Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Statesman and General

Yuwen Hu 宇文護

Attested AD 564 - AD 564

Passages: 4
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Yuwen Hu was a statesman and General.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 564 護既得母
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 16, passages 118, 129
AD 564 護聞閻尚存
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 110

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Lady Yan (閻氏)
mother 母
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 110

Career and standing

Chancellor 冢宰
Held
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 110
Described as
De facto king · Mode named-person-report Speaker Duan Shao (韶)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 114

Places and affiliations

Polity Northern Zhou 北周 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 110

Events and relationships

Requested mother return and peace
AD 564 護聞閻尚存 · Diplomatic · Correspondent · With Lady Yan (閻氏)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 110
Sent Yuchi Jiong against Luoyang
AD 564 護既得母 · Military · Dispatcher · With Yuchi Jiong (尉遲迥)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 118

Assessments and attributes

Assessment fickle and faithless; outwardly chancellor but in truth a king · Mode named-person-report Speaker Duan Shao (韶)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passages 113-114

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 16, passage 110

References in the histories

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

周冢宰宇文護母閻氏先配中山宮，護聞閻尚存，乃因邊境移書，請還其母，並通鄰好。 The mother of Zhou chancellor Yuwen Hu, Lady Yan, had first been assigned to Zhongshan Palace. Learning she still lived, Hu sent a letter through the border asking for her return and proposing neighborly peace.

護外托為相，其實王也，既為母請和，不遣一介之使申其情理，乃據移書即送其母，恐示之弱。 Hu outwardly styled himself chancellor but was in truth a king. He asked peace for his mother's sake, yet sent not a single envoy to state his case — and we would return her on the strength of a letter alone. That would look like weakness.

護既得母，仍遣將尉遲迥等襲洛陽。 Once Hu had his mother, he still sent generals Yuchi Jiong and others to strike at Luoyang.

韶遙謂周人曰：「汝宇文護幸得其母，不能懷恩報德，今日之來，竟何意也？」 Shao shouted across to the Zhou, "You, Yuwen Hu — you have just recovered your mother and cannot repay kindness with gratitude. What do you mean by coming today?"