Misplaced Pages

Guo Mo (died 21 June 330), courtesy name Xuanxiong, was a Chinese military general and warlord of the Jin dynasty (266–420). During the Disaster of Yongjia, he acclaimed himself as a wuzhu (塢主; literally "castle master") before joining another wuzhu, Li Ju against the Han-Zhao and Later Zhao states for control over the Luoyang region. As Li Ju faced defeat, Guo Mo abandoned him and fled south to Jiankang, the capital of the Eastern Jin, where he later sided with the imperial force during Su Jun's Rebellion. After his controversial killing of his contemporary, Liu Yin (劉胤, not to be confused with the Han-Zhao prince Liu Yin) in 330, the ministers, Tao Kan and Yu Liang raised their troops against him and executed him.

As a wuzhu

Early years

Guo Mo was from Huai County in Henei Commandery. His family was described as humble and made a living of selling meat and wine for generations. Guo was said to have martial talents, being able to jump over a roughly 3 metres wide moat while wearing full armour. It was because of this that he earned a position under the Prefect of Henei, Pei Zheng (裴整), as a general. In 310, Pei Zheng was besieged and captured by Han-Zhao forces. Guo gathered Pei Zheng's remaining soldiers and established himself as a wuzhu. The Inspector of Bingzhou, Liu Kun, commissioned him to take up Pei Zheng's position.

For the next few years, Guo amassed a fortune from robbing travellers fleeing east by boat who passed by his territory. This had little to no repercussions for Guo, however, as many refugees would rather join him than stay in Han-Zhao, even more after hearing about his wealth. Guo also treated his soldiers kindly, so they remained loyal to him. On one occasion, Guo Mo's wife's brother, Lu Jia (陸嘉), was stealing rice from the granaries and giving it to his sister. When Guo found out, he tried to execute Lu Jia, but Lu ran away to Han-Zhao. To show that he had no part in the act, Guo personally killed his own wife with a bow.

Conflict with Liu Yao

In 314, Han forces were trying to capture Chang'an. Their general, Liu Yao, was repelled, so Liu turnt to Guo Mo in Huai. Liu surrounded the city and fought till Guo had very little food left. As a compromise, Guo traded his wife and children as hostages in exchange for grain. Liu Yao saw this as a sign of submission, but after the exchange, Guo resumed his defence. Liu Yao was angered by this and had Guo's wife and children drowned in the Huai River. Guo considered abandoning the city as Liu Yao intensified his offence. He sent a letter to his neighbouring wuzhu Li Ju, asking if he could come over to his base in Xinzheng. Li Ju permitted and sent his nephew Guo Song (no family ties to Guo Mo) to escort him. However, Song was wary to approach as he did not have enough troops to face Liu Yao. Coincidentally, an army led by Liu Kun's general Zhang Zhao (張肇) happened to be returning from Chang'an. Li Ju asked Zhang for help, so Zhang sent his Xianbei cavalry to attack Liu Yao. The Han soldiers were startled by the reinforcements and retreated without a fight. Guo arrived at Xinzheng while Liu Yao fell back to Baoban.

Service under Li Ju

In 317, Li Ju was attacked by the Han general Liu Chang (劉暢). Guo sent his younger brother, Guo Zhi (郭芝), to help him but by the time he arrived, Li had already routed the enemy. Nonetheless, Li ordered Guo Zhi to pursue the fleeing enemies during the night. Zhi did so and captured many soldiers before returning. Later that year, Guo raided Hedong Commandery with the former Han general Zhao Gu (趙固), who had surrendered Luoyang to Li Ju. The pair took in thousands of refugees in Sili, although a huge number were killed by pursuing Han forces. The following year, Guo Mo and Guo Song camped at Luorui (洛汭, in modern day Luonan County, Shaanxi) to reinforce Zhao Gu.

