Hulu Guang (斛律光) | 24 Histories

Overview

Hulu Guang was a Hulü Guang, styled Mingyue; Left Chancellor executed despite innocence.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Hulü Mingyue	斛律明月	Hulü Mingyue
Courtesy name	Mingyue	明月	Mingyue

Life and dates

Death

Cause executed for territorial power 以地勢被戮
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 48, passage 2
AD 572 後主時
Clan destruction after rebellion charge
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 207
AD 572 斛律明月已斃
Directly stated · Book of Sui 54, passage 64
AD 572 殺斛律明月
Killed · Mode quotation Speaker Emperor Wen of Sui (隋文帝)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 247
Executed
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 125
suddenly destroyed though guiltless
Mode quoted-manifesto Source Person Id Gao Sihao (高思好)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 117

Attested activity

AD 564 河清三年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 11, passage 241
AD 570 天和五年
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 43, passages 218, 227
AD 570 to AD 573 Wuping until execution
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 9, passages 121, 125
AD 560 乾明元年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 187
AD 572 其折衝之將斛律明月已斃
Directly stated · Book of Sui 54, passage 64
AD 560 to AD 572 北齊斛律光仕進
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 56

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AD 561 大寧元年十一月乙卯
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 7, passage 15
AD 572 後主時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 39, passages 198, 207
AD 550 to AD 572 斛律光以地勢被戮
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 48, passage 2
AD 560 to AD 572 斛律明月雅敬之，每有征伐
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 40
AD 563 是月
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 16, passages 149-150
AD 570 to AD 576 武平中
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 117
AD 571 武平二年二月
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 140
AD 572 殺斛律明月
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 84, passage 247
AD 564 河清三年十二月己巳
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 7, passage 94
AD 563 河清二年三月乙丑
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 7, passage 46
AD 562 河清元年五月己丑
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 7, passage 32
AD 564 護既得母
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 16, passages 119, 128

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Empress Hulü (斛律皇后)
daughter 女
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 201
Parent of Empress Hulu (斛律皇后)
daughter 女
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 121

Kinship Role clansmen · Quantity entire clan
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 207

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Qi general 齊將
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 43, passage 227
Right Chancellor 右丞相
AD 571 武平二年二月 · Held
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 140
Grand General 大將軍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 119
Left Chancellor 左丞相
Held
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 9, passage 121; Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 117
Right Chancellor 右丞相
Held
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 150
generous posthumous honors 優贈
AD 577 周武帝滅齊 · Granted
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 56

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Executed
Execution
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 48, passage 2
clan wiped out 滅其族
Clan extermination · Suffered
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 207

Places and affiliations

Northern Qi 齊
Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 43, passage 227
Polity Northern Qi 北齊 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 11, passage 241; Book of Northern Qi 16, passages 119, 140, 150; Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 198
Polity Northern Qi 齊 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Sui 54, passage 64
Polity Northern Qi 齊 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 55, passage 40
AD 564 護既得母
At Mount Mang 邙山 · Relation Encamped at
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 119

Works and attributed material

Book of Northern Qi juan 17, biography of Hu Lüguang 北齊書卷一七斛律光傳
Relation Subject of
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 11, passage 241
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passages 198-200

Events and relationships

Built fortress at Zhiguan
AD 563 河清二年三月乙丑 · Military · Supervisor
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 7, passage 46
Fought at Mangshan where Northern Qi won
AD 564 河清三年 · Military · Commander · At Mangshan 芒山
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 11, passage 241
Held right army at Mang
AD 564 護既得母 · Military · Commander
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 128
Led troops first
AD 563 是月 · Military · Commander
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 150
Marched on
AD 570 五年 · Military · Commander · At Yiyang 宜陽 · With Wei Xuan (魏玄)
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 43, passage 227
Posthumously honored with the six
AD 577 周武帝滅齊 · Ritual · Honoree
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 56

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Repelled Zhou raid
AD 571 武平二年二月 · Military · Commander
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 140
Sent to Luoyang encamped at Mang
AD 564 護既得母 · Military · Commander
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 119
Relation Rival of · Person Zu Ting (祖珽)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 198
Relation Colleague of · Person Duan Shao (段韶)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 150
Relation Patron of · Person Gao Mai (高勱)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 40

Assessments and attributes

Assessment busy beggarly schemer · Mode named-speech Speaker Hulu Guang (斛律光) · About Person Id Zu Ting (祖珽)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 198
Assessment chief minister through generations, his renown ringing in every neighboring realm · Mode quoted-manifesto Source Person Id Gao Sihao (高思好)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 117
Assessment finest warrior · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Yi Louqian (伊婁謙)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 54, passage 64

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passages 119, 150; Book of Northern Qi 39, passages 56, 198

References in the histories

Search passages

History

26 passages

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 7Volume 7 Annals 7: Emperor Wucheng · 6 passages

