The last elite Zhongxiao Army of the Jin Dynasty and its legendary commander, Monk Wanyan Chen

Whenever troubled times come and a dynasty is destroyed, there will always be a group of people who escape from the iron heel of the invaders and go to the regime they recognize. These people are enemies of the country and the family, and the army organized by them has a strong will to fight. With excellent equipment and rigorous training, they will be a force that cannot be ignored. For example, the Beggar Army, Beifu Army and Eight-Character Army are famous in history. The Zhongxiao Army was an army organized in the last years of the Jin Dynasty. It achieved brilliant results in its short existence. And its leader, monk Wanyan Chen, attracted the attention of people at that time. They used their lives to write the last lament of the Jin Dynasty. Heavy Cavalry of the Jin Dynasty 1. The origin of the Zhongxiao Army. Since the rise of the Mongol Empire on the Mongolian Plateau, Genghis Khan, who had integrated the entire Mongolian nation, set his sights of aggression on his mortal enemy, the Jin Kingdom. This once powerful country is now in the sunset. The corrupt and declining Jin Dynasty was no match for the nascent Mongol Empire. After a series of defeats, the Jin Kingdom's territory was shrinking and large areas of territory were lost. In terms of foreign policy, the Jin State made enemies everywhere and used troops against Xixia and the Southern Song Dynasty. Internal rebellions are rife, the generals are mediocre, and they are on the verge of destruction. Under this situation, Jin Aizong, who had just ascended the throne, immediately deposed the powerful traitors and reorganized the army in order to save the nation. The Zhongxiao Army was an important result of this army reorganization. From then on, the Zhongxiao Army embarked on the war stage of the Jin Dynasty. Territory in the last years of the Jin Dynasty According to the "Forty-Four Military Systems in the History of the Jin Dynasty", in the second year of Emperor Aizong's reign, elite soldiers from all walks of life were selected and placed directly under the control of the Secret Academy. "" "Recapture the people who returned to the right way from Heshuo, and send them all to the Secret Academy, regardless of whether they have saddles and horses or whether they can translate the language. They will be given three times more troops by three months, awarded officers and horses, and more than a thousand people. They will be rewarded at every age. , named Zhongxiao Army. "This is the origin of the Zhongxiao Army in Jin Aizong's army. This Zhongxiao Army was selected from "returned people", and its soldiers mainly came from the Mongolian ruled areas. The origin of these people is in "History of Jin" It is recorded as ""The loyal and filial army is composed of Huihe, Naiman, Qiang, Hun and Central Plains people who were captured and returned to escape their crimes." The ethnic group covers the ethnic groups that fell under the rule of the Mongolian army, and the region covers the areas occupied by the Mongolian army. These people have great influence on Mongolia. They had the hatred of losing their country and their family, so they were very powerful in fighting. They were given preferential treatment in terms of life and equipment, and their salary was three times that of other armies. They were also equipped with military horses by officials. Elite cavalry. Why is this happening? This is because the Jin Army, which was famous for its cavalry in the past, fell into the hands of the enemy with the failure of the war. An army dominated by infantry failed repeatedly in battles with the Mongolian cavalry. In order to reverse the war situation, the Jin Dynasty spared no effort to rebuild its own elite cavalry troops. The Zhongxiao Army was one of the elites. The Jin Dynasty equipped it with excellent weapons and horses, and selected its personnel. Only those with excellent riding and shooting skills could participate, and they were given strict training. This army further developed and expanded. "History of the Jin Dynasty" records that "" the army has risen to 7,000 by Tiantian, and there are no generals with more than 1,000 households. "This elite cavalry became the object of the Jin Dynasty's reliance. "The Military System of the History of the Jin Dynasty" records the situation at that time and said: Since the Zhengzheng major reform, the horse army was established, the team, saddles, and armor were all updated, and the old generals and ministers claimed that the country was at its peak. The number of horses is there. As for the soldiers who are elite and the weapons are strong, compared with those today, the period of Zhongxing is promising. 2. The commander of the Zhongxiao Army, Monk Wanyan Chen, was not the original leader of the Zhongxiao Army. However, the Zhongxiao Army achieved brilliant results under the leadership of Monk Wanyan Chen. It can be said that the Zhongxiao Army grew up due to the birth of Monk Wanyan Chen and declined due to the death of Monk Wanyan Chen. His short life is intertwined with the rise and fall of the Zhongxiao Army. From the life of Monk Wanyan Chen, it can be said that Monk Wanyan Chen deserves his reputation as the leader of the Zhongxiao Army. First of all, monk Wanyan Chen's real name is Wanyan Yi. , he was also a "reformed man" who escaped from the Mongolian-occupied areas. When he was in his twenties, he was captured by the Mongolian army. Because he was favored by the Mongolian commander, he served as a soldier under the Mongolian army. Looking for an opportunity to escape back to the Jin Dynasty. Secondly, the two brothers, Wanyan Chen, were raised by their elder brother. When their hometown fell, the two brothers planned to escape to the Jin Dynasty. The mother asked for leave, and she and her brother killed the watching soldiers, seized the horse, and fled with the mother. When the pursuers came, the monk Wanyan Chen lost his horse, and the mother was old and unable to walk, so she was in extremely danger. Under such circumstances, the brothers still did not give up on their mother. They found a human-drawn cart and drove it all the way south, crossing the Yellow River and arriving at the area controlled by the Jin Dynasty. It was amazing to see such filial piety. Let’s talk about loyalty. After the brother Wanyan Chen returned to the south, he won the emperor’s trust and was entrusted with an important task. His brother Wanyan Chen also served in the army with his brother. However, he suffered a terrible disaster because of being falsely accused. , was arrested and imprisoned, and was almost executed. When his brother died, Monk Wanyan Chen was pardoned and released from prison by Aizong after spending eighteen months in prison. Killing in private anger. If your brother dies, I will lose one of my generals. Now, because of your brother, I am willing to pardon you, and there will be people in the world who will criticize me. In the future, if you work hard to achieve merit and fame, and the country gains your strength, then I will be the one to forgive you.

