Murong Shaozong

Biography

Family Background and Early Life

Murong Shaozong came from the Xianbei Murong clan and was descended from Murong Ke, Prince of Taiyuan of Former Yan. His great-grandfather Murong Teng, also called Murongyu Teng, submitted to Northern Wei after the fall of Yan and settled in Dai Commandery. The Book of Northern Qi, juan 20, “Biography of Murong Shaozong,” states that Murong Shaozong was descended from Murong Ke, fourth son of Murong Huang, and that his great-grandfather Teng submitted to Wei and thereafter lived in Dai. His grandfather Murong Yu served as governor of Qizhou under Northern Wei, and his father Murong Yuan served as governor of Hengzhou. Murong Shaozong was tall in youth, quiet and sparing in speech, but exceptionally bold and resourceful.

In the final years of Northern Wei, the north was in turmoil and the Six Garrisons uprising destabilized the frontier. Murong Shaozong moved with his family to Jinyang, present-day Taiyuan, Shanxi, and joined his relative Erzhu Rong. Erzhu Rong was the son of Murong Shaozong's maternal great-uncle and treated him with particular respect and favor.

Service under the Erzhu Clan

In 528, the first year of the Yong'an era, Erzhu Rong entered Luoyang with his army, seized control of Northern Wei politics, and enthroned Yuan Ziyou, Prince of Changle, as Emperor Xiaozhuang. Erzhu Rong believed that the many prominent families of Luoyang had become arrogant and extravagant and that, unless they were eliminated, they would be difficult to control. He planned to kill the assembled officials when they came to pay homage to the new emperor. Murong Shaozong strongly remonstrated, warning that killing court officials without cause would cost the regime the confidence of the realm. Erzhu Rong ignored him and massacred officials at Heyin, creating the Heyin Massacre.

Murong Shaozong was later enfeoffed as Viscount of Suolu County for military merit and soon promoted to marquis. He followed Gao Huan in defeating the rebel Yang Kan and in 529 joined Yuan Tianmu in suppressing Xing Gao's uprising, eventually rising to governor of Bingzhou.

In 530, the third year of the Yong'an era, Erzhu Rong entered court but was killed in the palace by Yuan Ziyou. Erzhu Rong's nephew Erzhu Zhao then raised troops at Jinyang, rebelled, enthroned Yuan Ye, Prince of Changguang, marched south to capture Luoyang, and captured and killed Yuan Ziyou. Yuan Ziyou had previously cooperated with the Hexi rebel leader Gedouling Bufan, ordering him to harass the Erzhu rear. Erzhu Zhao therefore did not dare remain long in Luoyang and led his army back to Jinyang to fight Gedouling Bufan. He suffered repeated defeats and only destroyed Gedouling Bufan with Gao Huan's assistance.

Gao Huan thereby won Erzhu Zhao's trust and gained command of surrendered troops from the Six Garrisons. He later proposed moving the troops to Hebei to obtain provisions. Murong Shaozong, then Erzhu Zhao's chief clerk, strongly urged him not to give Gao Huan an opportunity to build an independent power base. Erzhu Zhao's close associates, however, had been bribed by Gao Huan and claimed that Murong's opposition arose from a personal feud. Murong Shaozong was temporarily imprisoned as a result.

After Gao Huan entered Hebei, he quickly occupied Jizhou and in the sixth month of 531 raised troops there in open revolt against the Erzhu clan. Erzhu Zhao appointed Murong Shaozong chief clerk and regional military commissioner and ordered him to lead troops at Huguan, in present-day Changzhi, Shanxi, to resist Gao Huan.

In 532, the first year of Yongxi, Erzhu Zhao confronted Gao Huan at Mount Hanling, northeast of present-day Anyang, Henan, and was defeated. Murong Shaozong ordered command flags raised and horns sounded, rallied the scattered soldiers, restored their formation, and protected Erzhu Zhao as he withdrew to Jinyang. Erzhu Zhao struck his breast and told Murong, “Because I did not follow your advice, things have come to this.”

