Huangfu Song (died April 195), courtesy name Yizhen, was a military general who lived during the Eastern Han dynasty of China. He is known for the suppression of the Yellow Turban Rebellion and Liang Province rebellion.
He was one of three imperial commanders when the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, along with Zhu Jun and Lu Zhi. He was known to be a modest and generous person. Lu Zhi was removed from command after the eunuch Zuo Feng made false accusations against him; Lu Zhi had refused to bribe Zuo Feng.(帝遣小黄门左丰诣军观贼形埶，或劝植以赂送丰，植不肯。丰还言于帝曰：“广宗贼易破耳。卢中郎固垒息军，以待天诛。”帝怒，遂槛车征植，减死罪一等。) Houhanshu, vol.64 Huangfu Song, who took over command of the imperial troops from Lu Zhi, continued to use Lu as a strategist and reported his contributions to the imperial court. Thus, in the same year, Lu Zhi regained his post as Master of Writing (尚书).(及车骑将车皇甫嵩讨平黄巾，盛称植行师方略，嵩皆资用规谋，济成其功。以其年复为尚书。) Houhanshu, vol.64
Life Huangfu Song was a nephew of Huangfu Gui (; 104-174(熹平三年，以疾召還，未至，卒於谷城，年七十一。) Houhanshu, vol.65), a military general, and Lady Huangfu. His father Huangfu Jie (Huangfu Gui's elder brother) was the Administrator of Yanmen Commandery.(度辽将军规之兄子也。父节，雁门太守。) Houhanshu, vol.71 His grandfather Huangfu Qi () and great-grandfather Huangfu Ling (; one of his known positions was General who Crosses the Liao (River)) were also military officials serving the Eastern Han.([规]祖父棱，度辽将军。父旗，扶风都尉。) Houhanshu, vol.65
Since young, he was well versed with the Classic of History and the Poetry and also known as his masteries in archery and horsemanship. Nominated into the title of Filial and Incorrupt, he serves as a magistrate in Jingzhao and Hedong, but resigned after his father died. Later, Huangfu Song was eventually nominated by his province's Office as a xiaolian and maocai. However, Huangfu Song also refused those offers to join the office of the Grand Tutor Chen Fan and the General-in-Chief Dou Wu. Only after Emperor Ling of Han personally sent an invitation and sent a special carriage, that Huangfu Song accepted to become Administrator of Beidi in 180.(初举孝廉、茂才。太尉陈蕃、大将军窦武连辟，并不到。) Houhanshu, vol. 71
Yellow Turban Rebellion During the Yellow Turban rebellion, Huangfu was initially sent to defeat the Yellow Turban rebels in Yingchuan Commandery, along with Zhu Jun.(嵩、俊各统一军，共讨颖川黄巾。) Houhanshu vol.71 Zhu Jun first engaged the Yellow Turban rebels under Bo Cai but was defeated. Huangfu Song was forced to retreat to Changsha, where Bo Cai led his troops to besiege the city. The city was short of soldiers and the disparity in numbers terrified the troops. Huangfu Song consoled his men. Later, a strong wind arose that night. Huangfu Song ordered his men to assemble torches and climb the city walls. He first sent elite troops outside the encirclement, setting fires and shouting loudly. Then, torches were lit on the city walls to echo the shouts. Huangfu Song, taking advantage of this momentum, beat drums and charged out. The Yellow Turbans, inexperienced in combat, panicked and scattered, forcing them to retreat. At this time, Cao Cao , the cavalry commander, also arrived on orders. Huangfu Song, Cao Cao, and Zhu Jun joined forces to fight again, defeating the Yellow Turban Army and killed tens of thousands of them. For this achievement, Huangfu Song was granted the title of Marquis of Duxiang.Houhanshu, vol.8, 71
Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun then took advantage of the victory to suppress the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Runan and Chen Commanderies, pursued Bo Cai, and attacked Peng Tuo. The Yellow Turban Rebellion either surrendered or dispersed, and the three counties were completely pacified.Houhanshu, vol.71. Quote: 嵩、俊乘胜进讨汝南、陈国黄巾，追波才于阳翟，击彭脱于西华，并破之。馀贼降散，三郡悉平
