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Gongsun Zan, courtesy name Bogui, was a native of Lingzhi in Liaoxi. He was a military general and warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty, and one of the heroes of the late Han Dynasty.

Gongsun Zan was born into a noble family, but because his mother was of low status, he only served as a minor official in the prefecture. Later, he was recommended as a filial and incorruptible official and appointed as the chief administrator of the Liaodong Dependent State.

During his battles against the Wuhuan and Xianbei peoples in western Liaoning, he formed the "White Horse Righteous Army" to fight against the northern nomadic peoples, and was also known as the "White Horse Chief Secretary".

In the second year of the Chuping era, he fought against Yuan Shao at Jieqiao and was defeated, retreating back to Youzhou. In the fourth year of the Chuping era (193), Gongsun Zan killed Liu Yu, a member of the Han imperial family, and took the imperial envoy hostage, obtaining authorization to govern the four northern provinces. He then occupied Youzhou and his power greatly increased.

After that, Gongsun Zan fought several more battles with Yuan Shao for control of the north. After the Battle of Longcou, his strategic approach became more conservative, morale plummeted, and he gradually lost the trust of his subordinates.
In 199 AD, Yuan Shao laid an ambush on Gongsun Zan, who fell into the trap and suffered a major defeat. Trapped in the city, Gongsun Zan set himself on fire and died in Jizhou.
Gongsun Zan was a member of a prominent family in Lingzhi, Liaoxi, but his mother was of low status, and in his early years he could only work as a clerk in local counties.

Gongsun Zan was exceptionally capable and was promoted by the Marquis of Zhuojun, who also betrothed his daughter to him.

With the support of his father-in-law, Gongsun Zan was able to study under the tutelage of the Confucian scholar Lu Zhi and the renowned minister Liu Kuan, and also became acquainted with Liu Bei, Liu Deran, Fu Xie, and others. He later served as an accountant.

Gongsun Zan once served as a charioteer under Prefect Liu Qi. When Liu Qi was exiled to Rinan in Jiaozhou for committing a crime, Gongsun Zan disguised himself as a soldier and escorted him along the way. Prefect Liu Qi pardoned him and allowed him to return. Gongsun Zan was also recommended as a filial and incorruptible official for his loyalty to the emperor and was appointed as the Chief Administrator of Liaodong Dependent State.

Gongsun Zan once led dozens of cavalrymen on a patrol to the border region, where they encountered hundreds of Xianbei cavalrymen.

Gongsun Zan retreated to an empty pavilion to boost morale and then led the charge, killing more than ten enemies. From then on, the Xianbei people dared not invade the border again, and Gongsun Zan was promoted to magistrate of Zhuo County.

During the Guanghe era of Emperor Ling of Han, Bian Zhang and Han Sui rebelled. The court appointed Gongsun Zan as commander-in-chief to lead elite cavalry to suppress the rebels.

At that time, Qiuliju, the leader of the Wuhuan, rebelled and joined forces with Zhang Chun, the former chancellor of Zhongshan, to attack Jizhong, capturing Youbeiping Commandery, Liaoxi Commandery, and other places. Gongsun Zan led troops to suppress Zhang Chun and was promoted to Cavalry Commandant for his meritorious service.

Later, due to the surrender of the Wuhuan leader, Tanzhi Wang, to Gongsun Zan, Gongsun Zan was promoted to General of the Palace Guard, granted the title of Marquis of Duting, and stationed in the Liaoxi vassal state. In the following five or six years, Gongsun Zan frequently fought against the Hu people.

During the Zhongping era of Emperor Ling of Han (184-189), Gongsun Zan clashed with Zhang Chun, Qiu Liju, and others in Shimen, a vassal state of Liaodong. Zhang Chun and his forces suffered a major defeat, and Gongsun Zan pursued the enemy too far, leaving him without reinforcements. He was then surrounded by Qiu Liju in Guanzicheng, Liaoxi.

After more than two hundred days, the troops were exhausted, their horses were worn out, and their ammunition and food were depleted, resulting in heavy losses on both sides. Gongsun Zan was appointed by the court as the Commandant of the Surrendered Barbarians, enfeoffed as the Marquis of Duting, and concurrently served as the Chief Administrator of the Dependent State.

Gongsun Zan guarded the border, fighting bravely against the enemy, often battling until late at night. The enemy, fearing his reputation and bravery, dared not invade the border again.

In the second year of the Chuping era (191 AD), the Yellow Turban rebels from Qingzhou and Xuzhou launched a large-scale invasion of Bohai, numbering approximately 300,000, intending to join forces with the Black Mountain bandits.

