Gu Rong (died 30 January 313), courtesy name Yanxian, was an official of the Jin dynasty (266–420). A grandson of the Eastern Wu chancellor, Gu Yong, he became a famous celebrity during his time in the Jin capital, Luoyang and served under a succession of princes in the War of the Eight Princes. Due to the turmoil in northern China, Gu Rong returned to his hometown in the Jiangnan, where, despite initially joining, he played a decisive role in quelling Chen Min's rebellion in 307. In his final years, he served the Prince of Langya and future founding emperor of the Eastern Jin, Sima Rui, helping him lay the foundations for the dynasty in the south. Along with Ji Zhan, He Xun, Yang Fang and Xue Jian, Gu Rong was referred to as one of the "Five Eminence" (五俊).[3]
Gu Rong | |
|---|---|
| 顧榮 | |
| Military Judge under the General Who Stabilises the East (安東將軍軍司) | |
| In office 307–313 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Min of Jin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown[1] Suzhou, Jiangsu |
| Died | 30 January 313[2] |
| Relations | Gu Yong (grandfather) |
| Children | Gu Pi |
| Parent |
|
| Courtesy name | Yanxian (彥先) |
| Peerage | Earl of Xixing (喜興伯) |
| Posthumous name | Duke Yuan (元公) |
Life
editEarly life and career
editGu Rong was a member of the Gu clan of Wu Commandery as the grandson of the famous Eastern Wu chancellor, Gu Yong. His father was Gu Mu (顧穆), who was the administrator of Yidu Commandery under Wu. Gu Rong also served the Eastern Wu at a young age, and was appointed as a Gentleman of the Yellow Gate and Commandant Who Upholds Righteousness to the Crown Prince. After Wu was conquered by the Western Jin dynasty, he moved to the capital along with the brothers, Lu Ji and Lu Yun, where the three became known as the "Three Eminence" (三俊). Gu Rong was appointed as a Palace Gentleman and served as a Gentleman of Writing, Internal Resident to the Crown Prince and Ministry of Justice Rectifier.[4]
War of the Eight Princes
editIn c.September 300, the Prince of Zhao, Sima Lun killed the Prince of Huainan, Sima Yun, who attempted to ovethrow him. Yun's subordinates were sent before the court to be killed, but Gu Rong, who oversaw their trials, tried them impartially and pardoned many of them. In 301, after Sima Lun usurped the throne from Emperor Hui of Jin in February, Gu Rong was appointed as the Chief Clerk to the General-in-Chief and Sima Lun's son Sima Qian (司馬虔).[5]
Not long after the usurpation, the Prince of Qi, Sima Jiong defeated Sima Lun and restored Emperor Hui to the throne. Gu Rong served as a registrar under Jiong, but seeing that the prince was acting like a tyrant in his administration, he became so worried that he would be implicated if Jiong fell from power that he even considered committing suicide. Gu Rong spent his days drinking and ignoring his official duties before telling his friend, Feng Xiong (馮熊) about the matter. Feng Xiong therefore persuaded Jiong's chief clerk, Ge Yu (葛旟) to transfer Gu Rong to the office of Palace Secretarial Attendant. Following his transfer, Gu Rong stopped drinking, but people began to question his change in behaviour, forcing him to drink again in order to quell their suspicions.[6]
