Lai Hu'er

Lai Hu'er, courtesy name Chongshan, titled Duke of Rong, was a general in Sui dynasty of China. He played an important role in the conquest of Chen dynasty in 589, as well as the campaigns against Goguryeo led by Emperor Yang.

Lai Hu'er
来护儿
Personal details
Bornunknown
Yangzhou
Died618
Yangzhou
ChildrenLai Heng, Lai Ji
FatherLai Famin
OccupationGeneral in Sui dynasty
Courtesy nameChongshan (崇善)
TitleDuke of Rong (荣国公)
In this Chinese name, the family name is Lai.

In history

Lai Hu'er was born in Guangling (today's Yangzhou) during the late Southern and Northern Dynasties period. His parents died when he was young, and he was adopted by Aunt Wu, the wife of his father's elder brother.[1] In 581, Yang Jian overthrew the Northern Zhou dynasty and established Sui dynasty. To prepare for the war against Chen dynasty in the south, Sui dynasty ordered the general He Ruobi to lead a troop to guard Shouzhou, a city near Guangling. Lai Hu'er thus had a chance to join the Sui army.[2][3] He Ruobi sent Lai Hu'er to Chen dynasty as a spy. Lai Hu'er made several contributions as a spy and was promoted to be a Da Dudu (Chinese: 大都督; lit. 'Grand commander of troops'). In 589, Sui launched massive campaigns against the Chen dynasty in order to unify China. Lai Hu'er took part in this war and was further promoted to be a high-ranked official in the military after the war.

In 590, because people in the previous Chen dynasty were unaccustomed of Sui's laws, they rebelled against Sui under the leadership of Gao Zhihui. The Emperor Wen of Sui ordered Yang Su and Lai Hu'er to put down the rebellion. During the campaign, Lai Hu'er provided a good strategy that eventually helped Sui defeat the rebels. After this campaign, Lai Hu'er was promoted to be the Grand General, given a title of Duke of Xiangyang County, and appointed to be the governor of Quanzhou. In the same year, Lai Hu'er defeated some other remnants forces of Gao Zhihui and was promoted to Duke of Yongning Prefecture.[4]

In 604 after Emperor Yang became the new emperor, Lai Hu'er was promoted to be a top general of the royal guard army in the central court. His title was also promoted to be Duke of Rong. He was the favorite general to Emperor Yang. When Emperor Yang was touring the empire, he always let Lai Hu'er to be his personal guard outside of the palace. During his service as a senior general, he discovered the talent of Qin Shubao and predicted that Qin would eventually be a great general.[5][6]

In 612, Emperor Yang launched his first campaign against Goguryeo. In this campaign, Lai Hu'er was appointed to be the Chief Commander of Pyongyang Circuit. He led the naval force of Sui dynasty to attack Goguryeo, and defeated the Goguryeo army 30 kilometers away from the Pyongyang city.[7] He then ordered his troops to attack Pyongyang. His vice commander Zhou Fashang suggested that they should be careful because Goguryeo people were good at ambushing. Lai Hu'er did not take that suggestion. He marched towards the Pyongyang city with 40,000 men, and was ambushed by Goguryeo army outside of the city. Fortunately, Zhou Fashang reinforced him with the rest of the Sui troops so that Lai Hu'er managed to retreat back to the harbor. After other circuits of Sui dynasty attacking the Goguryeo from land were all defeated in Liaodong, Lai Hu'er retreated back to Sui dynasty.[8]

In 613, Emperor Yang launched the second campaign against Goguryeo. Lai Hu'er, again, was ordered to lead the navy as the Chief Commander of Canghai Circuit to attack Pyongyang from the sea.[9] Not long after the campaign started, Yang Xuangan rebelled against Sui in Luoyang. Lai Hu'er decided to draw back from Korea immediately and to encircle Yang Xuangan with some of other Sui generals such as Yuwen Shu. His vice commander Zhou Fashang was afraid that if they draw back without the permission from the emperor, they would be punished. Lai said that Goguryeo was only like a minor illness, but Yang Xuangan was like a life-threatening disease to Sui dynasty.[10] Then, he took his men back to Sui dynasty and eventually suppressed Yang Xuangan along with other Sui forces. The emperor was pleased with his decision and promoted him to be a chancellor.[11]

In 614, during the third campaign against Goguryeo, Lai Hu'er led the navy for the third time and defeated Goguryeo army during a battle at Sabi. King Yeongyang of Goguryeo was scared by Lai's attack and thus surrendered to Emperor Yang. Lai planned to continue attacking the Goguryeo, but the emperor accepted Goguryeo's surrender and asked Lai to withdraw.[12]

In 615, when Emperor Yang was touring the northern border of the emperor, he was encircled by Tujue at Yanmen. Lai Hu'er led his troop to protect the general at Yanmen, and successfully held the city until reinforcements led by other Sui generals such as Li Shimin and Wang Shichong arrived. In 618, when Emperor Yang was touring the Jiangdu, Yuwen Huaji led a military mutiny. Emperor Yang was killed. Lai Hu'er was also killed during the fight in order to protect the emperor. Most of his sons were also executed by Yuwen Huaji after the mutiny.

