Shi Siming was one of the initiators of the An Shi Rebellion, but An Qingxu, the son of An Lushan, became empress, and Shi Siming actually surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, and it is reasonable to say that he should continue to cooperate with An Qingxu.
However, the actual situation is that Shi Siming did not do this, but left An Qingxu and submitted to the Tang Dynasty. Why did Siming do this? There are three reasons for this.
1. An Qingxu is dissatisfied with Shi Siming
An Qingxu's dissatisfaction with Shi Siming led to a conflict between the two. Shi Siming cooperated with An Lushan to launch the An Shi Rebellion, and An Lushan, with the help of Shi Siming, quickly occupied Luoyang, causing Tang Xuanzong to flee.
Supposedly, Shi Siming should continue to cooperate with An Qingxu, but this was not the case, and An Qingxu expressed great dissatisfaction with Shi Siming's absorption of his remnants of his troops and wanted to get rid of Shi Siming.
This made it impossible for Shi Siming to follow An Qingxu anymore, otherwise he would be worried about his life.
2. Shi Siming did not want to follow An Qingxu
Shi Siming's reluctance to follow An Qingxu was the main reason for his surrender to the Tang Dynasty. Why didn't Shi Siming want to help An Qingxu? Because An Qingxu lost his morality, Shi Siming felt that following An Qingxu would not have a good result.
In order to fight for power, An Qingxu actually killed his father An Lushan. We know that filial piety is very valued in China, and if a person is not filial piety, everyone will look down on him, so Shi Siming is not willing to follow a son of filial piety and bear the name of infamy.
At the same time, Shi Siming and An Qingxu also have contradictions, plus Shi Siming also has the idea of self-reliance, making Shi Siming eager to leave An Qingxu.
3. The appeasement of the Tang Dynasty
After Shi Siming left An Qingxu, because his strength at that time could not establish himself as king, what should Shi Siming do? It was at this time that the Tang Dynasty recruited the rebels.
So why did the Tang Dynasty appease the rebels? Because of the Anshi Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty was in a chaotic situation.
After Tang Suzong ascended the throne, he was not able to restore the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, nor was he able to completely defeat the rebels, so Tang Suzong was also in a dilemma at this time.
Therefore, Tang Suzong wanted to recruit rebels in order to quell the war as soon as possible, so that Shi Siming also surrendered to the Tang Dynasty.
Judging from the process of Shi Siming's return to the Tang Dynasty, it was still the result of problems within the rebel army and mutual thoughts.
At the beginning of the An Shi Rebellion, the rebels were dominant, but a conflict arose between An Lushan and his son An Qingxu, causing the rebels' situation to turn straight down, internal divisions, and finally the Tang army won.
The fortress is the easiest to break through from the inside, and Shi Siming and An Lushan's father and son came together because of interests, and eventually they would part ways because of interests. Shi Siming's departure from An Qingxu is an inevitable result, and their failure is also inevitable.
bibliography:
Old Book of Tang, One Hundred and Fifty Chronicles
New Book of Tang Dynasty: One Hundred and Fifty Chronicles
About the Author:
Chopin: I like Chinese history and have unique views on historical figures and events. I hope to restore the truth of history through words and uncover the little-known secrets of history. Learn about history, grasp the present, and have the wisdom of life.
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Links to previous articles:
How Li Chen, the prototype of Tang Xuanzong in "Song with the King", curbed the eunuchs