Rising from the Ranks
2 min readSince Zhu Wen(852-912)–who originally served under Huang Chao, leader of a peasant uprising starting in 875, but later surrendered–toppled the Tang Dynasty, the whole country was thrown intodisorder again with the warlords fighting for hegemony. Born into the turbulent days, Zhao Kuangyin had practiced martial arts since childhood. Legend has it that he invented the “long punch boxing”–a style of Chinese shadow-boxing.
An Engraved Porcelain Vase Produced by the Yaozhou kiln, the Song Dynasty The Yaozhou Kiln was noted for its tri-color glazed porcelain ware. The kiln site was located in present Tongchuan city of shaanxi Province.
When he was 21 years old, Zhao Kuangyin left home to lead a vagrant life, traveling to many places.
In 949 he met Guo Wei(904-954)–a courtier of the Later Han Dynasty, and decided to offer his services to him. Zhao turned out to be a successful gambler, as just two years later Guo Wei proclaimed himself emperor and established the Later Zhou Dynasty. Zhao was made an officer under the command of Chai Rong(921-959), Guo’s adopted son.
After Guo died in 954, Chai Rong succeeded to the throne, and appointed Zhao Kuangyin as the commander of the imperial guards. That very year Zhao made a name for himself in the battle of Gaoping.
When Guo Wei usurped the throne, Liu Chong (895-954)–a member of the Later Han royal family–also proclaimed himselfemperor in Jinyang(present Taiyuan), founding the State of Northern Han (951-979). Liu swore fealty to the Liao Dynasty, and borrowed Khitan cavalries to attack the Later Zhou in 954. The two armies were engaged in a decisive battle in Gaoping(northeast of present Jincheng City of Shanxi Province). The Zhou forces on the right side collapsed at the first encounter with the enemy. At that moment of extreme crisis, Zhao Kuangyin led his men in the charge, and thereby turned the tables on the enemy. In the end, the Zhou army won a complete victory.
