Zhao Tuo
Encyclopedia : Z : ZH : ZHA : Zhao Tuo
| King (Emperor) Wu of Nanyue | |
|---|---|
| Birth and death: | (~230 BC – 137 BC) |
| Family name: | 趙 (S:赵) Zhào (WG:Chao) |
| Given name: | 佗 Tuō |
| Posthumous name: | King (Emperor) Wu 武王 (帝) Wǔ Wáng (Dì) Vũ Vương |
| Dates of reign: | ? – 137 BC |
Zhao Tuo (Traditional Chinese: 趙佗; pinyin: Zhào Tuō) or Triệu Đà in Vietnamese, was a Chinese commanding general of the Qin Dynasty who later founded the kingdom of Nanyue, or Nam Việt (南越). He was also the founder of the Zhao Dynasty (Triệu Dynasty) of Nanyue. Born in Zhending (真定), Northern China, he served in a Qin expeditionary force that was sent south. In 206 B.C., Zhao Tuo defeated the Au Lac kingdom of An Dương Vương and merged it with Guangzhou and Guangxi which was under his commandery under the time of Qin. Along the way, he married a Yue wife.
At the end of the Qin Dynasty, he took control of the region of modern-day Guangdong and Guangxi. Zhao Tuo built up his power and territory, partially through alliances with native Yue nobility and chieftans, he declared himself the King of Nanyue ("Southern Yue") and set up his capital at Panyu (番禺) the site of modern-day Guangzhou. The state was not peaceful. There were Changsha (長沙) state to the north which had been long in conflict, to the east there were warlike Minyue (閩粵) state, and to the west there were Southeastern Yi (西南夷) which did not restrain Han ways. Also, in the Nanyue territory there were Western Ou (西甌) and Luo Yue (駱越) which were not very submissive. But the largest threat came from Han Dynasty which covetted the Nanyue state. Since early stage, Emperor Gao Zu (Liu Bang) gave 3 郡 to Changsha King Wu Rui (吳芮), and appointed Yao Wuyu, Marquis of Haiyang (海陽侯徭無餘) and Zhi, King of Nanhai (南海王織). Emperor Gao Zu also put an army in the Changsha state to watch over the movements of Nanyue kingdom, which made Zhao Tuo worried about this situation. Zhao Tuo took opportunity on trading and imported things in large amounts from the Central Plains, and Zhao Tuo also gave tribute to central authotity. After Gao Zu died, Emperor Hui(惠帝, Liu Ying 劉盈) succeeded. The new emperor respected treaty made by his father, and Zhao Tuo also kept this treaty.
After 7 years of the reign of Emperor Hui, Empress Dowager Lü came into power. In the beginning everything went on as usual. But in 183 BC, she suddenly declared to restrict trade of Han with others, this included useful products such as iron tools and horses to Nanyue territory. This was because Wu Rui, King of Changsha, who was the only non-Liu king in Han territory, who treated well by the Empress (Gao Zu removed all non-Liu kings except Wu Rui since his state was not much of power, and The empress wanted to appoint Lü kings). The blockade had a great impact on Nanyue economy, since Nanyue needed iron plow tools, and people were unhappy about the blockade. Zhao Tuo thought that this must be the trickery of the Changsha King. He realized that Han Dynasty was powerful, so he sent messengers to Chang'an to request to release the blockade. But Changsha King Wu Rui made the messengers prisoners in Chang'an. Wu Rui further talked bad things about Zhao Tuo, which made Empress Dowager Lü angry. Then she killed Zhao Tuo's relatives in the Central Plains and destroyed Zhao Tuo's ancestral tomb. Destruction of ancestors' tomb was, in ancient age, viewed as a very serious thing. Zhao Tuo realised that political approach would no longer succeed. So, in 183 BC, he declared himself Emperor Wu of Nanyue (南越武帝). He had been long in conflict with Changsha King Wu Rui, so he sacked Changsha country to the North. Then the Empress ordered to attack Nanyue, but most of the army died by disease and could be held by Nanyue successfully, but the military conflict did not stop until the Empress died. As the victor, Zhao Tuo also extended his territory by conquering towns near the boundary. He also established relationship with Minyue (閩越)、 Xi Ou (西甌) and Luo Yue (駱越) with valuables. But this war almost completely wiped out the trade relationship between Central Plains and Nanyue. 179 BC, Emperor Wen of Han inherited the throne. Emperor Wen abolished some cruel punishments made by Qin. Zhao Tuo saw this, and wrote to the Emperor, if the 2 generals from Changsha moved out, and restore his relatives in Zhen Ding, he would be in peace with Han. Emperor Wen immediately took action. He repaired the tomb of his ancestors, and found one Zhao family who survived, and also moved out Han army in Changsha. Then Zhao Tuo removed his emperor title and Nanyue became a vassal state of the Han once more.
Zhao Tuo died in 137 BC at the age of ninety-three. After that, Emperor Wu was able to control his successors and in 111 BC annexed the kingdom as the prefecture of Jiaozhi (Chinese: 交趾 Vietnamese: Giao Chỉ)
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