Wu Mingche
Encyclopedia
Wu Mingche (512–578), courtesy name Tongzhao (通昭), was a general of the Chinese
dynasty Chen Dynasty
. He first served under the dynasty's founder Emperor Wu
, but became the most prominent general of the state during the reign of Emperor Wu's nephew Emperor Xuan
, successfully commanding the Chen army in seizing the region between the Yangtze River
and the Huai River
from rival Northern Qi
. After Northern Qi was destroyed by Northern Zhou
, however, Wu was defeated and captured by the Northern Zhou general Wang Gui (王軌). After he was taken to the Northern Zhou capital Chang'an
, he died in anger.
general Wu Shu (吳樹). His grandfather Wu Jing'an (吳景安) was a commandery governor during preceding Southern Qi
. His family was from Qin Commandery (秦郡, roughly the part of modern Nanjing
, Jiangsu
, north of the Yangtze River
). Despite the fact that Wu Jing'an was a general, the family was not wealthy, and when Wu Jing'an died in 525 when Wu Mingche was 13, it was said that the family could not afford a proper burial. Wu Mingche, despite his young age, worked hard on the family farm, and eventually, partly because of his hard work, the family was able to gather enough funds to bury Wu Jing'an properly.
When Wu Mingche grew older, he served as an officer in the guard corps for Emperor Wu of Liang
's crown prince
, Xiao Gang
. When the general Hou Jing
rebelled and sieged the capital Jiankang
in 548, Wu Mingche appeared to be at his home in Qin Commandery, which, as a result of trade routes' being cut off, suffered from a famine. Wu had grains stored, but rather than keeping the grains for his own clan, he persuaded his older brothers that the grain should be shared with the local people, allowing the people to survive.
Hou soon captured Jiankang, and was not defeated until 553, by Wang Sengbian
, a general under the command of Emperor Wu's son Xiao Yi
the Prince of Xiangdong, who soon declared himself emperor (as Emperor Yuan). Wang Sengbian's lieutenant Chen Baxian
was put in charge of the important city Jingkou (京口, in modern Zhenjiang
, Jiangsu
). When Chen put out a general invitation for people to join his army, Wu met him. Chen was impressed with his abilities, and treated him with respect. It was also around this time that Wu studied histories and other classical works, as well as astronomy and strategies from the official Zhou Hongzheng (周弘正). In 554, Emperor Yuan made him a provincial governor, but he continued to serve under Chen's command.
In winter 554, Western Wei
launched a major attack on Emperor Yuan's capital Jiangling (江陵, in modern Jingzhou
, Hubei
). Emperor Yuan made an emergency summon to Wang, then in charge of Jiankang, ordering him to come to Jiangling's aid. Wu was one of the generals named by Wang to command part of his troops. However, before Wang could even mobilize his troops, Jiangling fell, and around the new year 555, Western Wei forces put Emperor Yuan to death. Wang and Chen subsequently prepared to make Emperor Yuan's son Xiao Fangzhi
the Prince of Jin'an emperor, but when Northern Qi
attacked and Wang's forces suffered losses against Northern Qi, Wang accepted the proposal of Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi
to make Emperor Wu's nephew Xiao Yuanming
emperor instead, and he declared Xiao Yuanming emperor in summer 555. Displeased with Wang's decision, Chen made a surprise attack on Jiankang in fall 555, killing Wang and deposing Xiao Yuanming. Chen declared Xiao Fangzhi emperor (as Emperor Jing). Subsequently, when generals loyal to Wang resisted Chen, aided by Northern Qi, Wu served under Zhou Wenyu (周文育) in the campaign against Wang's son-in-law Du Kan (杜龕) and Zhang Biao (張彪), and later participated in a key battle defending Jiankang in 556. For his contributions in the two campaigns, he was created the Marquess of Anwu.
In 557, Chen had Emperor Jing yield the throne to him, establishing Chen Dynasty
as its Emperor Wu. Wu Mingche continued to serve as a general in the new dynasty's military.
, west against Wang Lin
, an independent general still claiming loyalty to Liang, and Wu was one of the generals who served under Zhou and Hou. When Wang subsequently defeated the Chen troops, capturing Zhou and Hou as well as three other generals, Xu Jingcheng (徐敬成), Zhou Tiehu (周鐵虎), and Cheng Lingxi (程靈洗), Wu was not captured, and was able to take his forces back to Jiankang. Subsequently, Wu was assigned to operations in the modern Jiangxi
region to defend against a possible attack from Wang (who had by this point declared Emperor Yuan's grandson Xiao Zhuang
Emperor of Liang) as well as to keep the local warlords in check.