In August, Huangfu Song defeated the Yellow Turban Bu Yi's army at Cangting, captured Bu Yi, and beheaded over 7,000. At this time, Zhang Jue occupied Guangzong and controlled the heartland of Hebei. Lu Zhi had previously been falsely accused by eunuchs of going on an expedition and was recalled, with his death sentence commuted. His successor, Dong Zhuo, was also recalled due to his failure in suppressing the Yellow Turbans, and his death sentence was commuted. The court then issued an edict ordering Huangfu Song to lead his troops to attack. Soon, Huangfu Song forces defeated the forces of Zhang Liang, brother of Zhang Jue, in seven consecutive clashes. By the last attack during dusk at Guangzong County (廣宗縣; southeast of present-day Guangzong County, Hebei), Huangfu Song managed to kill Liang, and killed 30,000 Yellow Turban rebels. Another 50,000 rebels dies after this battle after they jumped into the river. Huangfu Song also captured large number of the rebels, along with their wives and children.Houhanshu, vol.8, 71
In November, Huangfu Song and Julu prefect Guo Dian captured Xiaquyang (now northwest of Jinxian County , Hebei Province), killed Zhang Jue's other brother Zhang Bao, and captured and killed more than 100,000 rebels. Huangfu Song built a Jingguan (a memorial hall) with the remains of 100,000 people in the south of the city. The court appointed Huangfu Song as the General of the Left Cavalry and the Governor of Jizhou and promoted him to the Marquis of Huaili, with the tax revenue from Huaili and Meiyang counties, and a fief of 8,000 household.Houhanshu vol. 71 (Another chapter in the Book of Han says that Huangfu Song served as the General of the Cavalry after the great defeat of Zhang LiangHouhanshu vol. 8
After the quelling of the Yellow Turban rebellion, Emperor Ling changed the era name to Zhongping. Huangfu Song recommended that one year's worth of taxes from Ji province be used as assistance for refugees who had been displaced by the rebellion; Emperor Ling agreed. The people chanted, "[The] Tianxia is in chaos; cities become rubble. Mothers cannot protect their children, while wives lose their husbands. It is because of Huangfu that we are able to live in peace."(以黄巾既平，故改年为中平。嵩奏请冀州一年田租，以赡饥民，帝从之。百姓歌曰：“天下大乱兮市为墟，母不保子兮妻失夫，赖得皇甫兮复安居。”) Houhanshu vol.71
Liang Province rebellion After the suppression of the Yellow Turban rebellion, a former official from Xindu (), Yan Zhong (), advised Huangfu to rebel in order to protect himself, lest he end up like Han Xin. Huangfu refused, and Yan left Huangfu.(故信都令汉阳阎忠干说嵩曰：“难得而易失者，时也；时至不旋踵者，几也。故圣人顺时以动，智者因几以发。今将军遭难得之运，蹈易骇之机，而践运不抚，临机不发，将何以保大名乎？”嵩曰：“何谓也？”忠曰：“天道无亲，百姓与能。今将军受钺于暮春，收功于末冬。兵动若神，谋不再计，摧强易于折枯，消坚甚于汤雪，旬月之闲，神兵电埽，封尸刻石，南向以报，威德震本朝，风声驰海外，虽汤武之举，未有高将军者也。今身建不赏之功，体兼高人之德，而北面庸主，何以求安乎？”嵩曰：“夙夜在公，心不忘忠，何故不安？” 忠曰：“不然。昔韩信不忍一餐之遇，而弃三分之业，利剑已揣其喉，方发悔毒之叹者，机失而谋乖也。今主上埶弱于刘、项，将军权重于淮阴，指㧑足以振风云，叱宛可以兴雷电。赫然奋发，因危扺颓，崇恩以绥先附，振武以临后服，征冀方之士，动七州之众，羽檄先驰于前，大军响振于后，蹈流漳河，饮马孟津，诛阉官之罪，除腢凶之积，虽僮儿可使奋拳以致力，女子可使褰裳以用命，况厉熊罴之卒，因迅风之埶哉！功业已就，天下已顺，然后请呼上帝，示以天命，混齐六合，南面称制，移宝器于将兴，推亡汉于已坠，实神机之至会，风发之良时也。夫既朽不雕，衰世难佐。若欲辅难佐之朝，雕朽败之木，是犹逆坂走丸，迎风纵棹，岂云易哉？且今竖宦腢居，同恶如市，上命不行，权归近习，昏主之下，难以久居，不赏之功，谗人侧目，如不早图，后悔无及。”嵩惧曰：“非常之谋，不施于有常之埶。创图大功，岂庸才所致。黄巾细孽，敌非秦、项，新结易散，难以济业。且人未忘主，天不佑逆。若虚造不冀之功，以速朝夕之祸，孰与委忠本朝，守其臣节。虽云多谗，不过放废，犹有令名，死且不朽。反常之论，所不敢闻。”忠知计不用，因亡去。) Houhanshu, vol.71 Tse Wai Kit Wicky, an Associate Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, explained the reason why Huangfu Song refused to revolt despite recognizing the deterioration of the Han empire was possibly due to his family background and education as a staunch Confucianist who was raised in Guandong, which was heavily influenced by scholar-official culture. Besides, Huangfu Song's uncle Huangfu Gui also made a great effort to be recognized by the eastern scholar-officials. This is a contrast with Yan Zhong, whose background as a northwestern elite makes him not feel too attached to the central government.
