An Lushan: Difference between revisions
Reinstated "Iranian", per Encyclopedia Britannica. You are interpreting the source: if the Britannica says "Iranian" (as most of the Google hits by the way), it is enough to write it here. |
+ref, Britannica also said he is Turkish, we're not gonna take this crap. |
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'''An Lushan''' ({{zh-tsp|t=安祿山|s=安禄山|p=Ān Lùshān}}) (ca. [[703]]?<ref name=Xu>Xu, Daoxun et al (1993). ''The Biography of Tang Xuanzong''. Beijing: People's Press. ISBN 7-01-001210-5. p. 455-456</ref> - [[757]]) was a military leader of [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]]-[[Sogdiana|Sogdian |
'''An Lushan''' ({{zh-tsp|t=安祿山|s=安禄山|p=Ān Lùshān}}) (ca. [[703]]?<ref name=Xu>Xu, Daoxun et al (1993). ''The Biography of Tang Xuanzong''. Beijing: People's Press. ISBN 7-01-001210-5. p. 455-456</ref> - [[757]]) was a military leader of [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]]-[[Sogdiana|Sogdian]]<ref> According to ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', he was a [[Iranian]] and [[Turkish]] (not [[Turkic]]) descent, but the source further mentioned that An's family name An was derived from the Chinese name for Bukhara in Sogdiana (present Uzbekistan). Source: [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9007306/An-Lu-shan Encyclopedia Britannica]</ref><ref name=Beike>Yang, Zhijiu, "An Lushan". ''[[Encyclopedia of China]]'' (Chinese History Edition), 1st ed.</ref><ref name=Zhong>Zhong, Han. Ah Lushan Dengzahu De Neiya Wenhua Beijing" ("The Cultural Background on An Lushan, etc in Inner Asia——With the Discussion on the Inner Asia-ized of Sute or Sogdian"). Journal of Chinese Historical Studies. 2005.1. ISSN 1002-7963.</ref> origin during the [[Tang Dynasty]] in [[China]]. He rose to prominence by fighting during the [[Tang Frontier Wars]] between 741 and 755. Later, he precipitated the catastrophic [[An Shi Rebellion]], which lasted from 755 to 763. |
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''An Lushan'' is in fact the [[Sinicization|Sinicized]] version of the name '''An Rokhan'''. The first part is the family name, and the second part is the personal name. |
''An Lushan'' is in fact the [[Sinicization|Sinicized]] version of the name '''An Rokhan'''. The first part is the family name, and the second part is the personal name. |
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An Lushan real father was surnamed Kang, the prefix An belonged to his step-father, both were probably from the [[Sogdian]] Kingdom of Kang (康国) and An (安国) situated around [[Samarkand]] and [[Bukhara]].<ref name=Xu/><ref name=Xue>Xue, Zongzheng (1992). "A History of Turks". Beijing: Chinese Social Sciences Press. ISBN 7-5004-0432-8. p. 329, 602-606</ref><ref>Mu, Weisheng (2000). ''The Critical Biography of Guo Ziyi''. ISBN 7-80628-406-0. p. 54</ref><ref name=Beike>Yang, Zhijiu, [http://203.72.198.245/web/Content.asp?ID=50785&Query=1 "An Lushan"]. ''[[Encyclopedia of China]]'' (Chinese History Edition), 1st ed.</ref> The An are not to be confused with earlier [[Anxi (Parthia)|Anxi]], which had been established as a prefecture by the Chinese in 661.<ref>Yu Taishan (2nd Edition 2003). ''A Comprehensive History of Western Regions''. Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou Guji Press. ISBN 7-5348-1266-6. p. 169</ref><ref name=Xue/> ''Rokhan'' in the [[Sogdian language]] means "light" (related to the female name ''[[Roxana]]'', borne by the Bactrian lady who married [[Alexander the Great]]). |
