Background

It is not known when Geshu Han was born. His paternal ancestors were tribal chiefs of Western Turkic extraction, bearing the Nushibi Geshu surname and belonging to the Duolu Tuqishi tribe. His grandfather Geshu Ju (哥舒沮) served as an officer in the Tang army, and his father Geshu Daoyuan (哥舒道元) served as the deputy to the Protectorate General to Pacify the West, and thus lived in Anxi Circuit (安西, headquartered in modern Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang). His mother was a Khotanese princess. Geshu Han's household was said to be rich, and he used the wealth to further what he saw were just causes, and he also drank heavily. When he was 39, his father died, and he spent three years in the Tang capital Chang'an. On one occasion, he was disrespected by the sheriff of Chang'an County, and he took this disrespect as a reason to serve in the military.

Military service

Geshu Han first served under Wang Chui (王倕), the military governor (jiedushi) of Hexi Circuit (河西, headquartered in modern Wuwei, Gansu). He later served under Wang Chui's successor Wang Zhongsi, and, on one expedition that he commanded, an officer of the same rank was his deputy, but, because they were of the same rank, refused to follow Geshu's orders. Geshu had him executed by hammering, and this shocked the other officers into submission. He later distinguished himself in defending against multiple Tubo attacks.

In 747, Geshu was promoted to be a general, as well as deputy military governor of Longyou Circuit (隴右, headquartered in modern Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai), which Wang Zhongsi governed at the time as well. At that time, Tufan forces were accustomed to pillage the Tang farms around Jishi Base (積石軍, in modern Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai) every year at harvest time, to seize the wheat grown in the area—so much so that the people of the region jokingly referred to their region as "Tufan Farms." Geshu, after he took office, had his subordinates Wang Nande (王難得) and Yang Jinghui (楊景暉) hide with their troops, and then confronted the Tufan troops on their next raid. After he engaged them, Wang and Yang cut off the escape, and the Tufan forces were wiped out; this ended the periodic raids on the region.

Later that year, Wang Zhongsi was accused of hindering an attack against Tufan by the general Dong Yanguang (董延光), summoned to Chang'an, and put under interrogation. Geshu, who was then made the acting military governor of Longyou and acting governor of Xiping Commandery (西平, roughly modern Haidong Prefecture), was also summoned to Chang'an to meet Emperor Xuanzong, who was impressed by his achievements. Geshu's subordinates suggested that he bring much treasure to bribe the central government officials to try to save Wang. Geshu responded:

Geshu subsequently met with Emperor Xuanzong and begged for forgiveness for Wang, offering to give up his own offices and titles to save Wang from death. Emperor Xuanzong initially became irritated and refused to talk with him further, but Geshu kneeled, hit the ground with his head, and cried bitterly. Emperor Xuanzong relented and spared Wang but demoted him to be the governor of Hanyang Commandery (漢陽, in modern Wuhan, Hubei). Geshu's intercession for Wang, at much risk to himself, was praised by others for righteousness.

In 748, Geshu built Shenwei Base (神威軍) upon Qinghai Lake, and Yinglong Castle (應龍城) on an island in the lake itself, as defensive posts against Tufan. When Tufan attacked those outposts, he defeated them, and it was said that thereafter, Tufan forces did not dare to come close to Qinghai Lake. In 749, he also recaptured Shibao Castle (石堡城, in modern Xining, Qinghai), which Wang had refused to attack earlier, leading to Dong's campaign. However, Yinglong Castle fell to Tufan after the Qinghai Lake froze, allowing Tufan forces to attack it over the ice.

In 752, Geshu began to become part of the central government's intrigue in the power struggle between the chancellor Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong, the second cousin of Emperor Xuanzong's favorite concubine Consort Yang Yuhuan, as both he and the chancellor Chen Xilie corroborated accusations that Li Linfu had friendly relations with Li Xianzhong (李獻忠), an ethnically Tujue general who had been forced into rebellion earlier that year. This facilitated Yang Guozhong's aggrandizement of power and the reduction of Li Linfu's influence.

