Bi Gui | |
---|---|
畢軌 | |
Colonel-Director of Retainers (司隷校尉) | |
In office c. 240s –5 February 249 | |
Monarch | Cao Fang |
Succeeded by | Sun Li |
Personal details | |
Born | Unknown |
Died | [note 1] Luoyang, Henan | 9 February 249
Father | Bi Zili |
Occupation | Official |
Courtesy name | Zhaoxian (昭先) |
Bi Gui (died 9 February 249), [note 1] courtesy name Zhaoxian, was an official serving in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Bi Gui's father, Bi Zili (畢子禮), [note 2] served as a Colonel of Agriculture (典農校尉) in the late Eastern Han dynasty during the reign of Emperor Xian. Bi Gui, who was from Dongping Commandery (東平郡; covering parts of present-day Shandong and Henan), [2] was known for his talent since he was young. [3]
When Cao Rui was still the crown prince, Bi Gui served in the Imperial Academy (文學). He was appointed as a Chief Clerk (長史) in the final years of the reign of Cao Pi, the first ruler of Wei. In 227, Cao Rui ascended the throne upon the death of his father, Cao Pi. Bi Gui became very wealthy as he not only served as a Gentleman of the Yellow Gate (黃門郎), but also had his son married to a Wei princess. [4]
Bi Gui was appointed as the Inspector (刺史) of Bing Province later and was known for behaving arrogantly while he was in office. Around the time, the Xianbei tribes in the north often raided the Wei border and killed Wei citizens. Around 233, Budugen, a Xianbei chieftain who had initially submitted to Wei, was discovered to be secretly maintaining contact with Kebineng, another Xianbei leader who had been staging raids at the Wei border. Bi Gui wrote a memorial to the Wei court, requesting for permission to attack the Xianbei and pressure Budugen into remaining loyal to Wei. Cao Rui read the memorial and felt that it was unwise to attack the Xianbei at the time because it would only result in Budugen and Kebineng becoming more united. He issued an order to Bi Gui, ordering the latter to not advance beyond Juzhu (句注). However, Bi Gui received the order too late as he had already led an army past Juzhu and was garrisoning at Yinguan (陰館). He ordered his deputies Su Shang (蘇尚) and Dong Bi (董弼) to lead their forces to attack the Xianbei. Kebineng sent about 1,000 horsemen to reinforce Budugen. They encountered the Wei army led by Su Shang and Dong Bi and clashed at Loufan (樓煩). The Wei forces were defeated and both Su Shang and Dong Bi were killed in action. Budugen rebelled against Wei and led his forces to join Kebineng and they raided Wei's border together. The Xianbei were driven away later by an army led by the Wei general Qin Lang. The Wei official Jiang Ji suggested to Cao Rui to reassign Bi Gui to another province on the grounds that Bi was not competent enough to govern Bing Province, an important location in Wei. [5] [6]
During the Zhengshi era (240–249) in the reign of Cao Fang (Cao Rui's successor), Bi Gui was consecutively appointed as Central Protector of the Army (中護軍), Palace Attendant (侍中), Master of Writing (尚書) and Colonel-Director of Retainers (司隷校尉). He became a close aide to the Wei regent Cao Shuang, who often heeded his advice. [7] [2] Bi Gui, Ding Mi (丁謐) and Cao Shuang's other aides urged Cao to be wary of his co-regent Sima Yi, whom they considered a threat to their lord. [8] In 249, Sima Yi successfully seized power from Cao Shuang in the Incident at Gaoping Tombs and had Cao and all his associates arrested. Bi Gui, Cao Shuang and Cao's other aides were executed along with their families for alleged treason. [9]
Xiahou Dun, courtesy name Yuanrang, was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He served for a few months under Cao Cao's successor, Cao Pi, before his death. As one of Cao Cao's most trusted generals, Xiahou Dun aided the warlord in his campaigns against Lü Bu, Liu Bei, Sun Quan and others.
Zhang He, courtesy name Junyi, was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He continued serving in the state of Cao Wei under its first two rulers, Cao Pi and Cao Rui, during the Three Kingdoms period until his death.