Gongsun Zan led 20,000 infantry and cavalry to a great victory over the Yellow Turbans south of Dongguang, beheading more than 30,000. Taking advantage of the enemy's escape across the Yellow River, Gongsun Zan launched an attack and defeated the Yellow Turbans again.

Tens of thousands died, and Gongsun Zan's army captured over 70,000 enemy soldiers alive, along with countless supplies. From then on, Gongsun Zan's fame spread far and wide. Just then, Dong Zhuo led his army to Luoyang and appointed Gongsun Zan as General of Valiant Might, enfeoffing him as Marquis of Ji.

Gongsun Zan, confident in his military strength, allowed his troops to plunder the people on numerous occasions, while Liu Yu was very benevolent towards the people. The two had different political views and often disagreed on how to treat the Hu people.

The righteous men of Guandong joined forces to fight against Dong Zhuo, who then forced Emperor Xian of Han, Liu Xie, to flee west to Chang'an. Liu Xie wanted to return east to Luoyang, so he ordered Liu Yu's son, Liu He, to escape from Chang'an so that Liu Yu could organize an army to welcome him.

Yuan Shu wanted to use Liu He to threaten Liu Yu and thus gain his assistance, so he detained Liu He on the way. Gongsun Zan knew that Yuan Shu had ambitions to become emperor, so he repeatedly tried to stop Liu Yu from sending troops.

Later, fearing that this trip would offend Yuan Shu, Gongsun Zan sent his cousin Gongsun Yue with a large army to curry favor with Yuan Shu. Privately, he also instructed Yuan Shu to continue imprisoning Liu He, attempting to annex Liu Yu's army.

As a result, the rift between Gongsun Zan and Liu Yu deepened. Liu Yu repeatedly invited Gongsun Zan to banquets in an attempt to ease tensions, but Gongsun Zan believed that Liu Yu was setting a trap and declined to go. The rift between Gongsun Zan and Liu Yu grew increasingly difficult to resolve.

When Sun Jian was resisting Dong Zhuo's army in Yangcheng, Yuan Shu ordered Gongsun Yue, Gongsun Zan's cousin, to go and assist Sun Jian. However, Gongsun Yue was unfortunately shot by an arrow and died.

Gongsun Zan was furious, believing that Yuan Shao was responsible for his cousin's death. He personally led his army to attack Yuan Shao, and the counties of Ji Province also rebelled against Yuan Shao and joined Gongsun Zan's group.

Upon hearing the news, Yuan Shao hurriedly sent Gongsun Fan, another cousin of Gongsun Zan, to serve as the governor of Bohai Commandery as a gesture of goodwill.

After assuming his post, Gongsun Fan defected to Gongsun Zan, helping him occupy Qingzhou and Xuzhou, which greatly strengthened Gongsun Zan's military power. This also created enmity between Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shao.

Besides Gongsun Zan, three other powerful warlord forces existed in Hebei. One was Liu Yu, Gongsun Zan's superior; another was Han Fu, the governor of Ji Province; and the third was Yuan Shao, the prefect of Bohai Commandery under Han Fu.

The four forces were not in harmony and were always ready to annex each other. At this time, Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu became enemies, Yuan Shu formed a faction with Gongsun Zan and Tao Qian, while Yuan Shao formed another camp with Cao Cao and Liu Biao. Hebei became a standoff between the two major military alliances.

With the help of Gongsun Fan, Gongsun Zan conquered Qingzhou and Xuzhou in one fell swoop, greatly increasing his strength and morale. He then marched towards Jieqiao, intending to join forces with Yuan Shu to encircle and annex Yuan Shao.

Yan Gang was appointed Governor of Ji Province, Tian Kai was appointed Governor of Qing Province, and Shan Jing was appointed Governor of Yan Province, and they went to war against Yuan Shao.

In the third year of the Chuping era (192 AD), Yuan Shao was stationed in Guangchuan County, and Gongsun Zan fought against him near Jieqiao.

Gongsun Zan led 30,000 brave generals, while Qu Yi led 800 skilled soldiers and 1,000 archers as the vanguard.

Gongsun Zan, seeing that Qu Yi's troops were few in number, underestimated the enemy and was careless, only sending cavalry to charge.

Qu Yi's other soldiers lay in ambush under their shields, and launched a simultaneous attack when Gongsun Zan's army arrived. Gongsun Zan's army was utterly defeated, and Yan Gang, the governor of Ji Province, was captured alive.

During the chaotic battle, Gongsun Zan's remaining cavalry attacked and surrounded Yuan Shao's location. At that time, Yuan Shao only had a few dozen crossbowmen and a little over a hundred infantrymen armed with halberds.

Because Gongsun Zan's troops were unaware of Yuan Shao's identity, they immediately retreated when Qu Yi led his troops to his aid. Afterwards, Gongsun Zan withdrew his troops back to Ji County in Youzhou, where he built a new fortified city.

