The "Anshi Rebellion" was a war waged by the Tang general An Lushan and Shi Siming after they betrayed the Tang Dynasty from the end of Tang Xuanzong to the early years of Tang Dynasty (December 16, 755 to February 17, 763). As we all know, the Anshi Rebellion was an important turning point in the Tang Dynasty's transition from prosperity to decline. Because the commanders who launched the anti-Tang rebellion were mainly An Lushan and Shi Siming, the incident was named An Shi. And because it broke out during the Tianbao period of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, it is also known as the Tianbao Rebellion. Of course, although the rebels of An Lushan, Shi Siming and others once captured the capital of the Tang Dynasty, this huge rebellion was eventually put down by the Tang generals. So, the question arises, why is it said that the number one contributor to the quelling of the Anshi rebellion was Li Guangbi, not Guo Ziyi?
One
First of all, Li Guangbi was an outstanding general and military figure in the Middle and Tang Dynasties, and in order to quell the Anshi Rebellion, Shi said that he was "on a par with Guo Ziyi, known as 'Li Guo', and the battle merit was pushed to be the first in Zhongxing." (New Book of Tang, Biography of Li Guangbi). Of course, in terms of fame, Guo Ziyi's popularity is undoubtedly much higher than Li Guangbi's. However, as far as quelling the anshi rebellion is concerned, Li Guangbi's battle achievements are undoubtedly above Guo Ziyi. The reason for this can be said to be very simple, in the campaign to quell the Anshi Rebellion, Li Guangbi participated in almost all major battles, while Guo Ziyi was stripped of his military power by the Tang Emperor in the middle of the way, so he failed to fully participate in and command more battles. Therefore, although Guo Ziyi's popularity is very high and he also played an important role in the early days of the Anshi Rebellion, on the whole, Li Guangbi is worthy of being the number one contributor to the pacification of the Anshi Rebellion.
Two
Specifically, according to the Records of historical materials such as the New Book of Tang and the Old Book of Tang, Li Guangbi was born in the "Liucheng Li Clan", and was first appointed as the General of Zuo Lang of the Zuo Wei Dynasty, and attacked the Duke of Ji County. In the fifteenth year of Tianbao (756), that is, after the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion, Li Guangbi was recommended by Guo Ziyi to be appointed as the deputy envoy of Hedong Jiedu, and went out of the east to participate in the pacification of the Anshi Rebellion. Therefore, for Li Guangbi, he participated in the campaign to quell the Anshi Rebellion with Guo Ziyi and others very early. In the face of the rebels of An Lushan, Shi Siming, and others, Li Guangbi first successfully recovered Changshan Commandery (常山郡, in modern Zhengding, Hebei), where soldiers must fight. After this, Li Guangbi and Guo Ziyi led the Tang army to a decisive battle against the rebels at Jiashan (嘉山, in present-day Quyangdong, Hebei), breaking the rebels, beheading 40,000 people, capturing more than 1,000 people and 5,000 warhorses.
Three
After the Battle of Jiashan, Emperor Li Heng of Tang Suzong ascended the throne, and Li Guangbi was ordered by Lingwu to lead an army of 5,000 to Taiyuan to continue to recruit the rebels. In the first month of the second year of Germany (757), the rebels Shi Siming and Cai Xide sent 100,000 troops to attack Taiyuan. In the Battle of Taiyuan, although Li Guangbi only had less than 10,000 troops, but, with his tenacious defense, after depleting the enemy's sharpness, Li Guangbi led his army to attack, destroyed Cai Xi's German army, and annihilated more than 70,000 of its troops, thus speeding up the end of the Anshi Rebellion. In the second year of Qianyuan (759), because of his merits in the battles of Jiashan and Taiyuan, Li Guangbi was appointed as the deputy marshal of the Tianxia Terracotta Army and the envoy of Shuofang Jiedushi. At that time, Emperor Suzong of Tang summoned Guo Ziyi back to the Capital Division, which in fact deprived Guo Ziyi of his military power.
Four
Finally, according to the New Book of Tang, the Old Book of Tang and other historical records, in the second year of the First Yuan Dynasty (761), Li Guangbi left the town of Linhuai with the deputy marshal of Henan, the lieutenant and the attendant, to deter the generals. In 762, in the later stages of the Anshi Rebellion, Li Guangbi led a large army to suppress the rebellion of Yuan Chao in eastern Zhejiang, and made him the king of Linhuai County. From this, it is very obvious that if you only look at the early stage of the Anshi Rebellion, Guo Ziyi's battle achievements can be equal to Li Guangbi. However, because he was relieved of his military powers many times, Guo Ziyi's presence in the late anshi rebellion was obviously inferior to that of Li Guangbi. Therefore, in 763 AD, that is, after the Anshi Rebellion was completely put down, Li Guangbi "pushed the battle merits as the first in Zhongxing", was given iron coupons, the name of the Tibetan Taimiao Temple, and the portrait of Ling Yan Pavilion. What do you think about that? Feel free to leave your views and let's discuss them together.
Text/Sentimental History