He Qi
Encyclopedia
He Qi style name
Gongmiao (公苗), was an official serving under the warlord Sun family of Eastern Wu
during the late Han Dynasty
and Three Kingdoms
period of Chinese history
.
Hè Qi was especially noted as being very extravagant, favouring showy type weapons, armour and ships in the Records of Three Kingdoms
. At the same time, he was also adept in fighting the Shanyue
tribe, and was credited with quelling numerous local uprisings. His achievements secured the stability of the inner regions of Wu, and assisted the development of the state. His expedition to the south also allowed future expansion that would be carried out by the likes of Bu Zhi
and Lü Dai
. During his later years, Hè was involved in several battles against the rival state of Cao Wei
, during which he seldom scored a victory.
. During his tenure, he quelled several uprisings of the area. After Wang Lang fled to Dongye (東冶), Hè Qi surrendered to Sun Ce
, who was trying to establish reign around the area of Wu. Sun Ce appointed Han Yan (韓晏) as the Commandant of Southern Region (南部都尉), and promoted Hè Qi to the Chief of Yongning and placed him under Han Yan's command. Han Yan and Hè Qi were tasked with the assignment to pursue Wang Lang, who had gained the support from the chief of Houguan (侯官長)..
When Sun Ce ordered the southern counties under his control to gather 5,000 soldiers for Hè Qi, one of the chiefs refused to take command from Hè Qi because of his lower origin. Hè Qi immediately executed that chief and the remaining chiefs had no more doubts in following his orders. Within two years, Hè Qi had most of the rebel leaders captured, and had 6,000 rebels killed in the process.
By 205, Hè Qi had re-established the control of the counties, conscripted 10,000 men, and suggested Sun Quan
, who succeeded Sun Ce, to split Shangrao (上饒) to form Jianping county (建平縣). Sun Quan agreed and granted Hè Qi the title of Colonel Pacifying the East.
book of Ge Hong
of the fourth century tells of a story where the Shanyue tribe of this region used preventive magic; it made metal weapons useless, and arrows turn back at the soldiers. Hè Qi is recorded to have remarked "I have heard that a cutting edge of metal can be prevented and the poison of snake can be prevented. However a thing that has no edge, and a snake that cannot poison cannot be affected by these spells." He then ordered his soldiers to make wooden clubs, and the enemy was utterly defeated. After the Shanyue leaders were defeated, Hè Qi suggested Sun Quan to restructure the administrative districts around the area. Sun Quan then promoted one village to a county, and broke Yi and She into smaller counties, which he grouped several of them to form the Xindu commandery (新都郡), and named Hè Qi as the governor and promoted him to Lieutenant General (偏將軍).
Three years later, Lang Zhi (郎稚) of Yuhuan county managed to persuade a few thousand peasants to follow him and joined the Shanyue in rebellion, and Hè Qi was again sent to deal with Lang Zhi. Hè Qi easily crushed the rebels, and advised Sun Quan to split Yuhuan into two counties, and Sun agreed. In 213, Yuzhang residents numbering roughly 10,000 turned into bandits, Hè Qi defeated them and had their leaders executed. He then selected the strongest of the bandits to be soldiers, and registered the rest as citizens of the commandery.
, and he served in the futile Battle of Xiaoyao Ford
. During the battle, Cao Cao's general, Zhang Liao
once charged towards Sun Quan, and defeated Xu Sheng
on the way, He was said to have retrieved Xu Sheng's lost spear on the field. In 216, Cao Cao granted the local strongman of Pongyang, You Tu, seal of authority, and three counties revolted with You. Hè Qi and Lu Xun
crushed the rebellion, and killed several thousand rebels. After this, he stayed on the Yangtze frontier and defended against the eastern commander of Wei, Cao Xiu
. In the battle of Dongkou, Cao Xiu defeated the navy led by Lü Fan
, and pressed on the remaining Wu forces, who just suffered from a tornado. The Wu generals were scared to death because they had lost half of the ships to the natural disaster, but were overjoyed by the arrival of Hè Qi, who arrived behind schedule and was not affected by the cyclone. Coincidentally, Hè Qi was obsessed with luxuries, and every ship of his was finely decorated and well equipped with elite bows and crossbows, even the arrows were amongst the best; thus, Cao Xiu was shocked when he saw Hè Qi's grandeur display of his refulgent navy. Believing the Wu still possessed a strong navy, Cao Xiu retreated, and Hè Qi was promoted to the General of Rear because of this incident.
In June, 223, a Wu commander named Jin Zong (晋宗) defected to Wei, and overtook Qichun (蕲春) by launching a rebellion. Sun Quan
ordered Hè Qi and Liu Shao
with subordinate generals Mi Fang
and Xianyu Dan to attack Jin Zong. The campaign did not meet with initial success and the army was about to return due to hot weather. At the time, Jin Zong laid his guard down and was surprise-attacked by the supposedly retreating Wu army. Hè Qi captured Jin Zong alive and retook Qichun. That was the last battle he fought, and four years later, he died in 227. His son, He Da, and his younger brother, He Jing, would continue to serve Wu.
Chinese style name
A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...
