生平

郭子儀，祖籍山西汾陽，公元697年陰曆十二月十二日（698年1月29日），一說是中秋節（697年陰曆八月十五日，陽曆697年9月5日)生于華州鄭縣(今陝西華縣)，儀表堂堂，身高超過1.9米。出身官吏之家，父親是壽州刺史郭敬之。郭子儀早年正是盛唐時期，並未受重用。郭子儀早年參加武舉，以「異等」的成績補任左衛長上（從九品下），後累遷至桂州都督府長史、單于都護府副都護、振武軍使、安西副都護等。天寶八載（749年）三月，郭子儀升任左武衛大將軍（從三品上）、橫塞軍使、安北副都護，又改橫塞軍使為天德軍使。天寶十三載（754年）春，郭子儀兼任九原郡（豐州）都督、西受降城使、九原郡太守、朔方節度右廂兵馬使。不久，郭子儀的母親、贈魏國夫人向氏去世，他去職返家守孝。

天寶十四載（755年）安史之亂時，被封為朔方節度使（靈州，在今寧夏吳忠西北古城鎮），奉詔討伐，聯合朔方軍李光弼分兵進軍河北，會師常山（河北正定），擊敗史思明，收復河北。此時郭子儀建議皇帝，北取范陽，直搗叛軍虎穴，以減輕潼關之圍，但是玄宗不允。此後種下日後晚唐藩鎮割據的局面，日後亦成為唐朝滅亡之遠因。天寶十五載（756年）與回紇聯軍平定河曲，次年春天收復河東（今山西永濟）、馮翊（今陝西大荔），並進攻潼關，大敗崔乾祐，唐軍死傷過萬人。崔乾祐退保蒲津。安祿山為其子安慶緒所殺。唐肅宗即位後，拜郭子儀為兵部尚書、同中書門下平章事。

至德二載（757年），奉敕引兵赴鳳翔，途中在白渠留運橋（今三原東南）擊敗李歸仁鐵騎五千人，五月，與安守忠、李歸仁戰於清渠（今西安以西）失利，退保武功（今武功西北），九月，隨元帥廣平王李俶率唐與回紇合兵十五萬人，再與安守忠、李歸仁交戰於香積寺（今長安縣西南）之北，回紇兵繞到敵人後方，前後夾擊，殺敵六萬人，張通儒逃往陝郡，最後收復首都長安（今陝西西安），唐軍威儀再度得以重現長安。

其後，唐軍乘勝東進，於新店（今河南三門峽市西南）大敗嚴莊、張通儒等十五萬人，迫使安慶緒渡黃河，退回相州。東都洛陽復歸。以功加司徒，封代國公。史思明從范陽率軍救安慶緒，雙方大戰於安陽河（今安陽北）北列陣接戰，廝殺難分難解，最後由九個節度使率領，號稱六十萬人的唐軍退潰（鄴城之戰）。此場戰役的主要指揮者宦官魚朝恩，其並無領導才能，並將戰役失敗之責歸於郭子儀。郭子儀被召還長安，解除兵權，處於閑官。

寶應元年（762年），太原（今太原西南）、絳州（今山西新絳）軍兵叛亂，朝廷恐懼，封子儀為汾陽郡王，出鎮絳州。又遭宦官程元振離間，解除兵權。

廣德元年（763年），吐蕃趁安史之亂攻佔河隴地區，程元振知情不報，僕固懷恩勾引吐蕃、回紇入侵，同年十月，吐蕃攻到奉天縣（今陝西乾縣），直逼長安，京師震撼，朝廷再度啟用子儀為關內副元帥。此時吐蕃軍已渡渭水，迫唐代宗棄長安東奔陝州，子儀循秦嶺至商州（陝西商州）收集散兵數千人，以智取勝，白天擊鼓張旗，夜間多處燃火，吐蕃不解其意，乃撤兵西去，於是長安光復。十二月，代宗回長安，郭子儀到滻水迎接。代宗羞愧說：「用卿不早，故及於此。」

廣德二年（764年），朔方節度使僕固懷恩反，引回紇、吐蕃十萬軍進攻關中。子儀埋伏於乾陵（陝西乾縣），回紇、吐蕃軍知其有備，不戰而退。

永泰元年（765年）七月，唐代宗的女兒昇平公主下嫁郭子儀第六子郭曖。十月，吐蕃、回紇再度聯兵內侵，子儀在涇陽（今屬陝西）被回紇所圍。子儀在回紇素有威望，親率數十騎到前線，親自說服回紇大帥藥葛羅與唐結盟，反將吐蕃擊潰，穩住關中，長安之危遂解。