An Lushan real father was surnamed Kang, the prefix An belonged to his step-father, both were probably from the [[Sogdian]] Kingdom of Kang (康国) and An (安国) situated around [[Samarkand]] and [[Bukhara]].<ref name=Xu/><ref name=Xue>Xue, Zongzheng (1992). "A History of Turks". Beijing: Chinese Social Sciences Press. ISBN 7-5004-0432-8. p. 329, 602-606</ref><ref>Mu, Weisheng (2000). ''The Critical Biography of Guo Ziyi''. ISBN 7-80628-406-0. p. 54</ref><ref name=Beike>Yang, Zhijiu, [http://203.72.198.245/web/Content.asp?ID=50785&Query=1 "An Lushan"]. ''[[Encyclopedia of China]]'' (Chinese History Edition), 1st ed.</ref><ref name=Zhong/> The An are not to be confused with earlier [[Anxi (Parthia)|Anxi]], which had been established as a prefecture by the Chinese in 661.<ref>Yu Taishan (2nd Edition 2003). ''A Comprehensive History of Western Regions''. Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou Guji Press. ISBN 7-5348-1266-6. p. 169</ref><ref name=Xue/> ''Rokhan'' in the [[Sogdian language]] means "light" (related to the female name ''[[Roxana]]'', borne by the Bactrian lady who married [[Alexander the Great]]). |
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An Rokhan was part of a large population of expatriate [[Turkic peoples|Turk]]s and Sogdians living in the frontier trade colonies of northwestern China. His father was a Bukharan ''sartapo'' (merchant) employed by the Turkic [[Khanate]] to administer their domains. At this time, many Sogdians were working as diplomats and administrators for the Turks. His mother was a full-blooded Turkic Shaman, no doubt coerced into a political marriage. Growing up in a town in [[Ürümqi]], Rokhan was working as a sartapo in the market when he was accused of sheep [[theft]] and sentenced to death. He escaped from the city and joined the Tang army as a mercenary. By distinguishing himself in the border wars of the northwestern frontier, particularly the [[Khitan people|Khitan]] invasion of 751-752, Rokhan rose through the ranks to become the military governor of [[Fanyang Province]] ([[Hebei]]) as (''[[jiedushi]]'') of [[Manchuria]]. Enormously fat, he became the favorite of the Emperor's beloved concubine, the lady [[Yang Guifei]]. Through her influence, he was appointed a Duke in the latter year, and eventually was made governor of three major frontier provinces in the northeast, each with a sizable army. |
An Rokhan was part of a large population of expatriate [[Turkic peoples|Turk]]s and Sogdians living in the frontier trade colonies of northwestern China. His father was a Bukharan ''sartapo'' (merchant) employed by the Turkic [[Khanate]] to administer their domains. At this time, many Sogdians were working as diplomats and administrators for the Turks. His mother was a full-blooded Turkic Shaman, no doubt coerced into a political marriage. Growing up in a town in [[Ürümqi]], Rokhan was working as a sartapo in the market when he was accused of sheep [[theft]] and sentenced to death. He escaped from the city and joined the Tang army as a mercenary. By distinguishing himself in the border wars of the northwestern frontier, particularly the [[Khitan people|Khitan]] invasion of 751-752, Rokhan rose through the ranks to become the military governor of [[Fanyang Province]] ([[Hebei]]) as (''[[jiedushi]]'') of [[Manchuria]]. Enormously fat, he became the favorite of the Emperor's beloved concubine, the lady [[Yang Guifei]]. Through her influence, he was appointed a Duke in the latter year, and eventually was made governor of three major frontier provinces in the northeast, each with a sizable army. |
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Revision as of 07:58, 28 July 2007
An Lushan (simplified Chinese: 安禄山; traditional Chinese: 安祿山; pinyin: Ān Lùshān) (ca. 703?[1] - 757) was a military leader of Turkic-Sogdian[2][3][4] origin during the Tang Dynasty in China. He rose to prominence by fighting during the Tang Frontier Wars between 741 and 755. Later, he precipitated the catastrophic An Shi Rebellion, which lasted from 755 to 763.