Gongmiao (公苗), was an official serving under the warlord Sun family of Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...
during the late Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
and Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
period of Chinese history
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...
.
Hè Qi was especially noted as being very extravagant, favouring showy type weapons, armour and ships in the Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms , is regarded as the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history covering the years 184-280 CE. Written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century, the work combines the smaller histories of the rival states of Cao Wei , Shu Han and...
. At the same time, he was also adept in fighting the Shanyue
Shanyue
Shanyue was a tribe that was resided in the Yue area of ancient China during Han Dynasty. Since the Southern part of China was not yet controlled by the Han ethnicity , the Shanyue people would performe regular raids against Han citizens to gather living essentials...
tribe, and was credited with quelling numerous local uprisings. His achievements secured the stability of the inner regions of Wu, and assisted the development of the state. His expedition to the south also allowed future expansion that would be carried out by the likes of Bu Zhi
Bu Zhi
Bu Zhi was an official of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a scholar from the Wu region and served as an advisor to the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty before the founding of Eastern Wu. He held several military posts from time to time, and was...
and Lü Dai
Lu Dai
Lü Dai , style name Dinggong , was a military general of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. Following the death of Sun Quan, Zhuge Ke and Lü Dai were entrusted to govern the state. However, according to history, Lü Dai served during Sun Quan's reign as Senior General-in-Chief...
. During his later years, Hè was involved in several battles against the rival state of Cao Wei
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
, during which he seldom scored a victory.
Early life and career
Hè Qi was born in Shanyin county of Kuaiji commandery, and became the chief of Yan (剡) county under the warlord Wang LangWang Lang
Wang Lang was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty and a politician of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. Through his granddaughter's marriage to Sima Zhao, he would become great-grandfather of Sima Yan, who later became the founding emperor of the Jin Dynasty.-Early life...
. During his tenure, he quelled several uprisings of the area. After Wang Lang fled to Dongye (東冶), Hè Qi surrendered to Sun Ce
Sun Ce
Sun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the oldest of the children of Sun Jian who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's overlord, Yuan Shu, and headed to...
, who was trying to establish reign around the area of Wu. Sun Ce appointed Han Yan (韓晏) as the Commandant of Southern Region (南部都尉), and promoted Hè Qi to the Chief of Yongning and placed him under Han Yan's command. Han Yan and Hè Qi were tasked with the assignment to pursue Wang Lang, who had gained the support from the chief of Houguan (侯官長)..
Subjugating southern counties
Han Yan was soon killed in a battle with Wang Lang's remnants, and Hè succeeded his direct supervisor and continued on the mission. Fearing Hè Qi's military reputation, the chief of Houguan surrendered, but a rebel leader, Zhang Ya (張雅), did not agree with the chief's decision and had him killed. Since Zhang Ya's troops were strong, Hè Qi halted his attack and awaited further actions. When Zhang Ya quarrelled with his son-in-law, Hè Qi sent some spies to further deteriorate their relationship. When Zhang Ya was about to attack his son-in-law, Hè Qi launched a full assault on the former and had Zhang Ya routed. The rest of the rebels thus surrendered to Hè Qi. Even Houguan was pacified, the large area of southern Wu were infested with rebels and Shanyue barbarians, and they openly resisted Sun Ce, so Hè Qi kept on his expedition.When Sun Ce ordered the southern counties under his control to gather 5,000 soldiers for Hè Qi, one of the chiefs refused to take command from Hè Qi because of his lower origin. Hè Qi immediately executed that chief and the remaining chiefs had no more doubts in following his orders. Within two years, Hè Qi had most of the rebel leaders captured, and had 6,000 rebels killed in the process.
By 205, Hè Qi had re-established the control of the counties, conscripted 10,000 men, and suggested Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
, who succeeded Sun Ce, to split Shangrao (上饒) to form Jianping county (建平縣). Sun Quan agreed and granted Hè Qi the title of Colonel Pacifying the East.
Fighting the Shanyue
In 208, Hè Qi was appointed General of the Gentlemen of the Firm and Majestic Household, and was tasked to quell the Shanyue rebels residing within Danyang (丹陽). He then led his army towards Yi and She area, along the way, four villages surrendered upon his arrival. However, the BaopuziBaopuzi
The Baopuzi , written by the Jin Dynasty scholar Ge Hong 葛洪 , is divided into esoteric Neipian 內篇 "Inner Chapters" and exoteric Waipian 外篇 "Outer Chapters". The Daoist Inner Chapters discuss topics such as techniques for xian 仙 "immortality; transcendence", Chinese alchemy, elixirs, and demonology...
book of Ge Hong
Ge Hong
Ge Hong , courtesy name Zhichuan , was a minor southern official during the Jìn Dynasty of China, best known for his interest in Daoism, alchemy, and techniques of longevity...
of the fourth century tells of a story where the Shanyue tribe of this region used preventive magic; it made metal weapons useless, and arrows turn back at the soldiers. Hè Qi is recorded to have remarked "I have heard that a cutting edge of metal can be prevented and the poison of snake can be prevented. However a thing that has no edge, and a snake that cannot poison cannot be affected by these spells." He then ordered his soldiers to make wooden clubs, and the enemy was utterly defeated. After the Shanyue leaders were defeated, Hè Qi suggested Sun Quan to restructure the administrative districts around the area. Sun Quan then promoted one village to a county, and broke Yi and She into smaller counties, which he grouped several of them to form the Xindu commandery (新都郡), and named Hè Qi as the governor and promoted him to Lieutenant General (偏將軍).