In 559, Emperor Wu died and was succeeded by his nephew Chen Qian
the Prince of Linchuan (as Emperor Wen). Wang, upon hearing of Emperor Wu's death, decided to attack Chen, and Wu Mingche made an attempt to intercept Wang at Pencheng (湓城, in modern Jiujiang
, Jiangxi
), but was defeated by Wang's general Ren Zhong (任忠). Wu barely escaped with his life, allowing Wang to continue his advance toward Jiankang. Wang, however, was subsequently defeated by Hou Tian (侯瑱), and both he and Xiao Zhuang were forced to flee to Northern Qi. As part of Chen's effort to then take control of Xiao Zhuang's territory, Emperor Wen assigned Wu to be the governor of Wu Province (武州, roughly modern Changde
, Hunan
), but he was defeated by the Northern Zhou
(Western Wei's successor state) general Heruo Dun (賀若敦) and forced to withdraw to Baling (巴陵, in modern Yueyang
, Hunan
). He was, however, able to defeat further Northern Zhou advance there.
In 562, when the warlord Zhou Di (周迪), who controlled parts of modern Jiangxi, rebelled, Wu was made the governor of Jiang Province (江州, roughly modern Jiujiang), to command the army against Zhou. However, the strict Wu was unable to get his subordinate generals to obey his orders, and Emperor Wen subsequently sent his brother Chen Xu
the Prince of Ancheng to replace Wu. In 564, Emperor Wen made Wu the governor of Wuxing Commandery (吳興, roughly modern Huzhou
, Zhejiang
) -- an apparent demotion, but as Emperor Wen pointed out, actually an important position because Wuxing was the imperial Chen clan's home commandery. When Emperor Wen grew ill in 566, he recalled Wu to serve as the commanding general of the palace guards. Emperor Wen died later that year and was succeeded by his son, the Crown Prince Chen Bozong
(as Emperor Fei).
and the Duke of Zhao (uncles and regent
s to King Cheng of Zhou
) and had a responsibility to protect the state. Chen Xu therefore invited Liu to a meeting—and while the meeting was still going on, had Mao confirming with Empress Dowager Shen and Emperor Fei that it was not their order that he leave the palace. Once Mao confirmed so, Chen Xu arrested Liu and ordered him to committed suicide, while demoting Dao to a lesser position. From this point on, the administration was controlled by Chen Xu. Dao later tried to start an uprising with the general Han Zigao (韓子高), but the plot was discovered, and Chen Xu forced both of them to commit suicide.
As both Dao and Han were trusted associates of Emperor Wen, another trusted associate of Emperor Wen, Hua Jiao (華皎) the governor of Xiang Province (湘州, roughly modern Changsha, Hunan
) became apprehensive, and he prepared for a battle with Chen Xu, requesting aid from both Northern Zhou and Emperor Ming of Western Liang
-- a Liang Dynasty prince who claimed title to the Liang throne as a Northern Zhou vassal. In summer 567, Chen Xu commissioned Wu as the governor of Xiang Province and had him command a major part of the troops against Hua, along with Chunyu Liang (淳于量). The opposing sides met at Dunkou (沌口, in modern Wuhan
, Hubei
). Wu and Chunyu were able to ram Hua's, Northern Zhou's, and Western Liang's fleets, causing them to collapse. Hua and the Northern Zhou general Yuwen Zhi (宇文直) were forced to flee to Western Liang's capital Jiangling. In light of the victory, Wu first captured Western Liang's Hedong Commandery (河東, part of modern Jingzhou), and then further put Jiangling under siege. Western Liang's Emperor Ming was forced to flee to the subsidiary fort of Ji'nan (紀南, near Jiangling). Wu sieged Jiangling for 100 days but could not capture it, and had to withdraw in spring 568. For his contributions, he was promoted to the greater title of Duke of Anwu.
