Introduction to Yao Cang's life

Yao Cang (330-393), courtesy name Jingmao. The Qiang people of Nan'an Chiting (present-day West Longxi County, Gansu Province). The founding monarch of the post-Qin regime during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. The twenty-fourth son of Yao Yizhong, the chief of the Southern Anqiang in the late Zhao Dynasty, and the younger brother of Yao Xiang. After Yao Xiang's death, Yao Cang led his men into Qin and became a general of Former Qin. After the Battle of Shuishui, Yao Cang, at the behest of the Qiang people in Guanzhong, proclaimed himself the King of Wannian Qin, established Later Qin, and fought against Former Qin under the leadership of Jian Jian. Yao Cang later killed Jian Jian and took advantage of The Western Yan's eastern retreat to Chang'an, where he soon became emperor. Former Qin Emperor Gongdeng continued to fight Yao Cang with the support of the remnants of the Guanzhong Clan, who was once in an unfavorable situation, but eventually defeated Former Qin and gradually gained the upper hand, but died before eliminating The Former Qin forces, and did not completely eliminate the Former Qin forces until his son Yao Xing ascended the throne.

Life

Fight with your brother

When yao cang was young, he was already intelligent and wise, more powerful, more open-minded, and did not focus on virtue and study, and his brothers thought he was very special. Later, Yao Cang followed Yao Xiang around in the army, often participating in important decisions. In the eighth year of Yonghe (352), Yao Xiang was defeated by the Former Qin army at Matian, and his mount was killed by an arrow, and Yao Cang risked giving his mount to Yao Xiang to help him escape. In the end, Yao Cang was spared because of the arrival of reinforcements.

In the first year of Shengping (357), Yao Xiang failed to plot to capture Guanzhong, and was killed in battle between Sanyuan (三原, in modern Sanyuan County, Shaanxi) and the Former Qin generals Huangmei and Deng Qiang. At that time, Yao Cang led Yao Xiangyu's people to surrender to Former Qin. In the same year, Emperor Qinzong launched a coup d'état to overthrow Emperor Zhisheng, proclaimed himself Heavenly King, and made Yao Cang a general of Yangwu.

Numerous military achievements

In the second year of Taihe (367), Yao Cang, along with Wang Meng, participated in a crusade against the Qiang people who had rebelled against Liuyang Commandery, and because Yao Yizhong had previously commanded the tribe of Qiao Qi, a large number of people knew that Yao Cang had returned to Former Qin, so that Former Qin could successfully take Luoyang. In March of the sixth year of Taihe (371), together with Zhi Ya, Yang An, Wang Tong, Xu Cheng, and Zhu Tong, the king of Qi, who had a vendetta against yang Qi, the two sides fought a decisive battle in the canyon, Yang Lu was defeated, losing 30% of his troops, and was finally forced to surrender.

In November of the first year of Ningkang (373), Former Qin attacked the Yi and Liang prefectures under the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and Yao Cang served as the assassin of Ningzhou, and Tun troops were stationed at Matjiang (in present-day Matjiang County, Chongqing). Later, he was appointed as an infantry lieutenant and was given the title of Marquis of Yidu. In May of the first year of the Taiyuan Dynasty (376), together with the Wuwei generals Gou Cang, the zuo general Mao Sheng, and the Zhongshu Ling Liang Zhao, they attacked Qianliang and destroyed Qianliang.

In the eighth year of Taiyuan (383), the Eastern Jin Dynasty Jingzhou assassinated Shi Huanchong on the Northern Expedition, in which Fucheng (涪城, in modern Mianyang, Sichuan) was attacked by the Jin general Yang Liang, and Yao Cang and Zhang Oyster sent troops to rescue and forced Yang Liang to retreat. In the same year, Jian Jian attacked Jin on a large scale, intending to destroy the Eastern Jin Dynasty and unify the whole country, known in history as the Battle of Shuishui. At that time, Jian Jian took Yao Cang as the general of Long Jun, and the military forces of Tuoyi and Liang Erzhou let him lead an army from Shudi to attack the western part of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and even more said: "In the past, it was with General Long Jun to establish a great cause, and this general number has never been awarded to others, and today I especially awarded this title to you, and the matter of Shannan is entrusted to you." ”