Soon afterward Gao Huan entered Luoyang, enthroned Yuan Xiu, Prince of Pingyang, as emperor, and made himself grand chancellor in control of the Northern Wei court. He then attacked Jinyang and continued his campaign against Erzhu Zhao. Erzhu Zhao was defeated and fled north, finally hanging himself at Chihong Ridge in early 533. Murong Shaozong led the remaining Erzhu troops and escorted Erzhu Rong's wife and children to Wutu City, west of present-day Linxian, Shanxi. When pursuing forces approached, he surrendered to Gao Huan. Gao Huan valued him highly, allowed him to retain his previous offices and titles, and frequently included him in military deliberations.

Submission to Gao Huan and Senior Service in Eastern Wei

In 534, the first year of Tianping, Yuan Xiu broke with Gao Huan and fled to Chang'an to seek protection from the Guanzhong warlord Yuwen Tai. Gao Huan enthroned Yuan Shanjian, heir of the Prince of Qinghe, at Luoyang as Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei and then moved the capital to Ye, southwest of present-day Linzhang, Hebei, thereby establishing Eastern Wei. Gao Huan himself remained at Jinyang and controlled the court through his military headquarters. Murong Shaozong stayed at Ye and, together with Gao Longzhi, supervised treasury stores, registers, and related affairs.

In 535, the second year of Tianping, Li Yansun gathered followers and rebelled in the Yiyang region. Murong Shaozong was appointed military commissioner of the Southwestern Circuit and led the commander Kudi Sheng against him. After suppressing the rebellion, Murong became governor of Yangzhou and soon afterward governor of Qingzhou. At the time Sun Qian, a secretary in the chancellor's office, asked Murong to appoint his elder brother chief secretary of Qingzhou. Murong refused. Sun Qian held a grudge and falsely accused Murong before Gao Huan of harboring ambitions to restore his ancestral state of Yan. Gao Huan consequently recalled Murong to court.

In 537, the fourth year of Tianping, Western Wei sent Grand Commander Dugu Xin to attack Luoyang, where he occupied Jinyong City in the northwestern corner of the old Han-Wei capital. Banditry then spread through Henan. In 538 Gao Huan ordered Hou Jing, Gao Aocao, and others to attack Jinyong and drive out Dugu Xin. Murong Shaozong also led troops to Hulao, northwest of present-day Xingyang, Henan, and participated in the campaign. For his merit he was promoted to Minister of Revenue and advanced to duke, later becoming governor of Jinzhou and Grand Regional Commissioner of the Western Circuit.

In 544, the second year of Wuding, Liu Wuhei gathered followers in rebellion in Xuzhou. Murong Shaozong was then serving as Censor-in-Chief. He led troops against the rebels, defeated them, and was appointed governor of Xuzhou. Liu Wuhei rallied scattered followers and resumed the rebellion, but within only a few months Murong captured and killed him.

Gao Huan's Final Instructions and the Suppression of Hou Jing's Rebellion

In the eleventh month of 546, the fourth year of Wuding, Gao Huan, nearing death, summoned his heir Gao Cheng to Jinyang and warned him that Hou Jing had exercised independent power south of the Yellow River for fourteen years and was habitually arrogant, and that while Gao Huan himself had been able to control him, Gao Cheng would not. Gao Huan said that only Murong Shaozong was capable of resisting Hou Jing; he had deliberately refrained from giving Murong excessive favor so that he could leave him to Gao Cheng, who should treat him with special respect and entrust him with major affairs.

In 547, the fifth year of Wuding, Gao Huan died and his eldest son Gao Cheng took control of Eastern Wei. Hou Jing, the powerful general stationed in Henan, rebelled and offered submission to Western Wei and Southern Liang in exchange for support. Emperor Wu of Liang ordered Xiao Yuanming, Marquis of Zhenyang, to lead an army of 100,000 north to aid Hou Jing. Xiao Yuanming camped at Hanshan, southeast of present-day Xuzhou, Jiangsu, coordinated with Hou Jing, and built Hanshan Weir with the intention of flooding Pengcheng. Murong Shaozong was then serving at court as Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. Gao Cheng appointed him Regional Commander of the Southeastern Circuit, granted him authority to establish a military headquarters, and enfeoffed him as Duke of Yan Commandery. He was ordered to relieve Pengcheng together with Grand Commander Gao Yue.