In winter 568, Chen Xu deposed Emperor Fei, and in spring 569, he took the throne himself (as Emperor Xuan). Wu continued to serve as a general in Emperor Xuan's military.
and the Huai River
. The officials that he discussed with had diverse opinions, but Wu Mingche was the one who advocated quick action. Emperor Xuan decided to carry out attack, and because Chunyu Liang was the senior general, most officials believed that he should command the mission. Xu Ling (徐陵), however, advocated making Wu the commanding general, pointing out that Wu was a good general and that his family was from north of the Yangtze and therefore he was familiar with the customs of the region. Emperor Xuan therefore put Wu in charge of the main assault, while putting the general Huang Fachu (name not in Unicode
) in charge of the secondary front. Wu quickly captured his home commandery (Qin Commandery). Northern Qi sent forces commanded by the general Wei Pohu (尉破胡) to try to stop Wu's advance, but Wu's subordinate Xiao Mohe
defeated a group of Northern Qi's best warriors, leading to the Northern Qi army's collapse. Most of the territory south of the Huai River was quickly captured, and as Qin Commandery was Wu's home commandery, Emperor Xuan, in order to honor him, ordered him to publicly offer a sacrifice of an ox, a pig, and a sheep to his ancestors. By fall 573, Wu had the important city of Shouyang (壽陽, in modern Lu'an
, Anhui
), defending by Wang Lin, under siege, and although he could not capture it quickly, he did when the Northern Qi relief force commanded by Pi Jinghe (皮景和) arrived but was hesitant to engage him. He captured Wang, Lu Qian (盧濳), Kezhuhun Daoyu (可朱渾道裕), and Li Taotu (李騊駼). Pi fled, and Wu captured his horses and camels. Because many of Wu's officers were Wang's subordinates and respected him, Wu became apprehensive and executed Wang, delivering the other Northern Qi officials to Jiankang. The region between the Yangtze and the Huai was now entirely in Chen hands, and Emperor Xuan created Wu the greater title of Duke of Nanping. He also put Wu in charge of the six provinces making up of the region. (In order to confer the honors on Wu, he had a high platform built near Shouyang and had Wu ascend the platform to accept these honors, and the entire army felt honored on Wu's account.)
In winter 575, Wu launched an attack on Pengcheng (彭城, in modern Xuzhou
, Jiangsu
). However, he appeared to soon withdraw. In 576, he was made the governor of Southern Yan Province (南兗州, roughly modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
).
In 577, Northern Zhou destroyed Northern Qi and took over its territory. In winter 577, Emperor Xuan, believing that Northern Zhou's hold on Northern Qi's southern provinces was not yet secure, ordered Wu to launch a major attack on Pengcheng, making Wu's heir apparent
Wu Rongzhao (吳戎昭) his lieutenant. Initially, Wu defeated the Northern Zhou governor of Xu Province (徐州, roughly modern Xuzhou) Liang Shiyan (梁士彥), forcing Liang to withdraw inside Pengcheng and defend it. Wu put Pengcheng under siege. In spring 578, the Northern Zhou general Wang Gui arrived with a force to lift the siege, and he, as his first step, cut off Wu's supply route (and escape path). Xiao Mohe advised Wu to attack Wang as quick as he could to prevent the supply route from being cut off, but Wu did not follow Xiao's suggestion. Soon, the Chen forces were trapped.
Wu's subordinates suggested destroying the levee near Pengcheng so that the area would flood, allowing them to escape by ships. Wu agreed, but believing that he, as the commanding general, should withdraw last, did so, sending Xiao with the cavalry first. The cavalry was therefore able to escape, but most of the foot soldiers—30,000—and Wu himself were captured by Wang and taken to the Northern Zhou capital Chang'an
. Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou
created Wu the Duke of Huaide, but Wu, angry over his capture, died soon thereafter.
It appeared that because Wu Mingche was captured and not killed in action, his titles and offices were stripped by Emperor Xuan. After Emperor Xuan's death, Emperor Xuan's son and successor Chen Shubao
posthumously created Wu the Marquess of Shaoling in 583 and allowed his young son Wu Huijue (吳惠覺) to inherit the title. (The fact that the title was not inherited by Wu Rongzhao implied that Wu Rongzhao was probably also captured by Northern Zhou forces or died without issue.)
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 Chen Dynasty
Chen Dynasty
The Chen Dynasty , also known as the Southern Chen Dynasty, was the fourth and last of the Southern dynasties in China, eventually destroyed by the Sui Dynasty....
