Gao Renhou

Gao Renhou (d. 886) was an army general late in the Chinese Tang dynasty who served under the warlord Chen Jingxuan the military governor of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan). Serving under Chen, he defeated the rebels Qian Neng (阡能), Han Xiusheng (韓秀升), and Qu Xingcong (屈行從), as well as Chen's rival Yang Shili the military governor of Dongchuan (東川, headquartered in modern Mianyang, Sichuan), after which Chen made him the military governor of Dongchuan. By 886, however, Chen, who had become suspicious of his intentions, attacked him and killed him.

Background Gao Renhou's origins had been lost to history even by the time that the New Book of Tang, which contained a biography of his, was written. However, it is known that he started his career as an officer under Chen Jingxuan the military governor of Xichuan, and that he became a commander of 2,000 of the 5,000 elite soldiers of Xichuan known as "Crow Corps," after the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao had captured the imperial capital Chang'an, forcing then-reigning Emperor Xizong to flee to Xichuan's capital Chengdu. As part of Chen's operations to prevent Huang from pursuing Emperor Xizong, he sent the Crow Corps north. At that time, many of the hoodlums of Chang'an had also fled Chang'an in light of Huang's attack and had greatly disturbed the lives of the people of the Baoji region. Gao attacked the hoodlums and killed thousands of them, thus pacifying the region.

Campaign against Qian Neng By 882, there were a number of agrarian rebellions against Chen Jingxuan's governance of Xichuan, with one of the most serious rebellions led by Qian Neng, who was formerly a local administrator who was set for punished for minor errors and thus rose in rebellion. Chen initially sent his officers Yang Xingqian (楊行遷), Hu Honglüe (胡洪略), and Mo Kuangshi (莫匡時) against these rebels, but they were largely ineffective; worse, to avoid being punished themselves, they often killed innocent civilians and claimed that the dead civilians were agrarian rebels. As a result, Qian was not only able to take over Qiong Prefecture where he initially started his rebellion, but advanced into Shu Prefecture (蜀州, in modern Chengdu as well). In winter 882, Chen decided to send Gao Renhou to replace Yang and to attack Qian.

Instead of repeating Yang's failed strategy of intense attacks on the rebels, Gao persuaded a spy that Qian had sent to spy on his troops to instead turn against Qian and persuade Qian's followers that Gao had no ill intent toward them and only wanted them to abandon their support of Qian. Gao then engaged Qian's lieutenant Luo Hunqing (羅渾擎) at Shuangliu (雙流, in modern Chengdu). The rebels under Luo, having been persuaded by the spy, surrendered in droves, and Gao captured Luo. He then had the surrendered rebels serve as his forward troops (to show that Gao was, indeed, not mistreating them) and further attacked Qian's lieutenants Ju Huseng (句胡僧) and Han Qiu (韓求); Ju was captured, and Han committed suicide. Gao then allowed the surrendered rebels to return to their homes safely, further causing the morale of Qian's followers to fail. Qian's remaining followers arrested him; his lieutenant Luo Fuzi (羅夫子) committed suicide. Gao, pursuant to his own promise, only had Qian, Luo Hunqing, and Ju, as well as Qian's propagandist Zhang Rong (張榮), executed, and killed no one else. Because of Gao's accomplishments against Qian, Chen made him the defender (防禦使, Fangyushi) of Mei Prefecture (眉州, in modern Meishan, Sichuan).

Death By 886, however, Chen Jingxuan had become suspicious of Gao Renhou's intentions, who had been made the prefect of Sui Prefecture (遂州, in modern Suining, Sichuan), attacked and captured Han Prefecture (漢州, in modern Deyang, Sichuan), and then marched on to Chengdu. Chen sent his officer Li Shunzhi (李順之) to defend against Zheng's attack, and Li defeated and killed Zheng. Chen then used this opportunity to mobilize the ethnic Qiang troops of Wei (維州) and Mao (茂州, both in modern Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan) Prefectures to attack Gao. They defeated and executed Gao. Gao was later posthumously honored in the Qianning (894-898) era of Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong (who had declared and waged a campaign against Chen).