Murong Shaozong decisively defeated the Liang army at Hanshan and captured Xiao Yuanming. He then returned to attack Hou Jing. In December, he fought Hou Jing at Woyang, in present-day Mengcheng, Anhui. Murong led 100,000 elite troops, beat the drums, advanced directly, and deployed with the wind at his back. Hou Jing kept his army inside its fortified camp until the wind stopped, then attacked. He ordered his soldiers to use short blades and target the feet of men and the legs of horses. The Eastern Wei army was badly defeated. Murong fell from his horse and was wounded and withdrew to Qiaocheng, in the area of Bozhou. He then changed strategy, dug deep trenches, fortified his camps, and adopted a war of attrition. Hou Jing's provisions were eventually exhausted, and his subordinate Sima Shiyun surrendered. In the first month of 548, the sixth year of Wuding, Murong led five thousand armored cavalry in a converging attack on Hou Jing. Hou Jing's forces collapsed, and he fled south with the remnants to Southern Liang. Murong thereby brought the rebellion to an end.

Death at Yingchuan

In 549, the seventh year of Wuding, Murong Shaozong joined Grand Commandant Gao Yue, Liu Feng of the rank Yitong Sansi, and others in besieging Yingchuan, in present-day Xuchang, Henan, which was defended by the Western Wei general Wang Sizheng. Wang held the city firmly and the siege made little progress. Murong went out by boat to reconnoiter the fortifications, but wind drove the boat close beneath the city wall, where the defenders fired a dense volley of arrows. Knowing that he could not escape, Murong threw himself into the water and died at the age of forty-nine. The Eastern Wei court posthumously appointed him Director of the Department of State Affairs, Grand Commandant, and governor of Qingzhou, and gave him the posthumous name Jinghui.

Major Activities

Military Contributions

Murong Shaozong was one of Eastern Wei's most important commanders, and his military ability was displayed in several areas.

Suppression of Hou Jing's rebellion: This was the greatest military achievement of Murong Shaozong's career. Gao Huan had explicitly told Gao Cheng before his death that only Murong could withstand Hou Jing and that he had intentionally kept Murong from becoming too prominent so that he could leave him to his son. In 547, after Hou Jing rebelled, Murong was appointed Regional Commander of the Southeastern Circuit and placed in overall charge of suppression. He first routed Southern Liang reinforcements at Hanshan Weir and captured Xiao Yuanming, then returned to fight Hou Jing at Woyang. Although he lost the first engagement, he quickly changed strategy and relied on deep trenches, fortified camps, and prolonged resistance to exhaust Hou Jing, eventually forcing him to flee south. The source text records that when Hou Jing heard Murong was coming, he struck his saddle in alarm and asked who had taught the “Xianbei boy Gao Cheng” to send Murong Shaozong, wondering whether Gao Huan might still be alive. The remark illustrates the fear Murong inspired in him.

Suppression of regional rebellions: Murong Shaozong successively suppressed Li Yansun's rebellion in Yiyang and Liu Wuhei's uprising in Xuzhou, helping maintain Eastern Wei rule.

Participation in the Eastern–Western Wei wars: In 538, the first year of Yuanxiang, Murong led troops to Hulao and joined Liu Gui and others in operations connected with driving Dugu Xin's Western Wei forces from Luoyang; he was promoted to duke for his merit.

Political Activities

Murong Shaozong successively served as governor of Yangzhou, governor of Qingzhou, Minister of Revenue, governor of Jinzhou, Censor-in-Chief, governor of Xuzhou, and Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, making him a senior Eastern Wei official as well as a commander. He was noted for refusing improper requests. When Sun Qian, a secretary in the chancellor's office, asked him to make Sun's elder brother chief secretary of Qingzhou, Murong refused despite the political risk.

