Zhao Jiande

Early life

Zhao Jiande was the eldest son of Zhao Yingqi and a Yue woman. Although the eldest, Jiande was passed over for kingship in preference for his half-brother, Zhao Yingqi.

War with the Han

During Zhao Xing's reign, Emperor Wu of Han sent missions to Nanyue to summon Zhao Xing to the Han court for an audience with the emperor. Zhao Xing and his mother decided to submit to the Han, but the prime minister Lü Jia (呂嘉), who held military power in Nanyue at that time, opposed this. Emperor Wu dispatched Han Qianqiu (韓千秋) with 2000 soldiers to arrest Lü Jia. After hearing of these developments, Lü Jia conducted a coup d'état, killing Zhao Xing and all of his supporters in 112 BC. Zhao Jiande was then crowned king of Nanyue.

The 2000 men led by Han Qianqiu defeated several small towns but were defeated as they neared Panyu, which greatly shocked and angered Emperor Wu. The emperor then sent an army of 100,000 to attack Nanyue. The army marched on Panyu in a multi-pronged assault. Lu Bode advanced from the Hui River and Yang Pu from the Hengpu River. Three natives of Nanyue also joined the Han. One advanced from the Li River, the second invaded Cangwu, and the third advanced from the Zangke River. In the winter of 111 BC Yang Pu captured Xunxia and broke through the line at Shimen. With 20,000 men he drove back the vanguard of the Nanyue army and waited for Lu Bode. However Lu failed to meet up on time and when he did arrive, he had no more than a thousand men. Yang reached Panyu first and attacked it at night, setting fire to the city. Panyu surrendered at dawn. Zhao Jiande and Lü Jia fled the city by boat, heading east to appeal for Minyue's aid, but the Han learned of their escape and sent the general Sima Shuang after them. Both Zhao Jiande and Lü Jia were captured and executed.

Aftermath

When the neighboring kingdoms of Cangwu, Xiou (Western Ou), and Luoluo heard of the fall of Nanyue, they all submitted to the Han. Their kings were made marquises.

Legacy

Based on many temples of Lü Jia (Lữ Gia), his wives, and soldiers scattering in Red River Delta of northern Vietnam, the war might have lasted until 98 BC.

After the fall of Panyu, Tây Vu Vương (the captain of Tây Vu area of which the center is Cổ Loa) revolted against the First Chinese domination from Western Han dynasty. He was killed by his assistant Hoàng Đồng (黄同).

Neither Shiji nor Hanshu had mentioned his Temple name, but his Posthumous name was mentioned in some Vietnamese historical texts. He was called Dương Vương (陽王 Yáng Wáng) in Việt Nam sử lược, Thuật Dương Vương (術陽王 Shù Yáng Wáng) in Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, and Vệ Dương vương (衛陽王 Wèi Yáng Wáng) in Đại Việt sử lược.

His palace supposedly formed the grounds of Guangzhou's Guangxiao Temple.

References

• Shiji, vol. 113.
• Book of Han, vol. 95.
• Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, vol.2 (Kỷ nhà Triệu)

Bibliography

(Ai Vương)

References

1. (2010-02-03). "Lễ hội chọi trâu xã Hải Lựu (16-17 tháng Giêng hằng năm) Phần I (tiep theo)".
2. (2014-01-28). "List of temples related to Triệu dynasty and Nam Việt kingdom in modern Vietnam and China".
3. Từ điển bách khoa quân sự Việt Nam, 2004, p564 "KHỞI NGHĨA TÂY VU VƯƠNG (lll TCN), khởi nghĩa của người Việt ở Giao Chỉ chống ách đô hộ của nhà Triệu (TQ). Khoảng cuối lll TCN, nhân lúc nhà Triệu suy yếu, bị nhà Tây Hán (TQ) thôn tính, một thủ lĩnh người Việt (gọi là Tây Vu Vương, "
4. ''Viet Nam Social Sciences'' vol.1-6, p91, 2003 "In 111 B.C. there prevailed a historical personage of the name of Tay Vu Vuong who took advantage of troubles circumstances in the early period of Chinese domination to raise his power, and finally was killed by his general assistant, Hoang Dong. Professor Tran Quoc Vuong saw in him the Tay Vu chief having in hands tens of thousands of households, governing thousands miles of land and establishing his center in Co Loa area (59.239). Tay Vu and Tay Au is in fact the same.
5. [https://zh.wikisource.org/zh/%E6%BC%A2%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7095 Book of Han], Vol. 95, Story of Xi Nan Yi Liang Yue Zhao Xian, wrote: "故甌駱將左黃同斬西于王，封爲下鄜侯"