The rise and fall of historical dynasties, as well as the succession of vivid historical figures, have left deep imprints in the long river of history. So, who was the main force in quelling the An Lushan Rebellion? Below, the History Encyclopedia editor will provide a detailed introduction to the relevant content.
The An Lushan Rebellion, which occurred in 755 AD, was a war that affected the course of ancient Chinese history. The prosperous Tang Dynasty came to an end and entered a turbulent period of regional separatism. When it comes to the heroes who quelled this rebellion, people first think of two people: Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi. The contributions of these two individuals are truly indelible, and Guo Ziyi is highly respected for revitalizing the Tang Dynasty and has always enjoyed high treatment and reputation. However, Guo Ziyi has a flaw: he is not very good at rectifying military discipline, and his army discipline is somewhat lax. Occasionally, during critical periods when the battle situation is decided, the military appearance may panic. In terms of specific tactics, he is not as good as Li Guangbi. Li Guangbi was skilled in military tactics, commanding with composure on the front lines and repeatedly defeating rebel forces, especially in the battles of Changshan and Taiyuan. He shook the enemy’s courage and became famous throughout the world. He was awarded the title of “Number One in the Zhongxing Campaign” for his military achievements, and was given the Dan Shu Iron Voucher. He also left a painting in the Lingyan Pavilion. In terms of specific military achievements, Li Guangbi surpassed Guo Ziyi.
The achievements of Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi are beyond doubt. However, there is another person whose contributions are not inferior to theirs, and whose sacrifices are even greater, but who is not as famous in history and praised by later generations as Guo and Li. Who is this person? He is Pugu Huaien.
Pugu Huai’en made outstanding contributions in all the battles that quelled the An Lushan Rebellion, and sometimes even played a decisive role. Pugu Huaien was a member of the Tiele Pugu tribe. Since the An Lushan Rebellion, he joined the Tang army and participated in the anti rebellion operation, following the command of Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi for a long time. He was very brave in front of the battle, often setting an example and bravely killing enemies. He also strictly demanded of his own son. One of his sons, Pugu Yue, was captured during a battle with the rebels, but Pugu Yue did not surrender sincerely. He took the opportunity to escape from the enemy’s hands and was actually ordered to be beheaded by Pugu Huai’en. “Huai’en scolded him and beheaded him. The soldiers were intimidated and frightened.
During the battle against the rebel forces of An Lushan and Shi Siming, 46 members of the Pugu Huai’en family died, and three of their daughters remarried for peace. Of course, if it were just these, Pugu Huai’en could not be considered the greatest hero of the Tang Dynasty. Most importantly, the Tang army at that time was always in a back and forth tug of war stage when fighting against the rebels. Even those like Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi, who were in charge, suffered many defeats. At that time, there were two landmark battles, namely the recapture of Chang’an and Luoyang. With the strength of the Tang army at that time, it was too difficult to complete this task. At this time, Pugu Huai’en played a crucial role by borrowing the Khitan army, greatly enhancing the combat effectiveness of the Tang army and thus reclaiming the eastern and western capitals.
During the process of pacifying the An Lushan Rebellion and suppressing the Huangchao Uprising, the Tang Dynasty borrowed foreign troops, and later relied almost entirely on Shatuo soldiers to deal with the Huangchao Uprising army. Therefore, Pugu Huaien’s move played a decisive role in suppressing the rebellion.
At the same time, Pugu Huai’en was not a vegetarian on the battlefield. In 762 AD, when Li Guangbi retired, he was already the deputy of the Marshal of War, leading his army to defeat Shi Chaoyi and recapture Luoyang for the second time. He then spent six months reclaiming Hebei and quelling the rebellion once again.
Unfortunately, Pugu Huai’en had a beginning but no end. Later, due to suspicion from the Tang Dynasty, he opposed Chang’an. However, his achievements were still remembered by the Tang Dynasty. When he died, Emperor Tang sighed repeatedly. Therefore, Pugu Huaien can also be considered one of the greatest contributors to quelling the An Lushan Rebellion.