Later that year, when Emperor Xuanzong, seeing that Geshu had poor relations with An Lushan, then the military governor of Fanyang Circuit (范陽, headquartered in modern Beijing) and An Sishun (whose uncle was An Lushan's stepfather), then the military governor of Shuofang Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia), and wanted to improve relations between these three key commanders of troops at the border, he summoned all three to the capital and had the powerful eunuch Gao Lishi host a feast for the three of them, trying to get them to resolve their unpleasantries. An Lushan tried to talk to Geshu about their Turkic ancestry, but Geshu's response enraged An Lushan, and they got into an argument, which only stopped after Gao gazed at Geshu, stopping him from responding to An Lushan's insults.

In 753, Geshu attacked Tufan again, capturing Hongji (洪濟) and Damomen (大漠門) (both in modern Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture) and seizing back the nine bends of the Yellow River. He was created the Duke of Liang. Meanwhile, Li Linfu had died, and Yang Guozhong had taken power as chancellor, and soon began to develop a rivalry with An Lushan. He knew that Geshu and An had poor relations, and therefore tried to ingratiate himself with Geshu to build an alliance. At his suggestion, Geshu was given the command of Hexi as well, and was titled the Prince of Xiping. In 754, at Geshu's suggestion, two commanderies, Taoyang (洮陽) and Jiaohe (澆河), as well as a military base, were established over the recaptured region. Around that time, however, Geshu, while bathing, suffered a stroke. He, therefore, left his command and returned to Chang'an in order to recuperate.

In 755, An Lushan, after Yang Guozhong repeatedly had provoked him, rebelled, and the generals Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing, after failing to defeat An, were executed. Emperor Xuanzong put Geshu in charge of 200,000 soldiers and had him take up command at Tong Pass, succeeding Gao Xianzhi. In 756, Emperor Xuanzong also gave Geshu the honorary title of Zuo Pushe (左僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng) and chancellor de facto (同中書門下平章事, Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi). Once Geshu got to Tong Pass, his subordinates suggested that he make a surprise attack on Chang'an and kill Yang Guozhong, seeing Yang Guozhong as the cause of An's rebellion—which Geshu rejected, stating, "If that happens, it is Geshu Han who is a rebel, not An Lushan." However, the news was leaked to Yang Guozhong, who, in apprehension, gave his associate Du Qianyun (杜乾運) a separate command, nominally under Geshu. Geshu, now suspicious of Yang Guozhong's intentions, took an opportunity when he summoned Du to Tong Pass to discuss military affairs to execute Du, increasing the tension with Yang Guozhong. Meanwhile, Geshu was still inimical to An Sishun. Geshu forged a letter from An Lushan to An Sishun, and then had the messenger captured at a pass. He presented the letter to Emperor Xuanzong, along with a petition accusing An Sishun of seven crimes. As a result, An Sishun and An Yuanzhen were executed, and their families were exiled to the Lingnan region, despite Yang Guozhong's attempt to intercede on An Sishun's behalf.

Soon thereafter, intelligence reports indicated that An Lushan's forward commander Cui Qianyou (崔乾祐) had weak forces outside the Tong Pass, and Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guozhong became convinced that it was the time to counterattack in order to recapture the eastern capital Luoyang—despite repeated petitions by Geshu that it was inadvisable, agreed with by Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi, who were then attacking An's holdings north of the Yellow River and believed that the proper strategy was for Geshu to hold Tong Pass and for them to destroy An's power base first. Yang Guozhong, in particular, was concerned that Geshu was intending to attack him instead, and therefore had Emperor Xuanzong issue repeated edicts ordering Geshu to engage Cui. Geshu was forced to do so, and once he engaged Cui's troops, he fell into a trap that Cui had set, and most of the Tang army was wiped out. Geshu was only able to gather 8,000 soldiers to return to Tong Pass. He prepared to defend it anyway, but his subordinate Huoba Guiren, believing the situation to be hopeless, tried to convince him to surrender to Cui, pointing out that he was putting himself in the same position as Gao Xianzhi. Despite Geshu's protestations that he would rather be like Gao than surrender, Huoba bound him to a horse and then took him to surrender to Cui.

