Guo Ziyi (Prince of Fenyang)

Guo Ziyi (697–781 AD), Prince of Fenyang, was the supreme general who saved the Tang dynasty from total destruction during the An Lushan Rebellion. Entering military service after passing the imperial martial examinations with highest honors, Guo Ziyi served as Jiedushi of Shuofang when An Lushan revolted in 755 AD, plunging China into devastating civil war.

Coordinating forces with fellow general Li Guangbi and Uyghur Khaganate allies, Guo Ziyi recaptured the western capital of Chang'an and the eastern capital of Luoyang in 757 AD. Revered for his extraordinary modesty, diplomacy, and lack of political ambition, in 765 AD he rode unarmed into the camp of invading Uyghur-Tibetan cavalry, convincing the Uyghur chieftains to switch sides and defeat the Tibetans. Serving four successive Tang emperors, he died in peace at age eighty-four, venerated as the epitome of filial piety, loyalty, and martial virtue.