生平

萧梁侯景之乱爆发后，武陵王萧纪在蜀称帝，率众向东进攻位于江陵的梁元帝。梁元帝大惧，向西魏宇文泰求救，希望其出兵伐蜀。宇文泰于是派尉迟迥率众伐蜀。尉迟迥一路势如破竹。萧纪任命的益州刺史萧撝与萧纪之子宜都王萧圆肃向尉迟迥投降。平蜀之后，西魏任命尉迟迥为大都督、益潼等十八州诸军事、益州刺史。宇文觉建立北周后，以尉迟迥有平蜀之功，封其为宁蜀公。

北周大象二年（580年）五月十一日，北周宣帝宇文贇病逝，静帝宇文衍年幼，外戚左丞相杨坚专政，并派人代替尉迟迥相州总管之职。尉迟迥不满杨坚专权，联合郧州（今湖北安陆）总管司马消难、益州总管王谦先后起兵反杨，以皇叔祖赵王宇文招留在封地的小儿子为主，十天之内，连下卫州、沧州等数城。杨坚以上柱国韦孝宽、王谊等出兵讨伐。韦孝宽来到武陟（今河南武陟）时，正逢夏天七月，沁水（今山西、河南境沁河）大涨，两军皆无法渡河，不得不隔水遥相对峙。尉迟迥派其子尉迟敦率军十万进抵武德（今河南武陟东南），在沁水东岸布阵二十馀里，这时韦孝宽军心不稳，流言四起。有人密告杨坚说尉迟迥已用金钱收买了前线将领梁士彦、宇文忻、崔弘度等人，杨坚命崔仲方、刘昉、郑译前往监军，遭到三人拒绝。

这时丞相府司录高熲自愿前往监军。高熲命人在沁水上架桥，尉迟敦在上流纵火筏烧桥，高熲则命人填土以阻火筏。孝宽命大军迅速前进，渡过沁水。八月庚午（580年9月11日），韦孝宽破尉迟迥于邺城（今河北临漳西南），尉迟迥逃上城楼，武乡公崔弘度追至，尉迟迥兵败自杀身亡，死前犹自痛骂杨坚不止。杨坚下令焚毁邺城。

身后

唐朝武德年间，尉迟迥的侄孙库部员外郎尉迟耆福上表请求改葬尉迟迥，朝廷商议尉迟迥忠于北周皇室，唐高祖诏令同意，赐给尉迟家丝织品一百匹。

贞观年间，唐太宗诏令追录用前代忠诚的子孙为官，尉迟迥的曾孙尉迟文礼上诉说：「尉迟迥忠于北周皇室，被隋朝诛杀。」太常卿江夏王李道宗等人商议，都认为尉迟迥为北周死节，应该甄别录用他的子孙。褚遂良上奏说：「观看史书，只有拯救君主的危难才是忠诚，不拯救就是叛逆。春秋时期赵穿杀死晋灵公，赵盾身为正卿，不讨伐贼人，太史写下：『赵盾杀死了他的国君。』从这里说，尉迟迥受到北周重用，听闻杨坚做丞相，只是在邺城布置士兵，向南和南陈联络，向北和突厥联系，按兵不动六十多天，不拯救国家危难，免除罪恶就够幸运了，如果称之为忠诚耿直，臣深深的疑惑。」大臣们商议后都同意褚遂良的观点。

家庭

兄弟

• 尉迟纲，北周柱国、吴武公

妻妾

• 金明公主，西魏文帝元宝炬长女

• 王氏，继室

子女

• 尉迟谊，北周开府、朔州刺史、资中郡公

• 尉迟宽，北周大将军、长乐郡公，早卒

• 尉迟顺，北周上柱国、胙国公

• 尉迟敦，北周军正下大夫、魏安郡公

• 尉迟佑，北周西都郡公

• 尉迟氏，金明公主所生，嫁北周仪同、松滋公拓跋兢，封回洛县君

• 尉迟氏，第三女，嫁北周骠骑大将军、开府仪同三司、东京司宪中大夫、文安县开国公周韪，封邓宁郡君

孙女

• 尉迟炽繁，西阳公宇文温之妻，后为北周宣帝宇文贇皇后

• 尉迟氏，父不详，杨坚后宫，被独孤皇后所杀

注释

延伸阅读

参考书目

• 《周书》列传第十三

Family

Consort and issue

• Princess Jinming (金明公主), of the Yuan clan (元氏), daughter of Emperor Wen of Western Wei

　• Lady Yuchi (尉迟氏), Lady of Luo County (洛县君), first daughter

　　• Married Tuoba Jing (拓跋兢), Yi Tong (仪同) of Northern Zhou

• Lady Wang, of the Wang clan (王氏)