. He first served under the dynasty's founder Emperor Wu
Emperor Wu of Chen
Emperor Wu of Chen , personal name Chen Baxian , courtesy name Xingguo , nickname Fasheng , was the first emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty. He first distinguished himself as a Liang Dynasty general during the campaign against the rebel general Hou Jing, and he was progressively promoted...
, but became the most prominent general of the state during the reign of Emperor Wu's nephew Emperor Xuan
Emperor Xuan of Chen
Emperor Xuan of Chen , personal name Chen Xu , courtesy name Shaoshi , nickname Shili , was an emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty. He seized the throne from his nephew Emperor Fei in 569 and subsequently ruled the state for 13 years...
, successfully commanding the Chen army in seizing the region between the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
and the Huai River
Huai River
The Huai River is a major river in China. The Huai River is located about mid-way between the Yellow River and Yangtze River, the two largest rivers in China, and like them runs from west to east...
from rival Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
. After Northern Qi was destroyed by Northern Zhou
Northern Zhou
The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was overthrown by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and...
, however, Wu was defeated and captured by the Northern Zhou general Wang Gui (王軌). After he was taken to the Northern Zhou 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...
, he died in anger.
During Liang Dynasty
Wu Mingche was born in 512, as the youngest son of the Liang DynastyLiang Dynasty
The Liang Dynasty , also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty , was the third of the Southern dynasties in China and was followed by the Chen Dynasty...
general Wu Shu (吳樹). His grandfather Wu Jing'an (吳景安) was a commandery governor during preceding Southern Qi
Southern Qi
The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...
. His family was from Qin Commandery (秦郡, roughly the part of modern Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, 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...
, north of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
). Despite the fact that Wu Jing'an was a general, the family was not wealthy, and when Wu Jing'an died in 525 when Wu Mingche was 13, it was said that the family could not afford a proper burial. Wu Mingche, despite his young age, worked hard on the family farm, and eventually, partly because of his hard work, the family was able to gather enough funds to bury Wu Jing'an properly.
When Wu Mingche grew older, he served as an officer in the guard corps for Emperor Wu of Liang
Emperor Wu of Liang
Emperor Wu of Liang , personal name Xiao Yan , courtesy name Shuda , nickname Lian'er , was the founding emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty...
's crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
, Xiao Gang
Emperor Jianwen of Liang
Emperor Jianwen of Liang , personal name Xiao Gang , courtesy name Shizuan , nickname Liutong , was an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty. He was initially not the crown prince of his father Emperor Wu, the founder of the dynasty, but became the crown prince in 531 after his older brother Xiao...
. When the general Hou Jing
Hou Jing
Hou Jing , courtesy name Wanjing , was a general for the Chinese states Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, and Liang Dynasty, and briefly, after controlling the Liang imperial regime for several years, usurped the Liang throne, establishing a state of Han...
rebelled and sieged the capital Jiankang
Jiankang
Jiankang was the capital city of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and Southern Dynasties. Its walls are extant ruins in the modern municipal region of Nanjing.-History:...
in 548, Wu Mingche appeared to be at his home in Qin Commandery, which, as a result of trade routes' being cut off, suffered from a famine. Wu had grains stored, but rather than keeping the grains for his own clan, he persuaded his older brothers that the grain should be shared with the local people, allowing the people to survive.
Hou soon captured Jiankang, and was not defeated until 553, by Wang Sengbian
Wang Sengbian
Wang Sengbian , courtesy name Juncai , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Liang Dynasty. He came to prominence as the leading general under Emperor Yuan 's campaigns against the rebel general Hou Jing and other competitors for the Liang throne, and after Emperor Yuan was defeated by Western Wei...
, a general under the command of Emperor Wu's son Xiao Yi
Emperor Yuan of Liang
Emperor Yuan of Liang , personal name Xiao Yi , courtesy name Shicheng , nickname Qifu , was an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty...
the Prince of Xiangdong, who soon declared himself emperor (as Emperor Yuan). Wang Sengbian's lieutenant Chen Baxian
Emperor Wu of Chen
Emperor Wu of Chen , personal name Chen Baxian , courtesy name Xingguo , nickname Fasheng , was the first emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty. He first distinguished himself as a Liang Dynasty general during the campaign against the rebel general Hou Jing, and he was progressively promoted...
was put in charge of the important city Jingkou (京口, 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...
