Du Hong
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Du Hong (杜洪) (died 905) was a warlord late in the
Chinese Chinese may refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China. **'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...
dynasty
Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...
, who controlled Wuchang Circuit (武昌, headquartered in modern
Wuhan Wuhan; is the capital of Hubei, China. With a population of over eleven million, it is the most populous city in Hubei and the List of cities in China by population, eighth-most-populous city in China. It is also one of the nine National cent ...
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Hubei Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...
) from 886 to 905. In 905, he was defeated and captured by
Yang Xingmi Yang Xingmi (; 852'' Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms''vol. 1 – December 24, 905Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 265.), né Yang Xingmin (楊行愍, name changed 886), courtesy name Huayu ...
, who executed him.


Background and seizure of Wuchang Circuit

It is not known when Du Hong was born, but it is known that he was from Wuchang's capital E Prefecture () and that, in his youth, he was a performer. Late in the ''Qianfu'' era (874–879) of Emperor Xizong, when much of the realm was overrun by agrarian rebels, E's prefect Cui Shao () organized the people into local militias to defend against attacks, so the prefectural militia became a strong fighting force. It was during this time that Du became an officer in the prefectural militia.''
New Book of Tang The ''New Book of Tang'', generally translated as the "New History of the Tang" or "New Tang History", is a work of official history covering the Tang dynasty in ten volumes and 225 chapters. The work was compiled by a team of scholars of the So ...
'', vol. 190.
In 884, Cui died. The imperial official Lu Shenzhong (), whom the imperial government had commissioned the prefect of Hang Prefecture (杭州, in modern
Hangzhou Hangzhou, , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ; formerly romanized as Hangchow is a sub-provincial city in East China and the capital of Zhejiang province. With a population of 13 million, the municipality comprises ten districts, two counti ...
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), had been refused entry by the warlord Dong Chang, who occupied the region; he therefore took up residence at Wuchang's Huang Prefecture (黃州, in modern Wuhan). Upon hearing news of Cui's death, he conscripted 3,000 soldiers and entered E Prefecture, taking it over. Thereafter, Du expelled the prefect of Yue Prefecture (岳州, in modern
Yueyang Yueyang, formerly known as Yuezhou or Yochow, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern shores of Dongting Lake and the Yangtze river in the northeastern corner of Hunan Province in the People's Republic of China. Yueyang has an administrative ...
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Hunan Hunan is an inland Provinces of China, province in Central China. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the Administrative divisions of China, province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to the east, Gu ...
) and took it over himself, claiming the title of prefect.''
Zizhi Tongjian The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...
'', vol. 255.
In 886, the agrarian rebel Zhou Tong () attacked E Prefecture. Lu abandoned E and fled. Du took the chance to enter E and claimed the title of acting military governor of Wuchang, a title that Emperor Xizong thereafter confirmed.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 256.