"Monk Wanyan Chen felt angry and determined to repay Aizong's kindness with loyalty. On the battlefield in the future, Monk Wanyan Chen proved himself with his actions. The ancients said that a loyal minister must come to the door of a filial son, and he will not be deceived by himself. Also. Monk Wanyan Chen discussed talents again. Monk Wanyan Chen was one of the few generals of the Jin Dynasty who was versatile in both civil and military skills. After his return, Monk Wanyan Chen passed the examination and took up the post of guard. , it can be seen that martial arts are outstanding. As for literary talent, according to historical records, Monk Chen was talented in literature and history. , "The Biography of Zuo Shi in the Spring and Autumn Period", briefly understands its meaning. If there is nothing in the army, there will be thin words under the window, like a poor man, who looks at the world indifferently, even if he is in prison for eighteen months, his appearance will be the same. Monk Chen also reads books every day. From these records of Monk Wanyan Chen, we can see that Monk Wanyan Chen is a general with both civil and military talents. Finally, as a general, he must not only be brave but also good at fighting. , must also have the ability to command and control the army. Monk Wanyan Chen is exactly the general with this ability. The Zhongxiao Army under his command is fierce and difficult to control. "However, Monk Wanyan Chen was a good commander. He strictly enforced military discipline and trained strictly. It is said that in order to train the perseverance of his subordinates, he and his subordinates sat in the snow for three days and three nights in heavy snow, without moving at all. Under the leadership of Monk Yan Chen, the Zhongxiao Army became a strong force with strict military discipline, bravery and fearlessness. "Jin History" records: Monk Chen was well-mannered, and he followed the rules for both advance and retreat. There was no fault in the autumn, and there was no more noise in the streets. Every battle was fought first, as fast as the wind and rain, and all the troops relied on it. From then on, the Zhongxiao Army, led by Monk Wanyan Chen, began to show its edge on the battlefield. . The Zhongxiao Army won three battles and three victories. When the Zhongxiao Army formed an army, the Mongolian attack on the Jin Dynasty also entered a new stage. , the only remaining areas of Henan and Shaanxi in the Jin Kingdom were directly exposed to the iron hoof of the Mongolian army. In the decades-long war, the Jin Army failed to achieve a victory against the Mongolian army, and its military morale was already low. The Mongolian army divided its forces to attack the Jin Kingdom in two directions. One direction was to cross the Yellow River from the north and attack Kaifeng, the capital of the Jin Kingdom at that time. Inside the road, the North Road was very difficult to cross the river in front of the enemy, so the Jin State took advantage of the internal line operations to mobilize troops and conduct mobile operations. The Zhongxiao Army, mainly cavalry, became the main force of the battle. In the fourth year of Jin Zhengda's reign (1227), the Mongolian army conquered Xixia. Subsequently, the Mongolian army began to conquer the Jin-controlled areas in Shaanxi to prepare for the next attack on Pingyang and Lintao. In 1998, the Mongolian army led by Chi Laowen, the famous founding general of Mongolia, began to besiege Qingyang. Wanyan Heda and Bai Sa, who were in charge of Shaanxi's military affairs, led reinforcements including the Zhongxiao Army to relieve the siege. This battle was recorded in "Jin History". It is recorded here: In the fifth year, when the Northern Army entered Dachangyuan, Pingzhang Heda asked who could be the vanguard. Monk Chen came out to answer the order. On that day, 400 cavalry defeated 8000 people, and the soldiers of the three armies were eager to fight. It was the first time in the 20 years since the army was established that this victory had been achieved. He issued an imperial edict and was awarded the title of General Yuan, Judge of Pingliang Prefecture, and hereditary plan. Ke. In this battle, Monk Wanyan Chen bathed and changed his clothes before the decisive battle, and went into the battlefield without hesitation. According to the Jin Dynasty, the most prosperous army. The standard-built cavalry at that time, both men and horses were heavily armored, holding swords, spears, and carrying bows and arrows. The Mongolian army was caught off guard. The 8,000 men and horses were repeatedly charged and killed by the 400 loyal and filial soldiers, and the formation collapsed and fell into despair. Escape. The Jin Army achieved its first