An Lushan is in fact the Sinicized version of the name An Rokhan. The first part is the family name, and the second part is the personal name. An Lushan real father was surnamed Kang, the prefix An belonged to his step-father, both were probably from the Sogdian Kingdom of Kang (康国) and An (安国) situated around Samarkand and Bukhara.[1][5][6][3][4] The An are not to be confused with earlier Anxi, which had been established as a prefecture by the Chinese in 661.[7][5] Rokhan in the Sogdian language means "light" (related to the female name Roxana, borne by the Bactrian lady who married Alexander the Great).
An Rokhan was part of a large population of expatriate Turks and Sogdians living in the frontier trade colonies of northwestern China. His father was a Bukharan sartapo (merchant) employed by the Turkic Khanate to administer their domains. At this time, many Sogdians were working as diplomats and administrators for the Turks. His mother was a full-blooded Turkic Shaman, no doubt coerced into a political marriage. Growing up in a town in Ürümqi, Rokhan was working as a sartapo in the market when he was accused of sheep theft and sentenced to death. He escaped from the city and joined the Tang army as a mercenary. By distinguishing himself in the border wars of the northwestern frontier, particularly the Khitan invasion of 751-752, Rokhan rose through the ranks to become the military governor of Fanyang Province (Hebei) as (jiedushi) of Manchuria. Enormously fat, he became the favorite of the Emperor's beloved concubine, the lady Yang Guifei. Through her influence, he was appointed a Duke in the latter year, and eventually was made governor of three major frontier provinces in the northeast, each with a sizable army.
He had good relations with Li Linfu, the high chancellor. But when the latter died, An came into conflict with Li's replacement, Yang Guozhong. Eventually, stung by repeated accusations of plotting treachery, An launched the An Lushan Rebellion in 755. That year marked the watershed of Tang power. Rokhan led an army of about 150,000 soldiers from Peking (Beijing) and captured the eastern capital city of Loyang (Luoyang) in the fall of that year. Gross military incompetence by Chief Minister Yang Guozhong (Lady Yang's cousin and An's accuser) then permitted the capture of the main Tang capital of Chang'an (Sian/Xi'an) in 756, and Rokhan proclaimed himself emperor. However, in 757, he was murdered by his own son, when he showed signs of extreme paranoia to those around him. (It has been suggested that this was a symptom of acute diabetes, due to his obesity.) Although his rebellion was eventually crushed, it forced the Tang dynasty to became overdependent on the goodwill of provincial governors and military commanders, thus irretrievably eroding the Tang's central authority.
References
- ^ a b Xu, Daoxun et al (1993). The Biography of Tang Xuanzong. Beijing: People's Press. ISBN 7-01-001210-5. p. 455-456
- ^ According to Encyclopedia Britannica, he was a Iranian and Turkish (not Turkic) descent, but the source further mentioned that An's family name An was derived from the Chinese name for Bukhara in Sogdiana (present Uzbekistan). Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
- ^ a b Yang, Zhijiu, "An Lushan". Encyclopedia of China (Chinese History Edition), 1st ed. Cite error: The named reference "Beike" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b Zhong, Han. Ah Lushan Dengzahu De Neiya Wenhua Beijing" ("The Cultural Background on An Lushan, etc in Inner Asia——With the Discussion on the Inner Asia-ized of Sute or Sogdian"). Journal of Chinese Historical Studies. 2005.1. ISSN 1002-7963.
- ^ a b Xue, Zongzheng (1992). "A History of Turks". Beijing: Chinese Social Sciences Press. ISBN 7-5004-0432-8. p. 329, 602-606
- ^ Mu, Weisheng (2000). The Critical Biography of Guo Ziyi. ISBN 7-80628-406-0. p. 54
- ^ Yu Taishan (2nd Edition 2003). A Comprehensive History of Western Regions. Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou Guji Press. ISBN 7-5348-1266-6. p. 169
- E. G. Pulleyblank, The Background of the Rebellion of An Lu-Shan, London: Oxford University Press (1955)
- E. G. Pulleyblank, "The An Lu-Shan Rebellion and the Origins of Chronic Militarism in Late T'ang China", in Perry & Smith, Essays on T'ang Society, Leiden: E. J. Brill (1976)
- Denis Twitchett (ed.), The Cambridge History of China, Volume 3, Sui and T'ang China, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1979)