After capture by An Lushan

Cui Qianyou delivered Geshu Han and Huoba Guiren to Luoyang, which An Lushan had made the capital of his new state of Yan after claiming imperial title. An executed Huoba for his treacherousness, and asked Geshu how he felt now, after having slighted An for years. Geshu responded that he simply had not see An's greatness at that time, and offered to write letters to Li Guangbi, Lai Tian, and Lu Gui, to ask them to surrender to An. An was pleased, and gave Geshu the honorable titles of Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies) and Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi. Soon, however, those subordinates to whom Geshu wrote replied, rebuking him for his failure to die for Tang. An realized that Geshu was of no use to him, and put him under arrest.

In spring 757, An Lushan was assassinated by his son An Qingxu, who took the throne subsequently. Geshu remained under arrest. In winter 757, when Tang forces under Li Chu the Prince of Guangping and allied Huihe forces were arriving at Luoyang, An Qingxu decided to abandon Luoyang, and, as he did so, executed Geshu, Cheng Qianli (程千里), and 30 some other captured Tang generals. Geshu's son Geshu Yao (哥舒曜) was then a Tang general, and possibly because of this, Emperor Xuanzong's son and successor Emperor Suzong posthumously honored Geshu Han despite his having submitted to An Lushan, and gave him the posthumous name of Wumin (literally, "martial and suffering").

生平

胡人多以部落稱姓，因以為氏。突厥在歷史上不屬于胡人。其父哥舒道元為安西都護將軍、赤水軍使，世居安西。哥舒翰家富于財，倜儻任俠，好然諾，縱蒲酒。哥舒翰初為隴右節度使王忠嗣幕府將，能讀《左氏春秋》、《漢書》，頗得士兵擁戴。

天寶六年（747年），王忠嗣提拔哥舒翰為大斗軍副使，遷左衛郎將。天寶年間與吐蕃戰于苦拔海，屢破吐蕃，擢授右武衛員外將軍，充隴右節度副使、關西兵馬使、河源軍使。王忠嗣為宰相李林甫所忌，故誣陷王忠嗣「欲奉太子」，玄宗以哥舒翰取代王忠嗣。朝廷對忠嗣嚴加審訊，打算處以極刑。哥舒翰聞知後，極言王忠嗣無罪，請求用自己的官爵來贖王忠嗣的罪，玄宗不聽，走入內宮，哥舒翰一路追隨，「言詞慷慨，聲淚俱下」，玄宗深受感動，遂貶忠嗣為漢陽（今湖北武漢漢陽區）太守。

天寶八年（749年）六月，哥舒翰統領隴右、河西及突厥阿布思之兵，向石堡城發起進攻。吐蕃憑險據守，唐軍進攻多日，傷亡慘重。哥舒翰大怒，限三日內破城，否則斬殺攻城先鋒官副將高秀岩、張守瑜。三日後，唐軍占領石堡城。功拜特進、鴻臚員外卿兼西平郡太守，攝御史中丞。

天寶十一年（752年），進為開府儀同三司。

天寶十二年（753年），進封涼國公，加河西節度使。八月三十日，進封西平郡王。天寶十三年（754年），又拜太子太保，加實封三百戶，兼御史大夫。唐詩中即有一首哥舒歌：「北斗七星高，哥舒夜帶刀。至今窺牧馬，不敢過臨洮。」宰相楊國忠厭惡安祿山，知其必反，聯合哥舒翰牽制安祿山。

天寶十四年（755年）哥舒翰患風疾（即中風）半身不遂，回到長安，病廢於家。

安史之亂時，名將封常清、高仙芝受誣被殺，唐玄宗命哥舒翰為天下兵馬副元帥，代替高仙芝守潼關（今陝西潼關東北）。哥舒翰到了潼關，風疾愈來愈嚴重，不復躬親，政事悉委行軍田丘良，陣中大將王思禮、李承光爭權。哥舒翰知道敵鋒正銳，應避之以待援軍前來共禦潼關。

