Tong Guan
Encyclopedia
Tong Guan style name
Daofu (道夫), was a court eunuch
, military general, political adviser, and Council of State to Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty
. In the Water Margin
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
of Chinese literature
, Tong Guan is featured as an antagonist and enemy of the 108 Liangshan
outlaws. He appears mainly in the later chapters.
to the northeast, and after this his career steadily advanced. In 1112 he was promoted to the top of the military command structure and by 1116 he was the first eunuch in the Song Dynasty era to gain entry into the top echelons of central administration as one of the chief policy-makers. Tong Guan was involved in all of the elite social gatherings of the time, as his name appeared as a guest on numerous lists for organized parties and banquets hosted by Emperor Huizong. He was also one of only ten palace eunuchs who had their biographies as painters compiled and written for the court.
In the year 1118, Tong Guan suggested to Emperor Huizong that a military alliance with the Jurchens would be favorable in crushing the Liao Dynasty once and for all. Emperor Huizong agreed, despite some protest by other ministers at court. In a secret alliance and mission of envoys across the borders, Tong Guan played a leading role in the agreement that was reached between the Jurchens and the Song government to divide Liao's territory (while the Song would ultimately obtain their coveted prize: the Sixteen Prefectures
). In 1120, at the age of 66, Tong Guan was put in command of an army to begin the assault on the Liao state's southern capital at Yanjing. However, the campaign was halted for a time when word came to Tong Guan's camp that a revolt had broken out within the Song Empire, Fang La
's rebellion in Zhejiang
province. His army was forced to march several hundred miles south to Zhejiang in order to suppress this rebellion. After successfully quelling this rebellion, his army marched back north but was routed in battle. Shortly after this, the Jurchens defeated the Liao Dynasty at Yanjing and occupied the city. The city of Yanjing was turned over to Song forces only after a substantial payment was made to the Jurchens. Due to his losses and inability to take Yanjing, when Tong Guan returned to the Song capital at Kaifeng he was forced to retire from his post as commander.
Although earlier forced to retire, in 1124 Tong Guan was called back into military service by Emperor Huizong, who trusted no other general more than Tong Guan to head the mission across the northern border. However, in the last month of 1125, Tong Guan fled across the border back to Kaifeng to deliver the ill-fated news that the Jurchens had begun an invasion of the Song Dynasty. Tong Guan was made the leader of Emperor Huizong's personal bodyguard after Huizong abdicated the throne and fled from Kaifeng. Tong Guan was later blamed for much of the disaster that befell Song when the Jurchens conquered northern China
. Emperor Huizong's successor Emperor Qinzong had Tong Guan executed.
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...
Daofu (道夫), was a court 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...
, military general, political adviser, and Council of State to Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
. In the Water Margin
Water Margin
Water Margin , also known as Outlaws of the Marsh, All Men Are Brothers, Men of the Marshes, or The Marshes of Mount Liang, is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.Attributed to Shi Nai'an and written in vernacular Chinese, the story, set in the Song Dynasty,...
, one of the Four Great Classical Novels
Four Great Classical Novels
The Four Great Classical Novels, or the Four Major Classical Novels of Chinese literature, are the four novels commonly regarded by scholars to be the greatest and most influential of pre-modern Chinese fiction. Dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties, they are well known to most Chinese readers...
of Chinese literature
Chinese literature
Chinese literature extends thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the mature fictional novels that arose during the Ming Dynasty to entertain the masses of literate Chinese...
, Tong Guan is featured as an antagonist and enemy of the 108 Liangshan
Mount Liang
Mount Liang is a mountain in Liangshan County, Shandong province, China which rises to 197.9 m above sea level. It is well known as the stronghold of the 108 legendary Song Dynasty heroes of the classic Chinese novel Water Margin...
outlaws. He appears mainly in the later chapters.
Life and career
Tong Guan began his military career under the mentorship of a leading eunuch general of the 1080s, becoming one of many eunuch generals found during the Song period. Despite being a eunuch, it was written by many that Tong Guan had strong personal character and was in peak physical condition, with a long beard that was considered unusual for eunuchs. Tong Guan gained his first military victory in battle during the year of 1104, Emperor Huizong granted him a valuable document of his own calligraphy, written in his unique "slender gold" style. After Tong Guan gained reputation by commanding a series of victorious battles in the northwest against the Tanguts, he became the favorite military general and advisor of Emperor Huizong. In the year 1111 he accompanied a diplomatic mission to the Liao DynastyLiao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
to the northeast, and after this his career steadily advanced. In 1112 he was promoted to the top of the military command structure and by 1116 he was the first eunuch in the Song Dynasty era to gain entry into the top echelons of central administration as one of the chief policy-makers. Tong Guan was involved in all of the elite social gatherings of the time, as his name appeared as a guest on numerous lists for organized parties and banquets hosted by Emperor Huizong. He was also one of only ten palace eunuchs who had their biographies as painters compiled and written for the court.
In the year 1118, Tong Guan suggested to Emperor Huizong that a military alliance with the Jurchens would be favorable in crushing the Liao Dynasty once and for all. Emperor Huizong agreed, despite some protest by other ministers at court. In a secret alliance and mission of envoys across the borders, Tong Guan played a leading role in the agreement that was reached between the Jurchens and the Song government to divide Liao's territory (while the Song would ultimately obtain their coveted prize: the Sixteen Prefectures
Sixteen Prefectures
The Sixteen Prefectures are a region in northern China stretching from present-day Beijing westward to Datong. In most areas, it is approximately seventy to one hundred miles in width...
). In 1120, at the age of 66, Tong Guan was put in command of an army to begin the assault on the Liao state's southern capital at Yanjing. However, the campaign was halted for a time when word came to Tong Guan's camp that a revolt had broken out within the Song Empire, Fang La
Fang La
Fang La was a rebel leader who lived during the Song Dynasty. He is also featured as one of the antagonists and nemesis of the 108 Liangshan heroes in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.-Biography:...
's rebellion in Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
province. His army was forced to march several hundred miles south to Zhejiang in order to suppress this rebellion. After successfully quelling this rebellion, his army marched back north but was routed in battle. Shortly after this, the Jurchens defeated the Liao Dynasty at Yanjing and occupied the city. The city of Yanjing was turned over to Song forces only after a substantial payment was made to the Jurchens. Due to his losses and inability to take Yanjing, when Tong Guan returned to the Song capital at Kaifeng he was forced to retire from his post as commander.
Although earlier forced to retire, in 1124 Tong Guan was called back into military service by Emperor Huizong, who trusted no other general more than Tong Guan to head the mission across the northern border. However, in the last month of 1125, Tong Guan fled across the border back to Kaifeng to deliver the ill-fated news that the Jurchens had begun an invasion of the Song Dynasty. Tong Guan was made the leader of Emperor Huizong's personal bodyguard after Huizong abdicated the throne and fled from Kaifeng. Tong Guan was later blamed for much of the disaster that befell Song when the Jurchens conquered northern China
North China
thumb|250px|Northern [[People's Republic of China]] region.Northern China or North China is a geographical region of China. The heartland of North China is the North China Plain....
. Emperor Huizong's successor Emperor Qinzong had Tong Guan executed.