Jia Chong

Jia Chong (賈充) (217 - 282) was a Chinese Minister for the Royaume of Wei at the time of the time of the Three Kingdoms, then of the Dynastie Jin in ancient China. Close adviser of the family Sima, it contributed largely to the usurpation of Wei. He is also the son of Jia Kui.

Biography

Inheriting the titles of nobility of his father, it served Wei in the immediate entourage of the Sima family. Initially subordinated of Sima Shi, it served Sima Zhao after death of this last.

In year 257, Sima Zhao which thought of usurping the throne sent Jia Chong to meet the general Zhuge daN with an aim of gaining its support. However, after having to be windy the merits of Sima Zhao, Jia Chong was largely to show again. At its return to the capital, it thus warned Sima Zhao against Zhuge daN in the possibility of a coup d'etat and this last, which was recalled to the capital, carried out a rebellion which was quickly demolished. Following these events, the prestige of Jia Chong was accentuated, just as the regard as Sima Zhao carried to him.

Shortly after in year 260, the emperor CAD Mao, accompanied by his guard and his servants, tried to assassinate Sima Zhao in order to take again the capacity. Jia Chong interposed then and ordered with its subordinate Cheng Ji to take the necessary measures to overcome CAD Mao. This one killed CAD Mao, thus making a regicide. Following these hostilities, the public opinion asked for the head of Cheng Ji and Jia Chong. However, only Cheng Ji was carried out since Sima Zhao refused to put at dead the man who had expressed a so great honesty to him. The people perceived then Jia Chong like a regicide. By afterwards, it was with the head of a force to contain the rebellion of Zhong Hui and contributed to bring back the order to Chengdu.

In year 265, after the death of Sima Zhao, Sima Yan, the successor, establishes the Jin dynasty. Jia Chong which contributed then to the reform of the penal code was named Duc of Lugong for his contribution to the usurpation. During the years which followed, it was made enemies inside the government and in year 271, those forced it to carry out a forwarding against the rebel Xianbei Tufa Shujineng. Jia Chong not wishing to fight, succeeds in circumventing the order while making marry his/her daughter with the crown prince Sima Zhong and in year 272, managed to exclude its enemies from the government.

In year 279, he was opposed to the invasion Royaume of Wu, judging that a failure would result from it. He persisted even after several projections and subjected a request for the cessation of hostilities in year 280. When Sun Hao capitulated, Jia Chong, ashamed, offered its resignation, which however was refused. Appreciated its sovereign unconditionally, it was rather rewarded. Jia Chong fell sick in year 282 and died.

Its family

The family of Jia Chong was implied in several intrigues connected to the royal capacity of the Jin dynasty. Its offspring was the object of some blows of glare, sometimes cruel, which nevertheless led certain Jia family members to very high summits.

The first wife of Jia Chong, named Li, was the Li Feng girl, which was put at died by Sima Shi to be suspecté to have plotted with the emperor CAD Fang in year 254. Mrs Li gave rise to two girls, Jia Bao and Jia Yu. However, Jia Chong, which wanted to show its honesty with Sima Shi, left Mrs Li, which was forced with the exile. He married then called Guo Huai, which also made him two girls, Jia Nanfeng and Jia Wu. She gave birth also to a boy, Jia Limin, which had a sad destiny by its jealousy and cruelty out of the commun run. Indeed, when Jia Limin was two years old, Mrs Guo saw Jia Chong with the nurse of the boy and accepted a secret connection between those. Furiously jealous, it killed the nurse. The young boy if was upset by the death of his nurse who it fell sick and died. Later, Mrs Guo gave birth to another boy with Jia Chong, which also died of distress, which made of Jia Chong a father without boy.

Put aside Jia Nanfeng, which became princess heiress, the girl elder of Jia Chong, Jia Bao, married also an imperial prince, the young brother of the emperor Wu (Sima Yan), Sima You the prince of IQ, which was considered most talented and virtueux among the imperial princes. At a certain time, when the Wu emperor fell sick, all hoped that it is Sima You which inherits the throne. The mayor of Luoyang, Xiahou He, tried to convince Jia Chong to support Sima You for the succession, affirming that the two crown princes in list were his/her sons-in-law. However, Jia Chong refused to support the candidature of Sima You, probably by fear of his wife.

After Sima Yan has establishes the Jin dynasty, a general amnestie of the political prisoners and their families was declared and the first wife of Jia Chong, Mrs Li could return from her exile. Believer that Jia Chong would like to take again his first wife, the emperor Sima Yan allowed Jia Chong to have two women. Jia Chong, frightened by Mrs Guo, did not take again however Mrs Li like marries in spite of her bonds with his/her daughters Jia Bao and Jia Yu. He preferred to establish an independent residence for Mrs Li, which never visited. One day Mrs Guo went to return visit to Mrs Li and was humiliated when she stumbled with her feet; she never returned again to visit him.

Its character in the novel

In the novel Histoire of the Three Kingdoms writes by Luo Guanzhong, the character of Jia Chong is very stuck on its historical figure. Described in chapter 111 like a senior adviser of Sima Zhao, it is the first with speaking about usurpation.

In chapter 114, then police chief of the central Army, it convinces Sima Zhao to initially make sure of confidence of emperor CAD Mao, rather than to leave in forwarding against the Royaume Shu which, if necessary, could be to him harmful. Sima Zhao thus takes its advice and requires of the Emperor to be honoured with Last nine decorations and the title of Duke of Jin. CAD Mao, which sees his throne threatened by this request, tries an attack armed against Sima Zhao and Jia Chong interposes, such as mentions it the historical accounts, driving with the murder of the Emperor. Unpunished for this crime, a poem follows, describing the events:

This year Jia Chong under the ordering of Sima Zhao

Killed the king and stained of red the royal dresses.

a crime whose Cheng Ji paid for, like its clan.

the plot did not mislead the ordinary man.

Following this episode, Jia Chong advises Sima Zhao as much on the internal businesses that external of the kingdom. However, this advice is not always taken as when he proposes to ask the abdication of Wei in year 260 or when he makes share assassinate Jiang Wei rather than to conduct a military campaign against this last.

In chapter 118, fearing a rebellion on behalf of Deng Have, Sima Zhao consults Jia Chong. This one proposes to use Zhong Hui in order to control Deng Have and the suggestion is adopted. A little later fearing the worst, Jia Chong is sent to the head of a force of 30.000 men to the throat of Ye if one two would revolt. However this threat falls without it will not intervene.

After the death of Sima Zhao in chapter 119, Sima Yan, which succeeds his/her father, fact call to Jia Chong and Pei Xiu in connection with the usurpation of Wei. Those hasten to conclude that time had just established a new dynasty and Sima Yan goes in this direction while becoming the first emperor of Jin.

Lastly, Jia Chong, which positions initially in favor of an attack against Wu and which proposes the services of the general Yang Hu to carry out the attack comes from there to retract and to be on several occasions opposed to the battle dress against the rival kingdom. Wu however are annexed and China is again plain.

In the last paragraphs of the novel, an interesting exchange is delivered between the deposed emperor of Wu Sun Hao and Jia Chong. Jia Chong requires:

“Several says that when you control the South, you tear off sometimes the eyes of the men and peel the skin of their face. Which kind of punishment is this? ”

It with what Sun Hao answers him:

“It is the punishment reserved for the vassal ones which assassinates their sovereigns or for the malicious liars and the rebels. ”

Jia Chong remains quiet and grained, probably thinking of the regicide whom it made.

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