KUO TZU-I

born 697, Shensi Province, China died 781, China Pinyin Guo Ziyi one of the greatest of Chinese generals, later deified in popular religion. Kuo served three emperors of the T'ang dynasty and is most noted for his successful fight against the rebellion of the Chinese general An Lu-shan in 755757. From 760 to 765 he was occupied in defending China's western provinces from incursions of the Tanguts and other nomadic peoples, and in 763 he recovered the T'ang capital city, Ch'ang-an, from the invading Turfans using only some 4,000 demoralized troops. In gratitude, the Emperor T'ai-Tsung ennobled Kuo and gave his daughter in marriage to Kuo's youngest son. Popular depictions of Kuo sometimes show him leading or carrying his son to the imperial court. In Chinese popular religion, Kuo Tzu-i is identified, like many local and national heroes, with one or more deities. He is generally equated with Fu-hsing, the stellar god of happiness, though this honour is also given to the 6th-century mandarin Yang Ch'eng. In Szechwan, Kuo Tzu-i is known as T'sai-shen, the god of riches. Kuo's deification is popularly explained by the legend of his encounter with Chih N, the heavenly weaving maiden. She appeared to Kuo on the night of her feast day and Kuo, recognizing her, begged for happiness and riches. Chih N called him the god of happiness and riches and promised that honours and riches would be his.