此一策略與封常清、高仙芝所部相同。經研擬後，哥舒翰在潼關的二十萬大軍即堅守不出。

天寶十五年（756年）二月，哥舒翰的舊屬時任元帥府馬軍（騎兵）都將的王思禮，密說翰抗表請誅楊國忠，但翰不贊同對楊國忠下手;思禮又說翰謀殺安思順（在安史之亂爆發前，安思順曾多次提醒中央，安祿山有不軌舉動）。安思順跟哥舒翰結怨。於是，翰命人偽造安祿山寄給安思順的書信，在潼關派人抓住信使，搜出信件呈報給中央；哥舒翰列出安思順七條罪責，要求處死安思順。三月，安思順與弟安元貞皆被賜死，家屬遷徙於嶺外，天下冤之。宰相楊國忠無法救安思順，對哥舒翰開始感到畏懼。

天寶十五年（756年）六月，當時有人跟楊國忠說：「天下兵馬盡在哥舒翰之手，如果他想西進，那您豈不危險?」楊國忠大懼，於是上奏：「潼關兵力雖盛，但沒有後備部隊，那京師不就岌岌可危。請擴軍三千人並且訓練。」唐玄宗同意，楊國忠又派他的親信杜乾運囤駐於霸上，名為禦敵實則堤防哥舒翰。哥舒翰知道此舉是針對他，於是上表請奏把霸上的一萬人部隊歸潼關統一指揮，並且邀杜乾運來潼關議事，卻找個罪狀斬首杜乾運，楊國忠恐慌，對自己兒子說：「我恐怕死無葬身之所」。哥舒翰也感到不安，謀劃很久又不敢作決斷，數次上奏：「安祿山竊據河朔之地，不得人心，我們只要謹慎持重，等待賊軍內部分裂，兵不血刃就可以抓到安祿山。」

安祿山的將領崔乾祐守陝郡，故意放倒旗子停止敲鼓，故意示弱引誘出戰。有人就說：「賊人沒有防備，我們可以攻打他們。」唐玄宗相信了，詔見哥舒翰商量該如何討伐。哥舒翰說：「安祿山帶兵很久，隱藏很久現在才開始反叛，不可能沒有防備，他是故意用陰謀引誘我們。賊人大老遠來，最希望速戰速決。上計是王師堅守，不要隨便出關。而且其他地方的部隊還沒有集合完畢，最好還是繼續觀察，不必急。」當然，安祿山雖然佔領河北、洛陽，但到處濫殺無辜，人民怨恨他。好幾個月都不能再推進。郭子儀、李光弼又收復常山幾個郡，安祿山開始後悔作出反叛的決定，在幽州堅守。而楊國忠卻建議唐玄宗要哥舒翰出潼關收復陝、洛。郭子儀、李光弼遠在外地上書勸諫：「賊人知道哥舒翰老了而且病很重，而且我們的軍隊訓練不足以應戰。賊人派精銳往南佔領宛、洛，而其餘的人守幽州。我直搗敵人老巢，抓住他們的族人威脅它們投降，就可以得到安祿山的腦袋。倘若潼關的大軍出戰打敗，京城安全出現問題，那天下就完了。」極力要求不要讓哥舒翰出戰，但唐玄宗不聽。一直派使臣要求哥舒翰出戰。

哥舒翰痛哭，不得已出關與崔乾祐一戰。唐軍抵達靈寶縣西南，靈寶南面靠山，北臨黃河，中間為七十里長的狹窄山道。哥舒翰乘船在黃河上見崔乾祐兵少，命令大軍冒進，於是唐軍進入隘路，軍隊行進不成行列，賊人從高處砸落石打死了不少官兵。哥舒翰登上北部的高地，命令三萬人沿著河岸鳴鼓，王思禮率領精銳當先鋒，其他十萬人緊跟在後。崔乾祐部隊的陣型，以最小編制的「什」「伍」組成，一回前進一回後退，有五千名陌刀手排列在陣行後面。官兵們看賊人的陣法亂無章法，忍不住用手指著嘲笑他們。才剛開始戰鬥，崔乾祐部隊就有人想逃跑。官兵們開始鬆懈，突然賊軍開始拼命近身搏鬥。哥舒翰下令毛皮氈帳蒙住馬車，想要往北突圍，賊軍就用木柴堵塞通道，順著風勢燒馬車，濃煙讓官兵們看不清楚還自相殘殺，過很久才知道殺到同袍。官兵們丟盔卸甲奔向山谷也有的溺死在河裡。河邊有運糧船數百艘，因為爭相上船的逃難官兵太多，船就沉了。有的人用矛綁著盾牌想渡河。賊軍就趁勝追擊。快要逃到潼關，關門前挖三道壕溝，黑暗中士兵看不清楚方向掉進壕溝，被後面掉進去的人壓死，三道壕溝都被官兵的屍體填滿。

