Huyan Zan: Difference between revisions
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|caption=from one 1892 print of the novel ''Biographies of Generals of the Yang Family'' (楊家將傳)<ref>Essentially the same novel, with slight modifications by publishers and editors, as the second half of ''Records of the Two Songs, South and North'' (兩宋南北志傳) written by Xiong Damu (熊大木) in the late [[16th century]].</ref> |
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|home_town=[[Taiyuan]], [[Shanxi]] |
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|death_date=1000 |
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|death_place=[[Kaifeng]], [[Henan]] |
|death_place=[[Kaifeng]], [[Henan]] |
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|parents =Huyan Cong (呼延琮), father |
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|native_name=[[Family name]]: Hūyán ({{linktext|呼|延}})<br>[[Given name]]: Zàn ({{linktext|贊|}}) |
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{{Chinese|t={{linktext|呼|延|贊}}|s={{linktext|呼|延|赞}}|p=Hūyán Zàn|w=Hu<sup>1</sup>-yen<sup>2</sup> Tsan<sup>4</sup>|j=Fu<sup>1</sup>-jin<sup>4</sup> Zaan<sup>3</sup>|y=Fu<sup>1</sup>-yin<sup>4</sup> Jaan<sup>3</sup>}} |
{{Chinese|t={{linktext|呼|延|贊}}|s={{linktext|呼|延|赞}}|p=Hūyán Zàn|w=Hu<sup>1</sup>-yen<sup>2</sup> Tsan<sup>4</sup>|j=Fu<sup>1</sup>-jin<sup>4</sup> Zaan<sup>3</sup>|y=Fu<sup>1</sup>-yin<sup>4</sup> Jaan<sup>3</sup>}} |
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Revision as of 22:15, 21 March 2013
| Huyan Zan | |
|---|---|
 from one 1892 print of the novel Biographies of Generals of the Yang Family (楊家將傳)[1] | |
| Died | 1000 Kaifeng, Henan |
| Huyan Zan | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 呼延贊 | ||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 呼延赞 | ||||||||||||||
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Huyan Zan (died 1000) was a military general of the Song Dynasty.
Biography
Huyan Zan's ancestral home was in Taiyuan, Bingzhou. His family was of Xiongnu origin and was gradually assimilated into Han Chinese society after the Western and Eastern Jin dynasties. Huyan Zan's father Huyan Cong (呼延琮) served as a Cavalry and Infantry Commanding Officer (馬步都指揮使) in Zizhou (淄州[2]) under the Later Zhou Dynasty.
At a young age, Huyan Zan started his career as a cavalryman in the Song Dynasty's army. Emperor Taizu recognised Huyan Zan's talent and promoted him to the rank of a Cavalry Officer (驍雄軍使). Huyan Zan later followed the general Wang Quanbin (王全斌) to attack Sichuan and he led the vanguard. He was wounded in battle and later promoted to Deputy Commander (副指揮使) for his contributions in the campaign. During the reign of Emperor Taizong, Huyan Zan was further promoted to Commander of Armoured Cavalry (鐵騎軍指揮使). During a campaign in Taiyuan (太原), Huyan Zan charged ahead of his men and was the first to climb a wall of the enemy city. He fell from the wall four times and was injured but he continued attempting to scale the wall. For his bravery, Huyan Zan was rewarded with gold and silk by the emperor in the imperial court.
In 964 Huyan Zan was instrumental in the Song Dynasty's campaign against Later Shu, leading his troops personally into battle. In 979, he once again showed his martial prowess in the Song campaign against Northern Han.
In 982, Huyan Zan assisted Cui Han (崔翰) in defending Dingzhou. Cui Han appreciated Huyan Zan's courage and appointed him Deputy Commander of Cavalry (馬軍副都軍頭) and Neiyuan Liaozhi Duyu Hou (內員寮直都虞候).
In 987, Huyan Zan was appointed Cavalry and Infantry Deputy Commander (馬步軍副都軍頭). During marches, he often presented self-drawn maps to the commander, while providing advice on setting up camp. He constantly expressed his desire to be sent to the frontier. Emperor Taizong summoned Huyan Zan and ordered him to perform his skills in front of him. Huyan Zan and his four sons - Huyan Bixing (呼延必興), Huyan Bigai (呼延必改), Huyan Biqiu (呼延必求) and Huyan Bixian (呼延必顯) - dressed up in full armour and performed martial arts in front of an audience. Emperor Taizong was very pleased and he rewarded them with gold and expensive garments.
In 989, Huyan Zan was appointed Governor (刺史) of Fuzhou (富州). After the Song army launched several disastrous campaigns against the Khitan-led Liao Dynasty, in 992, Huyan Zan became Governor of Baozhou (保州) and Deputy Commander (副都部署) of Jizhou (冀州). However, Huyan Zan was not competent in managing logistics so he was reappointed Governor of Liaozhou (遼州刺史). Even after switching appointment, Huyan Zan showed that he was not good in governing a civilian population so he was reappointed Governor of Fuzhou (扶州) and Drill Instructor (團練使) of Kangzhou (康州). During his tenure (992–997) he reinvigorated the defense of the border region and held off numerous Liao attacks. In 997, he resigned from his post after the death of Emperor Taizong.
In 999 Huyan Zan was appointed by Emperor Zhenzong as Inspector of the Palace Interior and Exterior (宮內外都巡檢). At that time, Emperor Zhenzong was seeking someone to be an army commander and many officials started fighting for the post. Huyan Zan said, "I draw a salary of thousands each month but my expenses are not even half of my salary, so I'm already very satisfied with my current pay. I questioned myself and felt that I haven't done anything to repay my country so I do not dare to seek any further promotions. I'm worried that I'll meet with a calamity one day if my fortune keeps increasing." Huyan Zan's humility impressed many people. The following year, Huyan Zan was tasked with guarding the garden of Empress Dowager Yuande (元德皇太后), but died during service. Huyan Zan's son, Huyan Bixian, succeeded his father as Deputy Military Commander (軍副都軍頭).
In literature
- The stories of Huyan Zan and his descendants were compiled into a novel titled Shuo Hu Quan Zhuan (說呼全傳; Full Chronicles of the Tales of Hu). Alternative titles include Shuo Hu (說呼; Tales of Hu), Hu Jia Jiang (呼家將; Generals of the Hu Family), Hu Jia Hou Dai Quan Zhuan (呼家後代全傳; Full Chronicles of the Hu Family Descendants) and Jin Bian Ji (金鞭記; Story of the Golden Rod). The novel is similar to, but not as popular as, other works on famous military generals of the Song Dynasty, such as Generals of the Yang Family (楊家將) and Shuo Yue Quanzhuan (說岳全傳).
- Huyan Zhuo, a character in the Chinese classical novel Water Margin, is a fictitious descendant of Huyan Zan.
References
- ^ Essentially the same novel, with slight modifications by publishers and editors, as the second half of Records of the Two Songs, South and North (兩宋南北志傳) written by Xiong Damu (熊大木) in the late 16th century.
- ^ In present-day Zichuan District, Zibo, Shandong.
Sources
- Template:Zh icon Toktoghan et al., History of Song, vol. 279 (Huyan Zan)
- Template:Zh icon Bi Yuan. (Qing Dynasty). Continuation of Zizhi Tongjian (續資治通鑑), Volume 21.