Life before founding of Northern Wei Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei

1 life before founding of northern wei

1.1 birth , childhood
1.2 adolescence
1.3 alternative version

life before founding of northern wei
birth , childhood

according official accounts, tuoba gui born in 371, after father tuoba shi (拓拔寔), son , heir apparent tuoba shiyijian prince of dai, had died earlier in year injury suffered when protecting tuoba shiyijian assassination attempt general baba jin (拔拔斤). mother tuoba shi s wife heiress apparent helan, daughter of powerful tribal chief , dai vassal helian yegan (賀蘭野干). tuoba shiyijian, while mourning son s death, pleased grandson s birth, , declared general pardon in state , named child tuoba shegui. (other reference naming @ birth, however, name shegui scantily mentioned in historical accounts of rest of life, , presumably shortened gui simplicity.)

around new year 377, former qin launched major attack against dai. tuoba shiyijian temporarily fled capital yunzhong (雲中, in modern hohhot, inner mongolia), returned yunzhong after former qin retreated. after returned yunzhong, however, nephew tuoba jin (拓拔斤) convinced oldest surviving son tuoba shijun (拓拔寔君) tuoba shiyijian considering naming 1 of sons of wife princess murong (a former yan princess) heir , further considering killing him. tuoba shijun therefore ambushed father , brothers , killed them. led collapse of dai forces, , former qin forces occupied yunzhong without fight.

in disturbance, tuoba gui s mother lady helan fled brother helan na (賀蘭訥), had taken on tribal chief after helan yegan s death. later, former qin emperor fu jiān considered taking tuoba gui former qin capital chang an, tuoba shiyijian s secretary yan feng (燕鳳) convinced fu jiān instead allow tuoba gui remain in dai lands groomed eventual dai prince, arguing best way maintain tribes allegiance former qin. meanwhile, fu jiān divided dai tribes 2 groups, commanded xiongnu chiefs liu kuren (劉庫仁) , liu weichen (劉衛辰). tuoba gui, along mother, went live liu kuren, honored child prince.

adolescence

little known tuoba gui s life until 385, time former qin, had come close uniting of china, had fallen great disturbance in light of rebellions throughout empire. in 384, liu kuren had attempted aid fu jiān s son fu pi, under siege murong chui, founder of later yan, assassinated muyu chang (慕輿常), son of later yan noble; succeeded brother liu toujuan (劉頭眷). in 385, however, liu toujuan assassinated liu kuren s son liu xian (劉顯), took on chief , viewed tuoba gui, 14, threat. however, subordinates balie liujuan (拔列六眷) , qiumuling chong (丘穆陵崇) found out, , @ balie s instruction qiumuling escorted tuoba gui uncle helan na, put tuoba gui under protection. in 386, @ urging of previous dai officials, helan na supported tuoba gui in reassuming title of prince of dai.

alternative version

however, alternative version of tuoba gui s life presented in documents such book of jin , book of song -- official histories of rival jin dynasty (265-420) , liu song dynasty, had motive biased, , yet presented interesting issues. under version, tuoba gui not tuoba shiyijian s grandson, son—and born earlier official 371 date, of tuoba shiyijian s wife princess murong. when former qin attacked in 377, tuoba gui restrained father tuoba shiyijian , surrendered. fu jiān, offended @ act of betrayal, exiled tuoba gui. when murong chui, uncle, declared later yan in 384, tuoba gui joined him, , later put in charge of father s tribes through military campaign waged later yan. then, later, in order avoid having people know tuoba gui s status traitor father, official version of personal history manufactured.

this version not attested solve number of apparent contradictions in northern wei history. these difficulties apparent in official version include:

how tuoba gui s father, tuoba shi, had identical name perpetrator of patricide, tuoba shijun. if both names manufactured tuoba gui s later apologists, similarity in name explained lack of creativity.
how tuoba han (拓拔翰), mentioned tuoba shi s younger brother, referred in official sources tuoba gui s younger brother; tuoba yi (拓拔儀), tuoba han s son, played important role in northern wei history key diplomat , general, old possibly tuoba gui s nephew if tuoba gui born in 371. obviously, if official history, stated tuoba yi tuoba gui s cousin, correct, there no problem.
how tuoba gui appeared willing turn against maternal uncles helans in reign. if son of princess murong, not related helans, , campaigns against them seemed less problematic. (of course, render problematic how attacked , seized of later yan s history, later yan emperor murong bao cousin.)
how tuoba gui have younger brother—as given , undisputed in official history—tuoba gu (拓拔觚) -- described being son of mother lady helan, if himself born after tuoba shi s death. (two alternative explanations exist, however—it tuoba gu born of concubine of tuoba shi raised lady helan, or lady helan remarried after tuoba shi s death, member of tuoba clan—possibly tuoba yi s father tuoba han—and therefore younger son tuoba gu carry tuoba name. latter possibility attested in semi-contradictory version of official history stated tuoba gu tuoba yi s younger brother. possible explanation—that tuoba gu twin younger brother—appears unlikely, official accounts of tuoba gui s birth did not suggest possibility of twin birth.)
how tuoba gui s oldest son tuoba si, born in 392, said late-arriving son. according official chronology, tuoba gui 21 @ point, , might difficult comprehend being characterized having had late fatherhood. on other hand, during lifetime, particularly among non-han peoples, marriage , childbirth happened during adolescence.
how tuoba gui appeared begin show signs of mental deterioration when still in late 30s, signs of paranoia appeared more characteristic of men of older age. official version attribute poisoning powders given him alchemists, not unreasonable explanation, however, or have been paranoia had nothing mental deterioration.

whether cui hao, prime minister of tuoba gui s grandson emperor taiwu of northern wei, propagated version, , whether contributed emperor taiwu s execution of not himself entire clan, not clear, appeared likely.