Xie Xuan
Xie Xuan (343–388), courtesy name Youdu, was a native of Yangxia, Chen County (present-day Taikang County, Henan), and a famous military figure of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Xie Xuan is the nephew of the prime minister Xie An, who has been brilliant since childhood, and together with his cousin Xie Lang, he has been valued by Xie An.
Creation of the Northern Province Soldiers
When Xie Xuan grew up, he showed that he was talented by the state, and the imperial court summoned him several times, but he refused to resign. Later, Xie Xuan and Wang Huan were summoned by the general Huan Wen (桓文) as officials, and soon afterwards they were appointed as Sima (司馬) and Lingnan Commandery (令南郡相) of the Western General Huan Huan (桓豁), supervising the northern expeditions.
At that time, Former Qin was the most powerful in the north, and former Qin king Jian Jian used troops everywhere to gradually unify northern China and repeatedly invaded the borders of the Jin state. Therefore, the imperial court discussed the selection of a good general who could defend the north. In October of the second year of Taiyuan (377), Xie An recommended Xie Xuan. Although Zhongshu Lang Xi Chao had always been at odds with Xie Xuan, he was very happy to hear this recommendation, and he praised it, "An disobeyed the crowd and raised relatives, Ming Ye." Xuan will not fail to live up to his deeds, and only then will he." Therefore, the imperial court summoned Xie Xuanhui to the dynasty, and made him a general of Jianwu, Yanzhou Assassin History, leading the Guangling Xiang and Supervising the Northern Jiangsu Military Forces, and guarding guangling (廣陵, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu).
After Xie Xuan took office, he carefully analyzed the situation at that time, and then in view of the fact that the Jin army lacked combat effectiveness at that time, he recruited warriors and formed the "Beifu Soldiers". Most of the people he recruited were peasants who had fled from the north, who had left their homes and endured hardships, and had a strong desire to go north to resist the enemy and return to their hometowns. After a period of rigorous training, it has become a strong force that can recruit good warriors.
In February of the third year of Taiyuan (378), Fu Jian sent an army to attack Xiangyang (襄陽, in present-day Hubei Province), but was blocked by the Jin general Zhu Xu and his troops approached the city and attacked for a long time. Jian Jian then adopted the suggestion of Shi Pengchao of Yanzhou to open up a new battlefield east of Xiangyang, attack the strategic points north of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, threaten the Jin capital Jiankang, and support the operations on the Xiangyang battlefield. In July, He ordered Zhangchao to oversee the military forces and attack Pengcheng (彭城; present-day Xuzhou, Jiangsu); The generals Mao Sheng (毛盛) and The Luozhou Assassin Shi Zoubao (洛州刺史邹保) led 70,000 cavalry to attack Huaiyang (淮陽, in present-day Qingjiangxi, Jiangsu) and Xuyi (盱眙, in present-day northeast Of Xuyi, Jiangsu), while at the same time meeting Liang Prefecture (梁州) to assassinate Shi Weizhong (魏興, in modern Baihe, Shaanxi) to attack Weixing (present-day Eastern Hanjiang, Shaanxi) to contain the Eastern Jin army in the west. In August, Peng Chao led 70,000 troops to attack Pengcheng, and The Jin Pei Commandery Taishou and longjun general Dai Lu led the crowd to defend the city. The Jin court also sent the right general Mao Husheng to lead an army of 50,000 towns to guard Guyi (present-day Dangtu, Anhui) to defend against the Qin army.
In February of the fourth year of the Taiyuan Dynasty (379), Xie Xuan led more than 10,000 people to rescue Zhangcheng and garrison Sikou (sikou) (in present-day southwest of the Qing river in Jiangsu, that is, the mouth of the ancient Surabaya people). Xie Xuan wanted to send someone to inform Dai Lu that reinforcements had arrived, and the general Tian Hong invited himself to go, but was captured by the Qin army. Qin Jun bribed Tian Hong with heavy money to make him publicize that the Jin army had failed. Tian Hong pretended to agree. When they arrived at the city, Tian Hong told the defenders in the city: "When the southern army is down, I will report it in a single line, for the thief's gain, mian zhi!" Tian Hong was killed by the Qin army. After the defenders of the city heard it, the earth was greatly encouraged. At that time, Peng Chao's heavy weight was staying in Liucheng (留城, southeast of present-day Pei County, Jiangsu) and personally led a light army to attack Pengcheng. Xie Xuan then sent the rear general He Qian to attack Liucheng, and Peng Chao panicked after hearing this, abandoned the siege of Pengcheng, and returned to Liucheng to guard Liucheng. Dai Yu and Peng Cheng Taishou Dai Lu took the opportunity to lead Peng Cheng's men and horses, and together with He Qian, they broke through and successfully withdrew, and Dai Yu led the crowd to retreat to Guangling with Xie Xuan.