In 320, the Han-Zhao commanders guarding Luoyang, Yin An (洛汭), Song Shi (宋始), Song Shu (宋恕), and Zhao Shen (趙愼) all decided to surrender to Later Zhao (Han-Zhao breakaway state formed by Shi Le in 319). Shi Le sent Shi Sheng to receive them, but the generals changed their minds and surrendered to Li Ju instead. Guo Mo quickly reinforced Luoyang, so Sheng only captured Song Shi's army before retreating north. The people of Henan fled to Li Ju, and Luoyang was practically emptied.

In 324, Shi Sheng attacked Guo Song but was defeated. In response, his brother Shi Cong led a surprise attack on Guo Mo. Guo was afraid when he realized he could not overcome Shi Cong and wanted to surrender to Liu Yao (now Emperor of Han-Zhao). Guo sent Zheng Xiong (鄭雄) to discuss this idea with Li Ju, but Li sternly turned it down. Shi Sheng camped at Luoyang and plundered Henan, continuously defeating Li Ju and Guo Mo. As food supply in Li Ju's army were beginning to run low, Guo asked Li once more to align themselves with Liu Yao, and Li finally agreed. Liu Yao accepted their submission, but the reinforcements he sent led by Liu Yue (劉岳) were defeated by Shi Hu. Guo was once again routed by Shi Sheng, causing Guo to abandon his post and secretly make his escape to Jiankang. Li Ju eventually found out of Guo's desertion and became furious. Guo Song pursued him and managed to catch up with him at Xiangcheng. Desperate, Guo Mo left his wife and children before going on the run again.

Su Jun's Rebellion

Guo Mo reached Jiankang while Li Ju later died in a horse accident while returning to the south. During his time in Jiankang, Guo became General Who Conquers the Caitiffs. In 326, he was further made General of the Household Gentlemen of the North, Chief of military affairs north of the Huai River, and acting commander of Liu Xia's forces. In 328, tension between the regent Yu Liang and the warlord Su Jun reached its tipping point. Yu Liang, fearful of Su Jun, recalled his generals back to Jiankang including Guo Mo to defend himself. When war broke out that same year, Guo Mo defended Jiankang but was defeated, and he followed Yu Liang in fleeing to Xunyang.

Later that year, Yu Liang, Wen Jiao and Tao Kan formed a loyalist coalition to take back Jiankang and Emperor Cheng from Su Jun. The loyalist fought Su Jun at Shitou but could were locked in a stalemate. The eastern army under Xi Jian returned to Jingkou to set up defenses in Daye (大業, in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu), Qu'a (曲阿縣; present-day Danyang, Jiangsu), and Chengting (庱亭, in present-day Wujin County, Jiangsu), and Guo was tasked in defending Daye. Su Jun forces led by Han Huang and Zhang Jian (張健) attacked Daye, and soon the water supply within the rampart was used up. Guo quietly fled from his post and left his soldiers to fend for themselves. Panic ensued in Jingkou as news of the situation in Daye reached Xi Jian's army. Regardless, Xi Jian insisted that everyone stood their ground, a decision that proved fruitful as the other loyalist forces were eventually able to defeat and kill Su Jun in battle. Su Jun's remaining forces were destroyed the following year.

Downfall and death

Dispute with Liu Yin

Guo Mo did not appear to have faced punishment for his actions and resumed his role as a border commander. In January 330, Guo was summoned to the capital to become General of the Army of the Right. Guo had no interest in serving in the palace and was annoyed by this, so he vented his frustrations to the Inspector of Jiangzhou, Liu Yin. However, Liu told him he wanted nothing to do with the matter. When Guo was about to take up his new position, he asked Liu for assistance, but Liu once again snubbed him. Liu's advisors were also ill-judged towards Guo, so Guo's resentment for Liu grew. During a Laba Festival, Liu sent Guo a pig's head and a cup of wine, an insulting reference to his family background. Guo, angered, threw Liu's envoy into a nearby river.