大曆元年（766年），屯軍於河中，使軍糧充裕。大曆八年，吐蕃十萬之眾強攻涇、邠（今彬縣），子儀遣兵馬使渾瑊出兵宜祿（今長武），結果首戰失利，遂召諸將檢討戰敗原因，再兵分三路，連克百城（今甘肅靈台西南）、潘原（平涼東）等地，吐蕃敗退。

同華節度使周智光跋扈，郭子儀屢次請求討滅，代宗不准。大曆二年（767年）正月，代宗派郭子儀女婿工部侍郎趙縱寫了命郭子儀便宜行事討伐周智光的密詔，封在蠟丸里由家童走小道到河中府送給郭子儀。郭子儀派渾瑊、李懷光發兵渭南，同華軍開始叛離周智光，周智光大將李漢惠在同州率眾投降，周智光也很快被部下殺死。

大曆十四年（780年），唐德宗繼位，子儀被尊為「尚父」，進位太尉、中書令。建中二年六月十四（781年7月9日），郭子儀去世。據《舊唐書·郭子儀傳》載：「薨，時年八十五，德宗聞之，震悼，廢朝五日……陪葬建陵，……舊令一品墳高丈八，而詔特加十尺。」該墓在陵西南2公里的坡陽村，墓前有清代畢沅書的郭子儀墓石碑。今墓已夷為平地。

歷代狀元中，唯一由武狀元而位至宰相者，即身為唐代開元初年武舉高等（狀元）的郭子儀，一生歷仕玄宗、肅宗、代宗、德宗四朝，曾兩度擔任宰相。同時，也是歷代武狀元中軍功最為顯赫者。

佚事

• 郭子儀第六子叫郭曖，唐代宗時駙馬，娶昇平公主。大曆二年（767年），郭曖與昇平公主吵架。郭曖說：「妳仗著妳父親是天子是嗎？我父親只是不想做天子而已！」公主非常憤怒，乘車直奔皇宮向父皇代宗奏報他的悖逆之言。代宗說：「這並非你所知道的那樣。郭子儀他確實是如同其子所言，假使他想當天子的話，這天下豈是妳娘家所有的呢？」於是安慰昇平公主並叫公主回家。郭子儀知道後，氣得把郭曖囚禁起來，然後入宮等待代宗治罪。代宗安慰郭子儀說：「俗話說：『不癡不聾，不作家翁。』小倆口在私房裡吵嘴的言詞，怎值得當真去聽呢！」郭子儀請罪回家後，杖責了亂說話的郭曖數十個板子。這個故事即為京劇《醉打金枝》的原型。

• 郭子儀父親之墓遭人盜掘，當時人都懷疑是素來對郭子儀不滿的宦官魚朝恩所指使。朝廷擔心他因此發兵謀叛，事發後郭子儀入朝，皇帝發語試探此事，郭子儀流涕曰：「臣率領軍隊已久，不能禁止暴亂，軍人們挖人祖墳的事大概很多，這是臣不忠不孝而獲得天譴，不是人為。」朝廷因為郭子儀的這一席話，人心才得到安穩。

• 郭子儀的後代共有五位唐代駙馬。分別是兒子郭曖（娶唐代宗之女昇平公主）、孫子郭鏦（郭曖之子，娶唐順宗之女漢陽公主李暢）和郭鎔（郭曖之子，娶唐順宗之女西河公主）、曾孫郭仲恭（郭曖之子郭釗的長子，娶唐穆宗之女金堂公主）和郭仲詞（郭仲恭之弟，娶唐穆宗之女饒陽公主）。另外還出過一位皇太后，即孫女郭貴妃（郭曖長女，嫁唐憲宗，生唐穆宗）。

