宇文招 (豆盧突)

Yuwen Zhao 宇文招 (d. 580), zi Doulutu 豆盧突. Northern Zhou prince and writer.

Yuwen Zhao was a Xianbei. He was a member of the Northern Zhou imperial family. His ancestral home was Wuchuan 武川 in Dai commandery 代 (modern Wuchuan, Inner Mongolia). His father was Yuwen Tai 宇文泰 (507–556), a powerful Western Wei statesman who set the foundation for the establishment of the Northern Zhou. Yuwen Zhao was exceedingly bright from an early age. He studied widely and excelled at writing. He was fond of writing imitations of Yu Xin 庾信 (513–581). In 556, Yuwen Zhao was enfeoffed as Duke of Zhengping commandery, and in 559, he was named Duke of Zhao 趙. During this time, he held a number of positions, including pillar of state and area commander-in-chief of Yizhou 益州 (modern Chengdu 成都, Sichuan). In 572, he was appointed grand minister of works and commander-in-chief. In 574, he was formally awarded the title prince of Zhao, and he was appointed regional governor of Yongzhou 雍州 (southwest of modern Qichun 蘄春, Hubei). In 575, the Northern Zhou forces were sent on an military expedition to the east, and Yuwen Zhao was assigned as area commander-in-chief of the three armies of the rear section. In 578, he was promoted to grand preceptor. In the following year, Emperor Jing (r. 579–581) succeeded to the throne, and the general Yang Jian 楊堅 (541–604) assisted him in governing court affairs. Yuwen Zhao learned that Yang Jian planned to usurp imperial power and overthrow Emperor Jing. He thus decided to strike first. He invited Yang Jian to a banquet where he plotted to assassinate Yang Jian. However, Yang Jian discovered the scheme and had Yuwen Zhao killed.

According to Yuwen Zhao's biography in the Zhou shu, his collected works in ten juan were widely circulated during his lifetime. The monograph on bibliography of the Sui shu lists his collected writings in eight juan. The two Tang histories record a collection in ten juan. This was lost in the Song. Yuwen Zhao was on good terms with Yu Xin. Yu Xin's collected works contains sixteen poems written to match pieces by Yuwen Zhao. Yuwen Zhao's pieces are lost. Yu Xin's collection also contains ten thank-you notes addressed to Yuwen Zhao. Yuwen Zhao's only extant work is “Congjun xing” 從軍行 (Accompanying the army) which is included in the Wenyuan yinghua and Xian Qin Han Wei Jin Nanbeichao shi.

Bibliography

Studies

• Han Kedi 韓可弟. “Yuwen san caizi—Beiguo shiren Yuwen Yu Yuwen Zhao Yuwen You” 宇文三才子—北國詩人宇文毓、宇文招、宇文逌. Minzu wenxue yanjiu (1997: 4): 77–79.
• Cao Daoheng and Shen Yucheng, Zhongguo wenxuejia dacidian, 152.
• Guo Peng 郭鵬. “Lun Bei Zhou Zhao wang Teng wang yu Yu Xin de wenxue jiaowang dui Nanbei wenfeng ronghe de biaoshuai yu cedong” 論北周趙王滕王與庾信的文學交往對南北文風融合的表率與策動. Minzu wenxue yanjiu (2010: 4): 138–43.

TPK