Three years later, Lang Zhi (郎稚) of Yuhuan county managed to persuade a few thousand peasants to follow him and joined the Shanyue in rebellion, and Hè Qi was again sent to deal with Lang Zhi. Hè Qi easily crushed the rebels, and advised Sun Quan to split Yuhuan into two counties, and Sun agreed. In 213, Yuzhang residents numbering roughly 10,000 turned into bandits, Hè Qi defeated them and had their leaders executed. He then selected the strongest of the bandits to be soldiers, and registered the rest as citizens of the commandery.
Later life
As Hè Qi gained fame from his successful subjugations, he started to join Sun Quan's war against rival warlord Cao CaoCao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
, and he served in the futile Battle of Xiaoyao Ford
Battle of Xiaoyao Ford
The Battle of Xiaoyao Ford, also known as the Battle of Leisure Ford, Battle of Hefei, and Hefei Campaign, was fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Sun Quan between 215 and 217 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history over the control of Hefei...
. During the battle, Cao Cao's general, Zhang Liao
Zhang Liao
Zhang Liao was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He participated in many campaigns, including those against Yuan Shao's clan and the Wuhuan tribes...
once charged towards Sun Quan, and defeated Xu Sheng
Xu Sheng
Xu Sheng , style name Wenxiang , was a military general of Eastern Wu during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He fought in at least 5 wars for the southern regime during his lifetime...
on the way, He was said to have retrieved Xu Sheng's lost spear on the field. In 216, Cao Cao granted the local strongman of Pongyang, You Tu, seal of authority, and three counties revolted with You. Hè Qi and Lu Xun
Lu Xun (Three Kingdoms)
Lu Xun was a military general and politician of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is best known for defeating Liu Bei's forces at the Battle of Xiaoting in 222.-Early life:...
crushed the rebellion, and killed several thousand rebels. After this, he stayed on the Yangtze frontier and defended against the eastern commander of Wei, Cao Xiu
Cao Xiu
Cao Xiu was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. A distant nephew of Cao Cao, Cao Xiu was given special attention by the former, who once asserted him befitting...
. In the battle of Dongkou, Cao Xiu defeated the navy led by Lü Fan
Lü Fan
Lü Fan , style name Ziheng , was an official of the state of Eastern Wu during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
, and pressed on the remaining Wu forces, who just suffered from a tornado. The Wu generals were scared to death because they had lost half of the ships to the natural disaster, but were overjoyed by the arrival of Hè Qi, who arrived behind schedule and was not affected by the cyclone. Coincidentally, Hè Qi was obsessed with luxuries, and every ship of his was finely decorated and well equipped with elite bows and crossbows, even the arrows were amongst the best; thus, Cao Xiu was shocked when he saw Hè Qi's grandeur display of his refulgent navy. Believing the Wu still possessed a strong navy, Cao Xiu retreated, and Hè Qi was promoted to the General of Rear because of this incident.
In June, 223, a Wu commander named Jin Zong (晋宗) defected to Wei, and overtook Qichun (蕲春) by launching a rebellion. Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
ordered Hè Qi and Liu Shao
Liu Shao (Three Kingdoms)
Liu Shao, style name Kongcai , was an official of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He often provided advice to the emperor Cao Rui, and was praised by Cao Rui for his good advice, even though Cao Rui did not frequently actually act on the advice. He also...
with subordinate generals Mi Fang
Mi Fang
Mi Fang was an official serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was also the younger brother of Mi Zhu, who also served Liu Bei. In 219, Mi Fang surrendered to Sun Quan, directly resulting in the loss of Jing Province and the...
and Xianyu Dan to attack Jin Zong. The campaign did not meet with initial success and the army was about to return due to hot weather. At the time, Jin Zong laid his guard down and was surprise-attacked by the supposedly retreating Wu army. Hè Qi captured Jin Zong alive and retook Qichun. That was the last battle he fought, and four years later, he died in 227. His son, He Da, and his younger brother, He Jing, would continue to serve Wu.
Appointments and titles held
- Filial and IncorruptXiaolianXiaolian , was the standard of nominating civil officers started by Emperor Wu of Han in 134 BC. It lasted until its replacement by the imperial examination system during the Sui Dynasty....
(孝廉) - nominated candidate to be a Gentleman Cadet (郎) - Colonel Who Pacifies the East (平東校尉)
- General of the Household of Military Might (威武中郎將)
- Administrator of Xindu (新都太守)
- Lieutenant General (偏將軍)
- General of Uplifting Martial Might (奮武將軍)
- General Who Pacifies the East (安東將軍)
- Marquis of Shanyin (山陰侯)
- General of the Rear (後將軍)
- Governor of Xu Province (徐州牧)