• 郭子儀之宅在唐長安城親城坊西北角。

• 《盧杞探病》 盧杞是唐朝知名的奸臣，巧言殺人，為政嚴苛，迷惑皇帝，剷除異己，為唐朝帶來深重災難。 有次郭子儀生病，百官前來探望，窮奢極侈的郭子儀都任由姬妾在場。 當年的盧杞還是個小官，來訪時，郭子儀就命令姬妾們全都躲起來，郭子儀一個人獨自恭敬的接待盧杞。 盧杞離去後，郭子儀向家人解釋： 「盧杞相貌醜陋，臉一邊是灰色一邊是青色，因為姬妾和下人們，平常歡樂放蕩慣了，心比較不懂得收攝，如果見到了盧杞的樣貌，一定會忍不住取笑他。但盧杞的內心陰險狡詐，口才又很好，工於心計，將來一定會當大官！若這個人得到了權勢，我郭門一族都無法活命！所以，我才一個人獨自很恭敬的接待盧杞。」 幾年後，盧杞果然靠著奸險狡詐諂媚的工夫，陷害了很多忠賢，踏著別人的頭，當上了宰相。朝廷的忠良都被他所陷害，盧杞唯獨特別敬重郭子儀。

• 硬頸典故，即郭年輕時任初級武官，被同僚牽扯需斬但實蒙冤屈，幸當日監斬官是李白，郭臨刑前呼冤求覆判，李果調卷宗果郭受冤改判輕罪，郭銘記于心李之大恩，後發生安史之亂，李受郭之庇謢得以衛事安度

評價

• 裴垍：「汾陽事上誠藎，臨下寬厚，每降城下邑，所至之處，必得士心。前後遭罹幸臣程元振、魚朝恩譖毀百端，時方握強兵，或方臨戎敵，詔命征之，未嘗不即日應召，故讒謗不能行。代宗幸陝時，令以數十騎覘賊，及在涇陽，又陷于胡虜重圍之中，皆以身許國，未嘗以危亡易慮，亦遇天幸，竟免患難。田承嗣方跋扈魏州，傲狠無禮，子儀嘗遣使至，承嗣西望拜之，指其膝謂使者曰：「茲膝不屈于人若干歲矣，今為公拜。」李靈曜據汴州，公私財賦一皆遏絕，獨子儀封幣經其境，莫敢留之，必持兵衛送。其為豺虎所服如此。麾下老將若李懷光輩數十人，皆王侯重貴，子儀頤指進退，如僕隸焉。幕府之盛，近代無比。始與李光弼齊名，雖威略不逮，而寬厚得人過之。歲入官俸二十四萬貫，私利不在焉。其宅在親仁里，居其里四分之一，中通永巷，家人三千，相出入者不知其居。前後賜良田美器，名園甲館，聲色珍玩，堆積羨溢，不可勝紀。代宗不名，呼為大臣。天下以其身為安危者殆二十年。校中書令考二十有四。權傾天下而朝不忌，功蓋一代而主不疑，侈窮人慾而君子不之罪。富貴壽考，繁衍安泰，哀榮終始，人道之盛，此無缺焉。唯以讒怒，誣奏判官戶部郎中張譚杖殺之，物議為薄。」

• 劉昫：「天寶之季，盜起幽陵，萬乘播遷，兩都覆沒。天祚土德，實生汾陽。自河朔班師，關西殄寇，身扞豺虎，手披荊榛。七八年間，其勤至矣，再造王室，勛高一代。及國威複振，群小肆讒，位重懇辭，失寵無怨。不幸危而邀君父，不挾憾以報仇讎，晏然效忠，有死無二，誠大雅君子，社稷純臣。自秦、漢已還，勛力之盛，無與倫比。而晞、曖于縗粗之中，拔身虎口，赴難奉天，可謂忠孝之門有嗣矣。」贊曰：「猗歟汾陽，功扶昊蒼。秉仁蹈義，鐵心石腸。四朝靜亂，五福其昌。為臣之節，敢告忠良。」

• 歐陽修：「天寶末，盜發幽陵，外阻內訌。子儀自朔方提孤軍，轉戰逐北，誼不還顧。當是時，天子西走，唐祚若贅斿，而能輔太子，再造王室。及大難略平，遭讒甚，詭奪兵柄，然朝聞命，夕引道，無纖介自嫌。及被圍涇陽，單騎見虜，壓以至誠，猜忍沮謀。雖唐命方永，亦由忠貫日月，神明扶持者。」

• 陳元靚：「天祚有唐，奕奕重光。寧無否運，蓋恃忠良。白日再中，祅彗未亡。目視橫流，心競包藏。力扶天柱，唯賴汾陽。雪涕將壇，氣銷帝鄉。惟師尚父，可同鷹揚。圖形配享，無愧祠唐。」

