Chu Pou
褚裒
Guard General (衛將軍)
In office
344–350
MonarchEmperor Mu of Jin
Grand General Who Conquers the North (征北大將軍)
In office
346–350
MonarchEmperor Mu of Jin
Personal details
Born303
Died1 January 350(350-01-01) (aged 46–47)
Jingkou, Eastern Jin
ChildrenChu Suanzi (daughter)
Chu Xin (son)
Chu Lingyuan (great granddaughter)
Parent
  • Chu Qia (father)
OccupationMilitary general, politician
Courtesy nameJiye (季野)
Posthumous nameYuanmu (元穆)

Chu Pou (303[1] – 1 January 350[2]), courtesy name Jiye, was a Chinese military general and politician of the Eastern Jin. His daughter was Chu Suanzi, the wife of Emperor Kang of Jin and empress dowager to three subsequent emperors. He was at first a mid-level ranking official in the dynasty but held several prominent posts after his daughter became empress. In 349, he led a northern expedition, the first of a series that continued into the 350s. However, the campaign ended disastrously after the Later Zhao commander Li Nong defeated Chu Pou at Dai Slope (代陂, east of present-day Tengzhou, Shandong). Chu Pou died in shame shortly after.

Life

Early life and career

Chu Pou was from Yangdi County (陽翟, modern Yuzhou, Henan) in Henan Commandery. His grandfather, Chu Lüe (褚䂮), was a reputable man who served as General Who Maintains The East, while Chu Pou's father, Chu Qia (褚洽), served as Prefect of Wuchang. When Chu Pou first entered the government, he served on the staff of the Prince of Xiyang, Sima Yang (司馬羕) and the Prince of Wu, Sima Yue (later known as Emperor Kang of Jin). Chu Pou was Chi Jian's Army Advisor during Su Jun's rebellion in 328, and after it ended, Chu Pou became Marquis of the Capital District. He grew to become Attendant Officer of the Household Gentlemen to the Minister Over The Masses and later transferred to Attendant Gentleman of the Yellow Gate.[3] When Sima Yue was still the Prince of Langya, he married Chu Pou's daughter, Chu Suanzi, and Chu Pou later became the Prefect of Yuzhang (豫章郡; around present-day Nanchang, Jiangxi).[4]

During Emperor Kang and Emperor Mu's reigns

Emperor Cheng died in 342, and Sima Yue ascended the throne. The now Emperor Kang made Chu Suanzi his empress and summoned her father to Jiankang to make him Palace Attendant and Master of Writing. However, Chu Pou was not keen on accepting his position in the capital, as he feared he would hold too much power for being the empress's father (consort kin). Instead, he requested to be assigned away from the capital, so Emperor Kang had him positioned in Banzhou, where he served as Inspector of Jiangzhou. During his farewell banquet at Banqiao, Sima Wuji (司馬無忌) attempted to assassinate a guest, Wang Qizhi (王耆之), but Chu Pou ordered the guards to restrain him and saved Qizhi.[5]

Despite his insistence to remain away, the court managed to have Chu Pou return to Jiankang in 343. Chu Pou refused to take any more offices in Jiankang, so in 344, he was made Inspector of Yanzhou and set out for Jincheng (金城, in modern-day Yongji, Shaanxi). Emperor Kang died that same year, and Chu Pou's grandson, Emperor Mu of Jin, succeeded him. As the new emperor was still young, He Chong believed that being the empress's father, Chu Pou should involve himself more in the court, so He sent a petition calling for Chu Pou to assist him in the affairs of the Masters of Writing. Chu Pou was showered with many offices and was allowed to retain his old ones, but Chu Pou feared that this would only result in criticism from the other ministers. He asked to receive a border post instead, so the court sent him to Jingkou, where he held command over Xuzhou, Yanzhou, and Qingzhou and two commanderies in Yangzhou.[6]