In the spring of 185, Beigong Boyu rebelled. He killed Leng Zheng (冷徵), administrator of the Qiang tribe, and supported Bian Zhang and Han Sui from Jincheng as their leaders while also killing Chen Yi, the governor of Jincheng. This all occurred at the same time as Huangfu Song was still busy with suppressing the Yellow Turban rebellions.Houhanshu vol.72 (biography of Dong Zhuo)
During the rebellion, while passing through Ye, Huangfu noticed that the residence of eunuch Zhao Zhong (; one of the Ten Attendants) was more grand than what his rank or title entitled him to. When Huangfu reported this to the imperial court, Zhao's residence was confiscated.(初，嵩讨张角，路由邺，见中常侍赵忠舍宅逾制，乃奏没入之。) Houhanshu vol.71
In response to the rebellion in Longyou by Beigong Boyu, Bian Zhang, and Han Sui, Huangfu Song moved to Chang'an (present-day Xi'an , Shaanxi ) to guard the imperial mausoleum. Xie Cheng's "Book of the Later Han" records that Huangfu Song was appointed General of Chariots and Cavalry, and went to suppress the Qiang and Hu people in Pingliang. He selected generals and soldiers, and led 10,000 cavalry and 3,000 chariots. The ministers and officials all came to see him off at Pingle Temple and held a meeting. He wiped out the Qiang bandits, and left no one alive. He finally restored the two states and presented his victory to boost the army. Later, Huangfu Song fought against Beigong Boyu and his group, who had invaded the Three Prefectural Regions, to a stalemate; he was unable to pacify the rebellion. Furthermore, because he had offended the eunuchs Zhao Zhong and Zhang Rang during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, they reported him as having failed to immediately subdue the rebels. After a four-month tenure, in the seventh lunar month of 185, Huangfu Song was dismissed, his seal and ribbon as the Left General of Chariots and Cavalry was revoked, and his fiefdom was reduced by 6,000 households.Houhanshu, vol. 71
In November of 188 AD, the Liang rebel leader Wang Guo surrounded Chencang. At this time, Emperor Ling of Han appointed Huangfu Song as the Left General and commanded the Front General Dong Zhuo, each leading 20,000 soldiers to resist the enemy. In December, the two were stationed in Youfufeng.Houhanshu, vol.8 Chencang had been besieged by Wang Guo ().(贼王国围陈仓,复拜嵩为左将军，督前将军董卓，各率二万人拒之。) Houhanshu, vol.71. In the process, Dong had several tactical and strategic disagreements with Huangfu; after Huangfu managed to achieve victory despite Dong's disagreements (resulting in Wang Guo's death), Dong became resentful and fearful of Huangfu Song.Houhanshu, vol. 72Houhanshu, vol. 71. Quote: 国走而死。卓大笾恨，由是忌嵩 According to Rafe de Crespigny, Huangfu Song attracted Dong Zhuo's jealousy when the two reached Chencang to aid the besieged city. Dong Zhuo urged to relief the siege immediately, whereas Huangfu Song instead opted to wait the siege out, being confident in Chencang's strong defenses. As Wang Guo's forces indeed abandoned the siege in the Spring 189 after supplies and morale dwindled like Huangfu Song predicted, both imperial generals once again differed in opinion about what to do. Huangfu Song saw this as an opportunity to pursue the weary enemies as they were now too tired to fight after long siege, but Dong Zhuo objected on the basis that according to the rule of war, it is not recommended to chase the retreating enemies as they might resort to counter attack. Huangfu Song did not follow his suggestion and immediately led his men to attack without Dong Zhuo and achieved a great victory, kiling more than 10,000 rebels.
Rise of Dong Zhuo