Unknown

• Yuchi Yi (尉迟谊), Duke of Zizhong Commandery (资中郡公), first son

• Yuchi Kuan (尉迟宽), Duke of Zhangle Commandery (长乐郡公), second son

• Yuchi Shun (尉迟顺), Duke of Zuo (胙国公), third son

• Yuchi Dun (尉迟敦), Duke of Wei'an Commandery (魏安郡公), fourth son

• Yuchi You (尉迟佑), Duke of Xidu Commandery (西都郡公), fifth son

• Second Daughter

• Lady Yuchi (尉迟氏), third daughter

During Western Wei

It is not known when Yuchi Jiong was born. His ancestors were a branch of the Tuoba tribe, which founded Northern Wei, and their subtribe was referred to as the Yuchi—and therefore took the name of the subtribe as the surname. His father Yuchi Qidou (尉迟俟兜) married an elder sister of Northern Wei's branch successor state Western Wei's paramount general Yuwen Tai, and they had two sons together—Yuchi Jiong and his brother Yuchi Gang (尉迟纲). (Yuchi Jiong's mother was later known as Princess Changle during Northern Zhou.) Yuchi Qidou died fairly early. Yuchi Jiong, who was said to be handsome, intelligent, and ambitious in his youth, served under his uncle Yuwen Tai, and married the Princess Jinming, the daughter of Emperor Wen of Western Wei. He showed talent both in military matters and in governance, and Yuwen Tai gave him increasingly important positions.

In 552, rival Liang Dynasty, in the aftermaths of the major rebellion by Hou Jing and Hou's death earlier that year, had two major claimants to its throne—Xiao Yi (Emperor Yuan of Liang), who controlled the central and eastern provinces, and Xiao Ji, who controlled the western provinces, both sons of the founding emperor Emperor Wu. Xiao Yi, under attack from Xiao Ji, requested aid from Western Wei—in the form of an attack to Xiao Ji's rear, against Xiao Ji's home province Yi Province (modern central Sichuan). Yuwen believed this to be a great opportunity for Western Wei to conquer the modern Sichuan and Chongqing region, but when he discussed the matters with the generals, most were in opposition. Yuchi, however, was supportive of the plan and advocated an immediate attack. Yuwen thus put him in command over six other generals to attack Xiao Ji's realm, and the attack was launched in spring 553. Yuchi quickly advanced to Xiao Ji's capital at Chengdu (成都, in modern Chengdu, Sichuan). Xiao Ji's army, which was then battling Xiao Yi near Xiao Yi's capital of Jiangling (江陵, in modern Jingzhou, Hubei), collapsed, and Xiao Ji was killed by Xiao Yi. After Yuchi had put Chengdu under siege for five months, Xiao Ji's cousin Xiao Hui (萧撝) and son Xiao Yuansu (萧圆肃), who were defending Chengdu, surrendered. The surrounding provinces also soon surrendered, and Western Wei had taken over Xiao Ji's ___domain. Yuwen made Yuchi the governor of Yi Province, in charge of 12 provinces centering Yi. In 554, six provinces were added to Yuchi's responsibility, for 18 provinces total. However, as Yuchi missed his mother deeply, and his mother was still at the capital Chang'an, Yuwen soon recalled him back to Chang'an.

During Emperor Xiaomins and Emperor Mings reigns

Yuwen Tai died in 557, and his nephew Yuwen Hu, serving as the guardian for Yuwen Tai's son Yuwen Jue, forced Emperor Gong of Western Wei to yield the throne to Yuwen Jue in spring 558, ending Western Wei and establishing Northern Zhou, with Yuwen Jue as emperor (but using the alternative title "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang) (as Emperor Xiaomin). Emperor Xiaomin created Yuchi Jiong the Duke of Shu, in commemoration of his victory (as the modern Sichuan region was known in ancient times as the region of Shu). Later in 558, when Emperor Xiaomin tried to seize power from Yuwen Hu, Yuwen Hu deposed and then killed him, making Emperor Xiaomin's older brother Yuwen Yu the Duke of Ningdu emperor instead (as Emperor Ming). Yuchi Jiong's stance in this power struggle is not known, but his brother Yuchi Gang sided with Yuwen Hu.

Yuchi's activities during Emperor Ming's reign were not recorded in history. In 560, Emperor Ming was poisoned by Yuwen Hu. Emperor Ming's younger brother Yuwen Yong the Duke of Lu became emperor (as Emperor Wu).

