The Collapse of Order in Huainan

In the early months of 887 CE (the third year of the Guangqi era), the Tang Dynasty’s southeastern command of Huainan descended into chaos. The Zhenhai Army stationed in the region mutinied, forcing military governor Zhou Bao to flee to Changzhou while rebel forces seized his accumulated wealth. The uprising installed Xue Lang as acting military commissioner—a move that brought grim satisfaction to Huainan’s nominal ruler, Gao Pian.

Gao Pian, the once-powerful military governor of Huainan, had grown increasingly detached from governance, delegating authority to his corrupt advisor Lü Yongzhi. Though he mockingly sent Zhou Bao a box of powdered herbs (implying his rival had been “ground down”), Gao’s own situation was dire. Since late 886, unrelenting snow and rain had devastated agriculture around Yangzhou. Famine spread through the streets of what had been China’s wealthiest city, where daily deaths transformed urban canals into graveyards.

The Revolt of Bi Shiduo

The crisis escalated in April 887 when Bi Shiduo, a former Huang Chao rebel turned Tang general, launched his rebellion. Several factors pushed him to revolt:

1. Political Purges: Lü Yongzhi had systematically eliminated veteran Huainan commanders
2. Personal Vendetta: Lü had forcibly visited Bi’s concubine during his absence
3. Imminent Danger: Rumors circulated that Bi would soon be executed

After securing support from fellow generals Zhang Shenjian and Zheng Hanzhang, Bi’s forces marched on Yangzhou. The campaign revealed the Tang court’s eroding control—regional armies now followed personal loyalties rather than imperial orders.

The Siege of Yangzhou

### Phase 1: Failed Negotiations
When Bi’s army reached Yangzhou’s walls, Gao Pian attempted reconciliation:
– Sent Bi’s youngest son with a letter from his mother
– Offered to execute Lü Yongzhi if Bi stood down
– Bi countered: “Execute Lü first, then we’ll talk”

### Phase 2: Urban Warfare
The siege turned Yangzhou into a battleground:
– Lü conscripted civilians for defense, rotating them constantly to prevent collaboration
– A merchant named Ma Xun destroyed Bi’s observation tower in a nighttime raid
– Public sentiment turned against both sides as food shortages worsened

### Phase 3: The Fall
In late 887, combined forces under Bi and Xuanzhou governor Qin Yan breached Yangzhou’s walls:
– Qin’s troops entered through the southwest after defenders mutinied
– Lü Yongzhi fled north with his private army
– Gao Pian became a puppet ruler under house arrest

The Humanitarian Catastrophe

Yangzhou’s siege created one of medieval China’s worst famines:
– Food Sources: Residents ate leather belts, wooden statues, and finally clay cakes
– Social Breakdown: Cannibalism became widespread as starving gangs roamed streets
– Death Toll: Contemporary accounts describe blood flowing through market districts

The once-vibrant commercial hub—home to Arab, Persian, and Central Asian merchants—had become a necropolis.

The Rise of Yang Xingmi

Amid the chaos, warlord Yang Xingmi emerged as Huainan’s new strongman:
– Initial Moves: Used forged orders from Gao Pian to legitimize his intervention
– Military Expansion: Grew from 5,000 to 17,000 troops by absorbing defectors
– Decisive Battle: Crushed Bi and Qin’s forces at a feigned retreat near grain stores

Yang’s victory set the stage for his eventual control of Huainan, though the region would face further conflicts with Cai warlords.

Legacy of the Yangzhou Crisis

### Political Consequences
– Demonstrated the Tang Dynasty’s inability to control regional commanders
– Established Yang Xingmi’s Wu Kingdom precursor state
– Showed how personal rivalries could destabilize entire regions

### Historical Significance
The events of 887 marked a turning point in China’s late Tang fragmentation. Yangzhou’s devastation symbolized the collapse of the old economic order, while warlords like Yang Xingmi pioneered the decentralized systems of the Five Dynasties period.

Archaeological finds—including Tang-era bricks and ceramics—testify to both Yangzhou’s former prosperity and its sudden decline. The city would require decades to recover from this catastrophic year of rebellion, siege, and famine.