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乙卯，以司徒、平秦王歸彥為太傅，以尚書右僕射、趙郡王叡為尚書令，以太尉尉粲為太保，以尚書令段韶為大司馬，以豐州刺史婁叡為司空，乙太傅、平陽王淹為太宰，以太保、彭城王浟為太師、錄尚書事，以冀州刺史、博陵王濟為太尉，以中書監、任城王潛為尚書左僕射，以幷州刺史斛律光為右僕射，封孝昭皇帝太子百年為樂陵郡王。 On the yimao day, the emperor reshuffled the highest offices: Prince Guiyan of Pingqin, Minister over the Masses, became Grand Tutor; Prince Rui of Zhao Commandery, Right Vice Director of the Secretariat, became Chief Minister of the Secretariat; Grand Commandant Wei Can became Grand Guardian; Duan Shao became Grand Marshal; Lou Rui became Minister of Works; Prince Yan of Pingyang became Grand Minister; Prince You of Pengcheng became Grand Preceptor and Recorder of the Affairs of the Secretariat; Prince Ji of Boling became Grand Commandant; Prince Qian of Rencheng became Left Vice Director of the Secretariat; Hulu Guang became Right Vice Director of the Secretariat; and Emperor Xiaozhao's crown prince Bainian was made Prince of Leling Commandery.

己丑，以尚書右僕射斛律光為尚書令。 On the jichou day, Right Vice Director of the Secretariat Hulu Guang was made Chief Minister of the Secretariat.

丁酉，以大司馬段韶為太傅，以司空婁叡為司徒，乙太傅、平陽王淹為太宰，以尚書令斛律光為司空，以太子太傅、趙郡王叡為尚書令，中書監、河間王孝琬為尚書左僕射。 On the dingyou day, Grand Marshal Duan Shao was made Grand Tutor; Minister of Works Lou Rui was made Minister over the Masses; Grand Tutor and Prince Yan of Pingyang was appointed Grand Preceptor; Chief Minister of the Secretariat Hulu Guang was made Minister of Works; Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince and Prince Rui of Zhao Commandery was made Chief Minister of the Secretariat; and Director of the Secretariat and Prince Xiaowan of Hejian was made Left Vice Director of the Secretariat.

三月乙丑，詔司空斛律光督五營軍士築戍於軹關。 In the third month, on the yichou day, an edict ordered Minister of Works Hulu Guang to supervise soldiers of the Five Garrisons in building a fortress at Zhiguan.

庚辰，以司空斛律光為司徒，以侍中、武興王普為尚書左僕射。 On the gengchen day, Minister of Works Hulu Guang was appointed Minister over the Masses, and Palace Attendant Prince Pu of Wuxing was appointed left vice-director of the Masters of Writing.

己巳，乙太師段韶為太宰，以司徒斛律光為太尉，幷州刺史蘭陵王長恭為尚書令。 On jisi, Duan Shao was made Grand Minister, Hulu Guang was made Grand Commandant, and Prince Changgong of Lanling, Inspector of Bing Province, was made Chief Minister of the Secretariat.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 9Volume 9 Biographies 1: Empresses and Consorts · 4 passages

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後主皇后斛律氏，左丞相光之女也。 Empress Hulu of Houzhu, née Hulu, was the daughter of Left Chancellor Hulu Guang.

武平三年正月生女，帝欲悅光，詐稱生男，為之大赦。 In the first month of the third year of the Wuping era she bore a girl; the emperor, wishing to please Guang, falsely announced a boy and proclaimed a general amnesty.

光誅，后廢在別宮，後令為尼。 When Guang was executed the empress was deposed to a separate palace, and afterward was ordered to take the tonsure.

於時後主未有儲嗣，陸陰結待，以監撫之任不可無主，時皇后斛律氏，丞相光之女也，慮其懷恨，先令母養之，立為皇太子。 The emperor still had no heir; Lu maneuvered in secret, arguing that the regency could not stand empty—the reigning empress, Guang's daughter, might resent it—so she had the child raised by the empress and established as crown prince.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 11Volume 11 Biographies 3: Six Princes of Wenxiang · 1 passage

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按河清三年五六四芒山之戰，北齊獲勝，詳見本書卷一六段韶傳、卷一七斛律光傳，此段下文也說「大捷」這裏「敗」字必誤。 In the third year of Heqing, 564, Northern Qi won at Mangshan; see the biographies of Duan Shao in juan 16 and Hu Lüguang in juan 17 of this book. The lines below also speak of a "great victory"—defeat here must be wrong.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 14Volume 14 Biographies 6: Guangping Gongcheng; Yangzhou Gong Yongle; Di Zhangbi; Prince of Xiangle, Xiang Guo; Prince of Shangluo, Si Zong; Zi Yuanhai; Di Sihao; Prince of Pingqin, Guiyan; Prince Pu of Wuxing; Changle, Governor of Lingshan; Sizi Fuhu · 1 passage

