was known for his abilities in horsemanship and archery, and his followers referred to him as "the Kestrel
Kestrel
The name kestrel, is given to several different members of the falcon genus, Falco. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour which is to hover at a height of around over open country and swoop down on prey, usually small mammals, lizards or large insects...

." After Wang Xianzhi's death in 878
878
Year 878 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :...

, it appeared that Bi followed Huang. In 879
879
Year 879 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Pope John VIII recognizes the Duchy of Croatia as an independent state....

, when Gao Pian
Gao Pian
Gao Pian , courtesy name Qianli , formally the Prince of Bohai , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...

, who was then the military governor of Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Jiangsu province in the eastern People's Republic of China . Sitting on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Changzhou to the east, and Yangzhou across the river to the north.Once...

, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...

), sent the officers Zhang Lin (張璘) and Liang Zan (梁瓚) to attack Huang and repeatedly defeated Huang, Bi, along with several other key Huang followers, including Qin Yan
Qin Yan
Qin Yan , né Qin Li , was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who seized control of Xuanshe Circuit , and thereafter briefly seized control of Yang Prefecture , the capital of Huainan Circuit , before being defeated by Yang Xingmi...

, Li Hanzhi
Li Hanzhi
Li Hanzhi , formally the Prince of Longxi , nickname Li Moyun , was a late-Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty warlord. He was initially a follower of the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao, and later became a Tang general, mostly known for his service under Li Keyong...

, and Xu Qing (許勍), surrendered to Gao, and thereafter became a follower to Gao.

Service under Gao Pian

It was said that in subsequent confrontations where Gao Pian had victories over Huang Chao, Bi Shiduo was a major contributor to the victories, along with Liang Zan. Gao thus treated him well. After Gao was transferred to Huainan Circuit in 879
879
Year 879 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Pope John VIII recognizes the Duchy of Croatia as an independent state....

, it appeared that Bi followed him there, as Bi was referred to as a Huainan officer in summer 880
880
Year 880 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* Pope John VIII issues the bull Industriae Tuae, creating an independent ecclesiastical province in Great Moravia with Archbishop Saint Methodius as its head...

. By that point, the tide of war had turned against Gao, as Huang had killed Zhang Lin in battle and was advancing north, approaching Huainan's capital Yang Prefecture (揚州). Bi, warning him that Huang's intentions were to further advance north to ravage the center of the Tang state, suggested that Gao launch another attack to intercept Huang. However, Gao, distressed by Zhang's defeat and death, did not make any attempt to stop Huang, who subsequently continued his advance toward the eastern capital Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...

 and the imperial 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...

.

Rebellion against Gao Pian

By 887
887
Year 887 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The city of Toledo rises against the Umayyad leader....

, Gao Pian, who had trusted the sorcerer Lü Yongzhi
Lü Yongzhi
Lü Yongzhi was a sorcerer late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who became trusted by Gao Pian the military governor of Huainan Circuit and became very powerful at Huainan, at one point becoming more powerful than Gao himself...

, had effectively entrusted the affairs of the circuit to Lü, such that even his long-time officers Yu Gongchu (俞公楚) and Yao Guili (姚歸禮) were killed due to false accusations that Lü laid against them, and this led to the officers of the circuit becoming fearful of death. Bi Shiduo was particularly anxious, because of his own status as a former follower of Huang Chao's. Further, Bi had a dispute with Lü over an incident involving one of Bi's concubines, who was known for being beautiful; because of her reputation of beauty, Lü had wanted to see her appearance, and Bi refused, but on one occasion when Bi was not at home, Lü went to see her anyway, and Bi, in anger, threw her out of the household.

In summer 887, the warlord Qin Zongquan, who had rebelled against Emperor Xizong's rule at Cai Prefecture (蔡州, in modern Zhumadian
Zhumadian
Zhumadian is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders Xinyang to the south, Nanyang to the west, Pingdingshan to the northwest, Luohe to the north, Zhoukou to the northeast, and the province of Anhui to the east.Its population is 7,230,744 at the...

, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...

), was sending generals out to attack the nearby circuits. Gao, hearing news that Qin was sending an army his way, commissioned Bi to take the special Baiqi Corps (百騎) to Gaoyou to prepare to resist the Qin advance. As Bi was about to leave, Lü treated him especially well, which led Bi to fear that Lü was intending to get his guards down to act against him. Even Bi's mother was fearful, and she sent a messenger to him to state, "If something like that happens, you should strive for yourself. Do not worry about your mother or children." When Bi consulted the defender of Gaoyou, Zhang Shenjian (張神劍), whose daughter had married Bi's son, Zhang believed that Lü would not act against Bi. However, at that time, one of Gao's sons wanted Bi to act against Lü so that he could use this chance to show Lü's evil nature, intentionally sent Bi a message stating, "Lü Yongzhi had frequently met with the Chancellor [(i.e., Gao, who carried an honorary chancellor title)] and wants to act against you. An order has already been sent to Minister Zhang [(i.e., Zhang, who carried an honorary minister title)]. Be careful!" Bi confronted Zhang, who knew nothing about it, but subsequently agreed, along with Bi and Bi's friend Zheng Hanzhang (鄭漢章), to rise against Lü.