哥舒翰帶數百名騎兵渡河，剩下不到八千人的老弱殘兵。哥舒翰回到潼關，崔乾祐又開始進攻。火拔歸仁等將領造反，把哥舒翰綁架到洛陽交給安祿山處置，潼關失守。次日王思禮自潼關奔回，報明哥舒翰降賊，玄宗授思禮為隴右河西節度使。

安祿山與哥舒翰有舊怨。早年，安祿山欲結交哥舒翰，對其曰：「我父是胡、母是突厥；公父是突厥、母是胡。與公族類同，何不相親乎？」哥舒翰則回答：「古人云，野狐向窟嗥，不祥，以其忘本也。敢不盡心焉！」其本意為，「狐狸向自家洞穴嗥叫以待進攻，這樣忘本不好。我哪敢不盡心！」。但文學造詣不高的安祿山誤以為侮辱，怒斥哥舒翰：「突厥敢如此耶？！」兩人仇怨日深。

如今安祿山見到哥舒翰被俘，罵說：「汝常輕我，今日如何？」哥舒翰為免死，向之謝罪說：「肉眼不識陛下，遂至于此。」安祿山大喜，用他勸降唐將，拜為司空、同中書門下平章事。安祿山罵火拔歸仁等將領背主棄義，把他們都斬首。哥舒翰寫信招降其他將帥，反被其他唐軍將帥辱罵不能死節，安祿山知其無用，將他囚禁於禁苑。

至德二載，安祿山為其子安慶緒所殺，九月二十八日，唐軍進攻長安，安慶緒屢敗，十月十六日（757年12月1日）安慶緒逃往鄴（今河南安陽），臨行前，殺哥舒翰、程千里等三十餘名俘虜。唐代宗贈太尉，謚曰武愍。

史書評論

《舊唐書》：「大盜作梗，祿山亂常，詞雖欲誅國忠，志則謀危社稷。于時承平日久，金革道消，封常清、高仙芝相次率不教之兵，募市人之眾，以抗凶寇，失律喪師。哥舒翰廢疾于家，起專兵柄，二十萬（舊唐書本紀第九，玄宗下：「哥舒翰將兵八萬…」）眾拒賊關門，軍中之務不親，委任又非其所。及遇羯賊，旋致敗亡，天子以之播遷，自身以之拘執，此皆命帥而不得其人也。《禮》曰：「大夫死眾。」又曰：「謀人之軍師敗則死之。」翰受署賊庭，苟延視息，忠義之道，即可知也，豈不愧于顏杲卿乎！抑又聞之，古之命將者，推轂而謂之曰：「閫外之事，將軍裁之。」觀楊國忠之奏事，邊令誠之護戎，又掣肘于軍政者也，未可偏責三帥，不尤伊人。後之君子，得不深鑒！」

