Yin Zhongkan (died January 400),The annals of Emperor An in Jin Shu recorded that Yin and Yang Quanqi were killed in the 12th month of the 3rd year of the Longan era; the month corresponds to 13 Jan to 10 Feb 400 in the Julian calendar. was an official and military general of the Jin dynasty (266–420). He was a confidant of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, who was appointed as Inspector of Jing province to counter the growing power of the Prince of Kuaiji, Sima Daozi in the imperial court. After Emperor An ascended the throne with Sima Daozi as his regent in 396, Yin joined forces with the Inspector of Qing and Yan provinces, Wang Gong in leading troops against the capital, Jiankang to pressure Daozi into purging his associates. However, when the second insurrection in 398 saw Wang assassinated by his own general, Liu Laozhi, Yin was forced to reach a compromise with the court whereby he retained his position in Jing, but had to share power with his generals, Huan Xuan and Yang Quanqi, who were appointed Inspector of Jiang province and Inspector of Yong province respectively.
Yin maintained an uneasy alliance with Huan and Yang. Though the two mutually saw Huan as a threat, Yin was also highly suspicious of Yang and hesitated to take any military action out of fear of being betrayed. In the end, Huan Xuan took advantage of a famine in Jing to attack Yin's base at Jiangling in 399. Yang attempted to relieve Yin, but was captured and killed by Huan's forces, and Yin soon suffered the same fate.
Background, early life and career Yin Zhongkan was from the Yin clan of Chen Commandery as the grandson of the minister of ceremonies, Yin Rong (殷融) and the son of the Administrator of Jinling, Yin Shi (殷師). Yin Shi was also a cousin of Yin Hao, the Jin commander who led two expeditions against the northern barbarian states before he was exiled in disgrace. A talented writer and orator, Yin Zhongkan became a celebrity among scholars for his Qingtan discussions. He was also a devout follower of the Taoist Way of the Celestial Masters since his childhood and enjoyed reading the Tao Te Ching. Yin received his first position within the government as an assistant scribe.Book of Jin, vol.84
In 379, during the war against the Former Qin, the general Xie Xuan invited Yin Zhongkan to serve as an Army Advisor. At the time, Yin also received an offer from the court to serve as a Master of Writing, but he declined and became a member of Xie's staff. Xie made him a chief clerk and treated him with utmost respect. Yin once wrote to Xie that, in conjunction with his military efforts, he should also prioritize in winning the hearts of the northerners through altruistic and humane policies, which Xie strongly agreed.
Yin Zhongkan later served as the Administrator of Jinling, where he issued several decrees that were described as reasonable. He obliged the people to report all birthing of sons and forbade prolonged delays in burials. He also abolished the practice of holding a soldier's parents as hostage, which was previously done so to deter them from deserting. Yin became famous at this time for his filial piety, as while serving in office, he took exceptional care of his father, Yin Shi, who suffered from bad health for many years. He even went as far as studying medicine for a cure and went blind in one of his eyes as he often rubbed away his tears while his hands were still covered in medicine. After his father's death, Yin resigned from his position to carry out his mourning period.
At the end of the period, he was summoned by Emperor Xiaowu of Jin to serve as the palace cadet to the crown prince. Yin developed a trusting relationship with the emperor, and he was soon appointed Gentleman of the Yellow Gate.
As Inspector of Jing province Emperor Xiaowu was embroiled in a power struggle with his brother, the Prince of Kuaiji, Sima Daozi, who wanted to monopolize power in the imperial court for himself. To counter his brother's growing influence, the emperor sent several of his confidants out of the capital, Jiankang, to serve as commanders in neighbouring provinces with the aim of providing him external support. In 392, with the death of the inspector of Jing province, Wang Chen (王忱), Yin Zhongkan was stationed at Jiangling after he was appointed by Emperor Xiaowu to replace Wang and given the additional offices of chief controller of military affairs in the provinces of Jing, Yin and Ning and General Who Inspires Might.Zizhi Tongjian, vol.109
Due to Yin's reputation, many of the officials and commoners in Jing initially welcomed his administration. Shortly after taking office, Yin was lenient with the law, but at the same time committed small act of kindness and generosity to win over the locals. On one occasion, he spared an official from death after he was found lying about preparing a funeral for his father who had long passed, as he argued that the penalty was only reserved for those who lied while their parents were still alive. At the time, it was against the law and etiquette to adopt children with different surnames, so Yin stipulated childless individuals with adopted children can only have one person to preside over ancestral rites and were not allowed to register for separate households to evade corvée labor.
Later, when the Administrator of Jianwei, Bian Bao (卞苞), plotted to rebel in Yi province, Yin Zhongkan had him executed and reported to the court. The court felt that Yin could have detected Bian's treachery much earlier, and so he was demoted to General of Hawkish Display. Not long after, a flood occurred which affected thousands of households in Jiangling. Yin was charged with not taking adequate care of the dikes and was further demoted to General Who Pacifies the Distance.
