Introduction
He Qi (贺齐), courtesy name Gongmiao (公苗), was an Eastern Wu general from Kuaiji Commandery. He was the leading pacifier of the Shanyue in the south: he killed the powerful clerk Si Cong and broke his clan, persuaded Shang Sheng to surrender then defeated Zhang Ya and Zhan Qiang in Houguan, crushed the Jian’an–Hanxing–Nanping rebellion (beheading the disobedient Ding Fan), and with Jiang Qin took Linye Mountain by a night climb with iron hooks—creating the six counties of Xin-du Commandery. He fought at Hefei (215), recovered Xu Sheng’s spear, and with three thousand men received Sun Quan at Xiaoyao Ford and remonstrated in tears. With Lu Xun he defeated You Tu and Fei Zhan and gained eight thousand troops; he was enfeoffed Marquis of Shanyin. At Dongkou (222) he arrived late and avoided the storm; his lavishly equipped fleet deterred Cao Xiu, who withdrew. He was made General of the Rear and Governor of Xu Province, and in 223 captured the defector Jin Zong at Qichun. He died in 227. Zhu Yu praised his “martial bearing and achievements in his time.” He does not appear in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms (which omits the Shanyue campaigns).
Biography
Early career: Shanyin and Houguan
He Qi was from Shanyin (山阴), Kuaiji Commandery. His clan had originally been 庆 (Qing); they changed to 贺 (He) to avoid the taboo of Emperor An’s father. He served as a commandery clerk and acting Magistrate of Shan (剡). The clerk Si Cong was a local magnate with Shanyue backing; when He Qi tried to punish him, the master of records warned that the Shanyue would attack. He Qi had Si Cong executed; Si Cong’s clan raised a thousand men and attacked the county. He Qi led officials and people in a sortie and routed them, “striking awe into the Shanyue.” When Taimo and Fengpu rebelled, he was made Magistrate of Taimo, punished the wicked and nurtured the good, and pacified the area in a month.
In 196 Sun Ce, touring Kuaiji, recommended He Qi Filial and Incorrupt. Wang Lang had fled to Dongye; the Magistrate of Houguan Shang Sheng rose for Wang Lang. Sun Ce sent Han Yan to attack; when Han Yan was defeated, He Qi succeeded him as Magistrate of Yongning, then as Chief of the Southern Section. Shang Sheng feared He Qi and sent to seek an alliance; He Qi explained the situation and Shang Sheng surrendered. The bandit chiefs Zhang Ya and Zhan Qiang killed Shang Sheng; Zhang Ya styled himself “Supreme General,” Zhan Qiang “Administrator of Kuaiji.” He Qi had too few troops to attack and rested. He set the Yue to stir up conflict between Zhang Ya and his son-in-law He Xiong; when they fought each other he attacked, defeated Zhang Ya in one battle, and Zhan Qiang’s men surrendered.
Jian’an rebellion (203) and Xin-du
In 203 the strongmen of Jian’an, Hanxing, and Nanping rebelled again. He Qi advanced to Jian’an and set up the Chief’s headquarters. The commandery sent five thousand troops with the various magistrates under He Qi. He Qi feared being cut off if he went deep; he ordered the Magistrate of Songyang Ding Fan to hold Yuhan. Ding Fan, a former peer, refused to serve under him. He Qi had Ding Fan executed; the army was shocked and obeyed. He Qi left part of his force at Yuhan and attacked Hong Ming, defeating him repeatedly and killing Hong Ming; Hong Jin, Yuan Yu, Wu Mian, and Hua Dang surrendered. He then took Gaizhu and Datan; Wu Wu and Zou Lin surrendered. He Qi beheaded six thousand and captured the rebel chiefs; he re-established the counties and obtained ten thousand soldiers. He was made Colonel Who Pacifies the East (平東校尉). In 205 he campaigned in Shangrao and had Jianping County created from Jian’an. In 208 he was promoted to General Who Inspires Awe (威武中郎將) and with Jiang Qin (ten thousand men) attacked the bandits of Yi and She in Danyang. Four settlements surrendered; He Qi had Yexiang renamed Shixin. The She bandit Jin Qi had ten thousand households at Anle Mountain, Mao Gan ten thousand at Wuliao Mountain, and the Yi bandits Chen Pu and Zu Shan twenty thousand at Linli Mountain. Linli was sheer on all sides; the path was narrow and the bandits rolled rocks down. He Qi had light troops make iron hooks and, by night, cut steps in an unguarded cliff and climb; they then let down cloth for the rest. Hundreds went up and spread out; they beat drums and shouted. The bandits thought the army had scaled the mountain and fled in confusion. He Qi’s army took the height and defeated Chen Pu and the rest; seven thousand heads were taken. He Qi proposed splitting She into Xinding, Liyang, and Xiuyang and with Yi, She, and Shixin making six counties. Sun Quan created Xin-du Commandery with He Qi as Administrator and General of the Side (偏將軍), with headquarters at Shixin.