). When Chen put out a general invitation for people to join his army, Wu met him. Chen was impressed with his abilities, and treated him with respect. It was also around this time that Wu studied histories and other classical works, as well as astronomy and strategies from the official Zhou Hongzheng (周弘正). In 554, Emperor Yuan made him a provincial governor, but he continued to serve under Chen's command.
In winter 554, Western Wei
Western Wei
The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556.After the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai killed the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu, he installed Yuan Baoju as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler...
launched a major attack on Emperor Yuan's capital Jiangling (江陵, in modern Jingzhou
Jingzhou
Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
). Emperor Yuan made an emergency summon to Wang, then in charge of Jiankang, ordering him to come to Jiangling's aid. Wu was one of the generals named by Wang to command part of his troops. However, before Wang could even mobilize his troops, Jiangling fell, and around the new year 555, Western Wei forces put Emperor Yuan to death. Wang and Chen subsequently prepared to make Emperor Yuan's son Xiao Fangzhi
Emperor Jing of Liang
Emperor Jing of Liang , personal name Xiao Fangzhi , courtesy name Huixiang , nickname Fazhen , was an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty. As the only surviving son of Emperor Yuan, he was declared emperor by the general Chen Baxian in 555, but in 557 Chen forced him to yield the throne and...
the Prince of Jin'an emperor, but when Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
attacked and Wang's forces suffered losses against Northern Qi, Wang accepted the proposal of Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi
Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi
Emperor Wenxuan of Qi , personal name Gao Yang , courtesy name Zijin , was the first emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. He was the second son of Eastern Wei's paramount general Gao Huan, and the death of his brother and Gao Huan's designated successor Gao Cheng in 549 became the regent...
to make Emperor Wu's nephew Xiao Yuanming
Xiao Yuanming
Xiao Yuanming , courtesy name Jingtong , often known by his pre-ascension title of Marquess of Zhenyang , at times known by his post-removal title Duke of Jian'an , honored Emperor Min by Xiao Zhuang, was briefly an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty. He was the nephew of the founding emperor...
emperor instead, and he declared Xiao Yuanming emperor in summer 555. Displeased with Wang's decision, Chen made a surprise attack on Jiankang in fall 555, killing Wang and deposing Xiao Yuanming. Chen declared Xiao Fangzhi emperor (as Emperor Jing). Subsequently, when generals loyal to Wang resisted Chen, aided by Northern Qi, Wu served under Zhou Wenyu (周文育) in the campaign against Wang's son-in-law Du Kan (杜龕) and Zhang Biao (張彪), and later participated in a key battle defending Jiankang in 556. For his contributions in the two campaigns, he was created the Marquess of Anwu.
In 557, Chen had Emperor Jing yield the throne to him, establishing Chen Dynasty
Chen Dynasty
The Chen Dynasty , also known as the Southern Chen Dynasty, was the fourth and last of the Southern dynasties in China, eventually destroyed by the Sui Dynasty....
as its Emperor Wu. Wu Mingche continued to serve as a general in the new dynasty's military.
During Emperor Wu's and Emperor Wen's reigns
Immediately prior to taking the throne, Emperor Wu had sent Zhou Wenyu and another major general, Hou AnduHou Andu
Hou Andu , courtesy name Chengshi , was a Chen Dynasty general, whose military accomplishments under Emperor Wu and Emperor Wen made him one of the most powerful individuals in the state, but whose arrogance and rudeness raised suspicions from Emperor Wen, and Emperor Wen arrested him and forced...
, west against Wang Lin
Wang Lin
Wang Lin , courtesy name Ziheng , formally Prince Zhongwu of Baling , was a general of the Chinese dynasties Liang Dynasty and Northern Qi...
, an independent general still claiming loyalty to Liang, and Wu was one of the generals who served under Zhou and Hou. When Wang subsequently defeated the Chen troops, capturing Zhou and Hou as well as three other generals, Xu Jingcheng (徐敬成), Zhou Tiehu (周鐵虎), and Cheng Lingxi (程靈洗), Wu was not captured, and was able to take his forces back to Jiankang. Subsequently, Wu was assigned to operations in the modern Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
region to defend against a possible attack from Wang (who had by this point declared Emperor Yuan's grandson Xiao Zhuang
Xiao Zhuang
Xiao Zhuang , often known by his princely title of Prince of Yongjia , was a grandson of Emperor Yuan of Liang, who was declared by the general Wang Lin to be the legitimate emperor of Liang Dynasty in 558, under military assistance by Northern Qi...