Founded Later Qin

Jian Jian was defeated at the Battle of Shuishui, and Yao Cang returned to Chang'an. After Former Qin's defeat, the state's strength declined greatly, and Murong Hong, the governor of the Northern Regions, rebelled in Kwantung the following year after the war, returning to Tunhuayin (present-day Huayin, Shaanxi) in response to his uncle Murong Chui, who had rebelled in Hebei. Jian Jian then ordered The Yongzhou MuYuan to send an army to fight, and Yao Cang served as his sima . At that time, Murong Hong, fearful, led his people to flee east to Kwantung, and Murong Hong, determined to pursue and attack because of the light enemy, did not listen to Yao Cang's advice, and was eventually defeated by Murong Hong, and Murong Hong was also killed. After the defeat, Yao Cang sent the commander Shi Zhao Du and jiang xie to apologize to Jian Jian, but the two were killed by the angry Jian Jian, and the frightened Yao Cang fled to the weibei ranch. In the local area, Yin Wei, Yin Xiang, Pang Yan and others united with more than 50,000 Qiang families to surrender to Yao Cang, and pushed Yao Cang as the leader of the alliance. Yao Cang then proclaimed himself the Great General, Da Dan Yu, and the King of Qin in the ninth year of Taiyuan (384), changed his name to "White Sparrow", and established the Later Qin regime.

Repeated battles in former Qin

Yao Cang then entered the northern part of Tun, and more than 100,000 Qianghu foreigners from Huayin, Beidi, Xinping, and Anding counties were annexed. Soon, Jian Jian personally led an army to attack Yao Cang, and Yao Cang's repeated defeats were cut off by the Former Qin army. However, just when some people in the Later Qin army died of thirst and were in fear, they encountered rain, and the water in the camp was three feet deep, which solved the water shortage and revived the heart of the Later Qin army. Soon Yao Cang sent an army to counterattack, defeating the Former Qin general Yang Bi and capturing Dozens of people, including Yang Bi, Xu Cheng, and Mao Sheng, all of whom were returned with courtesy. As the Western Yan army approached Chang'an, Jian Jian led his troops back to defend Chang'an. Although Yao Cang had earlier sent a pledge to Western Yan to ask for peace, at that time Yao Cang's courtiers suggested that Yao Cang join the battle to capture Chang'an and establish a fundamental land. However, Yao Cang, since Murong Du's victory, would not stay in Guanzhong for long, and would return to Hebei in the east, so he planned to build up strength and resources in the area north of Beitun Jiujia (northeast of present-day Qianxian County, Shaanxi) to accumulate strength and resources, and to take Chang'an after the fall of Former Qin and the return of Western Yan to the east. Yao Cang then personally led an army to attack xinping county (新平郡城, in modern Yingxian County, Shaanxi Province), but was stubbornly resisted by the defender Gou Fu, and more than 10,000 people were killed. Gou Fu also tricked Yao Cang into the city, although Yao Cang noticed it before entering the city and did not enter the city, but was still attacked by Gou Fu's ambush troops, and more than 10,000 people were killed in battle and almost captured.

Because Xinping had not been in favor for a long time, Yao Cang then left his troops in the first month of the second year of Baique (385) to continue to attack the city, and he sent another army to Anding Commandery to capture the Former Qin General Anxi General Zhi Zhen, and also ordered the lingbei cities to surrender, but Xinping did not fall. By April, Xinping was short of supplies and had no foreign aid, so Gou Fu accepted the persuasion of the Later Qin army and led 5,000 people from the city to surrender. Yao Cang ordered everyone to be killed and xinping was captured. In May, Jian Jian left Chang'an and left Tun Wujiangshan, and by July, Later Qin had captured Wu Zhong and sent him to Xinping. In August of the same year, Yao Cang was insulted by his words because he did not succeed in demanding the Imperial Jade Seal from Jian Jian, so he hanged jian jian at the Xinping Buddhist Temple (present-day Nanjingguang Temple, Bin County). In order to cover up his act of killing Jian Jian, Yao Cangjian was made the "Magnificent Heavenly King".

In October, Murong Chong, the King of Western Yan who had already held Chang'an, sent Gao Gai to attack Yao Cang, but was defeated by The Later Qin army and surrendered. In the third year of Bai Que (386), there were frequent coups in Western Yan and began to abandon Chang'an and return to the east. When Lu Shui Hu Haonu took advantage of the false entry into Chang'an and claimed the title of emperor, he ordered his brother Yu Duo to attack Wang Wei (王驎) who was defending himself at Ma Song (马嵬镇, in modern Xingping, Shaanxi). At this time, Yao Cang attacked from the east of Anding, forcing Wang Yu to take away and capturing Hao Duo, and attacking Chang'an, causing Hao Nu to be afraid and surrender. After taking Chang'an, Yao Cang became emperor in the same month, changing the era name "Jianchu" and the founding name of Great Qin. Soon after, he defeated former Qin Prefecture and captured Qin Prefecture.