Rule of Wuchang Circuit

It was said that while Du Hong received the commission from the imperial government, he became an ally of the warlord
Zhu Quanzhong Emperor Taizu of Later Liang (), personal name Zhu Quanzhong () (December 5, 852 – July 18, 912), né Zhu Wen (), name later changed to Zhu Huang (), nickname Zhu San (朱三, literally, "the third Zhu"), was a Chinese military general, mona ...
the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern
Kaifeng Kaifeng ( zh, s=开封, p=Kāifēng) is a prefecture-level city in east-Zhongyuan, central Henan province, China. It is one of the Historical capitals of China, Eight Ancient Capitals of China, having been the capital eight times in history, and ...
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Henan Henan; alternatively Honan is a province in Central China. Henan is home to many heritage sites, including Yinxu, the ruins of the final capital of the Shang dynasty () and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the historical capitals of China, Lu ...
) and cut off the tribute routes between the southeastern circuits not allied with Zhu and the imperial capital
Chang'an Chang'an (; zh, t=長安, s=长安, p=Cháng'ān, first=t) is the traditional name of the city now named Xi'an and was the capital of several Chinese dynasties, ranging from 202 BCE to 907 CE. The site has been inhabited since Neolithic time ...
. In 894, Wu Tao () the prefect of Huang Prefecture submitted to a chief rival of Zhu's,
Yang Xingmi Yang Xingmi (; 852'' Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms''vol. 1 – December 24, 905Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 265.), né Yang Xingmin (楊行愍, name changed 886), courtesy name Huayu ...
the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern
Yangzhou Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, East China. Sitting on the north bank of the Yangtze, it borders the provincial capital Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou, Jiangsu, ...
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Jiangsu Jiangsu is a coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province in East China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the List of Chinese administra ...
). In response, Du attacked Wu, and Wu, while Yang sent his brother-in-law Zhu Yanshou to aid Wu, was still fearful of Du's attack, and therefore surrendered his post completely to Yang. Yang sent his officer Qu Zhang () to take over Huang Prefecture and defend against Du.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 259. Fearing Yang's expansion, in 896, Du, along with Qian Liu (then the military governor of Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered at Hang Prefecture)) and Zhong Chuan the military governor of Zhennan Circuit (鎮南, headquartered in modern
Nanchong Nanchong ( zh, c=南充 , p=Nánchōng , w=Nan-ch'ung; Sichuanese: lan2cong1) is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of Sichuan province, China, with an area of . At the 2020 census it was home to 5,607,565 people, of whom 1,936,534 liv ...
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), all sought aid from Zhu Quanzhong. Zhu Quanzhong sent his adoptive son Zhu Yougong () south to try to determine what he could do, but Zhu Yougong appeared to not venture far.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 260. In 897, under order by Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong, Yang attacked Du, and Du sought aid from Zhu Quanzhong. Zhu Quanzhong sent Nie Jin () to raid Huainan's Si Prefecture (泗州, in modern
Huai'an ) , leader_title1 = , leader_name1 = , leader_title2 = , leader_name2 = , leader_title3 = , leader_name3 = , leader_title4 = , leader_name4 = , established_title = ...
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Jiangsu Jiangsu is a coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province in East China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the List of Chinese administra ...
) and sent Zhu Yougong to attack Huang Prefecture. Qu abandoned Huang and took his army and people south to Wuchang Base (武昌寨, in modern
Ezhou Ezhou ( zh, s= ) is a prefecture-level city in eastern Hubei Province, China. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 1,079,353, of which 695,697 lived in the core Echeng District. The Ezhou - Huanggang built-up (''or metro'') area w ...
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Hubei Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...
). Zhu Yougong subsequently captured Wuchang Base, took Qu captive, and captured Huang Prefecture. The Huainan forces that Yang sent to aid Qu were all repelled. A subsequent major attack by Zhu Quanzhong on Huainan was decisively repelled by Yang and his general
Zhu Jin Zhu Jin () (867–918) was a warlord late in the Chinese Tang dynasty who would later be a major general of the Wu (also known as Hongnong) state during the subsequent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. In the late Tang years, Zhu Jin, a ...
, however, and it was said that thereafter Zhu no longer had the strength to consider a major attack on Huainan.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 261. In 903, Yang sent his officer Li Shenfu, with Liu Cun () as Li's deputy, to again attack Du. Li first attack E Prefecture's Yongxing County (永興, in modern
Huanggang Huanggang is a prefecture-level city in easternmost Hubei, Hubei Province, China. It is situated to the north of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and is bounded in the north by the Dabie Mountains and is named after Mount Huanggang, Huang ...
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Hubei Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...
) and captured it.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 263. He then put E Prefecture under siege, and Du sought aid from Zhu Quanzhong. Zhu sent his officer Han Qing () with 10,000 men to Shekou (灄口, in modern Wuhan), and also sent messengers to
Cheng Rui Cheng Rui (成汭 died June 10, 903''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 264.Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter), adoptive name Guo Yu (郭禹 used until c. 888), formally the Prince of Shanggu (上谷王), was a warlord late in the Chines ...
the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern
Jingzhou Jingzhou ( zh, s=, c=荆州, t=, p=Jīngzhōu) is a prefecture-level city in southern Hubei province, China, located on the banks of the Yangtze River. Its total residential population was 5,231,180 based on the Seventh National Population Censu ...
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Hubei Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...
),
Ma Yin Ma Yin (; c. 853 – December 2, 930), courtesy name Batu (霸圖), also known by his posthumous name as the King Wumu of Chu (楚武穆王), was a Chinese military general and politician who became the founding ruler of the Chinese Ma Chu dynas ...
the military governor of Wu'an Circuit (武安, headquartered in modern
Changsha Changsha is the capital of Hunan, China. It is the 15th most populous city in China with a population of 10,513,100, the Central China#Cities with urban area over one million in population, third-most populous city in Central China, and the ...
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Hunan Hunan is an inland Provinces of China, province in Central China. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the Administrative divisions of China, province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to the east, Gu ...
), and Lei Yanwei the military governor of Wuzhen Circuit (武貞, headquartered in modern
Changde Changde (; Traditional Chinese characters, traditional Chinese: 常德區 ) is a prefecture-level city in the northwest of Hunan province, People's Republic of China. Changde, known as "Wuling" in ancient times, is located on the west side of Do ...
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Hunan Hunan is an inland Provinces of China, province in Central China. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the Administrative divisions of China, province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to the east, Gu ...
), trying to persuade them to save Du. Cheng, who feared Zhu's strength and also wanted to expand his own territory, launched a fleet to try to save Du, but after he left his capital Jing Prefecture (), Ma and Lei jointly attacked Jing Prefecture, capturing it and pillaging its wealth and population. Hearing the news, the morale of Cheng's soldiers failed, and Li subsequently engaged him and decisively defeated him. Cheng committed suicide by drowning, and Han withdrew, leaving Du with no aid. Du was only subsequently saved when Li was also forced to withdraw when Yang's subordinates
Tian Jun Tian Jun (; 858''New Book of Tang'', vol. 189. – December 30, 903''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 264.Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter), courtesy name Dechen (), was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord during the l ...
the military governor of Ningguo Circuit (寧國, headquartered in modern
Xuancheng Xuancheng ( zh, s=宣城, p=Xuānchéng''; Xuanzhou Wu dialects, Xuanzhou Wu:'' Shye-san) is a city in the southeast of Anhui province. Archeological digs suggest that the city has been settled for over 4,000 years, and has been under formal admin ...
,
Anhui Anhui is an inland Provinces of China, province located in East China. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiang ...
) and An Renyi () the military prefect of Run Prefecture (潤州, in modern
Zhenjiang Zhenjiang, alternately romanized as Chinkiang, is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu Province, China. It lies on the southern bank of the Yangtze River near its intersection with the Grand Canal. It is opposite Yangzhou (to its north) and ...
,
Jiangsu Jiangsu is a coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province in East China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the List of Chinese administra ...
) rebelled against Yang, requiring Li to engage Tian instead.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 264.


