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Yang Ding (died 394) was a ruler of Chouchi and a military general of Former Qin during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. His family was a part of the Yang clan that ruled Chouchi but fled to Former Qin after they failed to usurp their relatives' throne. Yang Ding became the son-in-law of Qin's ruler, Fu Jian, and after the Battle of Feishui, he became one of the state's most powerful supporters up to its destruction in 394. However, he also took advantage of Qin's period of weakness by restoring the Chouchi state in 385, which had been conquered by Qin in 371. His reign is seen as the start of Later Chouchi (後仇池).

Early life and background

Yang Ding was a Di and a member of the ruling Yang family in Chouchi. His grandfather was Yang Songnu (楊宋奴), who launched a coup in 355 against Chouchi's duke, Yang Chu (楊初). Although, he was initially successful, he was soon killed by Yang Chu's son, Yang Guo (楊國). Songnu's sons, Yang Fudu (楊佛奴) and Yang Fugou (楊佛狗), fled to the neighbouring state of Former Qin, then ruled by Fu Sheng, where they were welcomed and well-received. This Yang Fudu was the father of Yang Ding, and some time after the ascension of Fu Jian in 357, Yang Ding became Fu Jian's son-in-law by marrying one of his daughter. Fu Jian also made him Master of Writing and as General Who Leads The Army in his government.

Service under Fu Jian and capture by Western Yan

Yang Ding came to prominence after the Battle of Feishui in 383. Fu Jian lost the decisive battle against Jin dynasty forces in southern China, and the following year in 384, his generals Murong Chui, Murong Hong and Yao Chang took advantage of his vulnerability and revolted against him. Yang Ding was serving as Fu Jian General who directs the army as of 385, and saw his first action that year against Western Yan forces led by Murong Chong. Yang Ding attacked and routed him, capturing many of the Xianbei in his ranks and executing them.

Later that year, Yang Ding continued to campaign against Murong Chong, who was besieging Fu Jian's capital of Chang'an at the time. He defeated Chong's general Murong Xian between the Ba and Chan Rivers. Yang Ding's reputation was a major concern for Murong Chong, so he created horse-pits to protect himself. Strangely, during the siege, there was a man in Chang'an who kept shouting in the night, "Yang Ding is a bold youth and should be supporting by us, and the palace and ministries should be here with us, but father (Fu Jian) and son (Fu Jian's son, Fu Hong (苻宏)) have both abandoned you," and in the morning, he completely disappeared. Yang Ding continued to fight Murong Chong, but was eventually captured. Fu Jian was greatly afraid, and Yang Ding's defeat convinced him to flee the city.

Yang Ding remained in Western Yan for a couple of months in 385. In that span of time, Fu Jian was captured by Later Qin forces and was executed by Yao Chang's orders. Yang Ding developed a father-son relationship with Murong Chong's close advisor, Gao Gai (高蓋). When Gao Gai attacked Later Qin at the end of the year, he was defeated and surrendered himself to the enemy. Yang Ding was with him during that time, and decided to flee to Longyou (隴右, in modern Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai) and gathered his old followers.

As Duke of Chouchi

After he had left Western Yan, Yang Ding submitted back to Former Qin, now ruled by Fu Jian's son, Fu Pi. Much like the other loyalists, Yang Ding sent a messenger to Fu Pi asking him to lead a joint attack against Later Qin. Fu Pi appointed the loyalists with new positions, with Yang Ding becoming his Governor of Yongzhou. At this point, Fu Pi did not have much power to exert over his commanders, essentially making Yang Ding a warlord. Yang Ding moved his base to Licheng, gathering thousands of subjects under his wing. Once he had enough, he proclaimed himself as Prancing Dragon General and Duke of Chouchi in 385, ending the state's brief non-existence since 371 after it was conquered by Qin. Yang Ding even secured his position by submitting to the Jin dynasty, who approved his titles and vassalage.

Fu Pi was killed by Jin forces in 386 and was succeeded by his relative Fu Deng. In 387, Yang Ding's position pressured Later Qin's general, Yao Shuode into retreating to Jingyang. Both Yang Ding and Fu Zuan (苻纂) attacked him there where he was greatly defeated. Yao Chang personally went to reinforce Shuode after his defeat, causing Yang Ding and Fu Zuan to fall back to Fulu.

In 389, Fu Deng was driven back further east, so Yao Chang decided to re-appoint his officials in Qinzhou. It was at this moment when Yang Ding attacked the province. He captured Longcheng (隴城, in modern Qin'an County, Gansu) and Jicheng (冀城, in modern Gangu County, Gansu) in Tianshui from Yao Cháng (姚常, note the different pinyin) and Xing Nu (邢奴) respectively, beheading the former and capturing the latter. Yao Xiang (姚詳, not to be confused with Yao Xiang) abandoned Lüeyang, allowing Yang Ding to completely occupy Qinzhou. Yang Ding declared himself Prince of Longxi, while the Jin dynasty appointed him their Inspector of Qinzhou. Fu Deng approved Yang Ding's title and the one given by Jin. Shortly after his victory, Fu Deng made Yang Ding his Prime Minister of the Left.

