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Jia Ya (died c.January 313), courtesy name Yandu, was a Chinese military general of the Jin dynasty. He was most known for leading the empire's restoration movement against the state of Han-Zhao in Anding (安定, present-day Zhenyuan, Gansu) following the Disaster of Yongjia in 311. However, his untimely death the next year undermined the potential of the group, as power would fall into the hands of Suo Chen and Qu Yun, who held on desperately to their influence on Emperor Min of Jin in Chang'an. His name can be rendered as Jia Pi.

Life

Jia Ya was from Wuwei Commandery in modern-day Gansu. His great-grandfather was the famed advisor of the warlord Cao Cao, Jia Xu who helped lay the foundation of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms. In his youth, he was well-respected by the people for his talents and openness to them. He joined the Jin government, and rose to the rank of Administrator of Anding. Jia Ya was also involved in the War of the Eight Princes in 306, in which he sided with Sima Yue against Sima Yong and killed the generals Ma Zhan (馬瞻) and Liang Mai (梁邁).

During the reign of Emperor Huai of Jin in 311, the Inspector of Yongzhou, Ding Chuo (丁綽) slandered Jia Ya to the Prince of Nanyang, Sima Mo (司馬模), a younger brother of Sima Yue. Jia Ya was also hosting the rebel Pei Bao (裴苞), who had opposed Sima Mo. Jia Ya fled to the Lu River, where he befriended the Lushuihu chieftain Peng Dangzhong (彭蕩仲) and the Di chieftain Dou Shou (竇首). Together, they helped Jia Ya return to Anding, where they killed Sima Mo's general Xie Ban (謝班) and forced Ding Chuo to flee to Wudu. The emperor pardoned Jia Ya and appointed him the new Inspector of Yongzhou.

Later that year in July, the forces of Han-Zhao took over Luoyang and captured the emperor as well. Soon, Chang'an also capitulated after Sima Mo was captured and executed by Han. Jia Ya and many of the tribal leaders around Anding sent their officials' children over to Luoyang to submit to Han. However, they did not reach the capital, rather they were led home by Sima Mo's subordinates Suo Chen and Qu Yun, who were fleeing from Han forces. Suo Chen, Qu Yun and the others discussed plans to restore Jin's authority in the north, and they all agreed to have Jia Ya lead them. Jia Ya accepted the position of General Who Pacifies the West.

Jia Ya set out with his army to Chang'an. The Inspector of Yongzhou, Qu Te (麴特), Administrator of Fufeng, Liang Zong (梁綜) and the Administrator of Xinping (新平县, in present-day Henan), Zhu Hui (竺恢) upon hearing Jia Ya's arrival, renounced their submission to Han and joined him. Jia Ya fought Liu Yao at Huangqiu (in present-day Tai'erzhuang District, Shandong), where he greatly routed his army. He then marched to attack his old friend, Peng Dangzhong and killed him. Jia Ya's success convinced many in the Guanxi (關西, west of Hangu Pass) region to surrender to him as well, returning it under Jin control. Not long after, Jia Ya and his group received Yan Ding and the nephew of Emperor Huai, Sima Ye. Jia Ya continued to besiege Chang'an to the following year, finally forcing Liu Yao to retreat.

Sima Ye was proclaimed as the new Crown Prince in Chang'an and Jia Ya was appointed as Grand General Who Conquers The West. However, Jia Ya would not hold onto his new position for long nor would he see the Crown Prince take the throne. Peng Dangzhong's son, Peng Tianhu (彭天護) attacked Jia Ya later in 312. He feigned retreat and Jia Ya chased him into the night. His pursuit proved to be fatal, as he fell into a gully and was captured by Tianhu, who then had him executed. The new regime that Jia Ya had found continued to survive under the guidance of Suo Chen and Qu Yun, but eventually perished in 316 when Sima Ye, posthumously known as Emperor Min of Jin, surrendered to besieging Han forces.

References

1. In his annotations to vol.87 of Zizhi Tongjian, Hu Sanxing wrote that Jia's name should be pronounced as "Ya" (疋，音雅。).
2. Vol.88 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Jia was killed in the 12th month of the 6th year of the Yong'jia era. The month corresponds to 14 Jan to 11 Feb 313 in the Julian calendar. In vol.4 of Zizhi Tongjian Kaoyi, Sima Guang noted that Shiliu Guo Chunqiu recorded the same month of death for Jia Ya.
3. (弘農太守裴廙、秦國內史賈龕、安定太守賈疋等起兵擊顒，斬馬瞻、梁邁。疋，詡之曾孫也。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 86
4. (賈疋，字彥度，武威人，魏太尉詡之曾孫也。少有志略，器望甚偉，見之者莫不悅附，特為武夫之所瞻仰，願為致命。初辟公府，遂曆顯職，遷安定太守。雍州刺史丁綽，貪橫失百姓心，乃譖疋于南陽王模，模以軍司謝班伐之。疋奔瀘水，與胡彭蕩仲及氐竇首結為兄弟，聚眾攻班。綽奔武都，疋復入安定，殺班。) Book of Jin, Volume 60
5. ^ (湣帝以疋為驃騎將軍、雍州刺史，封酒泉公。) Book of Jin, vol.60. There is discrepancy regarding Jia Ya's appointment as Inspector of Yong province. While his biography states that he received the office after his pardon, the biography of Liu Cong states that the Inspector of Yong prior to Emperor Min's ascension was Qu Te (...安定太守賈疋及諸氐羌皆送質任，唯雍州刺史麹特...) Book of Jin, vol.102. Vol.87 of Zizhi Tongjian also recorded that Qu Te was then Inspector of Yong.
6. (疋帥戎晉二萬餘人，將伐長安，西平太守竺恢亦固守，劉粲聞之，使劉曜、劉雅及趙染距疋，先攻恢，不克，疋邀擊，大敗之，曜中流矢，退走。疋追之，至於甘泉。旋自渭橋襲蕩仲，殺之。) Book of Jin, Volume 60
7. (賈疋等圍長安數月，漢中山王曜連戰皆敗，驅掠士女八萬餘口，奔于平陽。秦王業自雍入于長安。五月，漢王聰貶曜爲龍驤大將軍，行大司馬。聰使河內王粲攻傅祗於三渚，右將軍劉參攻郭默於懷；會祗病薨，城陷，粲遷祗子孫幷其士民二萬餘戶于平陽。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 88
8. (後蕩仲子夫保持帥群胡攻之，疋敗走，夜墮於澗，為夫護所害。疋勇略有志節，以匡復晉室為己任，不幸顛墮，時人咸痛惜之。) Book of Jin, Volume 60

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

• 313 deaths
• Jin dynasty (266–420) generals