In the winter of the fourth year of the Chuping era (193 AD), Liu Yu planned to lead more than 100,000 men to attack Gongsun Zan. A man named Gongsun Ji in the army accidentally learned of Liu Yu's plan and told Gongsun Zan about it that very night.

Gongsun Zan's troops were scattered and he lacked sufficient manpower to mobilize. Fearing for his life, Gongsun Zan planned to flee.

Liu Yu was benevolent and loved the people. He did not allow his soldiers to harass the people or burn down their houses. His army did not fight often, so it took a long time to capture Ji County.

Taking advantage of the situation, Gongsun Zan selected several hundred brave and skilled warriors, set fire to the area with the wind, and launched a fierce attack on Ji County. Liu Yu was defeated and retreated to Juyong County. Gongsun Zan pursued his victory, captured Juyong County, and took Liu Yu, his wife, and children prisoner. At this time, Dong Zhuo was killed, and Gongsun Zan was appointed General of the Vanguard and enfeoffed as Marquis of Yi.

Gongsun Zan took this opportunity to frame Liu Yu, accusing him of conspiring with Yuan Shao and Han Fu to rebel and become emperor, and forced Duan Xun to kill Liu Yu and his wife and children.

After Liu Yu's death, Gongsun Zan annexed the entire Youzhou region and became the leading warlord in the north at that time.

After Gongsun Zan's defeat at the Battle of Jieqiao and his retreat to Ji County, Yuan Shao sent his general Cui Juye with more than 10,000 soldiers to attack Gongsun Zan. After a long siege, they were unable to capture him and had to retreat.

When Gongsun Zan retreated, he led 30,000 elite troops to pursue Yuan Shao and his men at the Juma River, where he defeated Yuan Shao and killed 7,000 to 8,000 of Yuan's soldiers.

He then led his troops south, occupying counties and prefectures, and ordered Tian Kai, the governor of Qingzhou, to occupy the state of Qi. Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao reinforced his troops with tens of thousands of soldiers, fighting Tian Kai for two years. Following this, Yuan Shao ordered his son, Yuan Tan, to succeed him as governor of Qingzhou.
During this period, Tian Kai was defeated by him, and the war ended with both sides running out of supplies and Zhao Qi, an envoy sent by the emperor to "pacify the world," persuading them to cease hostilities.

Upon hearing of Liu Yu's death, Xianyu Fu, a former subordinate of Liu Yu, joined forces with Qi and Zhou to recommend Yan Rou of Yan as the Wuhuan Sima, and gathered troops from Xianbei, Wuhuan, and other regions.
Together they led the Youzhou army, with over ten thousand Han and Hu soldiers, to fight against Zou Dan, a subordinate of Gongsun Zan, in Lubei, where they defeated and killed him.

King Qiao of Wuhuan led about 10,000 men to join Xianyu Fu in attacking Gongsun Zan, along with Liu He's army, Yuan Shao's army, and others, totaling more than 100,000 men.

In the second year of Xingping (195 AD), Gongsun Zan's troops suffered more than 20,000 casualties and were defeated at Baoqiu.

Gongsun Zan retreated to Yijing and fortified his defenses there. The two armies were locked in a stalemate for more than a year. After Qu Yi's army ran out of food, many soldiers retreated, and Gongsun Zan took the opportunity to defeat Qu Yi's troops.

In the same year, drought and locust plagues struck one after another, and the people suffered greatly. However, Gongsun Zan did not care about the people. He befriended merchants and laborers and persecuted respected scholars. The people of the whole city were full of resentment.

With Liu Bei and Zhao Yun's departure, Gongsun Zan finally realized the situation was dire. He then strengthened the defenses of Yijing, building iron gates around the city walls and dismissing his attendants.

Gongsun Zan himself indulged in sensual pleasures and neglected state affairs, causing his trusted generals and strategists to leave one after another. However, Gongsun Zan did not care, believing that his city was fortified and his supplies plentiful, and that he could enjoy peace and tranquility.

In 198 AD, Yuan Shao once again launched a campaign against Gongsun Zan. On the battlefield, one of Gongsun Zan's generals was surrounded by enemy troops, but Gongsun Zan refused to come to his aid, so the generals either fled or surrendered.

When Yuan Shao attacked the gates of Yijing, Gongsun Zan sent his son Gongsun Xu to request aid from the Black Mountain Army, while he himself prepared to lead his elite troops to escape.

Only after being persuaded by his chief clerk Guan Jing did Gongsun Zan abandon his escape plan. However, Yuan Shao pressed on relentlessly, forcing Gongsun Zan to fight and retreat while waiting for Gongsun Xu to bring reinforcements.

