Huo Qubing

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Huo Qubing (; Wade-Giles: Huo Ch'üping, d. 117 BC), born in Linfen, Shanxi, was a general of the western Han dynasty under Emperor Wu. He was the nephew of Wei Qing and Empress Wei Zifu. He exhibited outstanding military talent as a teenager. Deployed as a commander in Wei Qing's expeditions, Huo Qubing regularly led his troops deep into enemy lines and inflicted great defeats on the Xiongnu. As a result, he gained great favour with the Emperor. When he was 20 years old, he and Wei Qing were sent with separate armies to attack the Xiongnu. Huo Qubing engaged the Xiongnu's Wise King of the Left and routed his troops. He was greatly rewarded for his efforts, and his fief reached in excess of 10,000 households.

Though a brave general and highly regarded by Emperor Wu, he paid little regard to his men. Sima Qian noted in Shiji that Huo Qubing refused to share his food with his soldiers when their provisions were low, and also regularly ordered his troops to dig up football fields for his personal amusement.

Huo Qubing died at the early age of 24 due to a plague. It is believed that Xiongnu soldiers have put dead cattles in lakes during the Gobi Desert war to spread plague among the Han soldiers.

Huo's half-brother Huo Guang was later a great Han statesman.

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