Han Huang (Jin dynasty)

Han Huang was a military general of the Jin dynasty (266–420) and a subordinate to the rebel Su Jun. He joined Su Jun in his rebellion against the Jin dynasty and after his death, continued to serve his son Su Yi. He would die in a last stand in 329 while leading remnants of Su Jun's rebels.

For the Tang dynasty official, see Han Huang.
Han Huang
韓晃
Personal details
BornUnknown
He County, Anhui
Died329
Mount Pinglang, Liyang, Jiangsu
In this Chinese name, the family name is Han.

Life

The earliest mention of Han Huang is in 324, who followed Su Jun during Wang Dun's second insurrection against the Jin government. Wang Dun's forces were about to battle Su Jun's army at Qinhuai River during the night. Wang Dun believed that Su Jun and his men were tired due to marching long distances but just as the battle started, Han Huang flanked his troops and routed them.[1]

In 326, the Later Zhao general Shi Cong (石聰) invaded Jin. The Jin court initially ignored Zu Yue's call for help when Cong attacked Shouchun but panicked when Junqiu (浚遒, in present-day Feidong County, Anhui) and Fuling (阜陵; in present-day Quanjiao County, Anhui) were invaded as well. Wang Dao was made Grand Marshal to stop him, but just before he could take action, Su Jun sent Han Huang to help Zu Yue repel Shi Cong. Han Huang defeated him and Shi Cong fled back to Zhao.[2]

The following year, Su Jun and Zu Yue would rebel against Jin. Su Jun's first course of action was to capture Jin's food supply at Gushu (姑孰, in present-day Dangtu County, Anhui). Han Huang led Su Jun's other generals with him to capture it, and once they did, they marched to Cihu (慈湖, in present-day Jinjiazhung District, Anhui) where they killed the Prefect of Yuhu (于湖, in present-day Wuhu, Anhui), Tao Fu (陶馥) and General Who Spread Might Sima Liu (司馬流).[3] Later, Han Huang campaigned against Huan Yi (桓彝, Huan Wen's father) at Wuhu. After pushing him back, Han Huang advanced to Xuancheng, pillaging the area before returning to Su Jun.[4]

As loyalist troops began surrounding Su Jun, Su Jun sent Han Huang to Yixing. Han Huang fought with Huan Yi again at Lanshi (蘭石, in present-day Xuancheng, Anhui) through Huan's general Yu Zong (俞縱). Although Han Huang was coming close to annihilating Yu Zong's army, Yu refused to retreat and perished in battle. Han Huang proceed to attack Jing County where Huan Yi had camped. Han Huang killed Huan in battle after Huan's subordinate Jiang Bo (江播) betrayed him.[5]

Han Huang was assaulting Daye (大業, in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu) when news of Su Jun's death in battle reached him. The rebels had appointed Su Jun's brother Su Yi (蘇逸) as his successor at Shitou, so Han Huang withdrew from Daye to see Su Yi. The following year, Han Huang joined Su Yi in attacking the governmental complex at Jiankang. Han Huang fought Mao Bao where the two exchanged banter. Han said to Mao, "You are said to be a brave man, why not come out and fight?" to which Mao replied "You are said to be a skillful general, why not come in and fight?" Han laughed before eventually withdrawing.[6]

Su Jun's other brother, Su Shuo (蘇碩) would be killed by Wen Jiao which worried Han Huang and the other commanders as the loyalists approached Shitou. Han Huang led Su Yi and his remaining forces to Qu'a (曲阿, in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu) to join Zhang Jian but the passes and gates in Shitou were so narrow that his followers began stampeding on each other, leaving thousands dead. It also gave loyalist troops ample time to catch up with the rebels, and they captured and executed Su Yi, although Han Huang and the others managed to escape, changing their destination to Guzhang. Han Huang would make his last stand at Mount Pingling (平陵山, in present-day Liyang, Jiangsu) when Chi Jian's Army Advisor, Li Hong (李閎) surrounded the remaining rebels. Zhang Jian (張健) and the rest of the rebel leaders were afraid to come down from the mountain. Han Huang personally went out with two quiver of arrows and sat on a chair. Han Huang took aim at the loyalists and killed many of them. It was not until he ran out of arrows that he would be killed. The remaining rebels would perish with him, thus ending Su Jun's rebellion.[7]

References
  1. (敦遣峻兄說峻曰：「富貴可坐取，何為自來送死？」峻不從，遂率眾赴京師，頓于司徒故府。道遠行速，軍人疲困。沈充、錢鳳謀曰：「北軍新到，未堪攻戰，擊之必克。若復猶豫，後難犯也」賊於其夜度竹格渚，拔柵將戰，峻率其將韓晃于南塘橫截，大破之。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
  2. (石勒將石聰攻壽陽，不克，遂侵逡遒、阜陵。加司徒王導大司馬、假黃鉞、都督中外征討諸軍事以禦之。歷陽太守蘇峻遣其將韓晃討石聰，走之。) Book of Jin, Volume 7
  3. (峻遣將韓晃、張健等襲姑孰，進逼慈湖，殺于湖令陶馥及振威將軍司馬流。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
  4. (辛未，彝進屯蕪湖。韓晃擊破之，因進攻宣城，彝退保廣德，晃大掠諸縣而還。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 93
  5. (韓晃又攻宣城，害太守桓彝。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
  6. (蘇逸、蘇碩、韓晃幷力攻臺城，焚太極東堂及祕閣，毛寶登城，射殺數十人。晃謂寶曰：「君名勇果，何不出鬬？」寶曰：「君名健將，何不入鬬？」晃笑而退。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 94
  7. (健又疑弘徽等不與己同，盡殺之，更以舟軍自延陵向長塘，小大二萬餘口，金銀寶物不可勝數。揚烈將軍王允之與吳興諸軍擊健，大破之，獲男女萬餘口。健復與馬雄、韓晃等輕軍俱走，閎率銳兵追之，及於岩山，攻之甚急。健等不敢下山，惟晃獨出，帶兩步靫箭，卻據胡床，彎弓射之，傷殺甚眾。箭盡，乃斬之。健等遂降，並梟其首。) Book of Jin, Volume 100
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