Wu Guang

Wu Guang
Traditional Chinese吳廣
Simplified Chinese吴广
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWú Guǎng
Wade–GilesWu Kuang
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingNg4 Gwong2
Uprisings of Qin dynasty, including Chen Sheng and Wu Guang's Dazexiang Uprising.

Wu Guang (simplified Chinese: 吴广; traditional Chinese: 吳廣, died December 209 BC or January 208 BC) was a leader of the first rebellion against the Qin dynasty during the reign of the Second Qin Emperor.

Life

Wu Guang was born in Yangxia (陽夏; present-day Taikang County, Zhoukou, Henan), and his courtesy name was Shu. In August or September 209 BC, he was a military captain along with Chen Sheng when the two of them were ordered to lead 900 soldiers to Yuyang (漁陽; southwest of present-day Miyun County, Beijing) to help defend the northern border against Xiongnu. Due to storms, it became clear that they could not get to Yuyang by the deadline, and according to law, if soldiers could not get to their posts on time, they would be executed. Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, believing that they were doomed, led their soldiers to start a rebellion. They announced that Fusu, the crown prince of Qin, who had wrongly been forced to commit suicide, and Xiang Yan (項燕), a general of Chu, had not died and were joining their cause. They also declared the reestablishment of Chu.

Using 900 men to resist an empire seemed to be a suicidal move, but the people, who had felt deeply oppressed by the Qin regime, joined Chen Sheng and Wu Guang's cause quickly. Soon, there were people asking Chen Sheng to declare himself "King of Chu". Against the advice of Zhang Er and Chen Yu, Chen Sheng declared himself "King of Rising Chu" (張楚王).

After Chen Sheng set up his capital at Chen County (陳縣; in present-day Huaiyang, Henan), he appointed Wu Guang as acting-'King of Chu' and ordered Wu to head west toward Qin proper. Wu Guang's forces, however, became bogged down while laying siege to Xingyang (滎陽; northeast of present-day Xingyang, Henan). Wu Guang's generals became concerned that Qin reinforcements under Zhang Han would soon arrive and attack them on two sides. They wanted to change Wu Guang's plans, end the siege of Xingyang, and face Zhang Han's forces directly. Unconvinced that Wu Guang would change his plans, they assassinated Wu and took over the army.

Legacy

Wu Guang sometimes appears as a door god in Chinese and Taoist temples, usually partnered with Chen Sheng.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Records of the Grand Historian, Wu Guang died shortly before Chen Sheng; Chen Sheng died in the 12th month of the 1st year of the reign of Qin Er Shi. This corresponds to 4 Jan to 1 Feb 208 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar. Thus, Wu Guang's death date should be in Dec 209 BC or Jan 208 BC.
  2. ↑ Records of the Grand Historian dated the incident to the 7th month of the 1st year of the reign of Qin Er Shi. This corresponds to 9 Aug to 7 Sep 209 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar.

References

  1. ↑ ([二世元年]腊月，陈王之汝阴，还至下城父，其御庄贾杀以降秦.）Shiji, vol.48.
  2. ↑ (吴广者，阳夏人也，字叔。) Shiji, vol.48
  3. ↑ (二世元年七月，发闾左适戍渔阳，九百人屯大泽乡。...) Shiji, vol.48
  4. ↑ ([秦二世元年]秋，七月，阳城人陈胜、阳夏人吴广起兵于蕲。〈《史记正义》曰：即河南阳城县；班《志》，属颍川郡。阳夏县属淮阳国。《括地志》：陈州太康县，本汉阳夏县地。盘洲洪氏曰：阳夏乡去太康县三十里。夏，音贾。班《志》，蕲县属沛郡，有大泽乡。蕲，音渠依翻。〉是时，发闾左戍渔阳，〈鼂错曰：秦以谪发戍，先发吏有谪及赘婿、贾人，后以尝有市籍者，又后以大父母尝有市籍者，后入闾取其左。《索隐》曰：闾左，谓居闾里之左也。秦时，复除者居闾左。今力役凡在闾左者尽发之也。又云：凡居以富强为右，贫弱为左。秦役戍多富者，役尽，兼取贫弱而发之也。班《志》，渔阳县属渔阳郡。《括地志》：渔阳故城在檀州密云县南十八里，在渔水之阳。〉九百人屯大泽乡，陈胜、吴广皆为屯长。〈师古曰：人所聚为屯。长，帅也。〉会天大雨，道不通，度已失期；〈度，徒洛翻。〉失期，法皆斩。陈胜、吴广因天下之愁怨，乃杀将尉....) Zizhi Tongjian, vol.07, with annotations by Hu Sanxing