In the same month, after Peng Chaoren Peng Cheng, he stayed in charge of Xu Bao to guard it, and then marched south with the Difficult Division. In April, the Qin generals Mao Dang and Wang Xian, with 20,000 troops, set out from Xiangyang (in present-day Hubei) and joined Peng Chao and others to the east to attack Huainan. May, all difficult. Peng Chao attacked Xuyi and captured Jin Gaomi Neishi Maozhi. The Qin army of 60,000 besieged Shi Tianluo in Jinyan Prefecture at San'a (in present-day southeast of Jinhu, Jiangsu). The Jin court was extremely shocked, and quickly sent the general Xie Shi to lead the water army TunTuzhong (referring to the Chushui River Basin in Anhui and Jiangsu). The Jin Right Guard general Mao Anzhi led 40,000 people to Tuntangyi (屯堂邑; present-day northern Liuhe, Jiangsu). The Qin generals Mao Dang and Mao Sheng led 20,000 cavalry attacks, and Mao Anzhi and others retreated. Xie Xuan set out from Guangling to rescue San'a. Soon, the Qin army failed and surrendered to Xuyi. In June, Xie Xuan and Tian Luo led an army of 50,000 to attack Xuyi, but Peng Chao failed again and retreated to Huaiyin. Xie Xuan sent He Qian and others to lead the water army up the tide, and took advantage of the dark night to burn the pontoon bridge laid by Former Qin on the Huai River, Shao Bao was killed in battle, and It was difficult for Him and Peng Chaocang to cross the Huai River north. Xie Xuan, together with He Qian and Tian Luo, led an army in pursuit and fought a decisive battle with the Qin army at Junchuan (junchuan, in present-day xuyi, jiangsu), where the Jin army won a great victory, and Ju Nan and Peng Chao fled to the north alone. After this battle, the imperial court named him a champion general, added the xuzhou assassination history, and sealed Dongxing County.
Although Jian Jian suffered setbacks, his ambition to destroy the Eastern Jin Dynasty and unify the world did not move in the slightest. Many of the courtiers opposed the jin dynasty, such as the secretary zhu xuan and the champion general Murong Chui.
In May of the eighth year of taiyuan (383), Huan Chong, a military officer of the Seven Prefectures of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, led an army of 100,000 to attack Xiangyang (present-day Hubei), and sent troops to attack The Northern Zhucheng (北祝) and Wudang (northwest of present-day Danjiangkou, Hubei). He also sent generals to attack Shu, pulling up five cities (present-day Zhongjiang, Sichuan) and attacking Fucheng (涪城, in present-day mianyangdong, Sichuan). In June, Huan Chongbei attacked Banzai and Zhuyang (潣陽, in present-day northern Gucheng, Hubei).
Jian Jian learned that he was doubly enraged, and in addition to sending separate troops to rescue him, he launched a large-scale attack on Jin in July, requisitioning public and private horses from various prefectures and counties, and the civilians drew one out of ten. The sons of the rich and powerful people of Gaomen and those who were proficient in martial arts were all awarded Yulin Lang, with a total of more than 30,000 people, and appointed Zhao Shengzhi, the chief of Qin Prefecture, as the general of Jianwei and the young governor. Sima Changming, Xie An, and Huan Chong, emperors of the Jin Dynasty, also held official positions. In August, Gong Rong of Yangping sent the general Zhang Oyster Fu (張骠抚軍) to lead the general Fu Fang (符方), the Wei general Liang Cheng (梁成), the Pingnan general Murong Zhao (慕容障), and Murong Chui (慕容崔) to serve as the vanguard, and the Yanzhou assassin Shi Yao (姚苌) as the general of Long Jun (龙駝), and the military forces of Dudu and Liang Erzhou.