Deng Ai, courtesy name Shizai, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He is best known for his pivotal role in the Wei conquest of its rival state, Shu, in 263. He was described as a very loyal subject who made great contributions to Wei, but was also noted for his arrogance and audacity, which led to his downfall and death.
Cao Zhen, courtesy name Zidan, was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was an adopted son of Cao Cao, a warlord who rose to power in the late Eastern Han dynasty and laid the foundation for Wei. After Cao Cao's death and the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, Cao Zhen served under Cao Pi and Cao Rui, the first two emperors of Wei. He is best known for leading a successful defence of Wei from the first two of a series of invasions by Wei's rival state, Shu Han, between 228 and 229.
Jia Xu, courtesy name Wenhe, was an official of the state of Cao Wei during the early Three Kingdoms period of China. He started his career in the late Eastern Han dynasty as a minor official. In 189, when the warlord Dong Zhuo took control of the Han central government, he assigned Jia Xu to the unit led by Niu Fu, his son-in-law. In 192, after Dong Zhuo was assassinated by Lü Bu, Jia Xu advised Li Jue, Guo Si and Dong Zhuo's loyalists to fight back and seize control of the imperial capital, Chang'an, from a new central government headed by Lü Bu and Wang Yun. After Li Jue and the others defeated Lü Bu and occupied Chang'an, Jia Xu served under the central government led by them. During this time, he ensured the safety of the figurehead Han emperor, Emperor Xian, who was being held hostage by Li Jue. He also attempted to prevent internal conflict between Li Jue and Guo Si, but with limited success. After Emperor Xian escaped from Chang'an, Jia Xu left Li Jue and briefly joined the general Duan Wei before becoming a strategist of the warlord Zhang Xiu. While serving under Zhang Xiu, he advised his lord on how to counter invasions by the warlord Cao Cao, who had received Emperor Xian in 196 and taken control of the central government. In 200, during the Battle of Guandu between Cao Cao and his rival Yuan Shao, Jia Xu urged Zhang Xiu to reject Yuan Shao's offer to form an alliance and instead surrender to Cao Cao. Zhang Xiu heeded his advice. Jia Xu then became one of Cao Cao's strategists.
Zhuge Dan, courtesy name Gongxiu, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. When he held key military appointments throughout his middle to late career, he was involved in all of the three rebellions which broke out in Shouchun between 251 and 258. During the second rebellion, he actively assisted the Wei regent Sima Shi in suppressing the revolt. After the rebellion, the Wei government put him in charge of Shouchun. As the Sima clan became more powerful and established themselves as the de facto rulers of Wei, Zhuge Dan feared that he would end up slain like Wang Ling and Guanqiu Jian – the leaders of the first two rebellions – so he started the third rebellion against Sima Zhao, who succeeded Sima Shi as regent of Wei in 255. Although he received some support from Wei's rival state Eastern Wu, his rebellion was eventually suppressed by Wei imperial forces and he met his end at the hands of Hu Fen, a military officer under Sima Zhao.
Yan Jun, courtesy name Mancai, was an official of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Chen Gui, courtesy name Hanyu, was a Chinese politician who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.
Huan Fan, courtesy name Yuanze, was an official and military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Qin Lang, courtesy name Yuanming, was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Xin Xianying (191–269) was a Chinese noblewoman, aristocrat and advisor who lived during the Three Kingdoms period. She was the daughter of Xin Pi, an official of the state of Cao Wei. The only extant historical source about her life is her biography written by her maternal grandson, Xiahou Zhan (夏侯湛), who was a notable scholar and official of the Jin dynasty. She is best known for giving advice to her family members and relatives during significant events in the history of Cao Wei such as the Incident at Gaoping Tombs and Zhong Hui's Rebellion.