Emperor of Liang) as well as to keep the local warlords in check.
In 559, Emperor Wu died and was succeeded by his nephew Chen Qian
Emperor Wen of Chen
Emperor Wen of Chen , personal name Chen Qian , courtesy name Zihua , was an emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty. He was the nephew of the founding emperor, Emperor Wu , and after Emperor Wu's death in 559, the officials supported him to be emperor since Emperor Wu's only surviving son, Chen...
the Prince of Linchuan (as Emperor Wen). Wang, upon hearing of Emperor Wu's death, decided to attack Chen, and Wu Mingche made an attempt to intercept Wang at Pencheng (湓城, in modern Jiujiang
Jiujiang
Jiujiang , formerly transliterated Kiukiang, is a prefecture-level city located on the southern shores of the Yangtze River in northwest Jiangxi Province, China. It is the second-largest prefecture-level city in Jiangxi province, the largest one being Nanchang...
, Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
), but was defeated by Wang's general Ren Zhong (任忠). Wu barely escaped with his life, allowing Wang to continue his advance toward Jiankang. Wang, however, was subsequently defeated by Hou Tian (侯瑱), and both he and Xiao Zhuang were forced to flee to Northern Qi. As part of Chen's effort to then take control of Xiao Zhuang's territory, Emperor Wen assigned Wu to be the governor of Wu Province (武州, roughly modern Changde
Changde
Changde is a city in the north of Hunan Province, China, with a population of 5,717,218 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,232,182 in the built up area made of 2 urban districts .-History:...
, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
), but he was defeated by the Northern Zhou
Northern Zhou
The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was overthrown by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and...
(Western Wei's successor state) general Heruo Dun (賀若敦) and forced to withdraw to Baling (巴陵, in modern Yueyang
Yueyang
Yueyang is a prefecture-level city at the northeastern corner of Hunan province, South Central China, on the southern shores of Dongting Lake.The Yueyang metropolitan area occupies 14,896 km². and the city proper occupies 304 km²...
, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
). He was, however, able to defeat further Northern Zhou advance there.
In 562, when the warlord Zhou Di (周迪), who controlled parts of modern Jiangxi, rebelled, Wu was made the governor of Jiang Province (江州, roughly modern Jiujiang), to command the army against Zhou. However, the strict Wu was unable to get his subordinate generals to obey his orders, and Emperor Wen subsequently sent his brother Chen Xu
Emperor Xuan of Chen
Emperor Xuan of Chen , personal name Chen Xu , courtesy name Shaoshi , nickname Shili , was an emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty. He seized the throne from his nephew Emperor Fei in 569 and subsequently ruled the state for 13 years...
the Prince of Ancheng to replace Wu. In 564, Emperor Wen made Wu the governor of Wuxing Commandery (吳興, roughly modern Huzhou
Huzhou
Huzhou is a prefecture-level city in northern Zhejiang province of Eastern China. Lying south of the Lake Tai, it borders Jiaxing to the east, Hangzhou to the south, and the provinces of Anhui and Jiangsu to the west and north respectively.-Administration:...
, 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...
) -- an apparent demotion, but as Emperor Wen pointed out, actually an important position because Wuxing was the imperial Chen clan's home commandery. When Emperor Wen grew ill in 566, he recalled Wu to serve as the commanding general of the palace guards. Emperor Wen died later that year and was succeeded by his son, the Crown Prince Chen Bozong
Emperor Fei of Chen
Emperor Fei of Chen , personal name Chen Bozong , courtesy name Fengye , nickname Yaowang , also known by his post-removal title of Prince of Linhai , was an emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty...
(as Emperor Fei).
