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Xie Shang (308 – 14 June 357), courtesy name Renzu, was a Chinese military general, musician and writer of the Eastern Jin dynasty. He was a member of the Xie clan of Chen Commandery and was the elder cousin to the Jin prime minister Xie An. In the 350s, he participated in the expeditions to reclaim northern China for the Jin dynasty, his most important contribution being his recovery of the imperial seal, which had been lost in the north decades prior. Although a general, Shang was mostly known for his talents in art and music. He was one of the earlier known players of the pipa and helped popularize bells and stone chimes in southern China.

Life and career

Early life and career

Xie Shang was born in Chen Commandery in 308 as the son of the Prefect of Yuzhang (豫章; around present-day Nanchang, Jiangxi), Xie Kun. His brother died when he was only seven years old, while his father died when he was around ten years old. On both of their funerals, he displayed maturity which puzzled the guests and captured their attention. At his brother's funeral, he was told by his father to seat with the guests. One of the guests openly remarked "This child is a Yan Hui in the seats," but Xie Shang rebuked, "How can you tell a Yan Hui without a Zhongni in the seats?" On his father's funeral in early 324, the Jin official Wen Jiao came and visit him to console him. Wen thought that Shang's mourning was excessive for a child of his age, and he saw great potential in him because of this.

By the time he reached adulthood, Xie Shang was known for his intelligence and wits. He avoided vulgar acts, his worst instance only being that he loved wearing flashy clothes and pants which he later stopped after his uncles advised him to. The Prime Minister, Wang Dao, favoured him a lot as he reminded him of his relative Wang Rong, one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Groves. Because of this, Wang would call him "Little Anfeng (小安豐)" (Anfeng refers to Wang Rong's place of peerage). Once he was old enough, Shang inherited his father's title of Marquis of Xian. In the government, Xie Shang served a number of offices in the government and kept those offices for the rest of his life.

Shang would often visit the General Who Maintains the West, Yu Yi at Wuchang to discuss with him about military affairs. One time, the two were practicing archery when Yu said to Shang, "If you hit the target, I shall vouch for you a promotion." Shang drew his bow and managed to get a bullseye, so Yu did just as he promised. Shang was simple and incorruptible in his governance. His soldiers built a dark-clothed tent made from 40 pieces of cloth. Shang had it torn down and distributed the cloth among his men. In 344, Xie Shang became General of the Household Gentlemen of the South. Around the same time, Yu Yi's influential brother, Yu Bing, died and there were considerations to have Xie Shang replace him to diminish the Yu clan's power. However, Yu Yi knew of this and intervened, so Shang retained his old positions.

Northern expeditions

In 352, the Jin Grand Marshal, Yin Hao was petitioned to lead a campaign to reclaim Luoyang and Xuchang in northern China. Yin Hao had Xie Shang and Xun Xian to serve as his generals during the campaign. The warlord in Xuchang, Zhang Yu (張遇), had previously surrendered to Jin. Xie was tasked in appeasing him but failed. As a result, Zhang Yu lost confidence in Jin and rebelled, seizing Xuchang and Luoyang for himself.

Around the same time, the Qiang chieftain, Yao Xiang had arrived in Jin from the recently destroyed Later Zhao state. He submitted to Jin and began immediately serving in the northern expedition by being stationed at Qiao (譙; present-day Bozhou, Anhui). Xiang rode on his horse and crossed the Huai River to visit Xie Shang at Shouchun. Shang sent away his attendants and guards as he wanted to personally meet with Yao Xiang, who he knew for his fame. Shang recognized him even when he wore a common headscarf, and the two talked with one another like old friends.

The Heavenly King of Ran Wei, Ran Min was captured by Former Yan forces later in 352. His general Jiang Gan (蔣幹), who was ordered to defend Ye before Min's death, was on the verge of defeat as Yan forces placed the city under siege. He submitted to Jin and asked Xie Shang to help him, so Xie sent his general Dai Shi (戴施) to save him at Ye. During the course of the defence, Dai managed to trick Jiang into giving him the imperial seal, and kept it at his camp in Fangtou (枋頭, in modern Hebi, Henan).

Meanwhile, Xie Shang and Yao Xiang attacked Zhang Yu at Xuchang, so Zhang was offered reinforcements by Former Qin forces led by Fu Xiong. Xie fought the Qin at Chengqiao (誠橋; near Xuchang) along the Ying River where he was badly routed and lost 15,000 soldiers. Shang fled to Huainan while Yao Xiang abandoned his baggages to escort him. Shang's defeat prompted Yin Hao to retreat back to Shouchun, and Shang was demoted to General Who Establishes Might. Later on, Shang returned the imperial seal which Dai Shi recovered to the Jin court, and he was greatly congratulated by the officials.

Xie Shang attacked Xuchang again after returning the seal. This time he sent his Champion General Wang Xia (王俠) to capture and Wang drove out Former Qin's Inspector of Yuzhou out from the city. Shang was promoted to Official Who Concurrently Serves in the Palace and camped at Shitou. For the next few years, Xie remained on the defensive and was given new important positions each year. When Yao Xiang rebelled in 353, Shang was stationed south of the Huai river, as the court hoped that their friendship may result in Xiang returning to Jin, although this did not happen during the two's remaining lifetime.

