Feng Changqing
Encyclopedia
Feng ChangqingFeng Changqing ( (died January 24, 756) was a general of the 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...

. Feng was described as ugly in his appearance, and when he first met 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...

 and asked to be a guard for Gao, Gao initially rejected him, but eventually agreed to take Feng as a soldier under his command. He distinguished himself under the commands of Gao and Wang Zhengjian (王正見), particularly in a battle against Greater Bolü (大勃律, near modern Gilgit
Gilgit
Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...

, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

) in 753, eventually commissioned as a 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...

). After failing to defeat 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 ,...

's rebellion in 755, however, both he and Gao were executed due to accusations against them made by the eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...

 Bian Lingcheng (邊令誠).

Background

Feng Changqing's family was from Yishi (猗氏, in modern Yuncheng, 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....

). HIs maternal grandfather had committed a crime and was exiled to Shymkent
Shymkent
Shymkent , formerly known as Chimkent , is the capital city of South Kazakhstan Province, the most populated region in Kazakhstan. It is the third most populous city in Kazakhstan behind Almaty and Astana with a population of 629,600 . A major railroad junction on the Turkestan-Siberia Railway, the...

, to serve in the 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...

 army, as part of the army for 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...

) with the responsibility to guard the south gate of 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...

 portion of the city. Feng's grandfather was learned, and often sat with Feng on the gate tower to teach him, giving Feng a broad education. After his grandfather died, Feng was in his 30s, but was poor and alone. At that time, Fumeng Lingcha (夫蒙靈詧) was 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 Anxi, and one of the generals serving under Fumeng was 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...

. Gao was considered capable, and retained a corps of 30 guards with handsome clothes. Feng submitted a petition to Gao, asking to be one of the guards, but as Feng was thin, ugly, and walking with a limp with short legs, Gao rejected him. He submitted another petition the next day, and Gao responded, "I already have enough guards. Why come again?" Feng angrily responded:
Gao still did not accept him. Feng stayed outside Gao's house door waiting for Gao to enter and leave, for tens of days. Eventually, Gao could not stand it and added him to the guard corps.

Army service in the Xiyu region

At one point, near the end 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...

's Kaiyuan era (727-741), when Gao Xianzhi had been promoted to be Fumeng Lingcha's deputy, Fumeng had put Gao in charge of attacking the rebellious Daxi (達奚) tribe. Gao was successful in the attack, and was able to kill or capture nearly all of the rebels. Without having been directed by Gao to do so, Feng drafted a report of the victory on Gao's behalf, clearly stating the geographical features, the strategies used, and details of the victory. He presented it to Gao, who was surprised as how well-written it was and how it had anticipated everything Gao wanted to say. Gao submitted the report written by Feng to Fumeng, unsealed and written on a large banner, to allow the tribes on the way to see the victory. After Gao returned to Anxi headquarters, Fumeng held a feast in his honor, and Fumeng's assistants Liu Tiao (劉眺) and Dugu Jun (獨孤峻) both anxiously asked Gao, "Who was it who wrote the report? How did you, Lord, retain such an impressive person?" Gao responded, "It was my guard Feng Changqing." Liu and Dugu were surprised, and they invited Feng to join the feast as well. Feng thereafter became known to the Anxi headquarter staff, and was given the honorific title of castle defender and made Gao's assistant. He was thereafter several times promoted in rank.

In 747, Feng served under Gao in the conquest of Lesser Bolü (小勃律, a city state centering around modern Gilgit
Gilgit
Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...

, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

). Around the new year 748, after Gao was promoted to be the military governor of Anxi, replacing Fumeng, Feng, at Gao's recommendation, received an honorary commission on the staff of Emperor Xuanzong's oldest son Li Cong
Li Cong
Li Cong , né Li Sizhi , known as Li Tan from 725 to 736, posthumously honored Crown Prince Jingde and then Emperor Fengtian , was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...

 the Prince of Qing, but remained at Anxi and served as Gao's assistant, with the position only below the deputy military governor. He often was put in charge of the headquarters when Gao was out conducting campaigns. Gao entrusted his household matters, however, to Zheng Dequan (鄭德詮), the son of Gao's wet nurse
Wet nurse
A wet nurse is a woman who is used to breast feed and care for another's child. Wet nurses are used when the mother is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cultures the families are linked by a special relationship of...

