Yuwen Shu (宇文述) | 24 Histories

Overview

Yuwen Shu was a Duke of Puyang; official.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Botong	伯通	Botong
Posthumous name	Gong	恭

Life and dates

Death

AD 616 及薨
At Jiangdu 江都
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passages 109, 113

Age

70
Reckoning Sui · Statement emperor cites ritual for men of seventy on campaign
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 77

Attested activity

AD 616 及薨
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 113
AD 611 史臣評論（大業以後追述）
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 61, passage 214
AD 561 to AD 578 周武帝時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 1
AD 607 大業三年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 52
AD 613 大業中
Directly stated · Book of Sui 44, passage 146
AD 580 大象二年十二月丁巳
Dated from the passage context · Book of Zhou 8, passages 92, 98

Show 13 more source-backed claims

AD 589 宇文述以兵討之
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 79, passage 193
AD 580 尉迥作亂相州
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 238
AD 580 尉遲迥之亂
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 53, passage 10
AD 589 平陳之役
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 14
AD 612 征高麗
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 76
AD 613 明年，帝有事遼東
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 94
AD 600 晉王奪宗謀議
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passages 188, 197
AD 605 to AD 613 煬帝
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 84, passages 9, 12
AD 604 煬帝嗣位
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 51
AD 581 開皇初
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 13
AD 581 to AD 618 隋代
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 59, passage 135
AD 604 高祖于仁壽宮將大漸
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 198
AD 580 高祖為丞相，尉迥作亂
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 9

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Yuwen Huaji (宇文化及)
eldest son 長子
father 父
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 111; Book of Sui 59, passage 135
Child of Yu Sheng (宇文盛)
son 子
father 父
Sources vary in certainty · Book of Sui 61, passage 3
Parent of Yuwen Shiji (宇文士及)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 48
Parent of Yuwen Zhiji (宇文智及)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 111

Kinship Role sons · Count 1 · one son appointed Colonel-Director-in-Chief
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 31

Key source chapters

Origins and identity

Ethnicity Xianbei-associated 鮮卑
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 2

Career and standing

superior pillar-of-state 上柱國
AD 580 大象二年十二月丁巳 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 8, passages 92, 98
General-in-Chief of the Left Guard 左衛大將軍
AD 604 煬帝嗣位 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 51
General-in-Chief of the Right Guard 右衛大將軍
AD 581 開皇初 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 13
Area Commander and Inspector of Shouzhou 壽州刺史總管
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 32
Area Commander of Anzhou 安州總管
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 31
chief minister 公輔
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 135

Show 14 more source-backed claims

Colonel of the Left Guard 左衛率
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 49
Colonel-Director-in-Chief 開府
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 6
Left Palace Steward 左宮伯
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 8
Superior Pillar of State 上柱國
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 12
regional commander 總管
AD 580 尉迥作亂相州 · Held
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 238
Director-in-Chief with Ceremonial Equipage of the Three Excellencies 開府儀同三司
AD 607 大業三年 · Granted
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 52
Received
Honor imperial marriage alliance and chief-minister rank 賜以婚媾，置之公輔
Directly stated · Book of Sui 59, passage 135
Duke of Bao 褒國公
Advanced
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 12
Duke of Boling 博陵郡公
Granted
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 8
Duke of Xu 許國公
AD 604 煬帝嗣位 · Reenfeoffed
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 51
Duke of Puyang 濮陽郡公
Reenfeoffed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 8
Reduced to
AD 612 除名為民 · Commoner
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 93
Restored
AD 613 明年，帝有事遼東，複述官爵 · Restored
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 94
Handed to officials
AD 612 以述等屬吏 · Stripped of office
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 92

Places and affiliations

Polity Northern Zhou
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 53, passage 10
Polity Sui · Relation Associated with
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 59, passage 135
Polity Sui
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 53, passage 10
Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 188
At Wuchuan in Dai Commandery 代郡武川
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 1
Organization Eastern Palace forces 東宮兵 · Relation Commanded
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 198

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Li Mi (李密) · Direct quotation · Units s0012
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 12
Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Emperor Yang (煬帝) · Direct quotation · Units s0010
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 10
Historian judgment · Subject · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passages 213-217
Memorial · Author · With Emperor Yang of Sui (隋煬帝)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passages 106, 111, 131-134
Speech · Speaker · With Emperor Yang of Sui (隋煬帝)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passages 33-39

Events and relationships

Attacked
AD 580 高祖為丞相，尉迥作亂 · Military · Commander · With Yuchi Jiong (尉遲迥) · At Xiangzhou 相州
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passage 9
Defeated Tuyuhun
AD 607 大業三年 · Military · Commander
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passages 53, 56, 58
Defeated
AD 613 楊玄感作亂 · Military · Commander · With Yang Xuangan (楊玄感)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passages 96, 100
Defeated
Military · Relief commander · With Yang Xuangan (楊玄感)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 44, passage 146
Drove off siege
AD 580 尉迥作亂相州 · Military · Commander · At Huaizhou 懷州 · With He Hong (和洪)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 238
Goguryeo campaign
AD 612 征高麗 · Military · Commander · At Yalu / Pyongyang
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passages 76, 87, 90