Chu Pou was again summoned to Jiankang to become Inspector of Yangzhou and chief of affairs of the Masters of Writing. However, he refused to take them and returned to his post after the ministers Liu Xia (劉遐) and Wang Huzhi (王胡之) told him to do so to give Sima Yu more responsibility in the state's affair. In 346, Chu Pou recommended Gu He (顧和) and Yin Hao serve in the Jin administration. Gu He refused, but Yin Hao, after some persuading, agreed.[7]

Northern expedition

In 349, a military expedition to the north was ripe as Later Zhao descended into civil war between Shi Hu's family after his death. As news reached the south, Chu Pou submitted a petition asking to lead a campaign against Zhao. With readied troops, Chu Pou marched to Sikou (泗口, located at Xuzhou, Jiangsu), where he planned his next move. The court was worried about Chu Pou leading the campaign as they may risk losing a prominent minister. However, his general Wang Yizhi (王頤之) was already on his way to Pengcheng, and he planned to continue into Xiapi. Chu Pou became Grand Commander, and as his men captured Pengcheng, many of the Han Chinese came out and surrendered to him.[8]

The people of Lu Commandery rose against Zhao and asked Chu Pou to help them. Chu Pou sent Wang Kan (王龕) and Li Mai (李邁) to welcome them. The Zhao general, Li Nong, who shared power with Shi Min over the Zhao emperor, Shi Jian, personally led his army and attacked Wang Kan at Dai Slope. Li Nong destroyed the Jin army and killed Wang Kan, prompting Chu Pou to make a panicked retreat to Guangling. Upon hearing Chu Pou's defeat, the commander in Shouchun, Chen Kui (陳逵), burnt down the city and fled.[9]

Death

Chu Pou's humiliating defeat caused him to request his demotion. The court only ordered him to return to Jingkou and removed him from the position of commander. Many Chinese had openly fled in thousands to the south after hearing Chu Pou had led troops to help them, but after he was defeated, many were defenceless and slaughtered by the Zhao army.[10] Chu Pou arrived at Jingkou and saw many people in mourning. After asking why they were that way, he found out that most of their relatives had died at Dai Slope. Chu Pou felt shame and grew ill because of this. He died on 1 January 350 and was posthumously named Marquis Yuanmu of Duxiang.[11]

Family and descendants

Chu Pou was known to have at least 2 wives who predeceased him, Lady Xun and Lady Bian. He had another wife, Lady Xie, who gave birth to his daughter Chu Suanzi in 324. During the reign of his grandson Sima Dan, Chu Suanzi (now empress dowager) received an official petition stating that since Lady Xie had already received a title,[12] Ladies Xun and Bian should be granted titles posthumously as well. Empress Dowager Chu dismissed the petition.[13]

Chu Pou also had a son, Chu Xin (褚歆). Chu Xin had a son, Chu Shuang (褚爽). Chu Shuang had a daughter, Chu Lingyuan, who was the last empress consort of the Eastern Jin, as the wife of Emperor Gong. Chu Shuang also had at least 3 sons: Xiuzhi (秀之), Yanzhi(炎之[14]) and Yuzhi (喻之[15]).