Some time that month, a man named Gai Zhun (蓋肫) kidnapped someone's daughter and made her his concubine. Liu's Chief Clerk, Zhang Man (張滿), demanded him to return the daughter to her family, but Gai refused. Earlier, Liu Yin's misconducts warranted him a letter of removal from the court, which he purposefully ignored. Gai went to Guo Mo and told him about the letter. He convinced Guo Mo that Liu Yin was planning something big, and the only person he feared and want to get rid of was Guo Mo. Guo Mo led his men to the government center where Liu Yin was at. Officials who tried to stop Guo were threatened with clan extermination which Guo claimed was sanctioned by the court. Liu Yin was dragged out of the building and beheaded alongside his officials on 29 January 330. Guo Mo sent Liu Yin's head to the court and publicized a forged imperial decree to justify his actions. Guo Mo then took Liu Yin's daughter and concubines for himself while confiscating Liu Yin's property. Guo also tried to get the general Huan Xuan to join him, but Huan turned him down.

Death

In February 330, Liu Yin's head arrived in Jiankang. The Prime Minister Wang Dao felt that Guo was too strong to deal with; on 5 February, he hung the head on a ship and gave Guo Mo Liu's positions. Tao Kan, however, believed Guo must be punished and started raising his troops. Guo tried to appease Tao Kan by sending him gifts as well as the forged edict, but Tao Kan persisted. Soon, Wang decided to back Tao Kan, and Yu Liang would also lead his army against Guo. Guo marched to Yuzhang (豫章; around present-day Nanchang, Jiangxi) to occupy the commandery where he met with Tao Kan's army. Tao was victorious, so Guo withdrew into his part of the city. Yu Liang's army arrived at Penkou (湓口, in present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi) and joined up with Tao Kan.

Tao still valued Guo's talents and wanted to capture him alive, so he sent Guo Song to get him to surrender. Guo Mo initially accepted it but began having second thoughts once he realized that Tao may kill his followers. After he took too long to come out, Tao Kan resumed his offense, this time even more fiercely. Guo was eventually betrayed by his subordinates and brought tied alongside his sons before Tao Kan. Guo was beheaded, and his head was sent to Jiankang. Those who were executed alongside him were forty of his partisans.