Battle of the Waters
In August 383, Jian Jian personally led 600,000 infantry, 270,000 cavalry, and 30,000 Yulin Lang (Janissaries), a total of 900,000 troops from Chang'an to the south, at the same time, Jian Jian ordered Zi Tong Taishou Pei Yuanluo to lead 70,000 sailors down the river from Bashu to the east and marched east to Jiankang. Nearly a million marching troops "came and went, thousands of miles in and out, looking at each other." East and west, land and water. Fu Jian arrogantly declared: "With my million-strong army, even if I throw the horse whip into the Yangtze River, it will be enough to cut off the Flow of the Yangtze River."
The Eastern Jin Dynasty was facing a critical juncture of life and death when the Eastern Jin Dynasty was under the pressure of a strong enemy, and the main battle faction led by Xie An, the minister of state, was determined to rise up to resist. On Xie An's recommendation, Emperor Jin appointed Xie An's brother Xie Shi as the governor of the conquest, and Xie An's nephew Xie Xuan as the vanguard, leading 80,000 "Beifu soldiers" with strong combat effectiveness after 7 years of training to the west along the Huai River to meet the main force of the Qin army. Hu Bin was sent to lead a 5,000-strong reinforcement of the strategic stronghold of Shouyang (present-day Shou County, Anhui): also known as Hengchong, was appointed as the assassin of Jiangzhou, and led 100,000 Jin troops to control the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and prevent the Qin Bashu army from descending the river to the east.
On October 18, Fu Jian's brother Gong Rong led the Qin forward forces to capture Shouyang and capture the Jin general Xu Yuanxi. At the same time, the Qin army of Murong Chui captured Yuncheng (郧城, in modern Yun County, Hubei). Hu Bin, who had been ordered to lead a water army to aid Shouyang, learned that Shouyang had been breached by Zhi Rong on the way, so he retreated to Jiaoshi (硖石, southwest of present-day Fengtai, Anhui), waiting to meet Xie Shi and Xie Xuan's army. Gong Rong also led an army to attack Jiaoshi. Liang Cheng led 50,000 troops to attack Luojian (羅涧, in present-day huainan, Anhui), cutting off traffic on the Huai River and blocking Hu Bin's retreat. Hu Bin was trapped in the stone, ran out of grain and grass, and it was difficult to support, so he wrote a letter to Xie Shi to say urgently, but the Jin soldiers who sent the letter were caught by the Qin soldiers, and the letter fell into the hands of Xiang Rong. Xiang Rong immediately reported to Jian Jian the situation of the small number of Jin troops and the lack of grain and grass, and suggested that the troops should be raised quickly to prevent the Jin army from escaping. Jian Jian was rewarded, left the army in Xiangcheng, and personally led 8,000 cavalry to Shouyang.
As soon as Fu Jian arrived in Shouyang, he immediately sent Zhu Xu, the former Eastern Jin general of Xiangyang, to the back of the Jin army to persuade him to surrender. After Zhu Xu arrived at the Jin camp, instead of moving, he provided Xie Shi with information about the Qin army. He said: "Although the Qin army has a million people, it is still in the process of marching, and if the troops are concentrated, the Jin army will find it difficult to resist the different situation now, and it should take advantage of the fact that the Qin army has not been able to arrive in its entirety, and quickly launch an attack, as long as it can defeat its forward troops and dampen its sharpness, it will be able to break through the Tai million army." At first, Xie Shi thought that the Qin army was strong, and planned to hold out without a fight, and wait for the enemy to be tired and then wait for the opportunity to counterattack. After listening to Zhu Xu's words, he thought that it was very reasonable, so he changed the operational policy and decided to turn from defending to attacking and taking the initiative to attack.
