Research on the Military History of the Tujia Ethnic Group

Author: Shi Yuzhou / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-06-01
Features: Ba Man was a general of the State of Ba during its decline. Although he could not reverse the ultimate fate of Ba's, he dedicated his wisdom and life to serving his country loyally. His character embodies the brave, resilient, and righteous spirit of the Tujia ancestors. Today, there is a tomb of Ba Man's head on Duting Mountain in the west of Lichuan City, Hubei, a tomb of Ba Man's body in Chongqing, and a Ba Man Beheading Site and Ba King Temple in Zhong County.
Tian Qiang, with an unknown birth and death date, lived during the late Western Han Dynasty (8–25 AD) and was the leader of the Wuxi Miao. In 8 AD, after Wang Mang usurped the throne, he sent twelve generals, including General Wang Qi, to travel swiftly across the empire to distribute imperial decrees. They extended their authority to the Xiongnu, the Western Regions, and the barbarian tribes beyond the borders, bestowing seals of the new regime while confiscating the old Han seals. The feudal kings of Han kowtowed and presented their imperial seals, fearing to be left behind. Wang Mang sought to stabilize the Wuling region by recruiting Tian Qiang, offering him a bronze seal, but Tian Qiang refused outright, stating, "We are Han officials and swear never to serve Wang Mang." Tian Qiang joined the rebellion against Wang Mang, sending his several sons to lead 50,000 people from the Wuxi down to the east of the Yuan River, where they built three cities with wooden fences and stone walls—upper, middle, and lower cities. His eldest son, Tian Lu, was stationed in the upper city, his second son, Tian Yu, in the middle city, and his third son, Tian Cang, in the lower city. The three cities were positioned sequentially, with beacons for communication and mutual support to resist the attacking Wang Mang forces. Tian Qiang personally supervised the battle, urging his troops, "We are Han officials and swear never to serve Wang Mang." Tian Qiang's actions contributed to the collapse of Wang Mang's regime. His military achievements lay in the fortifications he established. Historical records state: "Tian Qiang of the Wuxi Miao sent his eldest son, Tian Lu, to the upper city, his second son, Tian Yu, to the middle city, and his youngest son, Tian Cang, to the lower city. The three cities were arranged in sequence for observation to resist Wang Mang." From the records, we can see that Tian Qiang established cities primarily for military defense, as well as a multi-city defense system for mutual protection. The defense system he built was quite advanced at the time, making the Wuxi Miao one of the military power groups of the era.
Xiang Dancheng, with an unknown birth and death date, was active during the Jianwu period of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–56 AD). He was skilled in martial arts, strategic wisdom, and was upright, brave, and deeply respected by the local people, earning the title of "Jingfu of Lüzhong" (now Sangzhi and Cili). During the reign of Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han, as the dynasty intensified its control and exploitation of the Wuling Wuxi region, the Tujia people there suffered greatly and were forced to rebel. In the 23rd year of Jianwu (47 AD), Xiang Dancheng rose in arms, leading the Tujia ancestors to seize Chong County (now Dayong, Sangzhi, and Cili) and expand their influence to the lower reaches of the Lixi River and the Yuan River basin. That same year, in December, the Eastern Han Dynasty dispatched General Liu Shang, mobilizing over 10,000 troops from Nanjun (Jingling, Hubei), Changsha, and Wuling to ascend the Yuan River and enter the Wuling region to suppress the rebellion. Faced with the formidable imperial forces, Xiang Dancheng adopted the tactic of "gathering forces and defending," trapping the imperial troops on the Yuan River. Soon, Liu Shang's entire army ran out of supplies and reinforcements, forcing a retreat. As Liu Shang withdrew, Xiang Dancheng led his troops to ambush them along the route, resulting in Liu Shang's decisive defeat and the annihilation of his entire army. The following year, in July, Xiang Dancheng launched another attack on Lin Yuan with great momentum and unstoppable force. The Eastern Han Dynasty specially dispatched Jie Ze Li Song and Zhongshan Governor Ma Cheng, leading over 10,000 troops to suppress Xiang Dancheng, attempting to relieve Lin Yuan. Ma Cheng suffered repeated defeats in his campaigns against Xiang Dancheng and returned empty-handed. At this point, General Ma Yuan volunteered for battle, and Emperor Liu Xiu of the Eastern Han dispatched Ma Yuan, along with Shandu Ma Wu, General of Captured Enemies, Geng Shu, Liu Kuang, and Sun Yong, leading over 40,000 recruits and convicts from 12 prefectures to campaign against Xiang Dancheng. Ma Yuan led his troops to the lower reaches of Dongting Lake, where they ascended the Yuan River via Dongting Lake in the second month of the 25th year of Jianwu (49 AD) and encountered Xiang Dancheng's forces in Linxiang (now Taoyuan County, Hunan). The Xiang Dancheng army suffered defeat and retreated into the mountains. Xiang Dancheng carefully analyzed the situation, realizing that although the Han army was large, his side had the advantage of terrain. He continued to employ the tactic of "occupying high ground and defending narrow passes," trapping Ma Yuan on the Yuan River. Indeed, Ma Yuan struggled to advance up the swift Yuan River, his forces unable to coordinate effectively, and found themselves in a desperate situation. Adding to the heat, many soldiers fell ill or died from epidemics, and even Ma Yuan himself became ill. Meanwhile, Xiang Dancheng's troops were in high spirits, often climbing the heights to shout encouragement and using "barbarian songs" to Ma Yuan's army's morale. Soon after, Ma Yuan died of illness on Mount Eryu in Yuanling. At this point, Ma Yuan's chief of staff, Song Jun, pretended to issue an imperial pardon to Xiang Dancheng, who, believing his objectives had been met and that his Wuling Miao forces could no longer sustain the fight, accepted the surrender. After his surrender, Xiang Dancheng was enfeoffed as the "Spring Officer."