• 柏楊：「郭子儀在歷史上有崇高的地位，但幾乎無人可比的，卻不是他的戰功，也不是他一身系國家安危，而是他雖然享盡世間榮華富貴，而仍能保住人頭，不被砍掉；身死之後，子孫還繼續享福數十年，甚至百餘年。中國人最奇特的命運是：你如果不照著當權人物的模式，而擅自愛國，愛國就會成為一種危險行為。大多數對國家有貢獻的人，最後往往都是被逐、被囚、被殺、被屠，或在死後禍延子孫。只郭子儀是極少數的例外──至少，他最被人稱道。我們肯定郭子儀的功勞，以及對國家所作的努力，但史論家認為他：「權勢傾蓋天下，中央並不猜忌；功勞超過當世，皇帝毫不懷疑；窮奢極侈，輿論卻不抨擊。」對讀者簡直是無恥的詐欺。郭子儀受猜忌、受懷疑，史不絕書，事實俱在……而劉昫、裴垍、宋祁之流竟公然扯謊，說沒有這回事，把全中國人都當成白癡。……郭子儀對來自四面八方的猜忌懷疑、讒言陷害，採取的是……把自己的咽喉小腹，毫無保留地呈現在皇帝、宦官和權臣等鯊魚群面前，乞靈於對方相信他的忠心，不但絕不反擊，而且毫無怨言，更重要的是乞靈於他的運氣，使鯊魚群相信他確實於己無害。感謝上帝，他判斷正確，如果他判斷錯誤，他就得付出韓信、彭越、檀道濟以及後來岳飛、熊廷弼、袁崇煥的代價，這代價是淒慘的，所以連忠心耿耿的李光弼、李懷光，都不敢一試。郭子儀不是一個成功的將領，（在鄴城）圍攻安慶緒，戰鬥最危急時，郭子儀第一個先拍馬而逃，引起大軍崩潰，但他卻是一位官場文化中最成功的政客，用矮化自己，去明哲保身，這種權力遊戲中「柔能克剛」哲學的生存方式，形成中國人的特有品質，以致中國人在再尊貴的時候，隨時都在準備卑屈的作賤自己。郭子儀最受部屬愛戴的所謂「寬厚」，事實上不過是縱容部屬蹂躪殘害小民，小民不敢呼冤而已。他的兒子郭晞在邠州的暴行，足夠說明小民在郭子儀寬厚手段之下的悲慘命運。但小民的聲音既沒有人聽到，也沒有人記載，史冊上記載的全都是將領和官員們歌頌他的聲音，因為他們虐待小民卻不必受到懲罰，剝削勒索小民賣兒賣女的錢一直都在增加，郭子儀是他們的保護神，歌頌的聲音自然響徹雲霄。