In November, Xie Xuan's faction was attacked by the brave general Liu Gaozhi with 5,000 elite troops, opening the prelude to the Battle of Shuishui. Qin led Liang Cheng's 50,000 troops to line up on the edge of Luojian to meet the attack. Liu Gaozhi's division of troops detoured back to the Qin army and cut off their way back; He led his troops to cross the dissolved water and attacked the Qin front. Qin Jun panicked. After barely resisting for a while, it collapsed, the lord liang cheng and his brother Liang Yun were killed in battle, and officers and soldiers rushed to cross the Huai River to escape, killing more than 15,000 people. Luo Jian's great victory greatly encouraged the morale of the Jin army. Xie Shi marched by land and water, reaching the east bank of the Mishui River (淝河, in the south of Shou County, Anhui), and camped at the Side of Bagong Mountain to confront the Qin army in Shouyang. Standing on the upper floor of Shouyang City, Jian Jian looked at it and saw that the Jin army on the other side was neatly arranged and the soil was elite. Even the grass and trees on the Bagong Mountain, he felt similar to a human form, mistaken for a Jin soldier, quite panicked, and said to Xiang Rong: "This is a fierce enemy!" How can we say that they are weak enemies?"
Because the Qin army was tightly deployed on the west bank of the Shuishui River, the Jin army could not cross the river and could only face off across the river. Xie Xuan sent an emissary to see Gong Rong, and said to him with the method of agitation: "The general led the army deep into the land, but he forced the river bank to deploy a position, is this an attempt to fight a decisive battle?" If you retreat your position a little, vacate a place, and let our army cross the muddy waters, how about the two sides decide to lose or lose?" The generals of the Qin army all objected, but Jian Jian believed that the plan could be taken into account, so that the army could retreat slightly, and when the Jin army was halfway across the river, it would charge with cavalry, so that victory could be achieved. Xiang Rong also agreed with Jian Jian's plan, so he agreed to Xie Xuan's request and commanded the Qin army. However, the morale of the Qin soldiers was low, and as a result, they lost control as soon as they were scattered, and the position was chaotic. Xie Xuan led more than 8,000 cavalry to take advantage of the situation to rush across the water and attack the Qin army. Zhu Xu shouted behind the Qin army: "The Qin army has lost!" Qin Bing was defeated!" Qin Bing believed it to be true, so he turned around and ran away. Seeing that the situation was not good, Xiang Rong hurriedly rode to stop it in an attempt to stabilize his position, but the war horse was rushed down by the rebels and killed by the Jin army's pursuers. The Qin soldiers who had lost their main general became more and more confused and completely collapsed. The rout of the forwards caused panic among the follow-up troops, and they also fled, forming a chain reaction, resulting in the entire army routing and retreating north. The Qin army did not dare to stop along the way, and when they heard the sound of the wind and cranes, they all thought that the Jin army was coming after them. The Jin army took advantage of the victory to pursue, all the way to Qinggang near Dashouyang. The Qin soldiers and horses trampled on each other and died, full of mountains and fields, filling the great rivers. Jian Jian himself was wounded by an arrow and fled back to Luoyang alone.
The Jin army recaptured Shouyang, and Xie Shi and Xie Xuan sent Pegasus to Jiankang to report victory. At that time, Xie An was playing chess with his guests at home. After reading the good report sent by Xie Shi, he did not show his face, casually put the good news aside, and played chess as usual. The guests knew that it was the war report sent from the front, and couldn't help but ask Xie An: "How is the battle?" Xie An said slowly, "The children have finally defeated the Qin people." The guest listened, was so happy that he didn't want to play chess anymore, and wanted to tell others the good news quickly, so he said goodbye and left. Xie An sent the guests away and returned to the inner house, his excitement could not be contained any longer, and when he crossed the threshold, he stumbled and broke the teeth of the clogs on his feet.
In the Battle of Shuishui, more than 700,000 Former Qin troops were annihilated and scattered. Only the 30,000-strong Horse Shang of Murong Chui's department was still intact. Not only that, but the situation of temporary unification of the north and the south was also dissolved, and it was once again divided into more local ethnic regimes, and Murong Chui of the Xianbei tribe and Yao Cang of the Qiang tribe re-emerged and established new states, and Jian Jian himself was captured and killed by Yao Cang two years later, and Former Qin perished. Although the Victor of this War, the Eastern Jin Dynasty, was unable to restore the rule of all of China, it effectively curbed the invasion of ethnic minorities in the north from the south, and created conditions for the social and economic recovery and development of the Jiangnan region. The Battle of Shuishui has also become a famous example of victory over more with less, carrying people in military history, and has had a long-term impact on the concept of war and the idea of decisive battles in later generations.