References

  1. ↑ According to Chu Pou's biography in Book of Jin, he was 47 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died. (永和五年卒，年四十七) Jin Shu, vol.93. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be in 303.
  2. ↑ Volume 98 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Chu Pou died on the jiyou day of the 12th month of the 5th year of the Yonghe era of Sima Dan's reign. This corresponds to 1 Jan 350 in the propetic Gregorian calendar. [裒慚憤發疾；(永和五年)十二月，己酉，卒。]
  3. ↑ (初辟西陽王掾、吳王文學。蘇峻之構逆也，車騎將軍郗鑒以裒為參軍。峻平，以功封都鄉亭侯，稍遷司徒從事中郎，除給事黃門侍郎。) Book of Jin, Volume 93
  4. ↑ (裒少有簡貴之風，與京兆杜乂俱有盛名，冠于中興。譙國桓彝見而目之曰：「季野有皮裏春秋。」言其外無臧否，而內有所褒貶也。謝安亦雅重之，恆云：「裒雖不言，而四時之氣亦備矣。」初辟西陽王掾、吳王文學。) Book of Jin, vol.93
  5. ↑ (江州刺史褚裒當之鎮，無忌及丹陽尹桓景等餞於版橋。時王暠子丹陽丞耆之在坐，無忌志欲復仇，拔刀將手刃之，裒、景命左右救捍獲免。) Book of Jin, vol.37
  6. ↑ (及此二十九年而康獻皇太后臨朝，有司以裒皇太后父，議加不臣之禮，拜侍中、衛將軍、錄尚書事，持節、都督、刺史如故。裒以近戚，懼獲譏嫌，上疏固請居籓，曰：「臣以虛鄙，才不周用，過蒙國恩，累忝非據。無勞受寵，負愧實深，豈可復加殊特之命，顯號重疊！臣有何勳可以克堪？何顏可以冒進？委身聖世，豈復遺力，實懼顛墜，所誤者大。今王略未振，萬機至殷，陛下宜委誠宰輔，一遵先帝任賢之道，虛己受成，坦平心於天下，無宜內示私親之舉，朝野失望，所損豈少！」於是改授都督徐兗青揚州之晉陵吳國諸軍事、衛將軍、徐兗二州刺史、假節、鎮京口。) Book of Jin, vol.93
  7. ↑ (褚裒薦前光祿大夫顧和、前司徒左長史殷浩；三月，丙子，以和為尚書令，浩為建武將軍、揚州刺史。和有母喪，固辭不起，謂所親曰：「古人有釋衰絰從王者，以其才足干時故也。如和者，正足以虧孝道、傷風俗耳。」識者美之。浩亦固辭。會稽王昱與浩書曰：「屬當厄運，危弊理極，足下沈識淹長，足以經濟。若復深存挹退，苟遂本懷，吾恐天下之事於此去矣。足下去就，即時之廢興，則家國不異，足下宜深思之。」浩乃就職。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.97
  8. ↑ (征北大將軍褚裒上表請伐趙，即日戒嚴，直指泗口，朝議以裒事任貴重，不宜深入，宜先遣偏師。裒奏言：「前已遣前鋒督護王頤之等徑造彭城，後遣督護麋嶷進據下邳。今宜速發，以成聲勢。」秋，七月，加裒征討大都督，督徐、兗、青、揚、豫五州諸軍事，裒帥衆三萬，徑赴彭城，北方士民降附者日以千計。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.98
  9. ↑ (褚裒遣部將王龕、李邁及石遵將李農戰于代陂，王師敗績，王龕爲農所執，李邁死之。八月，褚裒退屯廣陵，西中郎將陳逵焚壽春而遁。) Book of Jin, vol.08
  10. ↑ (裒上疏乞自貶，詔不許，命裒還鎮京口，解征討都督。時河北大亂，遺民二十餘萬口渡河欲來歸附，會裒已還，威勢不接，皆不能自拔，死亡略盡。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 98
  11. ↑ (都鄉元穆侯褚裒還至京口，聞哭聲甚多，以問左右，對曰：「皆代陂死者之家也。」裒慚憤發疾；十二月，己酉，卒。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.98
  12. ↑ Lady Xie was created "Xiangjun of Xunyang" (寻阳乡君) when Lady Chu became empress. (及康帝即位，立为皇后，封母谢氏为寻阳乡君。) Jin Shu, vol.32
  13. ↑ (有司奏，谢夫人既封，荀、卞二夫人亦应追赠，皆后之前母也。太后不许。) Jin Shu, vol.32
  14. ↑ This name is recorded in Chu Shuang's biography in Book of Jin. In Chu Yuzhi's biography in Book of Song, the name is recorded as Danzhi (淡之).
  15. ↑ This name is recorded in Chu Shuang's biography in Book of Jin. In Chu Yuzhi's biography in Book of Song, he is addressed by his courtesy name Shudu (叔度) as his "Yu" is the same character as Liu Yu's name, as acknowledged in the biography ((叔度名与高祖同，故以字行.) Song Shu, vol. 52.); volume 28 of Nan Shi records his name as "裕之".
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