References

1. According to Emperor Cheng's biography in Book of Jin, Tao Kan captured and executed Guo Mo on the yimao day of the 5th month of the 5th year of the Xianhe era of his reign. This corresponds to 21 Jun 330 on the Julian calendar.　(夏五月乙卯，太尉陶侃擒郭默于寻阳，斩之。) Jin Shu, vol.07
2. (郭默，河內懷人。少微賤，以壯勇事太守裴整，為督將。永嘉之亂，默率遺眾自為塢主，以漁舟抄東歸行旅，積年遂致巨富，流人依附者漸眾。撫循將士，甚得其歡心。默婦兄同郡陸嘉取官米數石餉妹，默以為違制，將殺嘉，嘉懼，奔石勒。默乃自射殺婦，以明無私。遣使謁劉琨，琨加默河內太守。傳。) Book of Jin, Volume 63
3. (曜乃還攻河內太守郭默于懷，列三屯圍之。默食盡，送妻子爲質，請糴於曜；糴畢，復嬰城固守。曜怒，沈默妻子于河而攻之。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 89
4. (時劉琨所假河內太守郭默為劉元海所逼，乞歸於矩，矩將使其甥郭誦迎致之，而不敢進。會劉琨遣參軍張肇，率鮮卑範勝等五百餘騎往長安，屬默被圍，道路不通，將還依邵續，行至矩營，矩謂肇曰：「默是劉公所授，公家之事，知無不為。」屠各舊畏鮮卑，遂邀肇為聲援，肇許之。賊望見鮮卑，不戰而走。誦潛遣輕舟濟河，使勇士夜襲懷城，掩賊留營，又大破之。默遂率其屬歸於矩。) Book of Jin, Volume 63
5. (先是，郭默聞矩被攻，遣弟芝率眾援之。既而聞破暢，芝復馳來赴矩。矩乃與芝馬五百匹，分軍為三道，夜追賊，復大獲而旋。) Book of Jin, Volume 63
6. (矩、默各遣千騎至洛以鎮之。安等乃同謀告石勒，勒遣石生率騎五千至洛陽，矩、默軍皆退還。俄而四將復背勒，遣使乞迎，默又遣步卒五百人入洛。石生以四將相謀，不能自安，乃虜宋始一軍，渡河而南。百姓相率歸矩，於是洛中遂空。) Book of Jin, Volume 63
7. (勒將石生屯洛陽，大掠河南，矩、默大饑，默因復說矩降曜。矩既為石良所破遂，從默計，遣使於曜。曜遣從弟岳軍于河陰，欲與矩謀攻石生。勒遣將圍岳，嶽閉門不敢出。默後為石匆所敗，自密南奔建康。矩聞之大怒，遣其將郭誦等齎書與默，又敕誦曰：「汝識脣亡之談不？迎接郭默，皆由於卿，臨難逃走，其必留之。」誦追及襄城，默自知負矩，棄妻子而遁。誦擁其餘眾而歸，矩待其妻子如初。) Book of Jin, Volume 63
8. The 12th month of the 4th year of the Xian'he era starts from 6 Jan 330 in the Julian calendar.
9. renchen day of the 12th month of the 4th year of the Xian'he era, per vol.07 of Jin Shu
10. (江州刺史劉胤矜豪日甚，專務商販，殖財百萬，縱酒耽樂，不恤政事。冬，十二月，詔徵後將軍郭默爲右軍將軍。默樂爲邊將，不願宿衞，以情愬於胤。胤曰：「此非小人之所及也。」默將赴召，求資於胤，胤不與，默由是怨胤。胤長史張滿等素輕默，或倮露見之，默常切齒。臘日，胤餉默豚酒，默對信投之水中。會有司奏：「今朝廷空竭，百官無祿，惟資江州運漕；而胤商旅繼路，以私廢公，請免胤官。」書下，胤不卽歸罪，方自申理。僑人蓋肫掠人女爲妻，張滿使還其家，肫不從，而謂郭默曰：「劉江州不受免，密有異圖，與張滿等日夜計議，惟忌郭侯一人，欲先除之。」默以爲然，帥其徒候旦門開襲胤。胤將吏欲拒默，默呵之曰：「我被詔有所討，動者誅三族！」遂入至內寢，牽胤下，斬之；出，取胤僚佐張滿等，誣以大逆，悉斬之。傳胤首于京師，詐作詔書，宣示內外。掠胤女及諸妾幷金寶還船，袑云下都，旣而停胤故府。招引譙國內史桓宣，宣固守不從。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 94
11. The 1st month of the 5th year of the Xian'he era starts from 5 Feb 330 in the Julian calendar.
12. Zizhi Tongjian, vol.94
13. (春，正月，劉胤首至建康。司徒導以郭默驍勇難制，己亥，大赦，梟胤首於大航，以默爲江州刺史。太尉侃聞之，投袂起曰：「此必詐也。」卽將兵討之。默遣使送妓妾及絹，幷寫中詔呈侃。參佐多諫曰：「默不被詖，豈敢爲此！若欲進軍，宜待詔報。」侃厲色曰：「國家年幼，詔令不出胸懷。劉胤爲朝廷所禮，雖方任非才，何緣猥加極刑！郭默恃勇，所在貪暴；以大難新除，禁網寬簡，欲因際會騁其從橫耳！」發使上表言狀，且與導書曰：「郭默殺方州卽用爲方州，害宰相便爲宰相乎？」導乃收胤首，答侃書曰：「默據上流之勢，加有船艦成資，故苞含隱忍，使有其地，朝廷得以潛嚴；俟足下軍到，風發相赴，豈非遵養時晦以定大事者邪！」侃笑曰：「是乃遵養時賊也！」) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 94
14. (侃惜默驍勇，欲活之，遣郭誦見默，默許降，而默將張醜、宋侯等恐為侃所殺，故致進退，不時得出。攻之轉急，宋侯遂縛默求降，即斬於軍門，同黨死者四十人，傳首京師。) Book of Jin, Volume 63

• Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
• Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.

• Jin dynasty (266–420) generals
• People executed by the Jin dynasty (266–420)
• 330 deaths