Travels and Career Path

Murong Shaozong's life took him across much of northern China. In his youth he traveled from Dai Commandery to Jinyang to join Erzhu Rong and then campaigned widely with the Erzhu clan. After submitting to Gao Huan, he served as governor in several regions and, after Eastern Wei moved the capital to Ye, held office there for a long period. In his later years he campaigned from Hanshan southeast of present-day Xuzhou to Woyang in present-day Mengcheng, Anhui, and finally Yingchuan in present-day Xuchang, where he died on campaign.

Relations with Contemporaries

Murong Shaozong maintained close political and military relations with Gao Huan and Gao Cheng, the father and son who dominated Eastern Wei. Gao Huan valued him greatly and deliberately left him to Gao Cheng as a counterweight to Hou Jing. Murong also cooperated with Eastern Wei generals including Gao Yue, Liu Feng, and Hulü Guang in suppressing rebellions and fighting Western Wei. Hou Jing was his principal enemy and was said to fear him greatly.

Personal Relations

Family

• Ancestor: Murong Ke, Prince of Taiyuan of Former Yan
• Great-grandfather: Murong Teng, also called Murongyu Teng
• Grandfather: Murong Yu, governor of Qizhou under Northern Wei
• Father: Murong Yuan, governor of Hengzhou under Northern Wei

Mentors and Associates

• Erzhu Rong: relative and early lord who valued him highly

Ruler and Subject

• Erzhu Zhao: early lord under whom Murong served as chief clerk
• Gao Huan: lord after Murong's submission, who highly valued him
• Gao Cheng: Gao Huan's son and effective ruler of Eastern Wei, who entrusted Murong with suppressing Hou Jing

Conflicts

• Sun Qian: secretary in the chancellor's office who falsely accused Murong after an appointment request was refused
• Hou Jing: Eastern Wei rebel general and Murong's principal military opponent

Historical Assessment

Northern Qi / Contemporary

• Gao Huan: “Only Murong Shaozong is capable of resisting Hou Jing to some extent. I deliberately did not value him too highly, so that I could leave him to you.” (Book of Northern Qi, “Annals of Emperor Shenwu, Part Two”)
• Hou Jing: “Who taught that Xianbei boy Gao Cheng to send Murong Shaozong? If so, is Prince Gao not dead after all?” (Book of Northern Qi, “Biography of Murong Shaozong”)
• The Book of Northern Qi describes Murong as imposing in appearance, sparing in speech, deep in thought, and courageous and resourceful.

Sui and Tang Periods

• The Tang historian Li Yanshou, in the History of the Northern Dynasties, treated Murong Shaozong as one of Eastern Wei's distinguished generals and affirmed his military ability.
• The Book of Sui, “Bibliographical Treatise,” preserves references connected with Murong Shaozong, reflecting his importance in the later Northern and Southern Dynasties period.

Song and Yuan Periods

• Sima Guang's Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance records Murong Shaozong's campaign against Hou Jing in detail and presents his military ability and strategic judgment positively.
• Hu Sansheng, in his annotations to the Comprehensive Mirror, commented on Murong's operations and regarded his strategy of deep trenches and fortified camps as crucial to defeating Hou Jing.

Modern Scholarship

• Lü Simian, in History of the Two Jin and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, regarded Murong Shaozong as one of Eastern Wei's outstanding generals and believed his ability was no less than Hou Jing's. In Lü's view, Gao Huan's decision to preserve him for Gao Cheng showed considerable foresight.
• Tian Yuqing, in Hegemony and Decline of Eastern Wei and Northern Qi, describes Murong as one of the most important military pillars of Eastern Wei in its middle and later period, and interprets his death as marking a decline in Eastern Wei military strength.
• Modern scholars generally regard Murong Shaozong as one of the finest commanders of the later Northern and Southern Dynasties and view his suppression of Hou Jing as crucial to the stability of Eastern Wei.