Illness and death

In 356, Huan Wen captured Luoyang and had a petition to have Xie Shang guard Luoyang. However, Shang was greatly sick at the start of 357, so the Intendant of Danyang, Wang Huzhi (王胡之), took his place while Shang was summoned to Jiankang to be made Guard General and Cavalier In Regular Attendance. However, before he could arrive, Shang succumbed to his illness and died. The court posthumously gave him his intended offices along with the privilege of a Separate Office with equal ceremonial to the Three Excellencies and posthumously named him "Jian (简)".

Art and Literary works

Although Xie Shang had been a general for most of his career, his talents mostly laid in arts and literary works. When Xie Shang went to meet with Wang Dao to receive his first office, Wang was about to hold an event at his mansion, and he asked Shang if he could perform the Quyuwu (鴝鵒舞) dance for his guests. Shang agreed, and at the festival, Wang and his guests were impressed by his techniques and applauded him.

Shang was also talented at playing instruments, the most notable being the pipa as he was one of the earlier players to use such an instrument. It was also said that Shang could perform the pipa with his legs raised. Apart from the pipa, he played the Guzheng, and once performed it in front of Huan Wen who requested it. While he was guarding Shouchun in around 353, Shang gathered the local musicians to play stone chimes in the court. The people greatly enjoyed them, and bells and stone chimes eventually became popular among the southern Chinese.

Other than that, Shang was skilled at cursive script, although none of his works had survived. The famous Song dynasty calligrapher, Su Shi had mentioned them in his "Dongpo Inscription" (東坡題跋). The Book of Sui compiled ten of his poems in the Xie Shang Ji (謝尚集) but only five survived through the Tang dynasty and none of them exists today. His only known work that fully survived to this day is a short poem he titled Song of the Great Dao (大道曲). Others that exists as snippets are Poems for Wang Biaozhi (贈王彪之詩) and Song of the Zheng (箏歌).

Notes

1. This account is based on Xie Shang's biography in the Book of Jin. In the Annals of Emperor Mu in the same record, it was Dai Shi who directly sent the seal to the court rather than Shang.
2. The "Quyu" (鴝鵒) is the crested myna or Chinese starling as it is more commonly known. Quyuwu is a dance that mimics the movement of the bird.