During Emperor Wus reign

In 562, Yuchi Jiong became the Minister of the Army—one of the six departments of government, under a system designed by Yuwen Tai—although his actual authority over the army is not clear, as Yuwen Hu, as prime minister, also oversaw the armed forces. His brother Yuchi Gang served as Minister of Agriculture.

In winter 564, Yuwen Hu launched a major attack on rival Northern Qi, and Yuchi Jiong had the responsibility of attacking Luoyang along with Daxi Wu (达奚武) and Emperor Wu's brother Yuwen Xian the Duke of Qi, but the attack was ultimately unsuccessful and withdrawn.

In 568, Yuchi took on the even more honorific title of Taibao (太保) -- one of the three senior advisors to the emperor—but with unclear authorities.

In 572, Emperor Wu ambushed Yuwen Hu and killed him, taking over power personally. He made Yuchi Taishi (太师) -- one of the three senior advisors to him but slightly more honorific than Taibao.

In 576, Emperor Wu launched a major attack on Northern Qi, destroying it in 577 and taking over its territory. Yuchi's involvement, if any, in the campaign is unclear. In June 578, Emperor Wu died, and the crown prince Yuwen Yun became emperor (as Emperor Xuan).

During Emperor Xuans and Emperor Jings reigns

In spring 579, Emperor Xuan established four new senior advisor posts, and he made, as those four, his uncle Yuwen Sheng (宇文盛) the Prince of Yue, Yuchi Jiong, Li Mu (李穆) the Duke of Shen, and Yang Jian the Duke of Sui (and his father-in-law, as the father of his wife Yang Lihua). He also made Yuchi in charge of the region around Xiang Province (相州, roughly modern Handan, Hebei) -- effectively, the region north of the Yellow River. Later that year, Emperor Xuan passed the throne to his young son Yuwen Chan (Emperor Jing), becoming retired emperor—but with the highly unusual title of "Emperor Tianyuan" (天元皇帝, Tianyuan Huangdi). He proceeded to rule in an erratic and cruel manner, causing officials to become alienated. His acts included raping Yuchi Jiong's granddaughter Yuchi Chifan, who had married Emperor Xuan's cousin Yuwen Liang (宇文亮)'s son Yuwen Wen (宇文温) the Duke of Xiyang, causing Yuwen Liang to plot rebellion. When Yuwen Liang's plot was discovered, Emperor Xuan killed him and Yuwen Wen, seizing Lady Yuchi as a concubine and then creating him one of his five empresses—contrary to the tradition of creating only one empress.

In summer 580, Emperor Xuan died suddenly, and after Yang's friends and Emperor Xuan's associates Liu Fang (刘昉) and Zheng Yi (郑译) maneuvered behind the scenes by issuing an edict in Emperor Xuan's name, Yang became regent, and quickly took control of the political scene. As Yuchi had high reputation, Yang feared that Yuchi would oppose him, and therefore sent Yuchi's son Yuchi Dun (尉迟敦) the Duke of Wei'an to Xiang Province, summoning Yuchi back to the capital to attend Emperor Xuan's funeral and replacing him with the general Wei Xiaokuan.

Yuchi, believing that Yang was intending to seize the throne, instead announced an uprising against Yang, declaring that he was intending to protect Northern Zhou's imperial lineage. He took the son of Emperor Xuan's uncle Yuwen Zhao (宇文招) the Prince of Zhao and declared him emperor. A number of important generals declared for him—the chief of whom were Sima Xiaonan (司马消难), who controlled the southern provinces, and Wang Qian (王谦), who controlled the southwestern provinces—but he was unable to persuaded Li Mu, who controlled the modern Shanxi region, to join him. He was also unable to get Northern Zhou's vassal state Western Liang (ruled by Xiao Kui, a great-grandson of Liang Dynasty's Emperor Wu) to join him.

Yuchi, despite his reputation, was by this point described as senile, entrusting most of his important matters to his secretary Cui Dana (崔达拏) and his second wife Lady Wang. Cui and Lady Wang's decisions were largely described as inappropriate ones, and the rebels made little advances. Soon, the central government forces, commanded by Wei, arrived at Yuchi's headquarters at Yecheng (邺城, in modern Handan) and besieged it. When the city fell, just 68 days after Yuchi declared his rebellion, his son's father-in-law Cui Hongdu (崔弘度), who served under Wei, approached him, and gave him time to commit suicide. Yuchi did so, but only after hurling repeated insults at Yang Jian. His sons were killed.

During the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Tang (618-626), Yuchi Jiong's grandnephew Yuchi Qifu (尉迟耆福) submitted a petition to have Yuchi Jiong given a proper burial. Emperor Gaozu, because Yuchi Jiong was faithful to Northern Zhou, agreed.