Juqu Anzhou

Biography

Early Life

Juqu Anzhou was the son of Juqu Mengxun, the Prince Wuxuan of Northern Liang. He was a brother of Juqu Mujian, the Prince Ai of Northern Liang (courtesy name Maoqian), and Juqu Wuhui, the Prince of Hexi.

On the seventh day of the eighth month in the first year of the Yihe era (431), his father Juqu Mengxun sent Juqu Anzhou to Northern Wei to serve as a hostage. By the third year of the Yihe era (433), Juqu Mengxun passed away, and Juqu Mujian inherited the throne. After the new ruler ascended, he appointed Juqu Anzhou to hold the position of Grand Administrator of Ledu.

Flight After the Fall of the State

In the fifth year of the Taiyan era (439), the Northern Wei army breached the capital of Northern Liang, Guzang. Juqu Mujian requested to surrender to the Wei court, and the Northern Liang regime was declared ended. Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei, Tuoba Tao, immediately assigned the General Who Pacifies the North, Feng Ta, to attack Ledu. Juqu Anzhou fled south into the territory of the Tuyuhun, while Feng Ta plundered several thousand households in Ledu before returning.

The King of Tuyuhun, Muliyan, learned from Juqu Anzhou and others that the Wei army had pacified Liang Province. Fearing the Wei, he led his people westward, crossing the desert. Meanwhile, Juqu Anzhou rushed to Dunhuang to join his former subordinates, including Juqu Wuhui.

Attack on Shanshan

On the twenty-second day of the eleventh month in the second year of the Taiping Zhenjun era (441), the Wei army captured Jiuquan, and the situation in Dunhuang became critical. Due to a shortage of military provisions and fear of the strength of the Northern Wei forces, Juqu Wuhui decided to cross the desert westward. He ordered Juqu Anzhou to lead five thousand troops to campaign westward against the state of Shanshan.

The King of Shanshan, Bilong, had originally intended to submit, but a Northern Wei envoy arrived and advised him to hold firm and resist. Juqu Anzhou attacked Shanshan multiple times but failed to break the city. Unable to proceed, he withdrew his troops and held Dongcheng, which he had already occupied.

Establishment of the Northern Liang of Gaochang

In the fourth month of the third year of the Taiping Zhenjun era (442), Juqu Wuhui led over ten thousand households to abandon Dunhuang and travel west to join forces with Juqu Anzhou. Before Juqu Wuhui arrived, Bilong, out of fear, led his people west to Qiemo, while his eldest legitimate son submitted to Juqu Anzhou.

Subsequently, Juqu Wuhui occupied Shanshan, but more than half of his followers died of thirst while crossing the desert. In the ninth month of the same year, Juqu Wuhui captured Gaochang and established the Northern Liang of Gaochang regime. Previously, the Grand Administrator of Gaochang, Kan Shuang, had been harassed by Tang Qi. Upon hearing that Juqu Wuhui had arrived in Shanshan, Kan Shuang sent an envoy to feign surrender, intending to use Juqu Wuhui to kill Tang Qi. Juqu Wuhui left Juqu Anzhou to garrison Shanshan and personally marched directly to Gaochang from the northeast of Yarkand. Coincidentally, the Rouran killed Tang Qi. Kan Shuang resisted Juqu Wuhui, but his general Xing Nu set an ambush to deceive Kan Shuang, then massacred the inhabitants of his city. Kan Shuang fled to the Rouran.

Succession After His Brother's Death

In the sixth month of the fifth year of the Taiping Zhenjun era (444), Juqu Wuhui died, and Juqu Anzhou inherited the throne.

After ascending to the throne, Juqu Anzhou seized the army commanded by his nephew Juqu Qianshou. The leader of the Yarkand tribe, Che Yiluo, took this opportunity to send someone to persuade Juqu Qianshou. The latter then led over five hundred households under his command to defect to Northern Wei.

On the twelfth day of the ninth month of the same year, Emperor Wen of Southern Song, Liu Yilong, issued an edict appointing Juqu Anzhou as Bearer of the Imperial Tally, Regular Mounted Attendant, Commander-in-Chief of Military Affairs in the Three Provinces of Liang, He, and Sha, Commander of the Wu and Ji Colonels of the Western Regions, Inspector of Liang Province, and Prince of Hexi.

Death and Fall of the State

In the eleventh year of the Taiping Zhenjun era (450), Che Yiluo campaigned west against Yarkand, leaving his son Che Xie to garrison Cheshi City. Juqu Anzhou led Rouran troops to launch a surprise attack via a small path and captured Cheshi City in one stroke. Che Xie fled to his father Che Yiluo, and the father and son gathered their remaining forces to hold the Yarkand garrison.

In the fifth year of the Tai'an era (459), Juqu Anzhou offered local specialties to the Southern Song dynasty.

In the first year of the Heping era (460), the Rouran army breached Gaochang. Juqu Anzhou was killed, and the Northern Liang of Gaochang regime was thus destroyed.

