生平

屈突通先世为库莫奚种人，依附鲜卑慕容氏，高祖屈垣官任中领军，永熙年间，屈突通曾祖父又迁移到关中长安，遂成为雍州长安人氏。祖父屈突庆尚，任北魏黄门侍郎、北周邑川公，父亲屈突长卿，任北周开府仪同三司、邛州刺史。

屈突通禀性忠毅，善骑射。起家（开始做官）任北周司卫都中士，隋朝建立后，任左卫府司马，袭爵邑川公。迁任左勋卫车骑将军。

隋开皇十七年（597年）三月，任亲卫大都督，隋文帝派他到凉州（今中国甘肃）一带检查牧政，查到两万匹私马，隋文帝大怒要杀主管马政的监官，屈突通说，为马杀人非仁政，他愿一死以为一千五百人请命。当时流行的话说：「宁食三年艾，不见屈突盖；宁食三年葱，不见屈突通。」屈突通执法甚严，其弟屈突盖也和他一样。

仁寿四年，隋文帝驾崩，隋炀帝杨广即位，授备身郎将、正议大夫。大业七年，跟随杨广徵讨高句丽，升右光禄大夫、左候卫将军。大业十一年，炀帝南巡江都，授左光禄大夫、右骁、左候二卫大将军，委以镇守都城长安的重任。

唐高祖起兵，屈突通为隋朝守山西永济，兵败被俘，后归唐，任兵部尚书，封蒋国公。武德元年（618年）浅水原之战，大败薛仁果，诸将争抢珠宝，他独无所取。唐高祖对屈突通说：「公清正奉国，著自终始，名下定不虚也。」平定王世充，论其功第一，加授陕东道大行台、右仆射。武德九年，除为刑部尚书，后转任工部尚书，不久任陕东道大行台的尚书右仆射。

贞观初年（627年）废除陕东道大行台后，授使持节十一州诸军事、洛州都督，赐实封六百户，进左光禄大夫。贞观二年十月十九日（公历628年11月20日）病故于洛州官舍，年七十二。同年十一月二十八日葬于洛州河南县千金乡玄明里之北邙山。唐太宗痛惜不已，追赠尚书右仆射，谥曰忠。十七年（643），诏图形于凌烟阁。二十三年（649），与房玄龄配飨太宗庙庭。唐高宗永徽五年（654），重赠司空。世子屈突寿袭爵。屈突通少子屈突诠官至瀛州刺史。屈突诠之子屈突仲翔，神龙中亦为瀛州刺史。

夫人蒋国夫人，贞观三年五月二十九日（公历629年6月25日）逝世，年六十六。

屈突通墓志铭

全称《大唐故左光禄大夫蒋国公屈突府君墓志铭》，现收藏于洛阳新安县铁门镇千唐志斋博物馆。

屈突氏家族世系

• 屈突遵，生须

• 屈突须，生垣

• 屈突垣

• 未知

• 屈突庆尚，恒之孙，生长卿

• 屈突长卿，生通、盖

• 屈突通，生屈突寿、屈突韩、屈突干、屈突诠、屈突伦、屈突延

　• 屈突诠，生屈突伯起（有墓志）、屈突仲翔、屈突仲将、屈突仲任、屈突叔齐、屈突季将、屈突季札（有墓志）、屈突琁（有墓志）

　　• 屈突仲翔，生漪、浩、淑、潾

　　　• 屈突漪，生藏用；屈突淑，生鄂、准；屈突潾，生郇、郾

　　　　• 屈突郾，生铉、锜

　• 屈突伦，生琦、俊

　　• 屈突俊，生绍先

　• 屈突延，曾孙陕

　• 屈突氏（武德九年（626年）—咸亨二年五月十七日（671年6月28日）），嫁北周银青光禄大夫使持节利州诸军事行利州刺史上柱国清河县开国子崔玄籍（武德三年（620年）—圣历元年三月十四日（698年3月1日））

• 屈突盖，生逵、操

屈突通有孙洺州司士参军屈突昭，屈突昭女嫁杨雄玄孙广陵郡扬子尉杨东鲁。

Personal life

Qutu Tong is a descendant of Xianbei people. Originally, he was a general serving for the Sui Dynasty. In his early years, he was sent to Liangzhou by Emperor Wen of Sui to inspect the horse trading run by local governors and generals. He discovered serious corruption in the horse market that involved hundreds of people in local government and the local army. The emperor was extremely angry and planned to execute all people involved in this corruption. Many other officials in the central court agreed with the emperor's decision. However, Qutu Tong thought that although those people were guilty, it was too brutal to kill them all. He said to the emperor that human lives were way more important than horses. He would sacrifice his own life in order to save hundreds of lives, so that people would not criticize the emperor for his brutality. The emperor was impressed by Qutu Tong's argue and gave his pardon to those hundreds of people.