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趙郡王叡實曰宗英，社稷惟寄，左丞相斛律明月，世為元輔，威著鄰國，無罪無辜，奄見誅殄。 Prince of Zhao Commandery Rui is truly the flower of the clan — upon him alone the altars rest. Left Chancellor Hulü Mingyue, chief minister through generations, his renown ringing in every neighboring realm — and yet, guiltless, he was suddenly destroyed.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 16Volume 16 Biographies 8: Duan Rong; Duan Shao · 4 passages

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詔遣蘭陵王長恭、大將軍斛律光率衆擊之，軍於邙山之下，逗留未進。 An edict dispatched Prince of Lanling Gao Chang Gong and Grand General Hulü Guang with troops to attack them. They encamped below Mount Mang and lingered without advancing.

韶為左軍，蘭陵王為中軍，斛律光為右軍，與周人相對。 Shao took the left wing, Prince of Lanling the center, and Hulü Guang the right — facing the Zhou.

二月，周師來寇，遣韶與右丞相斛律光、太尉蘭陵王長恭同往捍禦。 In the second month Zhou troops came raiding; Shao was sent with Right Chancellor Hulü Guang and Grand Commandant Prince of Lanling Gao Chang Gong to repel them.

右丞相斛律光先率師出討，韶亦請行。 Right Chancellor Hulü Guang led troops out first to attack; Shao also asked to go.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 34Volume 34 Biographies 26: Yang Yin; Yan Zixian; Song Qindao; Zheng Yi · 1 passage

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子獻素多力，頭又少發，當狼狽之際，排衆走出省門，斛律光逐而擒之。 Zixian was always strong and had little hair. In the panic he pushed through the crowd and fled out the office gate, but Hulu Guang pursued and seized him.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 39Volume 39 Biographies 31: Cui Jishu; Zu Ting · 3 passages

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周武帝滅齊，詔斛律光與季舒等六人同被優贈，季舒贈開府儀同大將軍、定州刺史云。 When Emperor Wu of Zhou destroyed Qi, an edict granted generous posthumous honors to Hulü Guang and six men including Jishu; Jishu was posthumously granted Kaifu Yitong Grand General and Inspector of Ding Province.

斛律光甚惡之，遙見竊罵云：「多事乞索小人，欲行何計數！」 Hulü Guang hated him deeply. Seeing him from afar he would mutter, "Busy beggarly little man—what scheme is he running now!"

因光府參軍封士讓啟告光反，遂滅其族。 Then Feng Shirang, a staff officer in Guang's headquarters, memorialized that Guang was plotting rebellion, and the whole clan was wiped out.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 48Volume 48 Biographies 40: Imperial Affines · 1 passage

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齊氏后妃之族，多自保全，唯胡長仁以譖訴貽禍，斛律光以地勢被戮，俱非女謁盛衰之所致也。 Among Northern Qi empresses’ kin, many kept themselves safe; only Hu Changren fell to denunciation, and Hulu Guang was killed for his territorial power—neither owed simply to the waxing and waning of palace women.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 50Volume 50 Biographies 42: Favored by Nobles · 1 passage

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及周兵之逼，言於後主曰：「臣已發遣斛律明月將大兵在前去。」 As Zhou troops closed in, he told the Later Lord, “I have sent Hulu Guang ahead with a great army.”

Book of Sui, Chapter 54Volume 54 Biographies 19: Wang Zhangshu, Li Yan, Yi Louqian, Tian Rengong, Yuan Heng, Du Zheng, Li Che, Cui Peng · 1 passage

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其折衝之將斛律明月已斃，讒人之口，上下離心，道路仄目。 Their finest warrior, Hulu Yue, is dead; slander fills the court, rulers and subjects are estranged, and common folk watch the roads in fear.

Book of Sui, Chapter 55Volume 55 Biographies 20: Du Yan, Gao Mai, Er Zhu Chang, Zhou Yao, Du Gukai, Qi Fuhui, Zhang Wei, He Hong, Houmo Chenying · 1 passage

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斛律明月雅敬之，每有征伐，則引之為副。 Hulü Mingyue admired him greatly and always took him as second-in-command on campaign.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 84Volume 84 Biographies 9: Li, Mi · 1 passage

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薛道衡嘗薦之隋文帝，帝曰：「是非殺斛律明月人兒邪？ Xue Daoheng once recommended him to Emperor Wen of Sui. The emperor said, "Is this not the son of the man who killed Hulü Mingyue?

Book of Zhou, Chapter 43Volume 43 Biographies 35: Li Yansun; Wei You; Han Xiong; Chen Xin; Wei Xuan · 1 passage

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五年，齊將斛律明月率眾向宜陽，兵威甚盛，玄率兵禦之，每戰輒剋。 In the fifth year the Qi general Hulu Mingyue marched on Yiyang with overwhelming force; Xuan met him in battle and won every engagement.