The rebellion
Once Wang Ze and his followers raided the armory, Bei's prefect Zhang Deyi (張得一) fled to the cavalry barracks, but he was captured after the rebels burned down the doors. After some fighting on the streets, Wang's followers successfully drove away general Tian Bin (田斌) and his cavalry from the city, then proceeded to massacre most officials that could not get away. They also released all prisoners from jail. [3]
Ma Sui was sent by Daming prefect Jia Changchao (賈昌朝) as an unarmed messenger with a letter demanding Wang Ze's surrender. During negotiations, Ma jumped and threw his cup at Wang, and attempted to strangle Wang to death with bare hands. Wang's followers then hacked off one of Ma's arms, stopping the strangulation and Ma was subsequently killed. Wang reportedly rested for many days after the scare and injury.
Once order was restored, Wang proclaimed himself the King of Dongping (東平郡王), founder of a new state called Anyang (安陽). His era name was to be "Desheng" (得聖; "Acquiring God"), and a new calendar was drawn up changing the twelfth lunar month to the first month (as the rebellion happened in the twelfth lunar month). He also named Zhang Luan the chancellor and Bu Ji the commissioner of military affairs. [3]
Lü Bu, courtesy name Fengxian, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of Imperial China. Originally a subordinate of a minor warlord Ding Yuan, he betrayed and murdered Ding Yuan and defected to Dong Zhuo, the warlord who controlled the Han central government in the early 190s. In 192, he turned against Dong Zhuo and killed him after being instigated by Wang Yun and Shisun Rui, but was later defeated and driven away by Dong Zhuo's followers.
The military history of the Three Kingdoms period encompasses roughly a century's worth of prolonged warfare and disorder in Chinese history. After the assassination of General-in-chief He Jin in September 189, the administrative structures of the Han government became increasingly irrelevant. By the time of death of Cao Cao, the most successful warlord of North China, in 220, the Han empire was divided between the three rival states of Cao Wei, Shu Han and Eastern Wu. Due to the ensuing turmoil, the competing powers of the Three Kingdoms era found no shortage of willing recruits for their armies, although press-ganging as well as forcible enlistment of prisoners from defeated armies still occurred. Following four centuries of rule under the Han dynasty, the Three Kingdoms brought about a new era of conflict in China that shifted institutions in favor of a more permanent and selective system of military recruitment. This ultimately included the creation of a hereditary military class as well as increasing reliance on non-Chinese cavalry forces and the end of universal conscription.
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Tian Xu, formally the Prince of Yanmen, was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician during the Tang Dynasty who ruled Weibo Circuit semi-independently from the imperial government.
Wang Wujun (王武俊), courtesy name Yuanying (元英), né Monuogan (沒諾干), formally Prince Zhonglie of Langye (琅邪忠烈王), was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician during the Tang dynasty. He served as a long-time Jiedushi of Chengde Circuit during the reign of Emperor Dezong and ruling Chengde in a de facto independent manner from the imperial regime.
Li Tao (1115–1184), courtesy name Renfu or Zizhen, art name Xunyan, was a Song dynasty historian and scholar-official who devoted four decades of his life compiling Xu Zizhi Tongjian Changbian, a monumental reference book chronicling the history of the Northern Song (960–1127).
Liu Congxiao, formally the Prince of Jinjiang, was a general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Min. After Min's fall, he initially submitted to Southern Tang, but eventually, taking advantage of Southern Tang's inability to fully control the region, took the southern part of the former Min realm under his own control, albeit in nominal submission to Southern Tang. After Southern Tang's repeated defeats by Later Zhou, he also nominally submitted to Later Zhou's successor state Song.
Lei Yungong was a Song dynasty palace eunuch who rose to power after foiling fellow eunuch Zhou Huaizheng's coup. He dominated court politics following Emperor Zhenzong's death, by associating with the powerful grand councilor Ding Wei. However, just a few months later he was beaten to death for illegally moving Emperor Zhenzong's burial site to acquire treasures.
Guo Chong, known as Guo Chongwei before 951, was a military general and officer who successively served the Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, Later Zhou and Song dynasties. He was likely an ethnic Shatuo.
Ma Sui (馬遂) was a minor Song dynasty military officer who tried to kill the rebel leader Wang Ze with his bare hands, but failed and was dismembered. His heroics impressed Emperor Renzong of Song, who generously rewarded his family.
Shen Lun, known as Shen Yilun before 976, was a scholar-official who successively served the Later Han, Later Zhou and Song dynasties. He was one of the Song dynasty grand councilors between 973 and 982.
Wang Dan, courtesy name Ziming, was a major politician in the Song dynasty, serving as the grand councilor from 1006 until shortly before his death in 1017. Well trusted by Emperor Zhenzong, Wang Dan was given plenipotentiary authority over some matters after 1008.
Lu Zhen (c.957–1014), courtesy name Zifa, was a Song dynasty scholar-official, historian, poet and diplomat. He was famous for his writings, including Jiu Guo Zhi, a history book on the Five Dynasties period.
Zhang Zhao (894–972), known as Zhang Zhaoyuan before 947, courtesy name Qianfu, was a Chinese scholar-official, historian, and poet during the Five Dynasties period and early Song dynasty. He served in the imperial government of the Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, Later Zhou and Song dynasties. Today, Zhang Zhao is best known for his contributions to Tang dynasty and Five Dynasties history, as a main author of Old Book of Tang and many Veritable Records since Li Siyuan.