In January 303, the Prince of Changsha, Sima Ai killed Sima Jiong after a battle in Luoyang. Gu Rong sided with Ai and defeated Ge Yu, so he was conferred the title of Earl of Xixing and transferred to the office of Internal Companion of the Crown Prince. After Sima Ai became General of Elite Cavalry, Gu Rong was appointed to serve as his Chief Clerk.[7]
In 304, after Sima Ai was burnt to death by Zhang Fang in March and the Prince of Chengdu, Sima Ying became prime minister, Gu Rong became his Assistant Officer of the Household and moved to his base in Ye. Later that year, the Prince of Donghai, Sima Yue led a campaign against Ying from Luoyang, but failed, and Emperor Hui was relocated to Ye. Gu Rong was then appointed Palace Attendant and was ordered to pay tribute at homage at the imperial mausoleum in Luoyang. However, along the way, Luoyang was occupied by Zhang Fang, a general of the Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong, and Gu Rong was unable to proceed, so he fled to Chenliu. At the end of 304, Emperor Hui was forced to move to Chang'an by Zhang Fang. Gu Rong was summoned to serve as a Regular Mounted Attendant. However, Gu Rong, no longer wanting to serve through the chaos within the court, declined and returned to his hometown in Jiangnan. While Sima Yue was gathering his troops at Xu province to campaign against Sima Yong, he made Gu Rong an Army-Libationer Consultant.[8]
Chen Min's rebellion
editIn 305, the chancellor of Guangling, Chen Min rebelled in Liyang while Sima Yue and Sima Yong were preoccupied with their civil war. He crossed south of the Yangzi and expelled the Inspector of Yang province, Liu Ji (劉機) and others, thus claiming the Jiangnan region for himself. Gu Rong and many of the local gentry clans initially recognized his rule, and he served as General of the Right and Interior Minister of Danyang under Chen Min. When Chen Min planned on killing the scholar-officials of Jiangnan who he thought were not supporting him, Gu Rong intervened and persuaded him against the decision.[9]
In 307, two years since Chen Min took over the Jiangnan, the interior minister of Lujiang, Hua Tan sent out letters to the southern gentry admonishing them for submitting to Chen Min. By then, Sima Yue had already won the civil war, and Gu Rong felt shame upon reading the letter. Thus, Gu Rong and other Jin loyalists began plotting to overthrow Chen Min. They secretly informed the Jin general, Liu Zhun (劉準) in Shouchun regarding their plot and asked him to send his soldiers south of the Yangzi while they acted from within. The conspirators pledged their allegiance by cutting their hair, a taboo in Confucian filial piety, as Liu Zhun ordered Liu Ji (劉機), Heng Yan (衡彥) and others to campaign against Chen Min.