However, in the same year, Former Qin Emperor Fei Deng, at the behest of the remnants of the Guanzhong Clan, confronted Later Qin, and soon after the murder of Former Qin Emperor Fei Pi, he was proclaimed emperor to the throne. At first, Yao Shuode was defeated at Jingyang (泾阳, in modern Jingyang County, Shaanxi), and asked Yao Chang to personally send troops to rescue him; he even planned to attack Chang'an. However, at that time, Former Qin Zhong killed the general Zhi Shi Nu (苻師奴), and the general Lan Shu (蘭椟) turned against The Zhi Shi Nu (苻師奴). Lan Yu asked Later Qin for help because he was attacked by Murong Yong, the Emperor of Western Yan, and Yao Cang, because of his hesitation and caution and little decision, did not dare to send troops to go deeper and risked being attacked by the false, and decided to personally lead the army to rescue. In the end, he first broke the slaves of the master and collected all his people, and then defeated Murong Yong and captured Lan Zhuo.

Yao Fangcheng also defeated Xu Song, and although Xu Song was captured, he still scolded Yao Cang for not only betraying the benevolent Jian Jian, but also killing him, even if he was not as good as a dog and a horse. After Yao Fangcheng killed Xu Song, Yao Cang dug up Jian Jian's corpse and whipped it continuously, stripped off his clothes, wrapped it in thorns and buried it in a pit to relieve his resentment. In the third year of the founding of the people (388), since the spring and the end of the summer, the yao and Xiang armies have held and fought against each other in Chaona (present-day Chaona County, Ningxia) and Wudu (present-day Wudu County, Gansu), and they have won and lost each other but cannot defeat each other, so they both disarm and return. However, after the Guanxi Haojie capital, Qin Jiujiu failed to stand in Guanzhong, but instead lost to Zhi Deng many times, most of them surrendered to Former Qin, but Qi Nan, Xu Luosheng, Liu Guodan and others were still loyal to Later Qin, providing military food and fighting with Yao Cang.

Count the setbacks

In the fourth year of the founding of the country (389), Yao Cang was repeatedly defeated by Gong Deng, and Yao Chong's attack on Gong Deng's heavy weight in the Great Boundary was not possible, and Yao Deng was already threatening stability. Faced with such a situation, Yao Changjian refused to fight a direct battle with Gong Deng, trying to win a victory, so he took advantage of the night to lead 30,000 troops to attack the Great Boundary, and finally conquered the Great Boundary and killed Empress Gong Dengmao and dozens of former Qin generals. Yao Cang then did not covet victory, and insisted on taking advantage of the victory to attack Gong Deng, so Gong Deng took the rest of the crowd and retreated to Hukong Fort, but he was already seriously injured.

Four months after the great defeat of Gong Deng, Yao Cang designed to have Ren Peng trick him into booby-trapping and killing Gong Deng, although he was eventually defeated due to the evil understanding of Lei Deng, but Yao Deng was jealous of Lei Deng and forced him to surrender to Yao Cang. The following year (390), Wei Jiefei attacked Later Qin, and Lei viciously rebelled against Jiefei, although at that time Zhideng was in Xinfeng (新丰, in present-day Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi), but Yao Chang personally sent an army to attack Jiefei with his "wisdom and strategy". When Wei Jiefei saw that Yao Cang had few troops, he let the whole army attack, and Yao Cang deliberately showed weakness and did not fight, but sent Yao Chong's attack from the rear of the enemy army to make it chaotic, and then he sent troops to attack directly, defeated the other side and beheaded Wei Jiefei, and then sent down thunder and evil land without reducing his former treatment. Lei viciously returned to Yao Cang twice, and finally became convinced of him. In addition, Yao Cang was not afraid of the former Qin Yanzhou assassin Shi Qiangjin Mallet, and only took hundreds of cavalry with him to visit the military camp of Qiang Jin hammer, in order to frankly gain the trust of Qiang Jin Hammer as a Qiang Jin Clan, so that he should not harm Yao Cang due to the schemes of other Qiang forces.

