An Lu-shan

Related Category: Chinese, Taiwanese, and Mongolian History: Biographies

(än l-shän), d.757, Chinese general of the T'ang dynasty. Of mixed Sogdian and Turkish birth, he was appointed regional commander on the northeastern frontier. In 755 he led c.200,000 troops in revolt against the T'ang central government. Emperor Hsüan-tsung fled the capital Chang'an for Sichuan, and on the way he was forced by discontented soldiers to execute his concubine Yang Kuei-fei, who was blamed for demoralizing the court and was even rumored to have had a secret affair with An Lu-shan. An Lu-shan was killed by his son in 757. The rebellion lasted until 763, when foreign troops helped restore the T'ang dynasty to power.