, whom Gao treated as a brother and therefore was powerful in the army. On one occasion, because of this, Zheng did not, as was proper under military protocol, salute Feng as a superior officer. Feng ordered Zheng to report to headquarters, and then locked the doors and stated to him:
He then yelled out, "You, general, must temporarily die to affirm good order in the army." He thus caned Zheng 60 times, and Zheng died. Gao's wife and wet nurse cried bitterly outside but could not get in to save Zheng. They submitted an accusation to Gao, but all Gao said upon reading the accusation was, "Alas, he died?" When he and Feng met again, neither of them spoke of the matter, as Gao was impressed with Feng's discipline. In addition, when two other generals committed crimes, Feng also killed them, thus reaffirming military discipline.

In 751, Gao was initially set to be made the military governor of Hexi Circuit (河西, headquartered in modern Wuwei, Gansu), and he asked that Feng be made his assistant. (Subsequently, though, due to machinations of An Sishun
An Sishun
An Sishun was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, probably of Tujue extraction. He was related to another general, An Lushan...

, then military governor of Hexi, who wanted to remain there, Gao was instead recalled to the capital to serve as a general of the imperial guards.) When Wang Zhengjian was named as the military governor of Anxi to replace Gao, he asked Feng to serve as his deputy. When Wang died in 752, Feng was made acting military governor. In 753, he attacked Greater Bolü and forced its submission to Tang. In 754, when he went to Chang'an to meet Emperor Xuanzong, he was given a number of honors and a mansion in Chang'an, and his deceased parents also received posthumous honors; soon thereafter, he was officially made military governor. It was said that Feng was hard-working and frugal, and sometimes rode a mule while commanding the army. He was strict in discipline and awards.

Death

In 755, 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 ,...

, 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...

), launched a rebellion against Emperor Xuanzong's rule. Late that year, Feng Changqing arrived in Chang'an to meet with Emperor Xuanzong. When they met on December 23, Emperor Xuanzong asked him what should be done. Feng, initially believing that An's rebellion could be defeated quickly, volunteered to head to 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...

 to defend it and then to counterattack. Emperor Xuanzong agreed, and commissioned Feng as the military governor of Fanyang and Pinglu (平盧, headquartered in modern Chaoyang, Liaoning) to replace An. That day, Feng headed to Luoyang to gather troops and prepare for defenses. Once he got there, he gathered 60,000 men and destroyed the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...

 bridge to prepare for attack, but quickly found out that he had a major problem—there were insufficient weapons available for his troops. Meanwhile, An crossed the Yellow River elsewhere and captured Chenliu (陳留, roughly 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...

) and Yingyang (滎陽, roughly modern Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou , is the capital and largest city of Henan province in north-central China. A prefecture-level city, it also serves as the political, economic, technological, and educational centre of the province, as well as a major transportation hub for Central China...

, 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...

) Commanderies, and then arrived at Luoyang. Feng tried to defend with his inadequately-supplied troops, but could not. An entered the city, and Feng was forced to destroy the western gate in order to get out of Luoyang and retreat west.

Meanwhile, Gao Xianzhi, who was the acting supreme commander of the forces, was stationed at Shan Commandery (陝郡, roughly modern Sanmenxia
Sanmenxia
-Administration:The prefecture-level city of Sanmenxia administers one district, two county-level cities and three counties.*Hubin District*Lingbao City*Yima City*Lushi County*Shan County*Mianchi County*Sanmenxia Development Zone...

, 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...

). Feng retreated to Shan, where Emperor Xuanzong sent an order stripping him of titles but allowing him to remain in the army under Gao. Feng warned Gao that Shan Prefecture was difficult to defend—that they should retreat to Tong Pass and fortify its defenses against An's attack. Gao agreed, and they abandoned Shan and withdrew to Tong Pass. When An later arrived, he could not capture it. Meanwhile, though, Feng was detecting signs that he might be in trouble, and anticipatorily wrote a final submission to Emperor Xuanzong, warning him about An's strengths and cautioning against overconfidence, as the other officials at the time generally believed that An could be defeated quickly.

Meanwhile, during the campaign, Gao had caused much offense against the eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...

Bian Lingcheng, serving as his monitor, as Bian was making demands of him that he was not meeting. When Bian returned to Chang'an, he accused Feng of exaggerating An's strength, and accused Gao of improperly abandoning Shan as well as corruptly withholding food supplies and imperial rewards to soldiers for personal benefit. Emperor Xuanzong, believing Bian, issued edicts for Feng's and Gao's executions. After Bian returned to Tong Pass, he first read the edict for Feng's execution. Feng, after giving his submission to Bian to submit to Emperor Xuanzong, was beheaded, and upon the completion of that execution, Bian then read the second edict ordering Gao's execution. Gao cried out:
The soldiers cried out for Gao as well, but Bian still beheaded Gao. As Gao was to be killed, he looked at Feng's body and stated:
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