major victory in twenty years. Jin Aizong was so excited that he shed tears. The Zhongxiao Army and its commander, Monk Wanyan Chen, became famous in this battle. The war greatly boosted the morale of the Jin Dynasty, and even had a negative impact on the Jin Dynasty. In the summer of the seventh year of Zhengda (1230), the Jin Dynasty and Mongolia held peace talks. The peace talks were about to be completed, but due to the victory of Dachangyuan, Qingyang was relieved. The proud Yawuta, the left deputy marshal of Jin Shaanxi Province, actually said to the Mongolian envoy, "I have prepared troops and horses, please come in time of war!" "This angered Wo Kuotai, who was determined to destroy the Jin army, causing the peace agreement to break down. The cavalry battle happened in August of the seventh year of Zhengda. The Mongolian army Shi Tianze's troops attacked Weizhou to contain the Jin army and provide cover for the Mongolian army to break through Tongguan. Weizhou Located in Weihui, Xinxiang City, Henan Province today, it is located on the north bank of the Yellow River and is the north gate of Kaifeng. Shi Tianze was a famous general in Mongolia. He defeated the Jin Dynasty and conquered the Song Dynasty and made many military exploits in October. Da led 100,000 Jin troops to rescue them. After a fierce battle, the Jin army finally defeated the Mongolian army and solved the siege of Weizhou. According to historical records, after Jin Aizong received the victory, he went to Chengtianmen to reward the troops, and they were all awarded hereditary tactics. Giving a good horse a jade belt and giving him a full monthly salary is a sign of extraordinary kindness. "As the vanguard of the Jin Army, Monk Wanyan Chen's Zhongxiao Army also participated in this battle and achieved military exploits in this battle. This victory temporarily lifted the threat from the north of the Jin Kingdom. In the first month of the eighth year of Zhengda, the Mongolian army The offensive was stepped up in the direction of Tongguan, Shaanxi. The famous Mongolian general Subutai broke through Xiaoguan and plundered the Lu family and Zhuyang areas. The army was scattered over an area of ??more than 100 miles. The defender of Tongguan resisted the enemy and asked for help.

This time, the reinforcements were a thousand Zhongxiao troops led by monk Wanyan Chen as the vanguard, followed by Captain Jia Guze's 10,000 troops. The two armies clashed in Huihui Valley. Battle of Huihui Valley In this battle, Monk Wanyan Chen faced the Mongolian cavalry known as 40,000 men and the famous Mongolian general Subotai who was fighting in Asia and Europe without any fear. His loyal and filial army was like a bolt of lightning, penetrating into the depth of the Mongolian army. The Mongolian army, which was good at riding and shooting, found that the Zhongxiao Army was better at riding and shooting than itself. The men and horses of the Zhongxiao Army were all wearing heavy armor, effectively protecting themselves from Mongolian arrows. The Mongolian armies fell one after another under the perfect arrows of the Zhongxiao Army. The Mongolian army had never encountered such a powerful army, and its morale was in chaos. At this moment, the follow-up army of Jia Guze arrived. Under the internal and external attacks of Monk Wanyan Chen and Jia Guze, the Mongolian army was defeated and retreated one after another. The Zhongxiao army pursued them until they returned to Gugukou before withdrawing their troops. If the Mongolian army had not been commanded by the famous general Subutai, it is likely that the entire army would have been wiped out and fell back into the valley. In this battle, "Da Jin Guo Zhi" records that Subutai "" selected 40,000 people to cut stones and cut wood, chiseled the mountain of Shang, and entered Languan. They were defeated by (Wanyan) Heda, and thousands of people were killed. There were tens of thousands of remaining men and horses." There is also a record saying, ""Hou Jingzhao and Fengxiang reported that the Northern soldiers were heading west in embarrassment, and there were too many horses to take the title. "From this aspect, we can see how miserably the Mongolian army failed and how embarrassed it was. This was such a heavy blow that Emperor Ogedai of the Yuan Dynasty personally accused Subotai and wanted to punish him. Thanks to Tuo Lei's intercession, Let go of Subotai. The Mongolian Army 4. Bloody Sanfeng Mountain and the Death of Monk Wanyan Chen. However, the building will collapse and cannot be supported by one tree. Although the Zhongxiao Army has repeatedly made great achievements under the leadership of Monk Wanyan Chen. , with the imminent demise of the Jin Kingdom, the glory of the Zhongxiao