Lai Hu'er was one of the prototypes that inspired the creation of the popular fictional figure Yang Lin. Folk tale writers in ancient China mixed stories of Lai Hu'er, Zhang Xutuo and Yang Shuang and created the story of Yang Lin that would be one of the most celebrated fictional figures in the folk culture. In some other versions of folk tales, Lai Hu'er was portrayed as a great warrior whose weapon was a steel spear.

Family

Notable ancestors:

Great Grandfather:

Grandfather:

  • Lai Yi: A mid-ranked general in Liang dynasty

Father:

Sons: Lai Hu'er had 12 sons. Six of them were recorded in the history with names. Other sons were all killed by Yuwen Huaji during the mutiny in Jiangdu.

  • Lai Kai: the eldest son. A mid-ranked official in the central court of Sui dynasty, and was killed by Yuwen Huaji.
  • Lai Yuan: the second son. Joined the rebellion of Yang Xuangan, and was defeated by Lai Hu'er and Yuwen Shu.
  • Lai Hong: the fifth son. A high-ranked official in the central court of Sui dynasty, and was killed by Yuwen Huaji.
  • Lai Zheng: the sixth son. Duke of Xiangyang County. Killed by Yuwen Huaji.
  • Lai Heng: the eleventh son. Survived in the Jiangdu Mutiny, and became a chancellor in Tang dynasty.
  • Lai Ji: the twelfth son. Survived in the Jiangdu Mutiny, and became a chancellor in Tang dynasty.[14]

Notable descendant:

  • Monk Benzhi

References
  1. History of the Northern Dynasties: 护儿未识而孤，养于世母吴氏。吴氏提携鞠养，甚有慈训。
  2. Book of Sui:贺若弼之镇寿州也，常令护儿为间谍，授大都督。
  3. History of the Northern Dynasties:及开皇初，宇文忻、宇若弼等镇广陵，并深相礼重。除大都督，领本乡兵。
  4. History of the Northern Dynasties:十一年，高智慧据江南反，以子总管统兵隋杨素讨之。贼据浙江岸为营，周亘百余里，船舰被江，鼓噪而进。护儿言于素曰：“吴人累锐，利在舟楫。必死之贼，难与争锋。公且严阵以待之，勿与接刃，请假奇兵数千，潜度江，掩破其壁，使退无所归，进不得战，此韩信破赵之策也。”素以为然。护儿乃以轻舸数百，直登江岸，袭破其营，因纵火，烟焰张天。贼顾火而惧，素因是动，一鼓破之。智慧将逃于海，护儿追至闽中，余党皆平。进位大将军。除泉州刺史，封襄阳县公。
  5. History of the Northern Dynasties:炀帝嗣位，被追入朝。仍除右骁卫大将军。寻迁左。又改上柱国为光禄大夫，徙右翊卫大将军，进封荣国公，恩礼隆密，朝臣无比。
  6. New Book of Tang:始为隋将来护儿帐内，母丧，护儿遣使襚吊之。吏怪曰：“士卒死丧，将军未有所问，今独吊叔宝何也？”护儿曰：“是子才而武，志节完整，岂久处卑贱邪？”
  7. History of the Northern Dynasties:辽东之役，以护儿为平壤道行军总管，兼检校东莱郡太守，率楼船指沧海。入自浿水，去平壤六十里，高丽主高元扫境内兵以拒之。
  8. Zizhi Tongjian:护儿欲乘胜趣其城，副总管周法尚止之，请俟诸军至俱进。护儿不听，简精甲四万，直造城下。高丽伏兵于罗郭内空寺中，出兵与护儿战而伪败，护儿逐之入城，纵兵俘掠，无复部伍。伏兵发，护儿大败，仅而获免，士卒还者不过数千人。高丽追至船所，周法尚整陈待之，高丽乃退。
  9. History of the Northern Dynasties:明年，又出沧海道，师次东莱，会杨玄感反，进攻洛阳，护儿闻之，召裨将周法尚等议旋军讨逆。
  10. Zizhi Tongjian:洛阳被围，心腹之疾；高丽逆命，犹疥癣耳
  11. History of the Northern Dynasties: 于是护儿与宇文述破玄感于阌乡，斩平之。还，加开府仪同三司，赐物五千段、黄金千两、奴婢百人，赠父法敏东阳郡太守、永宁县公。
  12. History of the Northern Dynasties:十一年，又率师渡海，破高丽奢卑等二城。高丽举国来战，护儿大破之。将趣平壤，高元震惧，使执叛臣斛斯政诣辽东城下请降。帝许之，诏护儿旋军。
  13. History of the Northern Dynasties:本南阳新野人，汉中郎将歙十八世孙也。曾祖成，魏新野县侯，后归梁，徙居广陵，因家焉。位终六合令。
  14. New Book of Tang: 济异母兄恒，上元中，为黄门侍郎、同中书门下三品，父本骁将，而恒、济俱以学行称，相次知政事。时虞世南子昶无才术，历将作少匠、工部侍郎，主工作。许敬宗曰：“护儿儿作相，世南男作匠，文武岂有种邪？”
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