Show 9 more source-backed claims

Informed Guo Yan of plot
Political · Messenger · With Guo Yan (郭衍)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 188
Led Eastern Palace troops under forged edict
AD 604 高祖于仁壽宮將大漸 · Political · Commander · With Guo Yan (郭衍)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 198
Pacified Wu Kuai
AD 589 平陳之役 · Military · Commander
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 61, passages 14, 30
Served as registrar and joined Wei Xiaokuan’s suppression of Yuchi Jiong.
Campaign
Directly stated · Book of Sui 53, passage 10
Suppressed Xiao Huan
Military · Commander
Directly stated · Book of Sui 79, passages 193, 195
Relation Adviser of · Person Li Mi (李密)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 84, passage 12
Relation Ally of · Person Emperor Yang of Sui (隋煬帝)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passages 32, 48
Relation Envoy of · Person Emperor Yang of Sui (隋煬帝)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 188
Relation Colleague of · Person Guo Yan (郭衍)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passages 188, 198, 214

Assessments and attributes

Assessment greedy and base · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 71
Assessment obsequious flatterer who stole ease in high position · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passages 214-216
Assessment skilled at attendance and ingenious · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passages 66-67

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Sui 61, passage 188

References in the histories

Search passages

History

94 passages

Book of Sui, Chapter 44Volume 44 Biographies 9: Teng Mu Wangzan, Daodao Wangjing, Caiwang Zhiji · 1 passage

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數日，宇文述等援軍至，合擊破之。 Within days the relief armies under Yuwen Shu and others arrived, and in a combined attack they defeated him.

Book of Sui, Chapter 53Volume 53 Biographies 18: Daxi Zhangru, Helou Zigan, Shi Wansui, Liu Fang · 1 passage

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及尉迥作亂，子幹與宇文司錄從韋孝寬討之．遇賊圍懷州，子幹與宇文述等擊破之．高祖大悅，手書曰：「逆賊尉迥，敢遣蟻眾，作寇懷州．公受命誅討，應機蕩滌，聞以嗟贊，不易可言．丈夫富貴之秋，正在今日，善建功名，以副朝望也．」其後每戰先登，及破鄴城，與崔弘度逐迥至樓上．進位上開府，封武川縣公，邑三千戶，以思安縣伯別封子皎． When Yuchi Jiong rebelled, Zigan and the registrar Yuwen Shu followed Wei Xiaokuan to suppress him. When the rebels besieged Huaizhou, Zigan and Yuwen Shu and others broke the siege. Gaozu was delighted and wrote in his own hand: “The traitor Yuchi Jiong dared send an ant-like swarm against Huaizhou. You took command and swept them away as the moment required—I can hardly find words for my admiration. A man’s season of wealth and honor is now; build your merit to answer the court’s hopes.” After that he was first over the wall in every fight. When Ye fell, he and Cui Hongdu chased Jiong to the top of a tower. He was promoted to superior director of the bureau, enfeoffed as duke of Wuchuan with three thousand households, and his son Jiao was separately given the earldom of Si’an.

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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軍至河陽，迥遣兵圍懷州，洪與總管宇文述等擊走。 At Heyang, Jiong sent troops to besiege Huaizhou; Hong and Regional Commander Yuwen Shu drove them off.

Book of Sui, Chapter 59Volume 59 Biographies 24: Three Sons of Emperor Yang · 1 passage

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其父述，往屬時來，早沾厚遇，賜以婚媾，置之公輔，位尊九命，祿重萬鐘，禮極人臣，榮冠世表。 His father Shu, when fortune favored him, received generous treatment early on: he was granted a marriage alliance with the imperial house, placed among the chief ministers, honored with the highest rank, paid a stipend of ten thousand piculs, accorded the utmost rites due a subject, and his glory crowned his generation.

Book of Sui, Chapter 61Volume 61 Biographies 26: Yu Wenshu, Guo Yan · 83 passages

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宇文述，字伯通，代郡武川人也。 Yu Wenshu, whose courtesy name was Botong, came from Wuchuan in Dai Commandery.

本姓破野頭，役屬鮮卑俟豆歸，後從其主為宇文氏。 He had originally borne the surname Poyetou and served under the Xianbei leader Houdougou; he later took the Yuwen surname along with his master.

述少驍銳，便弓馬。 As a youth, Shu was fierce and quick, and excelled at archery and horsemanship.

年十一時，有相者謂述曰：「公子善自愛，後當位極人臣。」 When he was eleven, a physiognomist told him, "Take good care of yourself, young sir—you will one day rise to the highest ministerial rank."

述性恭謹沈密，周大塚宰宇文護甚愛之，以本官領護親信。 Shu was respectful, cautious, and reserved by nature. The Zhou regent Yuwen Hu took a great liking to him and left him in his original post while putting him in charge of the guard of personal confidants.