Defeat and death

In 904, with Yang Xingmi's having crushed Tian Jun's rebellion, he again sent Li Shenfu to attack Wuchang. Zhu Quanzhong, who had then seized control of Emperor Zhaozong and forcibly moved the capital and the emperor from Chang'an to
Luoyang Luoyang ( zh, s=洛阳, t=洛陽, p=Luòyáng) is a city located in the confluence area of the Luo River and the Yellow River in the west of Henan province, China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zheng ...
, sent messengers to Yang, seeking to intercede on Du Hong's behalf, and Yang responded, "I will do so and rebuild my relationship with you if the Son of Heaven were restored to Chang'an." Later in 904, when Li fell ill (and later died), Yang sent Liu Cun to replace Li and continued the siege. In spring 905, Zhu sent Cao Yanzuo () to help Du defend the city, but Liu soon captured the city and took Du and Cao captive, delivering them to Yang Xingmi at Huainan's capital Yang Prefecture ().''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 265. When Yang questioned Du why he did not surrender, Du responded, "I could not betray Lord Zhu." Yang then executed him and Cao. After Zhu usurped the Tang throne and established Later Liang as its emperor, he posthumously honored Du.


Notes and references

* ''
New Book of Tang The ''New Book of Tang'', generally translated as the "New History of the Tang" or "New Tang History", is a work of official history covering the Tang dynasty in ten volumes and 225 chapters. The work was compiled by a team of scholars of the So ...
'', vol. 190. * '' History of the Five Dynasties'', vol. 17. * ''
Zizhi Tongjian The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...
'',
255 __NOTOC__ Year 255 ( CCLV) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known in Rome as the Year of the Consulship of Valerianus and Gallienus (or, less frequently, year 1008 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomi ...
,
256 Year 256 ( CCLVI) was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Claudius and Glabrio (or, less frequently, year 1009 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 256 for this y ...
,
259 Year 259 ( CCLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aemilianus and Bassus (or, less frequently, year 1012 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 259 for thi ...
,
260 __NOTOC__ Year 260 ( CCLX) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Saecularis and Donatus (or, less frequently, year 1013 ''Ab urbe condita ''Ab urbe condita' ...
,
261 __NOTOC__ Year 261 (Roman numerals, CCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gallienus and Taurus (or, less frequently, year 1014 ''Ab urbe condita''). The ...
,
263 __NOTOC__ Year 263 (Roman numerals, CCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Albinus and Dexter (or, less frequently, year 1016 ''Ab urbe condita''). The ...
,
264 __NOTOC__ Year 264 (Roman numerals, CCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gallienus and Saturninus (or, less frequently, year 1017 ''Ab urbe condita''). The ...
,
265 __NOTOC__ Year 265 (Roman numerals, CCLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valerianus and Lucillus (or, less frequently, year 1018 ''Ab urbe condita''). Th ...
. {{DEFAULTSORT:Du Hong 9th-century births 905 deaths Year of birth unknown Politicians from Wuhan Tang dynasty jiedushi of Wuchang Circuit People executed by the Tang dynasty Executed people from Hubei Executed military personnel People executed by the Tang dynasty by decapitation 10th-century executions Tang dynasty generals from Hubei Medieval performers