家庭

弟

• 郭幼明，胞弟

• 郭幼賢

妻

• 王氏（704年或705年—777年），天寶年間初封琅琊縣君。進封太原郡君、霍國夫人。生六子八女。

妾

• 張氏，南陽夫人

• 李氏

子

• 郭曜，母早亡，繼母王氏，長子。娶太原郡夫人王氏。

• 郭旰，母不詳，次子，至德二年，在永豐倉與安守忠交戰，戰死。

• 郭晞，母王氏，三子，趙國公。妻魯郡夫人長孫璀，長孫衝曾孫女。

• 郭昢，母不詳，四子。

• 郭晤，母王氏，五子。娶彭城劉氏。

• 郭曖，母王氏，六子。代國公。娶唐代宗女昇平公主。

• 郭曙，母王氏，七子，祁國公。

• 郭映，母王氏，八子。

女，《新唐書 列傳第六十二》稱郭子儀「八子七婿，皆貴顯朝廷」。據王氏神道碑，王氏生有八女。

• 長女，嫁成都縣令盧讓金

• 二女，嫁鄂州觀察使吳仲孺

• 三女，嫁衛尉卿張浚

• 四女，嫁殿中少監李洞清

• 五女，嫁司門郎中鄭渾

• 六女，嫁汾州別駕張邕

• 七女，嫁和州刺史趙縱

• 八女，嫁太常寺丞王宰

孫輩

• 郭鋒，郭曜子。

• 郭鋼，郭晞長子，累封趙國公，贈兵部尚書。

• 郭鈞，郭晞次子，侍御史。

• 郭鍊，郭晞三子，奉先縣主簿。

• 郭鋿，郭晤長子，太子通事舍人。

• 郭錟，郭晤次子，弘文館學生。

• 郭鍴，郭晤三子，鄉貢明經。

• 郭鐇，郭晤子。

• 郭氏，郭晤長女，前鄭州刺史、兼御史大夫、益昌郡王李某妻，太原郡夫人。

• 郭氏，即懿安皇后，為唐憲宗貴妃（唐憲宗妃），生唐穆宗，尊「皇太后」。母儀天下，貴尊「太皇太后」。共歷「穆宗」、「敬宗」、「文宗」、「武宗」、「宣宗」等五朝，世稱「賢后」。為六子郭曖與「昇平公主」長女。

• 郭氏，「昇平公主」所生次女。

• 郭鑄，為六子郭曖子與「昇平公主」庶子。

• 郭釗，妻沈氏，沈氏母為唐代宗女長林公主。為六子郭曖與「昇平公主」子。

• 郭鏦，尚唐順宗女漢陽公主李暢，贈尚書左僕射。為六子郭曖與「昇平公主」子。

• 郭鎔，尚唐順宗女西河公主。為六子郭曖與「昇平公主」子。

• 郭銛，為七子郭曙之子。

曾孫輩

• 郭承嘏，字複卿，郭鈞之子。

• 郭氏，郭鈞之女，生鄭樞夫人趙郡東祖李氏。

• 郭仲文，郭釗之子。

• 郭仲詞，尚唐穆宗女饒陽公主為妻，郭釗之子。

• 郭仲恭，尚唐穆宗女金堂公主為妻，郭釗之子。

• 郭尚舍，為郭鎔之子

郭子儀世系

• 虛線表示婚姻關係，實線表示血親關係

後人

• 郭忠福–五代時成仙，詔封廣澤尊王。

• 郭侃—蒙古帝國著名將領，郭德海次子。

• 郭寶玉—金末元初將領、郭侃祖父。

• 郭德海—金末元初人，郭寶玉子、郭侃父親。

• 郭榮—金末元初著名學者、郭守敬祖父。

• 郭守敬—元代著名科學家。

• 郭樹根—現代著名建築師。

紀念

紀念地

• 陝西省華縣子儀中學。

• 陝西省華縣子儀公園。

軍艦

• 中華民國海軍成功級巡防艦5號艦子儀號PFG-1107是一艘以郭子儀來命名的軍艦

廟宇

• 台灣鹿港郭厝保安宮祭祀汾陽忠武王，郭子儀將軍

紀念堂

• 台灣內湖 郭子儀紀念堂

注釋

參考

• 《舊唐書·卷一百二十·列傳第七十》郭子儀傳

• 《新唐書·列傳第六十二》郭子儀傳

Early life

Guo Ziyi was born into the family of a middle-class civil servant in Hua Prefecture (華州, present-day Hua County in Shaanxi), he was described as a handsome man and was over 1.9 meters tall.

Around 735 Guo Ziyi was saved from a court martial by the poet Li Bai, who intervened on his behalf with the local commander.

Unlike other members of his family, Guo Ziyi entered political life through the official military examinations instead of a literary exam (for civil servants). He passed the military examinations in 749 and became an officer in the border regions of the Tang Empire and quickly rose through the ranks to become a jiedushi (regional military governor).

An Shi Rebellion

First victories

Limited records exist about Guo Ziyi before the An Lushan Rebellion; it was during the rebellion that he earned his fame. When rebellion broke out in 755, Guo Ziyi was assigned to protect the Tong Pass, a strategic location on the Chinese frontier. A large force of ten thousand rebels were marching toward the pass. Guo Ziyi took advantage of the situation by luring the rebels onto the plains in front of the pass where there were only scarce settlements. The rebels saw little to loot and were discouraged, while the Tang troops were prepared to fight, motivated by the desire to protect their families in the Tong Pass and the capital of Chang'an. Guo engaged the seven thousand troops at the Battle of Qingbi and scattered the rest while suffering few casualties to his own force, winning his first victory.

