Shi Bing (石冰) (died c.May 304[1] ) was a rebel of the Jin dynasty (266–420). He followed the Man official, Zhang Chang when he rebelled in 303 and captured Yang province. He held on to the province after the main force under Zhang Chang were routed, but in 304, he was defeated by Jin forces led by Chen Min and the Jiangnan gentry before being assassinated.
Life
editShi Bing was a follower of the Man official, Zhang Chang when he rebelled in 303 at Jiangxia Commandery in Jing province. During the rebellion, Zhang Chang sent Shi Bing with an army to invade Jiang and Yang provinces in the east. Shi Bing defeated the Inspector of Yang, Chen Hui (陳徽) and captured the commanderies in the province. Zhang Chang then ordered Shi Bing to appoint his own administrators and magistrates at various places. Shi Bing then attacked and conquered Jiang province as the local populace were forced into submission out of fear of the rebels' strength. Afterwards, he sent his generals Chen Zhen (陳貞), Chen Lan (陳蘭) and Zhang Fu (張甫) to attack Wuling, Lingling (零陵郡; around present-day Yongzhou, Hunan), Yuzhang (豫章郡; around present-day Nanchang, Jiangxi), Wuchang, and Changsha, and these commanderies all fell to the rebels. A man from Linhuai, Feng Yun (封雲), also rebelled and invaded Xu province in support of Shi Bing.[2]
Despite Zhang Chang's forces spreading across five provinces, his rebellion quickly lost support as the governors and administrators he appointed all continued plundering their counties and commanderies. Soon, Zhang Chang was defeated and forced into hiding by Jin forces led by Tao Kan and others, but Shi Bing maintained his power in Yang province.[3]
In 304, living under Shi Bing's occupation, the Jin officials, Zhou Qi and Wang Ju (王矩), raised their armies against him. They proclaimed the Prefect of Wuxing, Gu Mi (顧秘) to lead them as Chief Controller of Nine Commanderies in Yang province, and were joined by members of the Jiangnan gentry clans such as He Xun, Hua Tan, Gan Zhuo and Ge Hong.[4] Shi Bing sent his subordinate, Qiang Du (羌毒), to attack them, but he was routed. Shi Bing decided to move from Linhuai to launch a surprise attack on Shochun, which was occupied by the Jin general, Liu Zhun (劉準). Liu Zhun was frightened when he heard that Shi Bing was coming, but the Logistical Director of Guangling, Chen Min offered himself to defeat the rebels.[5]
Shi Bing fought dozens of battles against Chen Min, but despite outnumbering him ten to one, he was defeated in each bout.[6] Both Zhou Qi and Chen Min's forces converged onto Shi Bing at the city of Jianye. After months of siege, Shi Bing fled north to join Feng Yun in Xu province. However, when Chen Min attacked them, a subordinate of Feng Yun, Zhang Tong (張統) assassinated the two men and surrendered to Jin, thus bringing Zhang Chang's rebellion to an end.[7]
References
edit- ^ (...遂與周玘合攻冰於建康。[永兴元年]三月，冰北走，投封雲，雲司馬張統斬冰及雲以降，揚、徐二州平。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 85. The month corresponds to 21 Apr to 20 May 304 in the Julian calendar.
- ^ (昌別率石冰東破江、揚二州，偽置守長。當時五州之境皆畏逼從逆。又遣其將陳貞、陳蘭、張甫等攻長沙、湘東、零陵諸郡。) Jin Shu, vol.100
- ^ (於是荊、江、徐、揚、豫五州之境，多爲昌所據。昌更置牧守，皆桀盜小人，專以劫掠爲務。) Jin Shu, vol. 100
- ^ (十二月，議郎周玘、前南平內史長沙王矩起兵江東以討石冰，推前吳興太守吳郡顧祕都督揚州九郡諸軍事，傳檄州郡，殺冰所署將吏。於是前侍御史賀循起兵於會稽，廬江內史廣陵華譚及丹陽葛洪、甘卓皆起以應祕。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.85
- ^ (冰遣其將羌毒帥兵數萬拒玘，玘擊斬之。冰自臨淮趨壽春。征東將軍劉準聞冰至，惶懼不知所爲。廣陵度支廬江陳敏統衆在壽春，謂準曰：「此等本不樂遠戍，逼迫成賊，烏合之衆，其勢易離，敏請督運兵爲公破之。」準乃益敏兵，使擊之。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.85
- ^ (破吳弘、石冰等，敏遂乘勝逐北，戰數十合。時冰眾十倍，敏以少擊眾，每戰皆克，遂至揚州。) Jin Shu, vol.100
- ^ (三月，冰北走，投封雲，雲司馬張統斬冰及雲以降，揚、徐二州平。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.85
- Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
- Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.