Chen Min sent his brother, Chen Chang (陳昶) to attack the Jin army, but one of the conspirators, Zhou Qi was able to kill him after convincing his subordinate, Qian Guang (錢廣) to assassinate him and rebel. Chen Min then ordered his Inspector of Yang province, Gan Zhuo to repel Qian Guang at the Zhuque Bridge (朱雀橋; located on the Qinhuai River near Nanjing). Gu Rong was worried that Chen Min was beginning to suspect him, so he requested to remain close by him. However, Chen Min thought that Gu Rong should be going out and fighting instead. Reassured, Gu Rong and Zhou Qi went out and met with Gan Zhuo, persuading him to defect. Gu Rong, Gan Zhuo, Zhou Qi and others led their forces to attack Chen Min at Jianye.[10] Chen Min had more than 10,000 troops under his command, but a soldier from Gan Zhuo's army shouted at them, "It was Lord Gu [Rong] of Danyang and Lord Zhou [Qi] of Anfeng who supported Lord Chen [Min] from the start; yet here they are against him. What will you all do?" Chen Min's soldiers became unsure on what to do, and when Gu Rong waved a white fan ordering them to disperse, they all willingly scattered and fled. Chen Min was soon captured and executed, thus putting an end to his rebellion.[11]
Sima Yue summoned Gu Rong to serve as a Palace Attendant. Gu Rong travelled with Ji Zhan and other scholars from the south, but when they arrived at Xu province, they heard about that the north was becoming increasingly chaotic and hesitated to proceed. Yue wrote a letter to the Inspector of Xu, Pei Dun (裴盾[12]), stating that if they delayed any further, they will be escorted by the military. Gu Rong and his contemporaries were so frightened that they unloaded their boats and abandoned their carts to flee back to their hometowns.[13]
Assisting Sima Rui and death
editAfter Chen Min's defeat in 307, the Prince of Langya, Sima Rui, was assigned to Jianye to guard the Jiangnan. To win the support of the southern gentry clans, Sima Rui appointed him Gu Rong as a Military Judge under him and a Regular Mounted Attendant. Gu Rong held a high position and was always consulted by the prince in all his plans, so he was well-respected both in court and in public.[14] Believing that the talents of the southland was not being fully utilized, Gu Rong recommended several officials to Sima Rui to include in his administration, such as Lu Ye, Gan Zhuo, Gu Qian (顧謙), He Xun, Yin You (殷祐), Yang Yanming (楊彥明) and Xie Xingyan (謝行言), all of who Rui accepted.[15]
Gu Rong died while still in office in January 313. Sima Rui was saddened by his death and personally attended his funeral. Rui submitted a petition to the imperial court asking that they honour Gu Rong in accordance with meritorious standards of Sima Jiong. Yin You wrote that Gu Rong's merits were extraordinary, but he was rewarded like a mere subordinate, and that no reward would be able to match his achievements. Sima Rui posthumously awarded him the offices of Palace Attendant, Regular Mounted Attendant and Executor and Assistant Minister of the Three Offices. Gu Rong was also given the posthumous name of "Yuan" (元), and when Sima Rui became the King of Jin in 317, he was further given the title of duke. He was succeeded by his son, Gu Pi (顧毗), who was promoted to Regular Mounted Attendant.[16]