By the following year of 756 the capital fell due to the ineptitude and corruption of the chancellor Yang Guozhong and his eunuchs. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang fled the city, accompanied by his personal guard and members of the Yang family, including his consort Yang Guifei. Members of the entourage, including the troops, resented Yang Guozhong, holding him responsible for the failed strategy that led to the fall of Chang'an. Yang Guozhong was denounced and executed. Following this, the emperor's own troops also forced him to execute his beloved consort Yang Guifei. The emperor then fled with the remainder of the entourage under difficult conditions to Chengdu in Jiannan.

Meanwhile, Guo Ziyi confronted a great force of a hundred thousand led by rebel commander Shi Siming. Although Guo had only ten thousand men he delayed Shi Siming's army until reinforcements could arrive. Shi Siming was tricked into thinking he would be ambushed if he moved against Guo and was delayed forty days. At that point commander Li Guangbi came to Guo's relief with ninety thousand men. The opposing forces clashed, resulting in few Tang losses, while the rebels suffered ten thousand casualties. Shi Siming quickly gathered up what was left of his force and retreated back to Fanyang, the rebels' stronghold. Li recommended Guo to Emperor Xuanzong, and Guo quickly asked the emperor for permission to launch an immediate counter-attack to destroy the remaining rebels, but Xuanzong refused him.

Change of Emperor and the Shaanxi campaign

Xuanzong's son, Li Heng, stayed behind in the city of Lingwu and declared himself emperor on 12 August 756. Emperor Suzong of Tang immediately began organizing a counter-attack against the advancing rebels. From this time on, Xuanzong was known as the "Retired Emperor", and after the retaking of Chang'an from the rebels he returned there, where he lived until his death in 761.

The rebel crisis decreased the power of the Imperial Court. Thus, after assuming power, Suzong's authority was weak and many Tang generals cared little for the emperor's orders. There were few generals of Chinese descent such as Guo Ziyi remaining in the Tang army. Guo was given the post of Imperial Commander and Suzong provided support for his military operations, which were met with great success. By 757, Guo Ziyi had entered the Shaanxi battlefront, and many locals willingly aided him against the rebels, increasing the Guo army to perhaps twice its original size. The rebels suffered dramatic losses, including the deaths of their generals, after which Guo declared victory on the Shaanxi front.

Changan victory and rebel collapse

Guo Ziyi then immediately turned his attention to retaking Chang'an. He attacked with 15 000 men, whereas the rebels were able to assemble only 10 000 men, and defeated them. Guo's victories in Shaanxi and at Chang'an contributed to in-fighting among the rebel ranks. The leader of the rebels, An Lushan, was killed by his son, An Qingxu, who gathered up what was left of the rebels and retreated to Luoyang. When Suzong arrived at Chang'an, it is said that he shed tears and said to Guo, "This may be my country, but it is recreated by your hand." 「雖吾之家國，實由卿再造。」

In 758, Guo Ziyi, Li Guangbi, and other jiedushi were ordered to eliminate the last remaining rebels in Yi. However, Suzong was troubled by the growing power of the jiedushi so he placed his eunuchs in charge of the campaign. This became a disaster, but Guo Ziyi managed to make the best out of the situation by convincing his fellow jiedushi that they could have one easy victory if they laid siege to the rebel city. All of them agreed to this strategy and the rebel's supplies were depleted during the siege. When the time came to assault the city, however, there was no commander-in-chief to coordinate the attack since all the jiedushi were of equal rank, and it proved ineffective. In the meantime, reinforcements under Shi Siming arrived to reinforce An Qingxu. The Tang forces missed the opportunity to eliminate the rebels. A bloody battle followed in 759, fought in poor weather and again with no central command for the Tang. Although the Tang force emerged victorious, both sides suffered tremendous losses (the rebel leader Shi Siming himself was killed, as were most of the Mongol rebels) and the result of the battle was unacceptable to the emperor, since the Tang army had been known to win battles while suffering relatively few casualties. The jiedushi began to blame one another, and many of them targeted Guo, placing much of the blame on him. In fact, aside from the emperor himself, Guo Ziyi was the only one that the common people were willing to follow. Suzong, worried by Guo's popularity, used this as a pretext to decrease Guo's authority, demoting him while generously rewarding the other jiedushi.