In the fourth year of Jian'an (199 AD), Gongsun Xu and Zhang Yan, the leader of the Black Mountain bandits, led more than 100,000 troops in three routes to support Gongsun Zan.

Gongsun Zan sent a secret messenger to his son Gongsun Xu with a letter explaining the current situation and the advantages and disadvantages, and agreed with him to light a fire in the northern wetlands as a signal, and that he would fight Yuan Shao to the death from the city.

However, before Gongsun Xu and Zhang Yan received the letter, Yuan Shao had already intercepted it and laid an ambush outside the city. Gongsun Zan engaged them in battle but was defeated. Gongsun Zan suffered a major defeat and retreated into the city.

After his defeat, Gongsun Zan retreated to the city and held out. Yuan Shao destroyed Gongsun Zan's watchtower and led his troops to dig a trench, pressing close to the walls of Yijing.

Gongsun Zan believed he could not escape death, so he strangled his wife, children, brothers and sisters, and then set himself on fire, dying in Jizhou City.

Yuan Shao's subordinates beheaded Gongsun Zan and sent his head to Xuchang, where Cao Cao was located.

Gongsun Zan was a magistrate of Liaoxi. His family had been officials for generations, but as a second-generation official born out of wedlock, Gongsun Zan did not receive much benefit from his family and could only serve as a minor official outside the official system in the prefecture.

However, Gongsun Zan was not only handsome, but also exceptionally intelligent and prudent in handling matters. As a result, he gained the appreciation of the prefect, who betrothed his daughter to him.

Gongsun Zan not only won the heart of the beauty, but also improved his social status, transforming from an unofficial member into a formal military officer. He also studied under the famous minister Lu Zhi through his father-in-law's introduction, further enriching his resume.

Thanks to his talent and exceptional martial skills, Gongsun Zan quickly rose through the ranks to become the Chief Administrator of Liaodong, a subordinate state. Liaodong was located on the border of the Eastern Han Dynasty and frequently clashed with ethnic minorities.

On one occasion, Gongsun Zan led a dozen or so cavalrymen on an inspection tour beyond the Great Wall. They encountered several hundred Xianbei cavalrymen, but despite being outnumbered, they showed no fear.
He charged at the Xianbei army wielding a double-pointed spear, killing and wounding dozens of Xianbei soldiers before finally escaping. After this battle, the Xianbei never dared to attempt to invade the border again.

In 185 AD, a rebellion broke out in Liangzhou. The imperial court ordered Gongsun Zan to lead 3000 Wuhuan soldiers to provide support. On the way, due to insufficient food and supplies, the Wuhuan people gradually became dissatisfied.

At this time, Zhang Chun, the former governor of Zhongshan, and Zhang Ju, the governor of Taishan, believed that the Eastern Han Dynasty was nearing its end. So they instigated the Wuhuan people to rebel together, intending to attack Gongsun Zan.

When the news reached Emperor Ling of Han, he appointed Liu Yu, a member of the Han imperial family, to take over Youzhou, making Liu Yu Gongsun Zan's superior.

After taking office, Liu Yu declared that he would not hold the Wuhuan people who had participated in the disturbances accountable, and he issued bounties for the bandit leaders Zhang Chun and Zhang Ju, thus resolving the crisis without bloodshed.

Meanwhile, Gongsun Zan was besieged in Guanzicheng in Liaoxi while pursuing the Wuhuan, and held out for more than two hundred days.

After their food supplies ran out, they fed on their warhorses. When the warhorses were all gone and they could no longer sustain themselves, they bid farewell to their men and dispersed to break out of the encirclement.

After returning to his country, Gongsun Zan discovered that Zhang Chun and others had already been executed, rendering his efforts futile.

Liu Yu advocated a policy of appeasement towards the Wuhuan people, but Gongsun Zan was always furious whenever he encountered them, which greatly terrified the Wuhuan people.

Because he often rode a white horse, he was known as the White Horse General, and his elite troops were called the White Horse Cavalry. The news spread among the Wuhuan people.

Upon encountering General Baima, they were told to retreat immediately, prioritizing survival. This difference in ideology exacerbated the conflict between Gongsun Zan and Liu Yu.

At this time, Yuan Shao, in order to seize Ji Province, asked Gongsun Zan to help attack Han Fu, the governor of Ji Province, thus successfully diverting his attention.

Just as Gongsun Zan was preparing to make a big move, news came from the front that Han Fu had actually ceded his position to Yuan Shao.

Gongsun Zan was devastated. They had agreed to jointly attack Ji Province, but Yuan Shao had unilaterally taken the spoils. (End of Chapter)