The Powder Keg of 755: Tensions in Chang’an

In the year 755 CE, a covert operation unfolded in the Tang capital of Chang’an, setting in motion one of history’s most devastating rebellions. Chancellor Yang Guozhong, a polarizing figure in Emperor Xuanzong’s court, ordered secret raids on the residences of An Lushan, a military governor whose growing power had become a threat. Yang’s agents arrested and executed two of An’s associates, then purged his allies from the capital.

Yang’s motives were threefold: to weaken An’s influence, to expose his treachery to the emperor, and to provoke him into revealing his ambitions. Instead, the heavy-handed tactic backfired spectacularly. An Lushan, already a formidable warlord governing the northern frontiers, saw this as the final straw. His subsequent rebellion—ostensibly to “purge the emperor’s corrupt advisors”—ironically garnered public sympathy, as Yang’s unpopularity made An’s cause seem almost justified.

An Lushan’s Grand Strategy: Ambition and Oversight

An Lushan’s initial plan was audacious: under the guise of delivering tribute horses, he would send elite troops to seize Luoyang, the eastern capital, before marching on Chang’an. When this ruse was uncovered by a vigilant official, An pivoted to a more comprehensive strategy.

His power base lay in three key regions: modern-day Beijing (Youzhou), Liaodong, and Datong—a trifecta of military and economic hubs. To secure victory, An focused on four objectives:
1. Protecting his northern heartland by neutralizing the Tang stronghold in Taiyuan.
2. Securing supply lines along the Grand Canal, the lifeline connecting the north to the fertile Yangtze Delta.
3. Strangling Chang’an’s grain supply by cutting both primary (the canal route) and secondary (the Han River corridor) transport routes.
4. A lightning strike on Luoyang and Chang’an to decapitate the Tang leadership.

An’s emphasis on logistics revealed his military acumen, but his fatal blind spot was Shanxi Province. Overlooking this mountainous region—a historical choke point for invaders—left his flank exposed. Early victories made him complacent; within a month, his forces crossed the Yellow River, and Luoyang fell in December 755. The Tang capital, now isolated, faced imminent starvation.

The Tang’s Desperate Defense: Heroes and Blunders

Emperor Xuanzong’s response was frantic. He appointed two celebrated generals—Feng Changqing and Gao Xianzhi—to defend Luoyang. Despite mustering 60,000 recruits, their untrained troops were no match for An’s battle-hardened army. After a disastrous defeat at Tiger牢关, the generals retreated to the Tong Pass, a natural fortress guarding Chang’an.

Here, history witnessed a tragic irony. Gao Xianzhi—a commander whose legendary campaigns in Central Asia had defied geography—advocated a defensive strategy. By holding the pass, they could exploit Shanxi’s highlands to harass An’s forces while avoiding a direct clash. But political intrigue undid this wisdom. Court eunuchs, led by the manipulative Bian Lingcheng, accused the generals of cowardice. In a catastrophic misjudgment, Xuanzong ordered their execution, crippling the Tang’s military leadership.

The Rebellion’s Cultural and Social Earthquake

The An Lushan Rebellion (755–763) was more than a power struggle; it shattered the Tang’s golden age. Key impacts included:
– Demographic Collapse: Census records suggest China lost two-thirds of its population to war, famine, and displacement.
– Economic Shift: The canal-centric economy never fully recovered, accelerating the southward migration of wealth and power.
– Cultural Distrust: The rebellion eroded faith in centralized authority, fostering regional militarization that would plague later dynasties.

An Lushan’s temporary success also exposed the fragility of multiethnic empires. His Sogdian-Turkic heritage and the rebellion’s ethnic undertones highlighted tensions within the Tang’s cosmopolitan framework.

Legacy: Why the An Lushan Rebellion Still Matters

The rebellion’s echoes persist in surprising ways:
1. Strategic Geography: An’s oversight of Shanxi remains a case study in military academies, illustrating how terrain dictates campaigns.
2. Centralization vs. Regional Power: The Tang’s reliance on autonomous governors (jiedushi) foreshadowed the warlordism that toppled later dynasties.
3. Historical Parallels: Like Rome’s Crisis of the Third Century, the rebellion marked the irreversible decline of a superpower, offering lessons about overextension and internal division.

Ultimately, the An Lushan Rebellion was a turning point where ambition, strategy, and human folly collided—a reminder that even the mightiest empires are vulnerable to the passions of a few.