Qutu Tong was promoted to a higher position in the army after Emperor Yang of Sui took the throne. When the emperor was in the frontline against Goguryeo or touring the southern China along the Grand Canal, Qutu Tong was responsible for defending the de facto vice capital city of Luoyang. In 613, Qutu Tong took part in the battle that defeated the rebellion army led by Yang Xuangan near Luoyang. In 614, Qutu Tong suppressed the peasant uprising led by Liu Jialun in Yan'an.

In 618, Li Yuan (Emperor Gaozu of Tang) established Tang Dynasty and attacked the region guarded by Qutu Tong. Initially, Qutu Tong was able to defeat the Tang's army led by Liu Wenjing. However, due to the short of supply and the low morale of soldiers, Qutu Tong was defeated by Tang's army. Qutu Tong and Sang Xianhe submitted to Tang Dynasty after this battle, and was promoted to be the chief minister (Shangshu) of the Ministry of Wars by Emperor Gaozu. Soon after that, Qutu Tong became a follower to Li Shimin, the then Prince of Qin. With Li Shimin, Qutu Tong took part in many battles during the unification war. In the later half of 618, Li Shimin defeated Xue Renguo, the warlord based in Jincheng, during the Battle of Qianshuiyuan. After this battle, many Tang generals grabbed treasures from Xue Renguo's warehouse, but Qutu Tong refused to join them. He was thus praised by the emperor.

From 619 to 620, Li Shimin defeated Liu Wuzhou, the warlord stationed in northern Shanxi. Quto Tong took part in this campaign. In 621, Li Shimin and Li Yuanji led Tang forces to attack Wang Shichong, the warlord in Luoyang. Qutu Tong played a significant role in this campaign. When Li Shimin was making an inspection tour at Xuanwuling (the imperial tomb of Northern Wei dynasty, which is to the north of Luoyang), he was ambushed by Shan Xiongxin, the best general serving for Wang Shichong. Yuchi Jingde, another Tang general, saved Li Shimin and defeated Shan Xiongxin at Xuanwuling. Qutu Tong took this chance to launch an attack to Wang Shichong's headquarter. This attack caused remarkable damage to Wang's army, and Qutu Tong successfully captured Chen Zhilve, one of top generals in Wang's army.

In 621, Dou Jiande, another warlord based in Hebei, led his army marching towards Luoyang trying to save Wang Shichong. Li Shimin led 3000 elite soldiers defeated Dou Jiande at Hulao Pass. During the same time, Qutu Tong played a big role in assisting Li Yuanji in besieging Luoyang so that Wang Shichong could not join forces with Dou Jiande. After the Battle of Hulao, Qutu Tong was rewarded the highest military achievement, and was promoted to the Grand Commander of Shaandong Military Circuit.

When the rivalry between Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng, the crowned prince, was heating up, Qutu Tong chose to stick with Li Shimin. He supported Li Shimin during the Xuanwu Gate Incident in 626 that won Li Shimin the crown of emperor. Li Shimin further promoted and rewarded him after the incident. In 628, Qutu Tong died in Luoyang. In 634, Qutu Tong was listed as one of 24 founding officials of Tang Dynasty and had his portrayal exhibited on the Lingyan Pavilion.

Family

Father:

• Qutu Changqing: A local governor of Qiongzhou in Northern Zhou dynasty

Brother:

• Qutu Gai: County magistrate of Chang'an. Well known for his strictness in law enforcement.

Sons:

• Qutu Shou: Succeeded the title Duke of Jiang

• Qutu Quan: Guoyi Commandant; Local governor of Yingzhou

Grandson:

• Qutu Zhongxiang: Local governor of Yingzhou