Take advantage of the chase
In August of the ninth year of Taiyuan (384), Xie An believed that Fu Jian had just been defeated and should take the opportunity to explore the Central Plains, so he made Xie Xuan the forward governor and led the Yuzhou Assassin Shi and the champion general Huan Shiqian to attack Former Qin. Xie Xuan's army advanced to Xia Pi (下邳, in modern Suining, Jiangsu, northwest of Gupi Town East), and Former Qin Xuzhou's Assassin Shi Zhao moved to Pengcheng (present-day Xuzhou, Jiangsu), and Xie Xuanjin took it. In September, Xie Xuan sent Shi Liu Chengzhi (劉牢之) within Pengcheng to attack Former Qin's Yanzhou garrison at Juancheng (鄄城, northwest of Juancheng, Shandong), zhang chong fled to Houyan, and Liu Gaozhi sent the general Liu To pursue Zhang Chong. Fighting in Henan, he beheaded Yang Guang, who was too defensive of Dongping. Liu Gaozhi was then based on Juancheng.
After pacifying Yanzhou, Xie Xuan was afraid that the waterways would be difficult to navigate, so he adopted the advice of the overseers and heard people to rectify the transportation of water and ensure the transportation of military food and other materials. In October, Xie Xuan sent Yin Ling Taishou Gaosu to lead 3,000 infantry to attack Former Qin Qingzhou, and Qin Qingzhou stabbed Shi Lang to surrender. He also marched into Ji Prefecture (冀州, in modern Ji County, Hebei), and ordered the Longjun general Liu Gaozhi and the Jibei Taishou Ding Kuang to hold Theo (礅礅, in present-day southwest of Chiping, Shandong), the Jiyang Taishou Guo Man to guard Theotai (in present-day eastern Huaxian County, Henan), and the Fenwu general Yan Qiu to cross the Yellow River and camp on the north bank. Jian Jianzi defended the Pi general Sang from Tun Liyang (屯丽阳, in present-day northeastern Xun County, Henan). Xie Xuan ordered Liu to attack Sang zhao at night, and Sang zhao fled. Fearful and fearful, Xie Xuan sent Jinling Taishou Teng Tianzhi to cross the Yellow River and garrison Liyang. At this point, the prefectures of Yan, Qing, Si, and Yu were under the control of Xie Xuan. Xie Xuanjia led the governors of Xu, Yan, Qing, Si, Ji, You, and the seven prefectures of the military.
Xie Xuan wrote to him that "Fangping Hebei, Youji Yisu Viceroy, Sizhou County, Should Unify Yu Prefecture" (Jin Shu. Biography of Xie Xuan). Xie Xuan was also awarded the title of Kangle County Order for his merits. Xie Xuan prepared to order Yu Prefecture to assassinate Shi ZhuXuzhen to guard the Liang State and garrison Pengcheng, "on the Northern Gu River, in the west to aid Luoyang, and to the imperial court of the Inner Domain" (内藩 imperial court). Later Jin Ting, believing that the conquest was too long, did not agree, and ordered Xie Xuanzhen to guard Huaiyin and Zhu Xuzhen to guard Shouyang.
On the way back to the army, Xie Xuan fell ill, so he wrote to request dismissal, but Jin Ting did not allow it. Xie Xuan also said that he could not govern things, for fear of delaying the major affairs of the military state, so Jin Ting asked him to guard Dongyang City. On the way, Xie Xuan was seriously ill, so the Jin Emperor sent an imperial doctor to treat Xie Xuan's illness and return to Jingkou to recuperate. Xie Xuan returned the favor, but he could not afford to be ill for a long time.
At that time, Zhang Xuanzhi, the Marquis of Jinning, was also famous for his talents and learning, but his reputation was second only to Xie Xuan, and he was known as the "Second Xuan of the North and south".
In the first month of the thirteenth year of Taiyuan (388), Xie Xuan died in office at the age of forty-six. The Jin court posthumously awarded Xie Xuan the title of Che Riding General, Kaifu Yi Tongsan Si (開府宜同三司), courtesy name Xianwu (谥曰勋武), and his son Xie Xuan (璵璵嗣).
Xie Xuan was both literate and martial, determined to save the peril in an attempt to recover. The "Beifu Soldiers" he created were able to fight well, especially to endure hardships and stand the situation, and became the most elite armed force in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. In the Battle of Shuishui, the "Beifu Soldiers" were strictly organized, which made the Qin lord fearful, which showed its strength.