General Wei Qing: Defender of Han Dynasty

Wei Qing, born in Pingyang, was a prominent figure in the Han Dynasty of China. His father Zheng Ji served as a minor official, providing assistance to the Marquis of Pingyang. Zheng Ji had a relationship with Wei Mao, a concubine of the Marquis, leading to the birth of Wei Qing.

Wei Qing grew up with his maternal half-brother Wei Changzi. His elder sister Wei Zifu gained favor with Emperor Wu of Han, marrying into the royal family and giving birth to Prince Xiang. Thus, Wei Qing and his siblings adopted the Wei surname from their mother. His style name was Zhongqing, and his elder brother Wei Chang was known by the style name Changjun. Their mother was known as Wei Mao, with Wei Ruo as their elder sister and Wei Zifu as the younger sister. Wei Qing was a member of the Marquis’ household and spent his early years tending sheep under his father’s direction. His birth was a matter of contention due to his being considered an illegitimate child by his half-siblings.

As a young man, Wei Qing joined the Marquis’s cavalry and served the Princess of Pingyang. In the spring of the second year of the Jianyuan era, Wei Changzi’s son-in-law gained favor at court. The Princess of Pingyang was the daughter of the Dowager Empress Chen, who had no children and was envious. Upon hearing that Wei Zifu was pregnant, the Dowager Empress sent men to capture Wei Qing. At the time, Wei Qing was serving in Jianzhang and had not yet made a name for himself. The Dowager Empress imprisoned Wei Qing with the intention of executing him. However, Wei Qing’s friend Gong Sun’ao and a strongman managed to rescue him by force. When Emperor Wu heard of this, he appointed Wei Qing as Jianzhang supervisor and attendant, rewarding him and his full-blooded brothers with several days’ worth of gold and silver.

Wei Ruo married Gong Sun He, who became the Grand Superintendent of the Palace Stables. Wei Zifu had an affair with Chen Zhang, and the Emperor summoned Chen Zhang to court. Gong Sun’ao’s influence grew as a result. Wei Zifu became a palace lady, and Wei Qing became the Grand Major. In the fifth year of Yuanguang, Wei Qing was appointed General of Chariots and Cavalry, leading an army against the Xiongnu in Shanggu. Gong Sun He was appointed General of Light Chariots and led an army into Yunzhong. Gong Sun’ao was appointed Cavalry General and led an army into Daijun. Li Guang, the Commandant of the Guards, was appointed General of Valiant Cavalry and led an army into Yanmen. Each army numbered ten thousand cavalry. Wei Qing reached Longcheng, where he killed hundreds of enemies. General Ao lost seven thousand cavalrymen. Li Guang was captured by the enemy but managed to escape and return. They were all condemned to death but were redeemed as commoners.

In the first year of Yuanshuo, the Princess gave birth to a son and was made Empress. In the autumn, Wei Qing was appointed General of Chariots and Cavalry and led thirty thousand cavalrymen against the Xiongnu. He killed thousands of enemies. The following year, the Xiongnu invaded and killed the Administrator of Liaoxi, capturing over two thousand people from Yuyang and defeating General Han. General Li Xi was sent to attack, heading north from Daijun, while General Wei Qing headed west from Yunzhong to Gaoque. He captured thousands of enemies and livestock, pursued King Baiyang and Loufan, and claimed Henan as Shuofang Commandery.

In the third year of Yuanshuo, Wei Qing was granted the title of Marquis of Changping with thirty-eight hundred households. His colleague, Colonel Su Jian, was granted the title of Marquis of Pingling with eleven hundred households for building the Shuofang City. Colonel Zhang Cigong was granted the title of Marquis of Antou. The Emperor said, “The Xiongnu defy heaven’s law, violate human ethics, oppress the elderly and harm the young, prioritize robbery, and conspire with barbarians to deploy troops and deceive borders, thus prompting the army to deploy and punish their crimes.” As the poem goes, “Go hunt the Xianyun, even to Taiyuan,” and “Out go the chariots in order, build that city on the borders.”

In the fifth year of Yuanshuo, General Wei Qing commanded thirty thousand cavalrymen and attacked the Xiongnu, cutting off thousands of heads. The following year, the Xiongnu killed the Administrator of Daijun, invaded Yanmen, killed and captured thousands of Han people. In the fifth year of Yuanshuo, in the spring, General Wei Qing led thirty thousand cavalrymen out of Gaoque. Colonel Su Jian was appointed Adjutant General, and Li Ju, the Interior Minister, was appointed Strong Crossbow General. General Gong Sun He was appointed Cavalry General, and Li Cai, the Deputy Prime Minister, was appointed Light Chariot General, all under the command of General Wei Qing. Generals Li Xi and Zhang Cigong were appointed generals, attacking the northern part of Beiping, and all fought against the Xiongnu. The Righteous King of the Xiongnu, Dang Wei Qing, had soldiers, thinking that the Han army could not reach this place and drinking in the city. The Han army arrived at night, surrounded the Righteous King, who was startled and fled north at night with only a few loyal riders. The Han light cavalry commander Guo Cheng and others pursued him for several hundred miles but did not catch up. They captured more than ten Righteous Kings and more than 15,000 men and women and thousands of livestock, then returned. When they reached the border, the Emperor sent an envoy to hold the seal of Wei Qing as a major general and sent him back to the military base. The Emperor said, “Major General Wei Qing will take the lead of the soldiers, and the army will win the victory. More than ten people and tens of thousands will receive additional honors. His next year’s Xiongnu will kill the Governor of Daijun, enter Yanmen and kill thousands of Han people.”