In December of the sixth year of the founding of the first year (391), Zhideng attacked Anding, and Yao Cang defeated him east of AndingCheng. In March of the following year, Former Qin surrendered to Later Qin, but Yao Cang soon fell ill. When Yao Deng learned of Yao Cang's illness, he took the opportunity to attack Anding, and by August Yao Cang's condition had improved, he personally led his troops to resist, and even took advantage of Yao Deng's departure from the camp to meet the attack and ordered Yao Xilong to attack the Former Qin military camp, causing Yao Deng to retreat in fear. Yao Cang again sent his army to follow Himen, who learned that the Later Qin camp was empty, and was even more frightened after losing his shadow, so he had to defeat Yongcheng (雍城, in present-day southern Fengxiang County, Shaanxi).

In October of the eighth year of the founding of the first year (393), Yao Cang fell seriously ill and returned to Chang'an. By December of the same year, Yao Cang summoned the lieutenants Yao Min (姚旻), the servants Yin Wei (尹伟) and Yao Huang (姚晃), the generals Yao Damu (姚大目), and Shangshu Di Bozhi (尚書迪伯支) to assist the crown prince Yao Xing. Later, Yao Cang died at the age of sixty-four. Yao Xing did not mourn until the following year, and did not release the news of his death until the following year, with the title of Emperor Wuzhao and the temple name Taizu.

Personality traits

Yao Cang was simple and straightforward, even if he became a monarch, his subordinates might be scolded directly if they were at fault. Quan Yi had advised him not to treat his subordinates in this way, but Yao Cang thought that this was his own nature, and even more that he listened to the words of integrity and could know himself.

Yao Cang was highly valued by Gong Jian, especially as a general of Long Jun, and encouraged himself to ascend from General Long Jun to the former Qin monarch. However, Yao Cang eventually killed Jian Jian, which became the reason for the Former Qin generals to oppose and attack him, and Yao Cang also dug up the body to vent his anger. However, after repeated defeats to Gong Deng, he believed that it was the help of the ghost of Gong Jian, so he also set up a statue of Gong Jian in the army and prayed: "The disaster of Xinping is not the fault of Chen Yao Cang, the brother of Chen, Yao Xiang, crossed from Shaanzhou to the north and went west along the road, like a fox who turns his head towards the original cave when he dies, just wants to see the countryside." His Majesty and Gongmei blocked the road to attack him, causing him to die if he could not succeed, and Yao Xiang's widows must take revenge. He is a distant relative of His Majesty and wants revenge, and the subject avenges his brother, so how can it be said that he has failed to live up to righteousness? When His Majesty named me General Long Jun, he said to me, 'General Long Jun has become emperor, and Qing qing has worked hard!' This clear edict is very obvious, as if it were still in the ear. His Majesty has passed away and become a god, how can he murder his subjects through Gong Deng, and forget what he said back then! Now erect a statue of Your Majesty, and invite His Majesty's soul to enter here and listen to the sincere prayers of his subjects. However, the war situation did not improve, and there were night terrors from time to time, and they attracted criticism from Gong Deng, and finally destroyed the statue of Gong Jian. It is said that before Yao Chang died, he dreamed of seeing Jian Jian lead tianguan and ghost soldiers to attack him ("The Book of Jin" "pushed hundreds of tianguan emissaries and ghost soldiers into the camp"), during which he was mistakenly injured by the soldiers who rescued him to the point of massive bleeding. After waking up, he found that his genitals were swollen, and the doctor's stings were bleeding heavily as in a dream ("Book of Jin", "Mistakenly hit cang yin, bleeding shi Yu"), so frightened Yao Cang to make wild nonsense, and asked Forgave for forgiveness, Yao Cang soon died of his injuries, and before he died, he knelt down at the head of the bed and prostrated his head.

Even though Yao Cang fought against Former Qin and other forces during his reign, he still set up Taixue to treat the descendants of the sages with courtesy; he also ordered that all towns should set up academic officials, who would evaluate the merits and inferiority of talents and then use them according to their talents, which showed that he attached importance to culture and education and absorbed literati. And he also practiced moral governance in stability, practiced indoctrination, saved unnecessary expenses, and commended those who had good deeds in civilian households.

Yao Cang's long-term conquest, although he was a monarch, he did not covet pleasure, and he could not stand with Former Qin, and some of the Hao clans wrote books to blame themselves when they turned to support Former Qin, and sold harem treasures to support the military, while he and his wife practiced simplicity, praising and posthumously those who died in the war for the country.

For more history, please pay attention to Wang Kunming's detailed history