Yin Jiao (Chinese: 殷峤), better known by his courtesy name Kaishan (Chinese: 殷开山), titled Duke Jie of Xun, was a general and officer in Sui and Tang dynasties of China. Because of his remarkable contributions during the unification wars of Tang dynasty, Yin Kaishan was listed as one of 24 founding officials of the Tang dynasty honored on the Lingyan Pavilion.
Yin Jiao | |
|---|---|
| 殷峤 | |
 | |
| County magistrate of Taigu (太谷县令) | |
| In office ?–? | |
| Monarch | Emperor Yang of Sui |
| County magistrate of Shi'ai (石爱县令) | |
| In office ?–617 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Yang of Sui |
| Yuan (Assistant) in the Grand General Office (大将军府掾) | |
| In office 617–c.618 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Gaozu of Tang |
| Staff in Weibei Circuit General Office (渭北道行军长史) | |
| In office 617–617 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Gaozu of Tang |
| Vice General of Weibei Circuit (渭北道副大使) | |
| In office 617–617 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Gaozu of Tang |
| Vice Minister in the Ministry of Personnel (吏部侍郎) | |
| In office 617–618 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Gaozu of Tang |
| Minister in the Ministry of Personnel (吏部尚书) | |
| In office 619–622 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Gaozu of Tang |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown[1] Huyi |
| Died | 622 Hebei |
| Children | None |
| Parent |
|
| Occupation | General, Official |
| Courtesy name | Kaishan (开山) |
| Title | Duke of Xun (勋国公) |
| Posthumous name | Jie (节) |
In history
editYin Kaishan became popular at a young age because of his outstanding skills in writing and calligraphy. He served as the county magistrate in Taigu and Shi'ai counties during the Sui dynasty.[2] When Li Yuan, the later Emperor Gaozu of Tang, rebelled against Sui dynasty in Jinyang in 617, Yin Kaishan joined the rebellion force. Li Yuan appointed him to be the assistant in the grand general's office. Soon after that, Yin Kaishan took part in the Battle of Huoyi, the key battle that secured Li Yuan's success in establishing the Tang dynasty.[3]
Yin Kaishan also took part in campaigns against Xue Ju, a warlord based in Jincheng, and Liu Wuzhou, a warlord based in northern Shanxi. During the battle against Xue Ju, Yin Kaishan was defeated because he underestimated the enemy and did not obey the order from Li Shimin, the chief general of Tang in this campaign. Yin was demoted after the battle due to his fault.[4] However, in the next battle against Xue Ju's son Xue Renguo, Yin Kaishan made major contributions, so he was promoted back to his old position after the war.[5] In the campaign against Liu Wuzhou, Yin Kaishan led a key force of Tang during the Battle of Meiliangchuan. Yin Kaishan assisted Qin Shubao in the battle and forced Yuchi Jingde, a top warrior serving for Liu Wuzhou, to surrender to Tang.
In 619, Yin Kaishan was appointed to be the minister in the Ministry of Personnel. Then, he joined the campaign led by Li Shimin against Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande, the two most powerful rivals of Tang dynasty at that time. After the Battle of Hulao, Tang dynasty captured both Wang and Dou. Yin Kaishan was given a title of Duke of Xun by Emperor Gaozu of Tang after the campaign to award his contributions.[6]
In 622, Yin Kaishan died on the way to Hebei to fight against the rebel Liu Heita.[7]
In popular culture
editIn folk stories, Yin Kaishan was regarded as one of the four guards (the other three being Liu Hongji, Duan Zhixuan and Ma Sanbao) to protect Li Shimin when he was the Prince of Qin. During the campaign against Goguryeo, Yin Kaishan and the other three guards were killed by Yeon Gaesomun in the battle at Fenghuang Mountain.
In the classic novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en, the monk Xuanzang was said to be the son of Yin Wenjiao, who was Yin Kaishan's daughter.
Family
editYin Kaishan is a descendant of the Yin clan from Chen Prefecture, which was one of the powerful clans during the Southern dynasties.
Great-great-grandfather:
- Yin Ren: A general under the Prince of Yuzhang during the Southern Qi dynasty
Great-grandfather:
- Yin Gaoming: An officer in the Ministry of Wars during the Liang dynasty[8]
Grandfather:
- Yin Buhai: An officer of the Board of Agriculture during the Chen dynasty, also a famous artist [9]
Granduncles:
Father:
- Yin Sengshou: an imperial secretary of the Sui dynasty[10]
Brother：
Son: Yin Kaishan did not have any sons. However, his nephew Yin Yuan was considered as his son after the formal adoption to succeed his title of nobility.[13]
References
edit- ^ If the "elder brother" mentioned in Yin Qinzhou's epitaph was Yin Kaishan, then his birth year should be before 586.
- ^ Old Book of Tang: 峤少以学行见称，尤工尺牍。仕隋太谷长，有治名。
- ^ Zizhi Tongjian: 渊使殷开山趣召后军。
- ^ Old Book of Tang: 从击薛举，为元帅府司马。时太宗有疾，委军于刘文静，诫之曰：“贼众远来，利在急战，难与争锋。且宜持久，待粮尽，然后可图。”峤退谓文静曰：“王体不安，虑公不济，故发此言。宜因机破贼，何乃以勍敌遗王也！”久之，言于文静曰：“王不豫，恐贼轻我，请耀武以威之。”遂陈兵于折墌，为举所乘，军乃大败。峤坐减死除名。
- ^ Old Book of Tang:后从平薛仁杲，复其爵位。
- ^ Old Book of Tang: 武德二年，兼陕东道大行台兵部尚书，迁吏部尚书。从太宗讨平王世充，以功进爵郧国公。
- ^ Old Book of Tang: 复从征刘黑闼，道病卒。太宗亲临丧，哭之甚恸，赠陕东道大行台右仆射，谥曰节。
- ^ History of the Southern Dynasties: 父高明，梁尚书兵部郎。
- ^ Book of Chen: 殷不害，字长卿，陈郡长平人也。祖任，齐豫章王行参军。父高明，梁尚书中兵郎。
- ^ Old Book of Tang: 殷峤，字开山，雍州鄠县人，陈司农卿不害孙也。其先本居陈郡，陈亡，徙关中。父僧首，隋秘书丞，有名于世。
- ^ Yin Qinzhou's epitaph mentioned that he died at the age of 60 (by East Asian reckoning) on the 13th day of the 10th month of the 19th year of the Zhen'guan era (以贞观十九年十月十三日遘疾终於京师通化里第，春秋六十。)
- ^ Yin Qinzhou's epitaph mentioned that his father was Yin Sengshou. (父僧首，周谯王友、文学大夫，随秘书丞、秦王司马、济阳县开国伯。) The epitaph also mentioned that Qinzhou was given the post of Shangshe Zhizhang because of his elder brother. (以兄任为尚舍直长。) This elder brother was probably Yin Kaishan.
- ^ Jin Shi Lu by Zhao Mingcheng in Song dynasty: 唐殷元，吏部尚书峤弟之子，峤无子，以元嗣。