Later campaigns and Hefei (215)
In 211 Lang Zhi in Yuhang rebelled with his clan and thousands joined; He Qi defeated him and had Lin-shui County created. When he returned to Shixin, Sun Quan saw him off with music and dance, gave him a carriage and horses, and had him ride in the imperial carriage; Sun Quan said that without accumulated effort such honour could not be won. In 213 Peng Cai, Li Yu, and Wang Hai in the east of Yuzhang rebelled with over ten thousand; He Qi pacified them, executed the leaders, chose the strong as soldiers and the rest as civilians, and was made General Who Rouses the Martial (奮武將軍).
In 215 He Qi followed Sun Quan against Hefei. When Zhang Liao struck from the city, Xu Sheng was wounded and lost his spear (or standard); He Qi led the centre and recovered it. At Xiaoyao Ford Sun Quan was cut off; He Qi had three thousand men on the south bank. Sun Quan crossed the broken bridge on horseback; when he reached the boat he held a feast. He Qi knelt in tears and said the lord should be cautious and that the day’s events had nearly brought disaster; he asked Sun Quan to take it as a lifelong warning. Sun Quan wiped his tears and said he would remember it and would not only write it on his girdle.
You Tu, Fei Zhan, and Shanyin marquisate
In 216 the Poyang commoner You Tu had received a seal from Cao Cao and raised the people; the Danyang bandit Fei Zhan had also received a seal; Lingyang, Shi’an, and Jing counties responded. Sun Quan sent He Qi and Lu Xun to attack. He Qi defeated You Tu and beheaded thousands; the rest surrendered and he gained eight thousand picked troops. Lu Xun defeated Fei Zhan with ruses (flags, drums, night attack). He Qi was made General Who Pacifies the East (安東將軍) and Marquis of Shanyin (山陰侯), and put in charge of the river from Fuzhou to Wan.
Dongkou (222) and Jin Zong (223)
In 222 Cao Pi attacked on three fronts; Cao Xiu attacked Dongkou. He Qi was delayed by distance and camped at Xinshi. Lü Fan’s fleet was hit by a storm; half the men drowned and morale fell. He Qi’s army had not crossed and was intact; the other generals relied on him to hold the line. He Qi was fond of lavish military display: his ships were carved and painted, with green canopies and red curtains; shields and spears were ornate; his “mountains” of ships made Cao Xiu wary and he withdrew. He Qi was promoted to General of the Rear (後將軍) with acting tally and Governor of Xu Province (徐州牧).
Jin Zong, the defender of Xikou, had defected to Wei and been made Administrator of Qichun; he raided Anle to fetch his family. In 223, in the summer heat, Sun Quan sent He Qi with Mi Fang and Xianyu Dan to surprise Qichun; they captured Jin Zong.
He Qi died in 227. His sons He Da and He Jing had good names; He Da was sent as envoy to Gongsun Yuan in 233 and was killed.
Personality and traits
Military ability and display
He Qi was the foremost pacifier of the Shanyue: decisive (executing Si Cong, then Ding Fan), skilled at dividing enemies (Zhang Ya and He Xiong), and bold (the night climb at Linye). He was also known for lavish equipment and ships; Sun Quan, when someone accused him and Lü Fan of excess, said they had no fault like Guan Zhong—their fine gear “suited the army’s appearance” and did not harm governance.
Remonstrance
At Xiaoyao Ford he wept and urged Sun Quan to be cautious and remember the day as a lifelong warning.
Political achievements
Pacification and administration
He Qi pacified Shanyun (Si Cong), Taimo and Fengpu, Houguan (Shang Sheng, Zhang Ya, Zhan Qiang), the Jian’an–Hanxing–Nanping rebellion (203), Yi and She and the creation of Xin-du (208), Yuhang (Lang Zhi), Yuzhang (Peng Cai et al.), You Tu and Fei Zhan (216). He served as Administrator of Xin-du for years and was General Who Pacifies the East and then General of the Rear, Governor of Xu Province.
Relationships
Sun Ce and Sun Quan
Sun Ce recommended him Filial and Incorrupt and used him in the south. Under Sun Quan he continued to pacify the Shanyue and fight at Hefei and Dongkou; Sun Quan saw him off with great ceremony and defended his lavish gear.
