The "Rebellion of Three Towns" in the Chaos of the Five Dynasties: The Later Han Crisis in Zizhi Tongjian

Brief Introduction

The "Rebellion of Three Towns" was a major military crisis faced by the Later Han regime during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. In the second year of Qianyuan (949 AD), Li Shouzhen, Military Commissioner of Hezhong; Zhao Siwan, Military Commissioner of Fengxiang; and Wang Jingchong, Military Commissioner of Yongxing (Jingnan), rose in rebellion against the Han dynasty almost simultaneously. This rebellion not only exposed the weakness of the Later Han's central authority but also directly led to the rise of the powerful minister Guo Wei and the eventual fall of Later Han. In Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance), this event is recorded in detail in Volumes 287 to 288, serving as a key case for understanding the warlord separatism of the Five Dynasties era.

Core Knowledge Points

* Rebel Forces:
* Hezhong Town: Li Shouzhen, who proclaimed himself the Emperor of Chu, was the core initiator of the rebellion and occupied key areas in Shanxi.
* Fengxiang Town: Zhao Siwan, who proclaimed himself the King of Qin, responded to Li Shouzhen and established a separatist regime in western Guanzhong.
* Yongxing Town: Wang Jingchong, who proclaimed himself the Emperor of Shu, effectively controlled the Jingnan Army (headquartered in Yongxing Army) and held eastern Guanzhong.
* Historical Background: After the death of Later Han Gaozu Liu Zhiyuan, Emperor Yin Di Liu Chengyou was young. Court politics were chaotic, and conflicts between eunuchs and regional warlords intensified, providing fertile ground for the rebellion.
* Suppression Process: The Later Han court successively dispatched generals such as Wang Jingren and Guo Wei to campaign. Although the rebels were eventually suppressed and Li Shouzhen committed suicide by setting himself on fire, the suppression process consumed a vast amount of the Later Han's national strength.
* Historical Consequences: During the suppression, Guo Wei's prestige grew daily. Shortly after the rebellion ended, Emperor Yin Di became suspicious of Guo Wei, triggering the "Yedu Incident." Later Han collapsed, and the Later Zhou was established.

Connection with the Content of Zizhi Tongjian

When recording the "Rebellion of Three Towns," Sima Guang did not merely list the details of the warfare in Zizhi Tongjian; he focused on analyzing the threat posed by the warlord system to the central regime. By documenting the behavior of Li Shouzhen and others "usurping titles and claiming emperorship," the book reveals the political logic of the Five Dynasties period: "Whoever has strong soldiers and horses becomes the Son of Heaven."

Furthermore, Zizhi Tongjian uses this event to showcase Guo Wei's military talent and political ambition. In his narrative, Sima Guang implicitly criticizes the incompetence of Later Han's Emperor Yin Di, arguing that the intertwining of internal suspicion within the court and external rebellion was the fundamental reason for the regime's rapid demise. This passage provides important historical evidence for later generations to study the succession of the Five Dynasties and reflects Sima Guang's historiographical purpose of "learning from past events to aid in the way of governance."

Conclusion

The "Rebellion of Three Towns" was a turning point for the Later Han, marking its transition from prosperity to decline. Through the records in Zizhi Tongjian, we can clearly see the stubbornness of warlord separatism during the Five Dynasties period and the vulnerability of the central regime when facing crises. This historical event serves as a warning to future generations that internal unity and reasonable checks and balances on power are key to maintaining political stability.