References

1. Lady Xie's name was not recorded in official histories, but was recorded in her father's epitaph, which was discovered in Nanjing on 10 Sep 1964. (《谢鲲墓志》：晋故豫章内史，陈国阳夏，谢鲲幼舆，以泰宁元年十一月廿八亡，假葬建康县石子岗，在阳大家墓东北四丈。妻中山刘氏，息尚仁祖，女真石。弟褒幼儒，弟广幼临，旧墓在荧阳。). Xie Shang's biography in Book of Jin recorded that Chu Suanzi was his niece (时康献皇后临朝，即尚之甥也，....) Jin Shu, vol.79.
2. According to Xie Shang's biography in Book of Jin, he was 50 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died. (未至，卒于历阳，时年五十。) Jin Shu, vol 79. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 308.
3. According to Sima Dan's biography in Book of Jin, Xie Shang died on the gengwu day of the 5th month of the 1st year of the Shengping era of Dan's reign. This corresponds to 14 Jun 357 on the proleptic Gregorian calendar. (夏五月庚午，镇西将军谢尚卒。) Jin Shu, vol 08
4. While Xie Kun's death date was not recorded in official histories, his epitaph, which was discovered in Nanjing on 10 Sep 1964, indicated that he died on the 28th day of the 11th month of the Taining (note that the epitaph used a different character for the word "Tai") era of Sima Shao's reign. This corresponds to 10 Jan 324 in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. (《谢鲲墓志》：晋故豫章内史，陈国阳夏，谢鲲幼舆，以泰宁元年十一月廿八亡，假葬建康县石子岗，在阳大家墓东北四丈。妻中山刘氏，息尚仁祖，女真石。弟褒幼儒，弟广幼临，旧墓在荧阳。)
5. (尚，字仁祖，豫章太守鯤之子也。幼有至性。七歲喪兄，哀慟過禮，親戚異之。八歲神悟夙成。鯤嘗攜之送客，或曰：「此兒一坐之顏回也。」尚應聲答曰：「坐無尼父，焉別顏回！」席賓莫不歎異。十餘歲，遭父憂，丹陽尹溫嶠吊之，尚號咷極哀。既而收涕告訴，舉止有異常童，嶠甚奇之。) Book of Jin, Volume 79
6. (及長，開率穎秀，辨悟絕倫，脫略細行，不為流俗之事。好衣刺文袴，諸父責之，而因自改，遂知名。善音樂，博綜眾藝。司徒王導深器之，比之王戎，常呼為「小安豐」，辟為掾。襲父爵咸亭侯。) Book of Jin, Volume 79
7. (時安西將軍庾翼鎮武昌，尚數詣翼咨謀軍事。嘗與翼共射，翼曰：「卿若破的，當以鼓吹相賞。」尚應聲中之，翼即以其副鼓吹給之。尚為政清簡，始到官，郡府以布四十匹為尚造烏布帳。尚壞之，以為軍士褚襦袴。建元二年，詔曰：「尚往以戎戍事要，故輟黃散，以授軍旅。所處險要，宜崇其威望。今以為南中郎將，餘官如故。」會庾冰薨，復以本號督豫州四郡，領江州刺史。俄而復轉西中郎將、督揚州之六郡諸軍事、豫州刺史、假節，鎮曆陽。) Book of Jin, Volume 79. Note that Xie Shang's niece Chu Suanzi was Emperor Kang's empress and Emperor Mu's mother.
8. (浩上疏請北出許、洛，詔許之。以安西將軍謝尚、北中郎將荀羨為督統，進屯壽春。謝尚不能撫尉張遇，遇怒，據許昌叛，使其將上官恩據洛陽，樂弘攻督護戴施於倉垣，浩軍不能進。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 99
9. (晉處襄於譙城，遣五弟為任，單騎度淮，見豫州刺史謝尚于壽春。尚命去仗衛，幅巾以待之，一面交款，便若平生。) Book of Jin, Volume 116
10. (初，謝尚使戴施據枋頭，施聞蔣干求救，乃自倉垣徙屯棘津，止干使者求傳國璽。劉猗使繆嵩還鄴白干，干疑尚不能救，沈吟未決。六月，施帥壯士百餘人入鄴，助守三台，紿之曰：「今燕寇在外，道路不通，璽未敢送也。卿且出以付我，我當馳白天子。天子聞璽在吾所，信卿至誠，必多發兵糧以相救餉。」干以為然，出璽付之。施宣言使督護何融迎糧，陰令懷璽送於枋頭。甲子，蔣干帥銳卒五千及晉兵出戰，慕容評大破之，斬首四千級，干脫走入城。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 99
11. (謝尚、姚襄共攻張遇於許昌。秦主健遣丞相東海王雄、衛大將軍平昌王菁略地關東，帥步騎二萬救之。丁亥，戰於穎水之誠橋，尚等大敗，死者萬五千人。尚奔還淮南，襄棄輜重，送尚於芍陂；尚悉以後事付襄。殷浩聞尚敗，退屯壽春。秋，七月，秦丞相雄徙張遇及陳、穎、許、洛之民五萬餘戶於關中，以右衛將軍楊群為豫州刺史，鎮許昌。謝尚降，號建威將軍。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 99
12. (謝尚自枋頭迎傳國璽至建康，百僚畢賀。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 99
13. (戴施送之，文曰「受天之命，皇帝壽昌」，百僚畢賀。) Book of Jin, Volume 8
14. (姚襄濟淮，屯盱眙，招掠流民，眾至七萬，分置守宰，勸課農桑；遣使詣建康罪狀殷浩，並自陳謝。詔以謝尚都督江西、淮南諸軍事、豫州刺史，鎮歷陽。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 99
15. (桓溫北平洛陽，上疏請尚為都督司州諸軍事。將鎮洛陽，以疾病不行。升平初，又進都督豫、冀、幽、并四州。病篤，徵拜衛將軍，加散騎常侍，未至，卒于曆陽，時年五十。詔贈散騎常侍、衛將軍、開府儀同三司，諡曰簡。) Book of Jin, Volume 79
16. (始到府通謁，導以其有勝會，謂曰：「聞君能作鴝鵒舞，一坐傾想，寧有此理不？」尚曰：「佳。」便著衣幘而舞，導令坐者撫掌擊節，尚俯仰在中，傍若無人，其率詣如此。) Book of Jin, Volume 79
17. (或以方謝仁祖不乃重者。桓大司馬曰：“諸君莫輕道，仁祖企腳北窗下彈琵琶，故自有天際真人想。”) Shishuo Xinyu, Volume 14
18. (尋進號鎮西將軍，鎮壽陽。尚於是采拾樂人，並制石磬，以備太樂。) Book of Jin, Volume 79
19. (题晋人帖：唐太宗构晋人书，自二王以下仅千轴。《兰亭》以玉匣葬昭陵，世无复见。其余皆在秘府，至武后时，为张易之兄弟所窃，后遂流落人间，在王涯、赵延赏家。涯败为军人所劫，剥去金玉轴而弃其书。余尝见于李都尉玮处，见晋人数帖，皆有小印“涯”字，意其为王氏物也。有谢尚、谢鲲、王衍等帖，皆奇。而夷甫独超然如群鹤耸翅，欲飞而末起也。) Dongpo Inscription, Volume 53

• Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
• Liu, Yiqing (ed.) (c. 5th century). A New Account of the Tales of the World (Shishuo Xinyu / Shiyu).
• Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.

• 308 births
• 357 deaths
• Jin dynasty (266–420) generals
• Jin dynasty (266–420) poets