Tang Dynasty General: Hakka Guo Ziyi

["Dixie" <Dixie@singnet.com.sg>]

Kuo Tzu-i,

Pinyin GUO ZIYI (b. 697, Shensi Province, China--d. 781, China), one of the
greatest of Chinese generals, later deified in popular religion. 

Kuo served three emperors of the T'ang dynasty and is most noted for his
successful fight against the rebellion of the Chinese general An Lu-shan in
755-757. From 760 to 765 he was occupied in defending China's western
provinces from incursions of the Tanguts and other nomadic peoples, and in
763 he recovered the T'ang capital city, Ch'ang-an, from the invading
Turfans using only some 4,000 demoralized troops. In gratitude, the Emperor
T'ai-Tsung ennobled Kuo and gave his daughter in marriage to Kuo's youngest
son. Popular depictions of Kuo sometimes show him leading or carrying his
son to the imperial court. 

In Chinese popular religion, Kuo Tzu-i is identified, like many local and
national heroes, with one or more deities. He is generally equated with
Fu-hsing, the stellar god of happiness, though this honour is also given to
the 6th-century mandarin Yang Ch'eng. In Szechwan, Kuo Tzu-i is known as
T'sai-shen, the god of riches. 

Kuo's deification is popularly explained by the legend of his encounter
with Chih N|, the heavenly weaving maiden. She appeared to Kuo on the night
of her feast day and Kuo, recognizing her, begged for happiness and riches.
Chih N| called him the god of happiness and riches and promised that
honours and riches would be his. This scene is a favourite subject of
Chinese popular art. 


- Dixie