Under Emperor Suzong

Although the An Lushan Rebellion was finally put down in 763, the Tang was immediately confronted by another threat from the Tibetan Empire. Tibet had benefited from the Tang's prosperous period when trade with the Tang was frequent. During the An Lushan Rebellion, it reached the height of its power, and betrayed the peace treaty with the Tang by supporting the rebels. Weakened by the rebellion, Tang border garrisons were unable to resist Tibetan raids into their territory. Most jiedushi were not ethnically Chinese and had little incentive to defend the Tang Empire, especially when it was ruled by a weak emperor. In response, Suzong re-promoted Guo Ziyi, but only as a military figurehead with no authority, in the hope that merely the threat of sending Guo against them would keep the Tibetans at bay. In 762, a general named Wang Yuanzhi murdered Li Jingzhi, the jiedushi of Shaanxi, claiming that the troops were still so loyal to Guo that they demanded he be reinstated as jiedushi. Suzong was forced to return Guo Ziyi to his former position. When Guo Ziyi arrived, however, instead of thanking Wang he condemned the general for his disloyalty in killing his commander. He also pointed out that such an act disrupted the chain of command, which might embolden the Tibetans to attack. General Wang submitted to his mistakes and committed suicide. Guo Ziyi quickly assumed command of the post and the Tibetans ceased their attacks.

Under Emperor Daizong and Tibetan Invasion

Not long after, Suzong died and was succeeded by his son Emperor Daizong of Tang. The new emperor was worried about Guo Ziyi's fame and called him back to Chang'an. Guo Ziyi advised the emperor to take a note of the threat posed by the Tibetans, but the emperor largely ignored this.

Tibetan invasion of 763

In 763, a force of 100 000 Tibetans invaded the Tang. Daizong fled Chang'an on 16 November when it became clear the city would be captured. The Tibetans crowned Li Chenghong as emperor of Tang in Chang'an, but retreated a month later fearing a Tang army had arrived. In reality Guo ordered cavalry scouts to go forward and light fires, in places where the enemies could see, and then retreat. Guo also sent secret messages to Chang'an, ordering citizens to strike gongs and create fire. The Tibetans, confused by these actions, panicked, scattering when the rumor spread that Guo Ziyi moved against them with a large force. With the Tibetans retreating from their positions, the invasion was concluded without loss to either side. Many Chinese military historians consider this victory to be the best example of Sun Tzu's idea of the cleanest kind of battle, "a war with no loss on either side but simply played out with the desired effect for the victor." There are discrepancies in the number of cavalry Guo dispatched; Chinese sources state that Guo had sent out only 13 scouts, but a Tibetan text indicates there had been 200. Nevertheless, the Tibetan army retreated, and when Guo Ziyi arrived at Chang'an with his "large" force, Daizong appeared to him and stated, "By employing the Elder not sooner: so many deaths reached, woe is this!" 「用卿不早，故及於此。」

Tibetan invasion of 764

The Tibetan Empire invaded again in 764 with a force of 70,000 but was repulsed in Jiannan by the jiedushi Yan Wu.

Tibetan threat of 765 and the Uyghur alliance

The Tibetans attacked again in 765, when the Tiele jiedushi Pugu Huai'en sent false messages to Trisong Detsen, the emperor of Tibet, stating that Guo Ziyi had died. The Tibetan emperor was eager to avenge his earlier defeats, and dispatched a large force to attack Tang China again. Various Uyghur chieftains, also believing that Guo was dead, joined force with the Tibetans. The Tibetan force was recorded as more than 30,000 (including a few thousand Uyghurs), almost the entire Tibetan military at the time. However Pugu died on 27 September, and his army defected to the Tang.

When news of the Tibetan attack reached Emperor Daizong, he dispatched Guo Ziyi to defend the Tang with only few thousand men. When Guo was within a day's march from the enemy, he decided to go alone to see the Uyghur chieftains. His officers and son Guo Xi (郭晞) were so dismayed and panicked by his intention that they would not let go of his horse's reins, declaring such an act would be suicide. Guo laughed and convinced his officers to let him go, but his son would not. Angered, Guo whipped his son's hand so that he released the reins, reprimanding him and telling him that this was a life and death situation for the empire; their force was small and if they fought the Tibetans alone, both father and son, and their troops, would die. If he succeeded in his plan the empire would be defended, but if it failed only his own life would be lost.