Jiang Qin and Lu Xun
He Qi campaigned with Jiang Qin in Yi and She and with Lu Xun against You Tu and Fei Zhan.
Anecdotes and allusions
Killing Si Cong and “striking awe into the Shanyue”
When the clerk Si Cong, a magnate with Shanyue support, was to be punished, the master of records warned of attack. He Qi had him executed; the clan raised a thousand men. He Qi led a sortie and routed them—“striking awe into the Shanyue.”
Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical
Beheading Ding Fan
At Yuhan, He Qi ordered Ding Fan to stay behind; Ding Fan refused as a former peer. He Qi had him beheaded; the army was shocked and obeyed.
Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical
Night climb at Linye
He Qi had troops use iron hooks to cut steps in an unguarded cliff by night, climb up, and let down cloth; they then beat drums and shouted. The bandits fled; He Qi took the mountain and defeated Chen Pu and the rest.
Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms
Type: Historical
Wooden clubs vs. shamans
The Baopuzi says that when He Qi fought Shanyue who used “prohibitions” so that blades would not draw and arrows reversed, he reasoned that only metal and poison could be prohibited. He had five thousand strong men use wooden clubs; the bandits, relying on their shamans, were not prepared and were killed by the thousands.
Source: Baopuzi (Ge Hong)
Type: Anecdotal
Achievements
He Qi’s documented achievements include:
- Pacifying Shanyun, Taimo, Fengpu, Houguan, and the Jian’an rebellion; creating Xin-du Commandery (six counties) after the Linye campaign
- With Jiang Qin taking Yi and She; with Lu Xun defeating You Tu and Fei Zhan and gaining eight thousand troops
- At Hefei (215) recovering Xu Sheng’s spear and receiving Sun Quan at Xiaoyao Ford; remonstrating in tears
- At Dongkou (222) his intact fleet deterring Cao Xiu
- Capturing Jin Zong at Qichun (223)
- Rising to General of the Rear, Governor of Xu Province, Marquis of Shanyin
Behind the scenes
Historical sources
He Qi is recorded in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志) in the “Biographies of He Qi, Quan Cong, Lü Dai, Zhou Fang, and Zhongli Mu” (吳書·賀全呂周鍾離傳). The Baopuzi (抱朴子) and Huiji dianlu (会稽典录) add anecdotes.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
He Qi does not appear in the novel; the Shanyue are largely omitted and the south is portrayed as peaceful.
Zhu Yu’s praise
Zhu Yu (in the Huiji dianlu): “In martial bearing and achievement in his time, the General of the Rear He Qi—his merit and deeds were manifest.”
Historical evaluations
Zhu Yu (Huiji dianlu)
“In martial bearing and achievement in his time, the General of the Rear He Qi—his merit and deeds were manifest.” (其雄姿武毅，立功当世，则后将军贺齐，勋成绩著。)
Chen Shou
In the collective comment on the pacifiers: “The Shanyue were prone to rebellion, hard to pacify and easily stirred. Thus Sun Quan could not look abroad and spoke humbly to Wei. All these ministers … pacified internal difficulty and settled the realm.” He also noted that He Qi “was fond of luxury and display, especially in military matters; his weapons and armour were extremely fine.”
Legacy
He Qi is remembered as Eastern Wu’s foremost pacifier of the Shanyue and as the general who rescued Sun Quan at Xiaoyao Ford and whose fine fleet deterred Cao Xiu at Dongkou. The Linye night climb is cited as a classic example of mountain assault. In later times he was honoured in Chun’an (e.g. He Temple) as the founder of the county.
See also
- Sun Quan — lord; received at Xiaoyao Ford; defended He Qi’s lavish gear
- Lu Xun — campaigned with He Qi against You Tu and Fei Zhan
- Jiang Qin — campaigned with He Qi in Yi and She
- Lü Fan — like He Qi accused of lavish dress; Sun Quan defended both
- Zhang Liao — attacked at Hefei; He Qi recovered Xu Sheng’s spear and received Sun Quan
References
- Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志), “Biographies of He Qi, Quan Cong, Lü Dai, Zhou Fang, and Zhongli Mu” (吳書·賀全呂周鍾離傳).
- Pei Songzhi. Annotations.
- Ge Hong. Baopuzi (抱朴子), “Zhili” chapter (anecdote on wooden clubs).
- Yu Yu. Huiji dianlu (会稽典录), in Pei Songzhi’s annotation (Zhu Yu’s praise).