The Incident at the Gaoping Tombs was a coup d'état that took place on 5 February 249 in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280) of China. The parties involved were Sima Yi and Cao Shuang, who were both regents for the Cao Wei emperor Cao Fang, who was then about 17 years old. On that day, while Cao Shuang and his brothers accompanied the emperor on a visit to the Gaoping tombs, Sima Yi staged a coup d'état; taking control of the capital city of Luoyang and issuing a memorial which listed out the various crimes Cao Shuang had committed. Cao Shuang surrendered and gave up his powers after further receiving reassurance that he and his family would be spared, thinking that he could still live a life in luxury. Shortly thereafter, Cao Shuang, his brothers, and his supporters were charged with treason and executed along with their families on 9 February. The coup d'état increased the Sima family's influence and paved the way for the eventual replacement of the Cao Wei regime by the Sima family's Jin dynasty in 266.
The following is the order of battle for the Battle of Red Cliffs.
Xin Pi, courtesy name Zuozhi, was an official of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Along with his elder brother Xin Ping, he started his career in the late Eastern Han dynasty as an adviser to the warlord Yuan Shao. Following Yuan Shao's death and a power struggle between Yuan Shao's sons Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang, Xin Pi initially sided with Yuan Tan but later defected to Yuan Shao's rival Cao Cao, while seeking Cao Cao's aid on Yuan Tan's behalf in the fight against Yuan Shang. As a result, his family members were executed by Shen Pei, a Yuan Shang loyalist who blamed Xin Pi for the downfall of the Yuan family. After avenging his family, Xin Pi served as an official under Cao Cao, who controlled the Han central government and the figurehead Emperor Xian. After the Cao Wei state replaced the Eastern Han dynasty, Xin Pi continued serving under Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi, the first Wei emperor, and later under Cao Rui, Cao Pi's son. Throughout his service in Wei, he was known for being outspoken and critical whenever he disagreed with the emperors and his colleagues. His highest appointment in the Wei government was the Minister of the Guards (衞尉). He died around 235 and was survived by his son Xin Chang and daughter Xin Xianying.
Deng Yang, courtesy name Xuanmao, was an official of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Xun Shuang (128–190), courtesy name Ciming, was a Chinese essayist, politician, and writer who lived during the Eastern Han dynasty of China. Born in the influential Xun family of Yingchuan Commandery, Xun Shuang, for most of his life, distanced himself from politics because he perceived the political arena to be corrupt and dangerous. He repeatedly turned down offers to serve in the government, and spent his time producing numerous writings and giving lectures. However, in late 189, he was forced to join the civil service and became an official. Within a span of only 95 days, he rose through the ranks quickly from his initial status as a commoner to the highly prestigious office of Minister of Works (司空). Prior to that, within the 95 days, he had held the appointments of Chancellor of Pingyuan (平原相) and Minister of the Household (光祿勳). He died of illness in 190 while secretly making plans with Wang Yun, He Yong and others to eliminate the tyrannical warlord Dong Zhuo, who had hijacked and controlled the Han central government.
Jiang Ji, courtesy name Zitong, was an official and military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Born in the late Eastern Han dynasty, Jiang Ji started his career as a low-level official in his native Yang Province before becoming a subordinate of Cao Cao, the warlord who controlled the central government towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty. After the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, he served in the state of Cao Wei through the reigns of the first three emperors – Cao Pi, Cao Rui and Cao Fang – and held various appointments in the military before rising to Grand Commandant, one of the top positions in the central government. During his service in Wei, he was known for being candid in giving advice to the emperor on various issues, including consolidating power, halting labour-intensive construction projects, and officials' abuses of power. In February 249, he joined the regent Sima Yi in staging a successful coup d'état against his co-regent Cao Shuang, but died from illness a few months later.
Zhang Changpu (199–257) was a concubine of Zhong Yao, a high minister of the state of Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. She was also the mother of Zhong Hui, a Wei general who played a significant role in the conquest of Wei's rival state, Shu, in 263. Her given name was not recorded in history; "Changpu" was actually her courtesy name. According to her biography written by Zhong Hui, she was a strict mother to Zhong Hui and played a significant role in his early education. She was also known for her virtuous conduct and wisdom.
Jiang Xu, courtesy name Boyi, was a military general who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He is best known for his involvement in the conflict between the warlord Ma Chao and the Han central government in the 210s CE.
Liu Ji (185–233), courtesy name Jingyu, was an official of the state of Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a descendant of the imperial clan of the Han dynasty and the eldest son of the minor warlord Liu Yao.