References
edit- ^ Gu Yong's biography in Book of Jin recorded that he began his service under Eastern Wu before the age of 20 ("ruoguan"); this was before Eastern Wu fell to Jin in 280. Thus, Gu Rong's birth year should be before 260.
- ^ Vol.88 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Gu Rong died in the 6th year of the Yong'jia era of the reign of Emperor Huai of Jin. Vol.95 of Jin Shu recorded that Dai Yang correctly predicted (in the 6th year of the Yongjia era) that Gu would die before the Laba Festival of that year; the record went on to indicate that Gu did die on the 17th day of the 12th month, two days before the festival (At the time, the festival's date had not yet been fixed as the 8th day of the 12th month). The 17th day of the 12th month of the 6th year of the Yong'jia era corresponds to 30 Jan 313 in the Julian calendar. (陈眕问洋曰：“人言江南当有贵人，顾彦先、周宣珮当是不？”洋曰：“顾不及腊，周不见来年八月。”荣果以十二月十七日卒，十九日腊，珮以明年七月晦亡。). Dai Yang also correctly predicted the demise of Zhou Qi, who died about seven months after Gu.
- ^ (兼清素有器宇，少與同郡紀瞻、廣陵閔鴻、吳郡顧榮、會稽賀循齊名，號為「五俊」。) Jin Shu, vol.68
- ^ (顧榮，字彥先，吳國吳人也，為南土著姓。祖雍，吳丞相。父穆，宜都太守。榮機神朗悟，弱冠仕吳，為黃門侍郎、太子輔義都尉。吳平，與陸機兄弟同入洛，時人號為「三俊。」例拜為郎中，歷尚書郎、太子中舍人、廷尉正。) Jin Shu, vol.68
- ^ (會趙王倫誅淮南王允，收允僚屬付廷尉，皆欲誅之，榮平心處當，多所全宥。及倫篡位，倫子虔為大將軍，以榮為長史。) Jin Shu, vol.68
- ^ (齊王冏召為大司馬主簿。冏擅權驕恣，榮懼及禍，終日昏酣，不綜府事，以情告友人長樂馮熊。熊謂冏長史葛旟曰：「以顧榮為主簿，所以甄拔才望，委以事機，不復計南北親疏，欲平海內之心也。今府大事殷，非酒客之政。」旟曰：「榮江南望士，且居職日淺，不宜輕代易之。」熊曰：「可轉為中書侍郎，榮不失清顯，而府更收實才。」旟然之，白冏，以為中書侍郎。在職不復飲酒。人或問之曰：「何前醉而後醒邪？」榮懼罪，乃復更飲。與州里楊彥明書曰：「吾為齊王主簿，恆慮禍及，見刀與繩，每欲自殺，但人不知耳。」) Jin Shu, vol.68
- ^ (及旟誅，榮以討葛旟功，封喜興伯，轉太子中庶子。長沙王乂為驃騎，復以榮為長史。) Jin Shu, vol.68
- ^ (乂敗，轉成都王穎丞相從事中郎。惠帝幸臨漳，以榮兼侍中，遣行園陵。會張方據洛，不得進，避之陳留。及帝西遷長安，徵為散騎常侍，以世亂不應，遂還吳。東海王越聚兵於徐州，以榮為軍諮祭酒。) Jin Shu, vol.68
- ^ (會敏欲誅諸士人，榮說之曰：「中國喪亂，胡夷內侮，觀太傅今日不能復振華夏，百姓無復遺種。江南雖有石冰之寇，人物尚全。榮常憂無竇氏、孫、劉之策，有以存之耳。今將軍懷神武之略，有孫吳之能，功勳效於已著，勇略冠於當世，帶甲數萬，舳艫山積，上方雖有數州，亦可傳檄而定也。若能委信君子，各得盡懷，散蒂芥之恨，塞讒諂之口，則大事可圖也。」敏納其言，悉引諸豪族委任之。) Jin Shu, vol.68
- ^ (顧榮慮敏之疑，故往就敏。敏曰：「卿當四出鎭衞，豈得就我邪！」榮乃出，與周玘共說甘卓曰：「若江東之事可濟，當共成之。然卿觀茲事勢，當有濟理不？敏旣常才，政令反覆，計無所定，其子弟各已驕矜，其敗必矣。而吾等安然坐受其官祿，事敗之日，使江西諸軍函首送洛，題曰『逆賊顧榮、甘卓之首』，此萬世之辱也！」卓遂詐稱疾，迎女，斷橋，收船南岸，與玘、榮及前松滋侯相丹楊紀瞻共攻敏。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.86
- ^ (敏自帥萬餘人討卓，軍人隔水語敏衆曰：「本所以戮力陳公者，正以顧丹楊、周安豐耳；今皆異矣，汝等何爲！」敏衆狐疑未決，榮以白羽扇揮之，衆皆潰去。敏單騎北走，追獲之於江乘，歎曰：「諸人誤我，以至今日！」謂弟處曰：「我負卿，卿不負我！」遂斬敏於建業，夷三族。於是會稽等郡盡殺敏諸弟。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.86
- ^ brother of Sima Yue's wife Princess Pei
- ^ (詔徵顧榮爲侍中，紀瞻爲尚書郎。太傅越辟周玘爲參軍，陸玩爲掾。玩，機之從弟也。榮等至徐州，聞北方愈亂，疑不進，越與徐州刺史裴盾書曰：「若榮等顧望，以軍禮發遣！」榮等懼，逃歸。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.86
- ^ (元帝鎮江東，以榮為軍司，加散騎常侍，凡所謀畫，皆以諮焉。榮既南州望士，躬處右職，朝野甚推敬之。) Jin Shu, vol.68
- ^ (時南土之士未盡才用，榮又言：「陸士光貞正清貴，金玉其質；甘季思忠款盡誠，膽幹殊快；殷慶元質略有明規，文武可施用；榮族兄公讓明亮守節，困不易操；會稽楊彥明、謝行言皆服膺儒教，足為公望；賀生沈潛，青雲之士；陶恭兄弟才幹雖少，實事極佳。凡此諸人，皆南金也。」書奏，皆納之。) Jin Shu, vol.68
- ^ (六年，卒官。帝臨喪盡哀，欲表贈榮，依齊王功臣格。吳郡內史殷祐箋曰：「...夫考績幽明，王教所崇，況若榮者，濟難甯國，應天先事，歷觀古今，未有立功若彼，酬報如此者也。」由是贈榮侍中、驃騎將軍、開府儀同三司，諡曰元。及帝為晉王，追封為公，開國，食邑...子毗嗣，官至散騎侍郎。) Jin Shu, vol.68
- Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
- Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.