Biography
Family Background and Early Years
Heruo Bi came from an established military family. His compound surname was Heruo and his courtesy name Fubo. He was a Xianbei native of Luoyang, Henan. His father, Heruo Dun, was known for courage and severity under Northern Zhou and rose to become Area Commander of Jinzhou. Heruo Bi was ambitious from youth, brave in battle, skilled at mounted archery, and broadly knowledgeable, earning a considerable reputation. Yuwen Xian, Prince of Qi under Northern Zhou, heard of his abilities and valued him highly, bringing him onto his staff as a secretary. He was soon enfeoffed as Duke of Dangting County and promoted to Minor Secretary.
In 565, the fifth year of the Baoding era, Heruo Dun incurred the hostility of Yuwen Hu, Duke of Jin and the dominant political figure of Northern Zhou, after voicing resentment, and was forced to commit suicide. Before dying, he told Heruo Bi: “I had resolved to pacify Jiangnan, but could not fulfill this intention. You must complete my ambition. I die because of my tongue; you must reflect upon this.” He then pierced Heruo Bi's tongue with an awl, using blood to warn him to be cautious in speech. His father's death became an important background to Heruo Bi's life: he inherited the ambition to conquer the south yet repeatedly faced danger arising from his own words.
Career under Northern Zhou
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Yuwen Yong, Crown Prince Yuwen Yun behaved poorly but concealed his faults, and the emperor did not fully recognize them. Supreme Pillar of State Wuwan Gui discussed the matter with Heruo Bi and argued that the crown prince was unfit to bear responsibility for the state, urging Heruo to join him in remonstrating. Wuwan Gui then raised the matter with Emperor Wu, who summoned Heruo Bi for his view. Knowing the crown prince's position was effectively unshakable and remembering his father's warning, Heruo replied that the crown prince's conduct improved day by day and that he had observed no faults. Emperor Wu remained silent. Wuwan Gui later accused Heruo of betraying him, but Heruo explained that if a ruler failed to keep secrets he would lose his ministers, and if a minister failed to keep secrets he would lose his life; he therefore dared not speak rashly about the crown prince. When the crown prince later became Emperor Xuan, Wuwan Gui was indeed executed, while Heruo escaped punishment.
In 579, the first year of the Daxiang era, Heruo Bi followed Supreme Pillar of State and campaign commander Wei Xiaokuan in taking Huainan, Shouyang, and dozens of other Chen cities, bringing territory north of the Yangzi under Northern Zhou. Many of the campaign's strategies were attributed to Heruo Bi. He was appointed governor of Shouzhou and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Xiangyi County. The following year, Yang Jian became Grand Councilor of Northern Zhou and took control of the government. When Yuchi Jiong, the regional commander of Xiangzhou, rebelled at Ye, Yang Jian worried that Heruo might also become disloyal and quickly sent his trusted associate Changsun Ping to replace him as governor of Shouzhou.
Preparations for the Sui conquest of Chen
In 581, the first year of the Kaihuang era, Yang Jian accepted the throne and established the Sui Dynasty as Emperor Wen of Sui. Determined to absorb the south and reunify China, he sought capable commanders for the Jiang-Huai frontier. Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs Gao Jiong recommended Heruo Bi, saying that among the officials at court none matched him in combined civil and military ability. Yang Jian agreed and appointed Heruo Area Commander of Wuzhou, based at the strategic northern-bank city of Guangling, entrusting him with preparations for the conquest of Chen. Heruo accepted enthusiastically and composed a poem for Yuan Xiong, Area Commander of Shouzhou, before taking up his post and training his forces.
In 587, the seventh year of the Kaihuang era, Yang Jian repeatedly discussed plans for conquering Chen, while Gao Jiong, Yang Su, Gao Mai, Cui Zhongfang, and others submitted proposals. Heruo Bi also presented ten strategies for taking Chen. Emperor Wen praised him and presented him with a treasured sword.
In October 588, the eighth year of the Kaihuang era, Yang Jian established the Huainan Branch Department at Shouchun and placed Yang Guang, Prince of Jin, in overall charge as Prefect of the Masters of Writing for the branch department. Yang Guang, Yang Jun, Prince of Qin, and Yang Su were all appointed campaign commanders, while Gao Jiong served as chief of staff to the Prince of Jin. A combined land-and-water force of 518,000 was assembled and divided into eight routes along the Yangzi under Yang Guang's overall direction. Heruo Bi served as a campaign commander, marched from Guangling, and concentrated his forces on the northern bank.
Before the invasion Heruo used several measures to mislead the Chen forces. He sold old horses and secretly purchased and concealed large numbers of Chen-style boats, while buying fifty or sixty dilapidated vessels and mooring them in minor waterways so that Chen observers would believe Sui lacked proper warships. He also repeatedly gathered troops changing garrison duty at Guangling, filled the area with banners and tents, and sent soldiers hunting along the river amid great noise. Chen forces at first assumed an invasion was imminent, but after repeated false alarms became accustomed to the spectacle and relaxed their precautions.