When Guo arrived at the Uyghur's camp, he did not reveal his identity and appeared to be a messenger who had been sent to tell them that Guo Ziyi was coming to see them. The Uyghur chieftains, many of whom had joined the rebel side in the An Lushan Rebellion, were surprised and panicked to hear that Guo was alive, deciding that they had to meet with him. Guo laughed at them and asked them why they would want to face Guo Ziyi again after their defeat at his hands during the An Shi Rebellion. The Uyghur chieftains replied they had been told that he was dead, but if they met with him and saw he was alive, they would retreat. Guo, however, insisted that Guo Ziyi did not seek their retreat but instead wanted them to join him against the Tibetans. The Uyghur chieftains, saying they had been deceived by the Tibetans about Guo's death, agreed to break the alliance with them. They even claimed that shamans had foretold that a great man would lead them to victory and that they now believed this man must be Guo, and agreed to join forces with the Tang.

Battle of Xiyuan

Guo returned to his camp and ordered a thousand light horsemen to make a quick rush at the Tibetan camp at Xiyuan. When the Tibetans realized the Uyghurs had broken their alliance, they attempted to withdraw, but Guo's horsemen arrived and scattered their forces; at the same time, Guo's Uyghur allies arrived and prevented the Tibetans' retreat. Over 10 000 Tibetans were killed in battle and another 10 000 were taken prisoner. Guo continued to pursue the Tibetans and freed over 4000 Tang subjects they had taken captive.

When the emperor of Tibet heard that his force had been defeated, he quickly sent a message to Emperor Daizong seeking a peace, stating that his army had been on a hunting trip and had had no intention of attacking the Tang Empire. Although Daizong did not believe this, he agreed to the peace and Tibet was never again a threat to China.

Later life, death and posthumous honor

Guo was later made the Prince of Fenyang (汾陽郡王), and is hence often referred to as "Guo Fenyang". He lived to the age of 85 and was given the posthumous name of Zhongwu (忠武: "Loyal and Martial") after his death.

There is a commonly remembered tale dated to the year 767 in which his son had an argument with his wife, a princess of Tang. During the argument, the princess and Guo's son compared their fathers, Emperor Daizong and Guo Ziyi. Guo's son was purported to have said, "What is so great about being an emperor? My father could become emperor at any time if he wanted to." Guo was so angry at his son for implying such an idea of disloyalty that he had him locked up and waited for Emperor Daizong to pass judgement on him. The princess regretted what had happened and asked Guo to forgive his son, but Guo refused. When Emperor Daizong arrived, he pardoned the son and said to Guo, "When the son and daughter fight, it is better as old men to pretend to be deaf.": 「不痴不聾，不作家翁。兒女子閨房之言，何足聽也！」

In another instance, the son hit his wife in a drunken rage. Again Guo was so angry at his son that he had him arrested again. But again the princess begged for her husband to be forgiven, and again Emperor Daizong stepped in and forgave his son-in-law. This story of Guo's son and the princess was popularized by the rather literally titled Beijing Opera "Hitting the Princess While Drunk" 醉打金枝.

Popular folklore states that the Jade Emperor was so pleased with Guo's actions in defending the nation and in giving happiness to the people that he sent a heavenly official down from heaven to ask Guo what his greatest desire was. Guo replied that he had fought for so long and had seen so much bloodshed that all he desired was peace and happiness. As a reward, the Jade Emperor had Guo guided to heaven and bestowed the Celestial post of "God of Prosperity and Happiness" to him.

Legacy

Guo Ziyi has been credited by many historians with putting down the An Lushan Rebellion, characterizing him as the man who single-handedly saved the Tang dynasty. His impact on East Asia was also dramatic in that he renewed Tang relations with many of its Uyghur allies, who later supported the dynasty in campaigns against the Tibetan Empire. After his various victories over the Tibetans they were never able to restore their military might and lost much of their political strength in Asia.

In 757, or thereabouts, Guo Ziyi saved the renowned poet Li Bai from a death sentence for treason by offering Emperor Suzong of Tang his own official rank in exchange for Li Bai's life. In the event, Suzong commuted Li Bai's sentence to exile, and later pardoned him, and Guo Ziyi was allowed to retain his rank.

Future members of his family would also go to become famous generals, among them Guo Puyo, a general greatly used by Genghis Khan, and Guo Kan, one of the best generals of the Mongol Empire.

In Fiction & popular Culture

• Portrayed by Lee Kwok-lun in The Legend of Lady Yang''. (2000)