How big is Guo Ziyi’s Fenyang Palace Why did he choose to retreat in haste

Tang Dynasty general Guo Ziyi was skilled in warfare and was known as the “Great General of Zhongxing”. During the outbreak of the “An Lushan Rebellion”, he turned the tide, recaptured the land of the two capitals, and welcomed the return of the holy chariot to the capital, making outstanding contributions.
Tang Suzong once praised Guo Ziyi in person, saying, “The reconstruction of the country is the credit of the officials!” He conferred upon Guo Ziyi the title of King of Fenyang for his military achievements, appointed him as the Minister of Personnel, and bestowed upon him a luxurious mansion – the Fenyang Palace. The Tang Yulin records: “In the various courtyards of the residence, people traveled by car and horse, and servants entered and exited through the gate without knowing each other
It can be seen that Guo Ziyi’s mansion is extremely luxurious. How big is the Fenyang Palace? To walk in the yard, one must ride a carriage, and servants and servants enter and exit through the gate, yet they do not know each other. The great power of Guo Ziyi can be seen from this.
One day, Guo Ziyi was about to go out when he saw a bricklayer building a wall. He casually said, ‘You can build it well and make the wall more sturdy.’.
The mud tiles were crafted with great skill, and he said to Guo Ziyi, “For decades, I have built the walls of many noble families. I only see the owners of the houses constantly changing, but the walls are still alive. Don’t worry, my lord. The walls I built have never collapsed to this day.
Upon hearing these words, Guo Ziyi suddenly realized that her great achievements would inevitably lead to suspicion from the emperor and jealousy from her ministers. Therefore, she petitioned the court to retire and return home, resigning from all her positions and receiving the emperor’s approval.
After Guo Ziyi retired, he ordered his family to open all four doors of his home, allowing court officials and ordinary people to freely enter and exit, just like a farmer’s market.
The children of the Guo family did not understand and repeatedly advised them, but Guo Ziyi said to them, “There are more than a thousand people in our family, and it is impossible for everyone to be with us. If one day someone harbors resentment and fabricates facts to accuse me, the Guo family will be in great trouble. Now that our four doors are wide open, it shows the world that I am honest and have no secrets that I dare not disclose. In this way, no one will gossip or cause trouble
Guo Ziyi’s concerns are not unreasonable. Due to his high position and power, Emperor Tang Suzong had long harbored suspicion towards him. In the past, Guo Ziyi suffered a great defeat to An Qingxu, and his military reputation was extremely high, making him fully capable of serving as the Grand Marshal of War. However, the Emperor did not appoint him as a Marshal.
Not only that, Tang Suzong also sent the favored eunuch Yu Chao’en to the army as a military appearance and comfort envoy, with the aim of supervising Guo Ziyi. When Emperor Tang ascended the throne, he felt that it was difficult to control the meritorious officials and famous generals, so he simply stripped Guo Ziyi of his military power and sent him to the imperial tomb to be responsible for the construction of the palace.
Guo Ziyi is well aware that a wall can remain unbroken for decades, even hundreds of years. However, for a high-ranking official who refuses to let go of power and wants to remain unbroken for a lifetime, it is almost impossible. For himself, retreating bravely from the current is the wise move.
After retiring, Guo Ziyi not only protected his wealth and prosperity, but also benefited his descendants and enjoyed special treatment as descendants of meritorious officials. He passed away two years later at the age of 85. Later on, as the bricklayer said, the descendants of the Guo family did not protect the Fenyang Palace, and the large mansion became a temple with a new owner.
At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the poet Zhang Ji passed by Guo Ziyi’s old mansion and was deeply moved: “The old mansion in Fenyang is now a temple, and it still has the song and dance hall of the past. Over the past forty years, cars and horses have scattered, and the ancient locust trees and deep alleys are filled with sorrow at dusk
Gaogai, the master, does not doubt that one should learn from Guo Ziyi in life. This small matter proves that he is just an old fox who has become a master!