Yang Ding ruled Chouchi for another four years. His power was significant enough to catch the concern of Yao Chang's advisors, who saw him as equally threatful as Fu Deng. However, Yang Ding's reign would come to a end in 394. Fu Deng captured and executed by Later Qin, now ruled by Yao Chang's son, Yao Xing, early that year. His son, Fu Chong declared himself as his successor and fled to Yang Ding for help after Western Qin forces drove him out of his territory. Yang Ding led his troops together with Fu Chong against Qifu Gangui. At first, they managed to defeat Qifu Kedan (乞伏軻彈) at Pingchuan but a heavy counter-attack by the Qifus overwhelmed them in the end. Both Yang Ding and Fu Chong were killed in battle, ending Former Qin once and for all.

Yang Ding died childless, but he did have a cousin named Yang Sheng (楊盛) through his uncle Yang Fugou. Yang Ding had left him to guard Chouchi before he left to fight Western Qin, but with Yang Ding now deceased, Yang Sheng succeeded him as Duke of Chouchi along with his other titles from Jin. Sheng posthumously named him 'Prince Wu' (武王).

Note

1. Some sources say that Yang Songnu was Yang Ding's great-grandfather rather than his grandfather, and that Yang Funu was Yang Ding's grandfather rather than his father. However, Yang Fugou was by all accounts his uncle.

References

1. (宋奴之死也，二子佛奴、佛狗奔逃關中，苻堅以佛奴為右將軍，佛狗為撫夷護軍。後以女妻佛奴子定，以定為尚書、領軍將軍。) Book of Liu-Song, Volume 99
2. (堅大怒，復遣領軍將軍楊定率左右精騎二千五百擊沖，大敗之，俘掠鮮卑萬餘而還，堅悉坑之。) Book of Northern Wei, Volume 95
3. (有羣烏數萬，鳴於長安城上，其聲甚悲，占者以為不終年，有甲兵入城之象。每夜有人周城大呼曰：「楊定健兒應屬我，宮殿臺觀應坐我，父子同出不共汝。」旦遣尋求，不見人跡。先是，又謠曰：「堅入五將山長得。」堅大信之，告其太子永道曰：「天或導予，脫如謠言。留汝兼總戎政，勿與賊爭利。吾當出隴收兵，運糧以給汝。天其或者正訓予也。」遣其衞將軍楊定擊沖於城西，為沖所擒。堅彌懼，付永道以後事，率騎數百出如五將，宣告州郡，期救長安。) Book of Northern Wei, Volume 95
4. (初，蓋以楊定爲子，及蓋敗，定亡奔隴右，復收集其舊衆。定爲西燕禽，財六月耳。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 107
5. (徙治歷城，城在西縣界，去仇池百二十里。置倉儲於百頃。招合夷、晉，得千餘家，自號龍驤將軍、平羌校尉、仇池公，稱蕃於晉孝武帝，孝武帝即以其自號假之。求割天水之西縣、武都之上祿為仇池郡，見許。) Book of Liu-Song, Volume 99
6. (後秦征西將軍姚碩德爲楊定所逼，退守逕陽。定與秦魯王纂共攻之，戰于涇陽，碩德大敗。後秦主萇自陰密救之，纂退屯敷陸。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 108
7. (秦主登之東也，後秦主萇使姚碩德置秦州守宰，以從弟常戍隴城，邢奴戍冀城，姚詳戍略陽。楊定攻隴、冀，克之，斬常，執邢奴；詳棄略陽，奔陰密。定自稱秦州牧、隴西王；秦因其所稱而授之。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 108
8. (氐王楊定率步騎四萬伐之。乾歸謂諸將曰：「楊定以勇虐聚眾，窮兵逞欲。兵猶火也，不戢，將自焚。定之此役，殆天以之資我也。」於是遣其涼州牧乞伏軻殫、秦州牧乞伏益州、立義將軍詰歸距之。定敗益州于平川，軻殫、詰歸引眾而退。翟瑥奮劍諫曰：「吾王以神武之姿，開基隴右，東征西討，靡不席捲，威震秦、梁，聲光巴、漢。將軍以維城之重，受閫外之寄，宜宣力致命，輔甯家國。秦州雖敗，二軍猶全，奈何不思直救，便逆奔敗，何面目以見王乎！昔項羽斬慶子以甯楚，胡建戮監軍以成功，將軍之所聞也。瑥誠才非古人，敢忘項氏之義乎！」軻殫曰：「向所以未赴秦州者，未知眾心何如耳。敗不相救，軍罰所先，敢自寧乎！」乃率騎赴之。益州、詰歸亦勒眾而進，大敗定，斬定及首虜萬七千級。於是盡有隴西、巴西之地。) Book of Jin, Volume 125
9. (無子。佛狗子盛，先為監國，守仇池，乃統事，自號征西將軍、秦州刺史、仇池公，諡定為武王。分諸氐羌為二十部護軍，各為鎮戍，不置郡縣。) Book of Northern Wei, Volume 101

• Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
• Shen, Yue (493) Book of Song (Song Shu)
• Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.

• 394 deaths
• 4th-century Chinese monarchs
• Chouchi
• Former Qin generals
• Founding monarchs