Army also came to an end. After repeatedly attacking Tongguan to no avail, the Mongolian army decided to adopt Genghis Khan's dying strategy and use the Song Dynasty to detour to Tongguan. At that time, he said to his generals: "The elite troops of Jin are at Tongguan. They are surrounded by mountains in the south and a large river in the north. It is difficult to break through." If I am false to the Song Dynasty, the Song and Jin Dynasties have feuds, and I will definitely be allowed to send troops to the Tang and Deng Dynasties to attack Daliang. Jin is in urgent need of conscription at Tongguan. However, tens of thousands of people marched thousands of miles to help, but the men and horses were exhausted. Even though they were unable to fight, they were bound to be defeated. "According to this combat deployment, the Mongolian army was divided into three groups. The middle group was led by Wokuotai, who first engaged in a tug of war, forcibly crossed Mengjin, and marched to Kaifeng. The other group was the left army, starting from Jinan and marching to Kaifeng. And the most important right group was the right group. The army was led by Tuo Lei, with a total of 30,000 cavalry. They implemented Genghis Khan's legacy and detoured through the Song Dynasty and detoured to Tang and Deng. In August of the eighth year of Zhengda, Tuo Lei's army began to move out. The Lei army had already detoured between Xingyuan and Yangzhou, and then marched to Raofeng Pass. After hearing the news, Jin Aizong decided to fight with Tuo Lei all the way, and concentrated the remaining 150,000 Jin troops on the Xiangdeng line. Among the 10,000 people, there were 20,000 cavalry and 130,000 infantry. In view of the Jin army's shortcomings in mobility, Tuo Lei adopted a mobile combat method without engaging in a decisive battle with the Jin army. . On the way, Tuo Lei sent light cavalry to repeatedly harass the Jin army, which made the Jin army unable to fight and unable to stop. In the first month of the ninth year of Zhengda, the Jin army entered Sanfeng Mountain in the rain and snow to fight the main force of Tuo Lei. It rained and snowed, and some people in the Jin army were unable to eat for three days. The soldiers stood frozen in the snow with their armors on and their rifles as cold as the rafters. At the same time, they were exhausted and unable to fight. Tai also crossed the Yellow River and sent thousands of cavalry to reinforce Tuo Lei. Tuo Lei deliberately opened the road to Junzhou and set up an ambush to attack the Jin army. In the Battle of Sanfeng Mountain, although Monk Wanyan Chen and his Zhongxiao Army took the initiative many times, they were unable to restore their defeat. When the entire army was defeated, Monk Wanyan Chen broke through and entered Junzhou. , under the attack of the Mongolian army, Junzhou fell quickly. At this time, Monk Wanyan Chen used his death to let the world see his loyalty. When Junzhou fell, Monk Wanyan Chen first hid and was killed. After Luo calmed down for a while, he came out. He introduced himself to the Mongolian soldiers, "I am a general of the Jin Kingdom. I want to see your general to discuss something." "The Mongolian soldiers surrounded him with several cavalrymen and arrived in front of Tuo Lei's camp. Tuo Lei asked him his name, and Monk Wanyan Chen said passionately, "I am Monk Chen, the commander-in-chief of the Zhongxiao Army. It was I who defeated you in Dachangyuan, it was I who defeated you in Weizhou, and it was I who defeated you in Huihui Valley. If I die in the rebellion, others will say that I ran away and betrayed the country. If I die in peace today, people in the world will definitely know about me. "Tuo Lei admired Monk Wanyan Chen very much and wanted him to surrender. But Monk Wanyan Chen would rather die than surrender." " Tuo Lei Monk Wanyan Chen's heroism made the other side's soldiers admire him. Tuo Lei sprinkled wine on the ground to commemorate him, and prayed silently, " "Good man, if you are reborn in the world again, you must be allowed to me." Later, the people of the Yuan Dynasty said to the envoys of the Jin Dynasty, "In the past hundreds of years, China has only raised one monk, Er." "In the history of China, when the country is destroyed and the family is destroyed, there are always a group of people who are unwilling to surrender. They fight to the death against the conquerors, regardless of their own life and death. This spirit has been deeply integrated into the Chinese nation. Bloodline has become the inviolable cornerstone of the Chinese nation. We do not judge heroes by success or failure. Monk Wanyan Chen and his Zhongxiao Army are the heroes who failed, and their spirit will forever be remembered in history.