Major Activities

Establishment of the Northern Liang of Gaochang

Juqu Anzhou and his elder brother Juqu Wuhui jointly occupied Shanshan and Gaochang, establishing the Northern Liang of Gaochang regime. After the death of his elder brother Juqu Wuhui, Juqu Anzhou succeeded to the throne, maintaining the continuity of the regime.

Capture of Cheshi City

In the eleventh year of the Taiping Zhenjun era (450), taking advantage of the western campaign of the Yarkand leader Che Yiluo, Juqu Anzhou allied with the Rouran army to launch a surprise attack via a small path and captured Cheshi City, weakening the threat from surrounding powers.

From prefect of Ledu to the last ruler of Northern Liang at Gaochang, he moved for more than twenty years among the Hexi corridor and the western regions.

His career can be set out by year: in 431 his father Juqu Mengxun sent him to the Northern Wei as a hostage; in 433, after his elder brother Juqu Mujian succeeded, he became prefect of Ledu; in 439, after the Northern Wei took Guzang, he left Ledu and fled south into Tuyuhun territory; in 441 he was sent by his elder brother Juqu Wuhui to attack Shanshan in the west, without taking it at once; in 442, when Bilong of Shanshan fled west to Qiemo, he joined Wuhui, who later occupied Gaochang; in 444, on Wuhui's death, he succeeded him and was invested by the Liu Song as Prince of Hexi; in 450, taking advantage of Che Yiluo's western campaign, he joined the Rouran in seizing the city of Jushi; in 459 another account records his presentation of local products to the Liu Song, the Book of Song also recording missions from the state of Hexi at this period; and in 460 the Rouran attacked Gaochang, he was killed and the Juqu regime came to an end. His life lay throughout between the Northern Wei and the Rouran, Gaochang and Shanshan, while the era name Chengping which he used and his investiture by the Liu Song show that Northern Liang at Gaochang still sought to keep its standing in touch with the Southern Dynasties.

As to the nature of Northern Liang at Gaochang, its rule there began with the westward move of Juqu Wuhui: after the Northern Wei took Guzang in 439 and the main body of Northern Liang fell, one branch of the Juqu went first to Dunhuang, then to Shanshan and Gaochang, gradually establishing itself in the Turpan basin, and on Wuhui's death Anzhou succeeded him, the whole lasting about sixteen years. During this time the rulers both accepted investiture from the Liu Song for the sake of standing and had to meet military pressure from the Northern Wei and the Rouran; the seizure of Jushi in 450 in concert with the Rouran shows that their military actions in the eastern western regions were mostly undertaken through alliances, while the Rouran attack on Gaochang in 460 and Anzhou's killing show how unreliable such an alliance was. The era name Chengping and the offices used in his reign largely followed the old Northern Liang forms, and the title Prince of Hexi shows that the Southern court still regarded the Turpan basin as a continuation of the Hexi regime.

After his killing the Rouran installed Kan Bozhou at Gaochang, and the Juqu rule in the Turpan basin came to an end.

As to the situation in the eastern western regions, Northern Liang at Gaochang was a power of no great size but of important position in the last years of the Sixteen Kingdoms: its territory stood at the gateway of the western regions, adjoining the Northern Wei's Hexi corridor to the east, the Rouran to the north and Karashahr and Kucha to the west, so that its rulers had to choose repeatedly among several strong powers. The actions of Juqu Anzhou's reign reflect this position: he kept the era name Chengping and the old Northern Liang institutions to maintain the form of his state, sought outside recognition by sending tribute and receiving investiture from the Liu Song, joined the Rouran in seizing Jushi and was in the end destroyed by the Rouran. The outcome follows from the circumstances of his brother Juqu Wuhui's westward move and shows how hard it was for the small states around Gaochang to stand alone between the Rouran and the Northern Wei, their survival depending on changes in the relations of the great powers.

Personal Relations

• Father**: Juqu Mengxun (Prince Wuxuan of Northern Liang)
• Brothers**:
• Juqu Mujian (Prince Ai of Northern Liang)
• Juqu Wuhui (Prince of Hexi)
• Juqu Zhengde
• Juqu Xingguo
• Juqu Puti
• Juqu Xinian
• Juqu Yide (also known as Juqu Yide)
• Juqu Bing
• Juqu Donglai
• Sister**: Princess Xingping (married to Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei, Tuoba Tao)
• Nephew**: Juqu Qianshou (defected to Northern Wei)

Historical Assessment

Emperor Wen of Southern Song, Liu Yilong, evaluated Juqu Anzhou: "His talent and strategy are calm and profound; his loyalty and integrity are steadfast through generations. He inherited the legacy, and the people returned their hearts to him. Although he lost soldiers and troops and was isolated in a foreign land, he was able to rally the remnants and the few, repel the invaders, and secure his position. He deserves to be honored with a grant, setting an example for the worthy of the past."