During Emperor Fei's reign
Initially during Emperor Fei's reign, the government was controlled by, pursuant to Emperor Wen's will, the high level officials Dao Zhongju (到仲舉), Kong Huan (孔奐), Emperor Wen's brother Chen Xu, Yuan Shu (袁樞), and Liu Shizhi (劉師之). However, by spring 567, two factions were developing—one led by Chen Xu and one led by Dao and Liu, as Dao, Liu, and Chen Xu took up residence in the palace and handled most of the sensitive matters. In spring 567, Liu tried to exclude Chen Xu by having the official Yin Buning (殷不佞) informing Chen Xu that he should leave the palace to attend to the affairs of the capital region Yang Province (揚州), of which Chen Xu was also governor. Chen Xu consulted Mao Xi (毛喜) and Wu Mingche, both of whom persuaded him not to follow Yin's message. Wu, specifically, argued that Chen Xu was in the position of the Duke of ZhouDuke of Zhou
The Duke of Zhou played a major role in consolidating the newly-founded Zhou Dynasty . He was the brother of King Wu of Zhou, the first king of the ancient Chinese Zhou Dynasty...
and the Duke of Zhao (uncles and regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
s to King Cheng of Zhou
King Cheng of Zhou
King Cheng of Zhou or King Ch'eng of Chou was the second sovereign of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty. The dates of his reign are 1042-1021 BC or 1042/35-1006 BC King Cheng was young when he ascended the throne...
) and had a responsibility to protect the state. Chen Xu therefore invited Liu to a meeting—and while the meeting was still going on, had Mao confirming with Empress Dowager Shen and Emperor Fei that it was not their order that he leave the palace. Once Mao confirmed so, Chen Xu arrested Liu and ordered him to committed suicide, while demoting Dao to a lesser position. From this point on, the administration was controlled by Chen Xu. Dao later tried to start an uprising with the general Han Zigao (韓子高), but the plot was discovered, and Chen Xu forced both of them to commit suicide.
As both Dao and Han were trusted associates of Emperor Wen, another trusted associate of Emperor Wen, Hua Jiao (華皎) the governor of Xiang Province (湘州, roughly modern Changsha, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
) became apprehensive, and he prepared for a battle with Chen Xu, requesting aid from both Northern Zhou and Emperor Ming of Western Liang
Emperor Ming of Western Liang
Emperor Ming of Western Liang , personal name Xiao Kui , courtesy name Renyuan , was a emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty...
-- a Liang Dynasty prince who claimed title to the Liang throne as a Northern Zhou vassal. In summer 567, Chen Xu commissioned Wu as the governor of Xiang Province and had him command a major part of the troops against Hua, along with Chunyu Liang (淳于量). The opposing sides met at Dunkou (沌口, in modern Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
). Wu and Chunyu were able to ram Hua's, Northern Zhou's, and Western Liang's fleets, causing them to collapse. Hua and the Northern Zhou general Yuwen Zhi (宇文直) were forced to flee to Western Liang's capital Jiangling. In light of the victory, Wu first captured Western Liang's Hedong Commandery (河東, part of modern Jingzhou), and then further put Jiangling under siege. Western Liang's Emperor Ming was forced to flee to the subsidiary fort of Ji'nan (紀南, near Jiangling). Wu sieged Jiangling for 100 days but could not capture it, and had to withdraw in spring 568. For his contributions, he was promoted to the greater title of Duke of Anwu.
In winter 568, Chen Xu deposed Emperor Fei, and in spring 569, he took the throne himself (as Emperor Xuan). Wu continued to serve as a general in Emperor Xuan's military.
During Emperor Xuan's reign
In 573, Emperor Xuan wanted to launch a campaign against Northern Qi to capture the region between the Yangtze RiverYangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
and the Huai River
Huai River
The Huai River is a major river in China. The Huai River is located about mid-way between the Yellow River and Yangtze River, the two largest rivers in China, and like them runs from west to east...
. The officials that he discussed with had diverse opinions, but Wu Mingche was the one who advocated quick action. Emperor Xuan decided to carry out attack, and because Chunyu Liang was the senior general, most officials believed that he should command the mission. Xu Ling (徐陵), however, advocated making Wu the commanding general, pointing out that Wu was a good general and that his family was from north of the Yangtze and therefore he was familiar with the customs of the region. Emperor Xuan therefore put Wu in charge of the main assault, while putting the general Huang Fachu (name not in Unicode
Unicode
Unicode is a computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation and handling of text expressed in most of the world's writing systems...