On May 1, 887, Bi and Zheng, after issuing public declarations denouncing Lü, departed Gaoyou and advanced toward Yang Prefecture. Lü oversaw the defense and was initially able to repel Bi's attacks. Bi, who believed that his army was not strong enough to capture Yang Prefecture, sent a letter to Qin Yan, who was then the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of Xuanshe Circuit (宣歙, headquartered in modern Xuancheng
Xuancheng
Xuancheng is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Anhui province of Eastern China. It borders Wuhu to the northwest, Chizhou to the west, Huangshan to the southwest, and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu to the southeast and northeast respectively....

, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...

), offering the military governorship of Huainan to him and asking for aid. Qin sent his officer Qin Chou (秦稠) to reinforce Bi. Meanwhile, Gao and Lü had a falling out inside the city, and Gao put up a defense at his headquarters, commanded by his nephew Gao Jie (高傑), to guard against Lü. Gao Pian subsequently sent the officer Shi E (石鍔) to meet with Bi, along with Bi's youngest son. Bi ordered his young son to return to Gao Pian, stating, "If the Chancellor executes Lü Yongzhi and Zhang Shouyi [(張守一, a close association of Lü's and also a sorcerer that Gao trusted)] to show me his intent, I will surely not turn back on his grace, and I am willing to have my wife and children serve as hostages." Gao Pian, worried that Lü might preemptively slaughter Bi's family, put Bi's family under protective custody.

On May 17, Bi made a fierce attack on Yang Prefecture, but Lü's counterattack defeated him. However, at this juncture, Gao Jie launched an attack from Gao Pian's headquarters, intending to capture Lü to deliver to Bi. Lü, hearing the news, abandoned Yang Prefecture and fled. The next day, Bi made a show of force by having his troops plunder the city. Gao was forced to meet him and make him deputy military governor, and subsequently transferred all authority over the circuit to him. Bi subsequently sent a letter to Qin Yan, requesting that he come to Yang Prefecture quickly to take his post. (This was despite contrary advice given to Bi that he should instead honor Gao Pian as the titular military governor and refuse to let Qin take the post — pointing out that he would lose power if Qin arrived, and that the other prefects throughout Huainan would surely not willingly serve under Qin, thus leading to more warfare and bloodshed.) He also put Gao and Gao's entire household under house arrest. Upon Qin's arrival, he made Bi the commander of the Huainan forces, but moved his office outside the headquarters.

Defeat by Yang Xingmi and death

Just as the advice rejected by Bi Shiduo predicted, Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi , né Yang Xingmin , courtesy name Huayuan , formally Prince Wuzhong of Wu , later posthumously honored King Xiaowu of Wu then Emperor Wu of Wu with the temple name of Taizu , was a military governor of...

 the prefect of Lu Prefecture (廬州, in modern Hefei
Hefei
Hefei is the capital and largest city of Anhui Province in Eastern China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Anhui...

, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...

) was not willing to accept Qin Yan, and he, with aid from Sun Duan (孫端) the prefect of He Prefecture (和州, in modern Chaohu, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...

), headed toward Yang Prefecture. Lü joined forces with him, as did Zhang Shenjian (who had been angered by Bi's refusal to share the material plunders with him). Yang Xingmi put Yang Prefecture under siege, starting June 20.

Qin tried to have Bi and Zheng Hanzhang lead a counterattack against Yang Xingmi, but Yang Xingmi decisively defeated them, leading Qin not to dare to launch another counterattack against the siege afterwards. Concerned that Gao Pian might be using witchcraft to curse him and his army, he also put Gao and his entire family to death. The siege continued for months, such that the city fell into a massive famine, and Qin's soldiers from Xuanshe Circuit were eating human flesh as food. Nevertheless, Yang Xingmi was unable to capture the city and considered withdrawal. However, on November 18, Lü's associate Zhang Shenwei (張審威) opened the city gates and welcomed Yang Xingmi's forces in. Hearing the news, Qin and Bi consulted the Buddhist nun Wang Fengxian (王奉仙), whom they believed to have prophetic abilities; Wang urged them to flee, and they did so, allowing Yang Xingmi to take over the city.

Qin and Bi initially tried to flee to Dongtang (東塘, near Yang Prefecture), but the general Zhang Xiong
Zhang Xiong
Zhang Xiong was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who, from 886 and on, controlled an army that initially roved in the lower Yangtze River region and became a key player in the power struggles between various warlords for the control of Huainan and Zhenhai...

, who then occupied Dongtang, refused to receive them. They considered heading south back to Xuanshe's headquarters Xuan Prefecture (宣州). However, by that point, Qin Zongquan's army, commanded by his brother Qin Zongheng (秦宗衡), had arrived in the vicinity, and Qin Zongheng sent messengers to Qin Yan and Bi, inviting them to join forces against Yang Xingmi. They then joined Qin Zongheng.

Soon thereafter, Qin Zongheng was assassinated by his deputy Sun Ru
Sun Ru
Sun Ru , formally the Prince of Le'an , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who initially served as a general under the pretender emperor Qin Zongquan...

, who took over the army. Sun, along with Qin Yan and Bi, then attacked Gaoyou, capturing it, forcing Zhang Shenjian to flee to Yang Prefecture, where Yang Xingmi killed him. However, Sun did not trust Qin Yan and Bi, and gradually stripped them of their soldiers. Their officer Tang Hong (唐宏), believing that Sun would eventually kill them, decided to save himself by falsely accusing Qin Yan and Bi of working in concert with Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...

, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...

). In early 888
888
Year 888 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* January 13 – With the death of Charles the Fat, the Frankish kingdom is split again, and this time permanently...

, Sun put Qin Yan, Bi, and Zheng to death.
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