Qian Er Jian After Xiang Dancheng's rebellion was suppressed, the Eastern Han Dynasty treated the "barbarians" even more harshly, "subjecting them to servitude worse than slavery" and "increasing taxes and corvée, subjecting them to severe punishments." Under such circumstances, the Tujia ancestors in the Wuling region, led by Qian Er Jian and others, "gathered their villages" and rose in rebellion against the Eastern Han Dynasty's rule. Qian Er Jian (d. 80 AD), from Sangzhi County, Hunan, summarized the lessons of previous Tujia rebellions. He first established a headquarters in the Lixi River Valley at the Liao Yun Fortress, naming it Qian's Fortress and calling it the Garden of the Son of Heaven. The Liao Yun Fortress was perched atop a large mountain peak, covering an area of 60 square kilometers, surrounded by steep cliffs and deep streams on three sides, accessible only by three winding mountain paths. Qian Er Jian, leveraging the strategic advantage, led the Miao people to train in martial arts, practice battle tactics, and strategize, while also cultivating fields for self-sufficiency. When his forces were strong and supplies ample, he launched an attack in the 12th month of the third year of Jianchu (78 AD), seizing places like Zuotang and Canling (now Gong'an, Hubei), killing officials, burning government buildings, and making a great show of force. In the spring of the fourth year of Jianchu (79 AD), the court mobilized over 5,000 elite troops from seven prefectures in Jingzhou and other regions, including "4,000 Jingfu of the Wuxi Miao who remained loyal," to strike Qian Er Jian from within. Qian Er Jian retreated to Liao Yun Fortress, and the pursuing imperial forces, upon entering the Liao region, carried out widespread massacres of the Tujia people. Qian Er Jian once voluntarily requested surrender from the Eastern Han Dynasty, but the dynasty, taking advantage of his vulnerability, refused. In the end, Qian Er Jian's fortress was breached, and he was killed.
Chapter 3: Military Activities of the Tujia During the Tang and Song Dynasties
The Tang and Song dynasties were the peak of feudal society in China and the turning point from prosperity to decline. Both dynasties gradually perfected their feudal centralized military and political systems based on the foundations of previous regimes, ensuring the stability of their rule and fostering social progress during their reigns. During this period, the central dynasties implemented the system of dependent prefectures and counties in the Tujia region, relying on Tujia leaders to govern their territories, appointing them as prefectural magistrates of dependent prefectures with hereditary succession. The system of dependent prefectures and counties made the Tujia region more stable than before the Tang Dynasty, promoting economic and cultural exchanges between the Tujia and other ethnic groups, including the Han, and fostering the development of the Tujia people. The greatest impact of the dependent prefecture system on the Tujia was that it contributed to the emergence of the Tujia as a distinct ethnic group. The military system of the Song Dynasty promoted the formation of Tujia soldiers. The Tujia soldiers in the Tujia region were the precursors of the Tujia army, primarily composed of Tujia people. The Song Dynasty had clear regulations regarding the recruitment, training, and garrisoning of Tujia soldiers, with their leaders being the prefectural magistrates of dependent prefectures, i.e., the Tujia leaders. By the time of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Tujia Tujia soldiers had largely taken shape. During this period, Tujia conflicts were primarily concentrated in the Xizhou region, with the "Battle of Xizhou" between the Ma Chu regime and Peng Shichou being the most famous.