Qin Yan
Encyclopedia
Qin Yan (d. March 2, 888), né Qin Li (秦立), was a warlord of the late Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, who seized control of Xuanshe Circuit (宣歙, headquartered in modern Xuancheng
, Anhui
), and thereafter briefly seized control of Yang Prefecture (揚州, in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
), the capital of Huainan Circuit (淮南), before being defeated by Yang Xingmi
. He joined forced with Sun Ru
thereafter against Yang, but was killed by Sun.
, Jiangsu
), where he served as a soldier, and that he was originally named Qin Li. During the Qianfu era (874
-879
) of Emperor Xizong
, there was an occasion when he was accused of theft and imprisoned, set to be sentenced to death. One night, he dreamed of someone telling him, "You may follow me." Once he woke up, he broke out of jail. He changed his name to Qin Yan, and he gathered a group of 100 men. With these men, he surprised and killed the magistrate of Xiapei County (下邳, in modern Xuzhou), seizing the supplies of the county government. He then took these men and joined the army of the agrarian rebel Huang Chao
.
In 879, the Tang military governor (Jiedushi
) of Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang
, Jiangsu
), Gao Pian
, sent his officers Zhang Lin (張璘) and Liang Zan (梁瓚) to attack Huang, and they repeatedly defeated Huang. Qin, along with several other key Huang followers, including Bi Shiduo
, Li Hanzhi
, and Xu Qing (許勍), surrendered to Gao. Gao made him the prefect of He Prefecture (和州, in modern Chaohu, Anhui
).
, Qin Yan had his son take several thousand soldiers to make a surprise attack on Xuanshe Circuit's capital Xuan Prefecture (宣州). Qin's forces expelled the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of Xuanshe, Dou Jue (竇潏), who was ill at that time, allowing Qin to take his place. The imperial government, unable to take any other action, allowed Qin to remain as governor. Dou's staff member Zhang Ji (張佶), despising Qin, left Xuan Prefecture.
, Bi Shiduo, fearing that he would be targeted for execution by Lü Yongzhi
, a sorcerer that Gao Pian, who was then the military governor of Huainan Circuit, trusted and who had taken effective control of the governance of Huainan, rebelled and put Huainan's capital Yang Prefecture under siege. With Lü defending the city, however, Bi could not quickly capture the city, so he sent messengers to Qin Yan, seeking aid and offering to support Qin to be the military governor of Huainan if they were victorious. Qin Yan sent his officer Qin Chou (秦稠) to aid Bi in the siege. With Gao and his nephew Gao Jie (高傑) turning against Lü inside the city, Lü abandoned it and fled, allowing Bi to seize the city and put Gao and his family under house arrest. Bi welcomed Qin to Yang Prefecture and supported him as Huainan's military governor.
the prefect of Lu Prefecture (廬州, in modern Hefei
, Anhui
) refused to recognize Qin. He joined forces with Sun Duan (孫端) the prefect of He Prefecture, Lü, and Bi's erstwhile ally Zhang Shenjian (張神劍) (who was angry that Bi was not sharing the spoils of war with him) and put Yang Prefecture under siege. Qin sent Bi and Zheng Hanzhang (鄭漢章) to counterattack, but Bi and Zheng were crushed by Yang Xingmi. The city fell into a deep famine, and the Xuanshe soldiers resorted to cannibalism
. 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
, 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
, 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
, Henan
). In early 888
, Sun put Qin Yan, Bi, and Zheng to death.
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...
, who seized control 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...
), and thereafter briefly seized control of Yang Prefecture (揚州, 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...
), the capital of Huainan Circuit (淮南), before being defeated by 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...
. He joined forced with 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...
thereafter against Yang, but was killed by Sun.
Background and participation in Huang Chao's rebellion
It is not known when Qin Yan was born, but it is known that he was from Xu Prefecture (徐州, in modern XuzhouXuzhou
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...
), where he served as a soldier, and that he was originally named Qin Li. During the Qianfu era (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 ....
-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....
) 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...
, there was an occasion when he was accused of theft and imprisoned, set to be sentenced to death. One night, he dreamed of someone telling him, "You may follow me." Once he woke up, he broke out of jail. He changed his name to Qin Yan, and he gathered a group of 100 men. With these men, he surprised and killed the magistrate of Xiapei County (下邳, in modern Xuzhou), seizing the supplies of the county government. He then took these men and joined the army of the agrarian rebel 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...
.
In 879, the Tang 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 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...
), Gao Pian
Gao Pian
Gao Pian , courtesy name Qianli , formally the Prince of Bohai , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
, sent his officers Zhang Lin (張璘) and Liang Zan (梁瓚) to attack Huang, and they repeatedly defeated Huang. Qin, along with several other key Huang followers, including Bi Shiduo
Bi Shiduo
Bi Shiduo was an army officer of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He initially was part of the agrarian rebellions of Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao, but later became a Tang officer...
, 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. Gao made him 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...
).
Seizure of Xuanshe Circuit
In 882882
Year 882 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Carloman, King of the West Franks, becomes sole king upon the death of his brother....
, Qin Yan had his son take several thousand soldiers to make a surprise attack on Xuanshe Circuit's capital Xuan Prefecture (宣州). Qin's forces expelled the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of Xuanshe, Dou Jue (竇潏), who was ill at that time, allowing Qin to take his place. The imperial government, unable to take any other action, allowed Qin to remain as governor. Dou's staff member Zhang Ji (張佶), despising Qin, left Xuan Prefecture.
Seizure of Yang Prefecture
In summer 887887
Year 887 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The city of Toledo rises against the Umayyad leader....
, Bi Shiduo, fearing that he would be targeted for execution by 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...
, a sorcerer that Gao Pian, who was then the military governor of Huainan Circuit, trusted and who had taken effective control of the governance of Huainan, rebelled and put Huainan's capital Yang Prefecture under siege. With Lü defending the city, however, Bi could not quickly capture the city, so he sent messengers to Qin Yan, seeking aid and offering to support Qin to be the military governor of Huainan if they were victorious. Qin Yan sent his officer Qin Chou (秦稠) to aid Bi in the siege. With Gao and his nephew Gao Jie (高傑) turning against Lü inside the city, Lü abandoned it and fled, allowing Bi to seize the city and put Gao and his family under house arrest. Bi welcomed Qin to Yang Prefecture and supported him as Huainan's military governor.
Defeat and death
However, Yang XingmiYang 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...
) refused to recognize Qin. He joined forces with Sun Duan (孫端) the prefect of He Prefecture, Lü, and Bi's erstwhile ally Zhang Shenjian (張神劍) (who was angry that Bi was not sharing the spoils of war with him) and put Yang Prefecture under siege. Qin sent Bi and Zheng Hanzhang (鄭漢章) to counterattack, but Bi and Zheng were crushed by Yang Xingmi. The city fell into a deep famine, and the Xuanshe soldiers resorted to cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
. 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.