Yin also had to worry about Huan Xuan, the son of the powerful general, Huan Wen who was living in exile at his fiefdom in Nan Commandery. Huan Xuan's clan had ruled Jing province for decades and maintained a strong presence in the region even after the death of Huan Wen and several other of their prominent members. The people of Jing respected and feared the Huan clan even more than Yin Zhongkan. Not wishing to offend him, Yin Zhongkan befriended Huan, who went along as he wanted to make use of Yin's military power. In 396, Emperor Xiaowu was assassinated, and he was succeeded by his son, Emperor An with Sima Daozi as his regent. Yin was offered a promotion as Champion General, but declined.
Wang Gong's First Insurrection In 397, the Inspector of Qing and Yan provinces, Wang Gong planned to march onto Jiankang to force Sima Daozi into deposing his corrupt advisor, Wang Guobao. He sent envoys to Yin Zhongkan inviting him to join forces. Huan Xuan, sensing an opportunity to rise through the ranks, persuaded Yin to accept the alliance and acclaim Wang as the leader. Huan's proposal was opposed by Yin's cousin, Yin Ji (殷覬) and the chancellor of Nan Commandery, Jiang Ji (江績), but Yin had Jiang replaced with the general, Yang Quanqi, which prompted Yin Ji to feign illness and resign. Yin Zhongkan also tried to convince the Inspector of Yong province, Xi Hui to join, but he refused.
Yin Zhongkan remained undecided, but when Wang's envoys arrived, he willingly accepted Wang's proposition. He observed that Wang's base at Jingkou was closer than Jiankang, while sending troops all the way from Jing province would be difficult and time-consuming. Therefore, Yin did not make any military preparations early on. Only after he received news that Sima Daozi had killed Wang Guobao that he took action, but Sima Daozi wrote him a letter ordering to stop as him and Wang Gong had made peace, so he ordered his forces to withdraw.
Wang Gong's Second Insurrection In 398, Wang Gong, at the urging of the Inspector of Yu province, Yu Kai once again raised his armies to march against Sima Daozi, this time to pressure him into removing the Inspector of Jiang province, Wang Yu (王愉) and the Prince of Qiao, Sima Shangzhi and his brothers. They invited Yin Zhongkan to join them, and this time, Yin confidently agreed, remembering Wang' s success from the previous year. He immediately sent Yang Quanqi and Huan Xuan, now the Inspector of Guang province but still remained in Jing, to lead the vanguard while he commanded the rear to act as reserves. However, when he reached Wuhu, he received news that Yu Kai had been defeated while Wang Gong was assassinated by his general, Liu Laozhi. Yang Quangqi and Huan Xuan were alarmed when they saw Liu Laozhi approaching with the elite Beifu army and promptly fell back to Caizhou (蔡洲; southwest of present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu). On the other hand, the imperial court was unsure of the true strength of the rebel forces, so were also reluctant to engage.Zizhi Tongjian, vol.110
Huan Xuan's cousin, Huan Xiu, who was serving at the capital as Guard General of the Left, proposed to Sima Daozi a plan to entice Huan Xuan and Yang Quanqi into rebelling against Yin Zhongkan. Following Huan Xiu's suggestions, Sima Daozi sent out Yin Zhongkan's uncle, Yin Mao (殷茂) to announce an edict appointing Huan Xuan as the Inspector of Jiang province, Yang Quanqi as the Inspector of Yong province and Huan Xiu as the Inspector of Jing province while demoting Yin Zhongkan to Inspector of Guang province.
Huan Xuan and Yang Quanqi were pleased with their new positions, but Yin was furious. He ordered Huan Xuan to quickly advance onto Jiankang, but Huan hesitated as he was considering on turning back. Yin also received news from his younger brother, Yin Yu (殷遹), that Yang Quanqi accepted the appointment. Alarmed, Yin immediately withdrew from Wuhu towards Jing province, and sent messengers to Huan and Yang threatening to kill their entire families when he return to Jiangling unless they follow his orders. Huan and Yang hastily gathered with Yin at Xunyang, where the three swore an oath to disobey the court's order and to bring justice for Wang Gong.
The court in panic issued an edict dismissing Huan Xiu and restoring Yin Zhongkan to his position while allowing Huan Xuan and Yang Quanqi to retain their new positions. The three commanders were satisfied with the new arrangements, agreeing to reconcile with the court and return to their respective outposts. The Inspector of Yong province, Xi Hui, plotted to rebel in a bid to keep his position, but Yang Quanqi foiled his plans and sent him to Jiankang as a prisoner with his sons. When they reached Yangkou, Yin Zhongkan secretly had them killed and claimed that they had been attacked by the Man tribes.
Struggle with Huan Xuan and death Though the three were allies, both Yin Zhongkan and Yang Quanqi were wary of Huan Xuan's ambitious and unruly nature. Yang wanted to attack Huan on numerous occasions, even during the oath ceremony at Xunyang. However, Yin, who knew he was not as militarily capable as the other two, was also worried that Yang and his brothers may grow too powerful once Huan is eliminated, so he always forbade Yang from acting. Huan was well aware of Yang's hatred for him, so he had troops stationed at Xiakou (夏口; in present-day Wuhan, Hubei) to defend himself.