歷代評論

李白《答王十二寒夜獨酌有懷》諷刺哥舒翰在石堡城之戰軍事表現，我眾敵寡下犧牲巨大，卻能媚主求榮：「君不能學哥舒，橫行青海夜帶刀，西屠石堡取紫袍。」

杜甫《喜聞盜賊蕃寇總退口號五首》，對於朝廷放棄和親政突然起用哥舒翰發動對吐蕃戰爭之事表達不滿：「朝廷忽用哥舒將，殺伐虛悲公主親」

當時民歌（後世稱哥舒歌）贊頌哥舒翰抵禦吐蕃侵略有功：「北斗七星高，哥舒夜帶刀。至今窺牧馬，不敢過臨洮。」

南宋謝採伯《密齋筆記》：「哥舒翰始亦善用兵，後困於酒色之娛，迫於君命，慟哭而出，潼關喪師二十萬，僅存八千。」

明代王夫之《讀通鑑論·卷二十三·肅宗》：「其一，自天寶以來，邊兵外疆，所可與幽，燕，河北並峙者，唯王忠嗣之於朔方耳。自削其輔，奪忠嗣而廢之，奉忠嗣之餘威收拾西陲者，哥舒翰也。翰為祿山屈而稱病閒居，朔方之勢已不振，既且盡撤之以守潼關，而陷沒於賊。」

清代臨洮詩人吳鎮在《題哥舒翰紀功碑》一詩中贊到：

:::李唐重防秋，哥舒節隴右。浩氣扶西傾，英名壯北斗。

:::帶刀夜夜行，牧馬潛遁走。至今西陲人，歌詠遍童叟。

:::漁陽烽火來，關門竟不守。惜哉百戰雄，奸相坐掣肘。

:::平生視祿山，不值一雞狗。伏地呼聖人，茲顏一何厚。

:::毋乃賊妄傳，藉以威其醜。不然效李陵，屈身為圖後。

:::英雄值老悖，天道遘陽九。終焉死偃師，曾作司空否？

:::轟轟大道碑，湛湛邊城酒。長劍倚崆峒，永與乾坤久！

清末民初文人蔡東藩在其演義小說《唐史演義》第五十一回評論道：「哥舒翰之所為，不謂無罪，但守關不戰，待賊自敝，未始非老成慎重之見，況有郭李諸將，規複河朔，固足毀賊之老巢，而制賊之死命者乎。國忠忌翰，促令陷賊，潼關不守，亟議幸蜀，陷翰猶可，陷天子可乎？惟國忠之意，以為都可棄，君可辱，而私怨不可不複，身命不可不保，兄弟姊妹，不可不安。自秦赴蜀，猶歸故鄉，庸詎知王思禮等之竊議其旁，陳玄禮等之加刃其後耶？楊玉環不顧廉恥，競尚驕奢，看似無關治亂，而實為亂階，蠱君誤國，不死何待？歷敘之以昭大戒，筆法固猶是紫陽也。」

英國漢學家Denis Crispin Twitchett在《劍橋中國史》第三冊隋唐，第七章楊國忠的掌權（752—756年）中評論：「楊國忠最迫切需要的是一個強有力的軍事盟友。他選中了唯一與安祿山明顯為敵的突厥將領哥舒翰，此人是西北隴右和河西兩地的節度使，已在753年農曆八月被封為王他與安祿山的堂兄弟朔方節度使安思順長期不和；雖然在快到李林甫臨終時玄宗試圖讓宦官高力士去彌合雙方的分歧，但這反而使局面更加惡化;安祿山和哥舒翰曾在朝廷公開激烈爭吵。哥舒翰擁有龐大的軍隊，總數達14.3萬人，他們久經沙場，在戰鬥中得到鍛煉，在吐蕃邊境的十多年中常常取勝。」

家庭

高祖

• 哥舒魯，唐朝鎮軍大將軍、左衛將軍、天山郡開國公

曾祖

• 哥舒匐，唐朝雲麾將軍、左金吾衛將軍、交河縣開國伯

祖父

• 哥舒沮，唐朝雲麾將軍、代理右清道率、金微縣開國男

父母

• 哥舒道元，唐朝右羽林大將軍、河西節度副使、上柱國、天水郡開國公

• 尉遲氏，于闐王尉遲璥的姐妹，封番禾郡夫人

子孫

• 哥舒鼂

　• 哥舒洩

　　• 哥舒穎

• 哥舒曄

• 哥舒晧

• 哥舒晃，字子亮，官至循州刺史，誅殺嶺南節度使呂崇賁，舉兵反叛，775年被誅殺。

• 哥舒曜，字子明，官至右驍衛上將軍，追贈幽州大都督。

　• 哥舒峘

　• 哥舒崿

　• 哥舒嵫

　• 哥舒屺

延伸閱讀