The Sui conquest of Chen and the Dispute over Credit
On the first day of the first lunar month in 589, the ninth year of the Kaihuang era, Sui forces on the lower Yangzi crossed in separate columns while Chen troops were celebrating the New Year. Heruo Bi's force attacked ahead of schedule, crossing south from Guangling. Chen troops were caught unprepared and fled in confusion. On the sixth day Heruo captured Southern Xuzhou, seized its governor Huang Ke, and took more than six thousand prisoners, all of whom were treated well and released. His army was kept under strict discipline and was forbidden to take anything from civilians on pain of immediate execution.
Heruo then advanced on Baitu Hill at Jiangshan, defeating in succession Chen commanders Tian Rui, Lu Da, Zhou Zhian, Ren Mannu, Fan Yi, Kong Fan, Xiao Mohe, and others. He entered the city through the northern side gate. By then, however, Han Qinhu, commander of a western column, had already led five hundred cavalry through Zhuque Gate, captured Later Ruler of Chen Chen Shubao, and taken control of government storehouses. Heruo ordered Chen Shubao brought before him. The captured ruler, frightened and sweating, repeatedly bowed. Heruo told him that it was proper for the ruler of a small state to bow before the high ministers of a great state and assured him that, once brought to court, he would likely be granted a noble title. Yet Heruo resented failing to capture Chen Shubao first and seeing Han Qinhu receive greater credit. The two men angrily quarreled over merit, and Heruo even drew his sword.
Emperor Wen issued an edict praising Heruo's accomplishments. Yang Guang, Prince of Jin, however, believed that Heruo had engaged the enemy ahead of schedule in violation of military orders and handed him over to military justice officials. Emperor Wen summoned Heruo, praised him highly, allowed him to sit on an imperial seat, promoted him to Supreme Pillar of State, enfeoffed him as Duke of Song with three thousand households of actual revenue in Xiangyi, bestowed extensive rewards, and gave him a younger sister of Chen Shubao as a concubine. He was appointed General-in-Chief of the Right Leading Guard and soon transferred to General-in-Chief of the Right Martial Guard.
Arrogance and Loss of Favor
After the conquest of Chen, Heruo Bi's status became still more exalted. His elder brother Heruo Long was Duke of Wudu Commandery and his younger brother Heruo Dong was Duke of Wanrong Commandery; both also held governorships or general commands. Heruo Bi accumulated innumerable precious objects, and even his maids and concubines wore fine silks. His household was extremely luxurious.
Heruo became proud and convinced that his achievements surpassed those of other officials. He often regarded himself as suited to be Grand Councilor. When Yang Su became Right Vice Director while Heruo remained a general, he openly displayed resentment. In 592 he was dismissed. His dissatisfaction only deepened, and several years later Emperor Wen imprisoned him. The emperor rebuked him for repeatedly saying that Gao Jiong and Yang Su were good for little more than eating. Heruo answered that Gao Jiong was his old friend and Yang Su his brother-in-law, so he knew their characters and therefore spoke as he did. High officials considered his resentment excessive and requested his execution. Emperor Wen hesitated for several days and, remembering his past service, spared him, stripped him of rank, and reduced him to commoner status. Several years later Heruo's title was restored, but Emperor Wen remained wary and no longer gave him substantive office, although he still treated him generously at banquets and distributions of rewards.
In 599, the nineteenth year of the Kaihuang era, Emperor Wen held a banquet for princes and nobles at Renshou Palace and ordered Heruo to compose a pentasyllabic poem. The poem expressed resentment, but the emperor again tolerated him and imposed no punishment. On another occasion, a Turkic envoy came to court. Emperor Wen had the envoy shoot an arrow and the man struck the target with his first shot. The emperor declared that no one present except Heruo Bi could match him. Heruo was ordered to shoot and likewise hit with his first arrow. Emperor Wen was delighted and told the envoy, “This man was bestowed upon me by Heaven!”
While Yang Guang was still crown prince, he once asked Heruo to compare Yang Su, Han Qinhu, and Shi Wansui, all regarded as excellent generals. Heruo replied that Yang Su was a fierce general but not a strategist; Han Qinhu was a fighting general but not a commander of armies; and Shi Wansui was a cavalry general but not a great general. When Yang Guang asked who qualified as a great general, Heruo answered, “That is for Your Highness to choose,” implying that he alone deserved the title.
Execution
In 604, the fourth year of the Renshou era, Yang Guang ascended the throne as Emperor Yang and Heruo Bi became even more marginalized. In the seventh lunar month of 607, the third year of the Daye era, Heruo accompanied the emperor on a northern tour to Yulin. Emperor Yang had an enormous tent constructed to accommodate several thousand guests for receiving Qimin Khagan and his people. Heruo considered the display excessively extravagant and privately criticized it with Gao Jiong and Yuwen Bi. Their remarks were reported. The emperor treated the discussion as slander of court government and on the twenty-ninth day of the seventh lunar month, August 27, 607, had Heruo Bi, Gao Jiong, Yuwen Bi, and others executed. Heruo was sixty-four. His wife and children were made state slaves and members of his extended kin were exiled to the frontier.
In 618, the first year of the Wude era, Li Yuan founded the Tang Dynasty and posthumously bestowed offices and titles on a number of former Sui officials. Heruo Bi received the titles Supreme Pillar of State and Duke of Qi. Another account records that he was posthumously made Grand Master for Splendid Happiness and Area Commander of Yangzhou.