) in charge of the secondary front. Wu quickly captured his home commandery (Qin Commandery). Northern Qi sent forces commanded by the general Wei Pohu (尉破胡) to try to stop Wu's advance, but Wu's subordinate Xiao Mohe
Xiao Mohe
Xiao Mohe , courtesy name Yuanyin , was a general of the Chinese dynasties Chen Dynasty and Sui Dynasty. He initially served in the military in the late Liang Dynasty, and gradually grew in stature and fame during the reigns of each of the emperors of Chen...
defeated a group of Northern Qi's best warriors, leading to the Northern Qi army's collapse. Most of the territory south of the Huai River was quickly captured, and as Qin Commandery was Wu's home commandery, Emperor Xuan, in order to honor him, ordered him to publicly offer a sacrifice of an ox, a pig, and a sheep to his ancestors. By fall 573, Wu had the important city of Shouyang (壽陽, in modern Lu'an
Lu'an
Lu'an , is a prefecture-level city in western Anhui Province, People's Republic of China, with a population of 5,612,590 inhabitants at 2010 census. Its built up area is home to 1,482,729 inhabitants spread out on 2 urban districts...
, 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...
), defending by Wang Lin, under siege, and although he could not capture it quickly, he did when the Northern Qi relief force commanded by Pi Jinghe (皮景和) arrived but was hesitant to engage him. He captured Wang, Lu Qian (盧濳), Kezhuhun Daoyu (可朱渾道裕), and Li Taotu (李騊駼). Pi fled, and Wu captured his horses and camels. Because many of Wu's officers were Wang's subordinates and respected him, Wu became apprehensive and executed Wang, delivering the other Northern Qi officials to Jiankang. The region between the Yangtze and the Huai was now entirely in Chen hands, and Emperor Xuan created Wu the greater title of Duke of Nanping. He also put Wu in charge of the six provinces making up of the region. (In order to confer the honors on Wu, he had a high platform built near Shouyang and had Wu ascend the platform to accept these honors, and the entire army felt honored on Wu's account.)
In winter 575, Wu launched an attack on Pengcheng (彭城, in modern Xuzhou
Xuzhou
Xuzhou , otherwise known as Pengcheng in ancient times, is a major city in and the fourth largest prefecture-level city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China...
, 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...
). However, he appeared to soon withdraw. In 576, he was made the governor of Southern Yan Province (南兗州, roughly 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...
).
In 577, Northern Zhou destroyed Northern Qi and took over its territory. In winter 577, Emperor Xuan, believing that Northern Zhou's hold on Northern Qi's southern provinces was not yet secure, ordered Wu to launch a major attack on Pengcheng, making Wu's heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
Wu Rongzhao (吳戎昭) his lieutenant. Initially, Wu defeated the Northern Zhou governor of Xu Province (徐州, roughly modern Xuzhou) Liang Shiyan (梁士彥), forcing Liang to withdraw inside Pengcheng and defend it. Wu put Pengcheng under siege. In spring 578, the Northern Zhou general Wang Gui arrived with a force to lift the siege, and he, as his first step, cut off Wu's supply route (and escape path). Xiao Mohe advised Wu to attack Wang as quick as he could to prevent the supply route from being cut off, but Wu did not follow Xiao's suggestion. Soon, the Chen forces were trapped.
Wu's subordinates suggested destroying the levee near Pengcheng so that the area would flood, allowing them to escape by ships. Wu agreed, but believing that he, as the commanding general, should withdraw last, did so, sending Xiao with the cavalry first. The cavalry was therefore able to escape, but most of the foot soldiers—30,000—and Wu himself were captured by Wang and taken to the Northern Zhou 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...
. Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou
Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou
Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou , personal name Yuwen Yong , nickname Miluotu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou. As was the case of the reigns of his brothers Emperor Xiaomin and Emperor Ming, the early part of his reign was dominated by his cousin Yuwen Hu, but in 572 he...
created Wu the Duke of Huaide, but Wu, angry over his capture, died soon thereafter.
It appeared that because Wu Mingche was captured and not killed in action, his titles and offices were stripped by Emperor Xuan. After Emperor Xuan's death, Emperor Xuan's son and successor Chen Shubao
Chen Shubao
Chen Shubao , often known in history as Houzhu of Chen , posthumous name Duke Yang of Changcheng , courtesy name Yuanxiu , nickname Huangnu , was the last emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty...
posthumously created Wu the Marquess of Shaoling in 583 and allowed his young son Wu Huijue (吳惠覺) to inherit the title. (The fact that the title was not inherited by Wu Rongzhao implied that Wu Rongzhao was probably also captured by Northern Zhou forces or died without issue.)