Naming dispute

Yuchi's first name was only recorded in the New Book of Tang. His tomb was found at Liquan County in 1971. According to the epitaph, his name was Yuchi Rong and courtesy name was Jingde.

During Sui Dynasty

Yuchi Jingde was born in 585, during the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui. His surname was likely from Xianbei origin, and he was from Shuo Province (朔州, roughly modern Shuozhou, Shanxi). When agrarian rebels rose against Sui rule near the end of the reign of Emperor Wen's son Emperor Yang, Yuchi initially served in the governmental militia fighting agrarian rebels, and was known and awarded for his bravery.

Service Under Liu Wuzhou

When Liu Wuzhou rose against Sui rule in spring 617 at Mayi (馬邑, in modern Shuozhou), declaring himself Dingyang Khan, Yuchi Jingde joined Liu and was made a general. In 619, he served under Liu's major general Song Jingang (宋金剛) in attacking Tang Dynasty territory to the south. Around the new year 620, Yuchi and another general under Song, Xun Xiang (尋相), engaged the Tang general Li Xiaoji (李孝基) the Prince of Yong'an (Emperor Gaozu of Tang's distant nephew), defeating Li Xiaoji and capturing not only him, but several other key Tang officials, including Emperor Gaozu's cousin Dugu Huai'en (獨孤懷恩), Yu Yun (于筠), Tang Jian (唐儉), and Liu Shirang (劉世讓). However, when Yuchi and Xun then engaged the forces under the major Tang general Li Shimin the Prince of Qin (Emperor Gaozu's son), they were defeated first by Yin Kaishan and Qin Shubao, and then Li Shimin himself, escaping just with their lives. Subsequently, at the suggestion of the captured Tang Jian, Yuchi released Liu Shirang in order to negotiate peace with Tang, but those negotiations appeared to go nowhere at the moment. In summer 620, after Li Shimin achieved further victories against Song, forcing Liu Wuzhou to flee, Li Shimin sent his cousin Li Daozong the Prince of Rencheng and Yuwen Shiji to persuaded Yuchi and Xun to surrender, and they did. Li Shimin, who was impressed by Yuchi's battle prowess, was happy about this development and put Yuchi, as well as the 8,000 soldiers who surrendered with him, directly under his own command, against the misgivings of the general Qutu Tong (屈突通), who feared that Yuchi was not truly submitting.

During Emperor Gaozus reign

In 620, Yuchi Jingde was serving under Li Shimin in Li Shimin's campaigns against a major enemy for Tang, Wang Shichong the Emperor of Zheng. During the campaign, many of Yuchi's former confederates who served under Liu Wuzhou, including Xun Xiang, defected to Zheng. Li Shimin's subordinates thus suspected Yuchi as well and put him under house arrest. Qutu Tong and Yin Kaishan suggested that Yuchi be executed. Li Shimin pointed out that if Yuchi really wanted to defect, he would not have waited to do so after Xun's defection. Instead, he released Yuchi and took Yuchi into his own tent, stating, while giving him gold:

:We are kindred spirits, and I hope you would not take this minor understanding to heart. I will not believe false, defamatory accusations to kill those who are good and faithful. You should understand my heart. If you really want to leave, this gold will serve as your traveling expenses, as a gift from the time that we served together.

Later that day, when Li Shimin was examining the battlefield, Zheng forces suddenly arrived and surrounded Li Shimin. The Zheng general Shan Xiongxin (單雄信) directly attacked Li Shimin himself, and almost killing Li, Yuchi arrived and hit Shan with a spear, knocking Shan off his horse. Yuchi then escorted Li Shimin out of danger. Tang forces commanded by Qutu then counterattacked as well, defeating Zheng forces. Li Shimin awarded him a box of gold and silver and told him, "How does your repayment come so quickly!" Thereafter, he trusted Yuchi further. Meanwhile, Li Shimin's younger brother Li Yuanji the Prince of Qi, who was himself a ferocious warrior, heard that Yuchi had the particular skill of disarming opponents' lances, and requested a combat demonstration with Yuchi. Li Shimin ordered that they remove the sharp edges from their lances, but Yuchi responded, "I will obey the order and do so, but the Prince does not need to." Once they were into combat, Yuchi disarmed Li Yuanji three times. Li Yuanji was impressed but also angry from being humiliated. Meanwhile, Li Shimin selected some 1,000 elite soldiers, clad in black uniform and black armor, commanded by Li Shimin himself, to serve as the forward advance corps, with Yuchi, Qin Shubao, Cheng Zhijie, and Zhai Zhangsun (翟長孫) as his assistants. This corps subsequently accomplished much during the campaign against Wang and Dou Jiande the Prince of Xia, who came to Wang's aid. In engagement with Xia forward troops in spring 621, Yuchi was serving directly next to Li Shimin himself, and after they defeated Dou's forward troops, Li Shimin wrote to Dou, trying to dissuade him from aiding Zheng, but Dou did not relent.

In summer 621, the Tang and Xia forces, commanded by Li Shimin and Dou respectively, engaged at the Battle of Hulao. During the early stages of the battle, Wang Shichong's nephew Wang Wan (王琬) the Prince of Dai, whom Wang Shichong had sent to Xia to request aid, was on the battlefield showing off his handsome horse. Li Shimin made the comment, "What an impressive horse!" Yuchi requested that he be allowed to capture it for Li Shimin, but Li Shimin disallowed it, stating, "How can I lose a great warrior for a horse?" Yuchi did not relent, however, and he took Gao Zengsheng (高甑生) and Liang Jianfang (梁建方) with him; the three of them made a surprise attack into the Xia frontline and seized Wang Wan, capturing him back along with his horse. Later, in the main engagement, Li Shimin defeated and captured Dou, and Wang Shichong, distressed, surrendered. Zheng and Xia territory were seized by Tang.

By fall 621, however, Dou's general Liu Heita had risen against Tang rule and regained most of former Xia territory. At that point, Yuchi was not under Li Shimin's command, as he was fighting invading Eastern Tujue forces at Yuan Prefecture (原州, roughly modern Guyuan, Ningxia). In 622, when Li Shimin went to fight Liu Heita, however, Yuchi was again under his command, and once, when Li Shimin tried to aid another Tang general, Li Shiji, Liu had him surrounded. Li Shimin was saved only after Yuchi fought his way in to rescue him. Li Shimin was later able to defeat Liu Heita, forcing him to flee to Eastern Tujue. (Later that year, however, Liu Heita would return and again take over former Xia territory, only to be later defeated by Li Shimin's older brother Li Jiancheng the Crown Prince.) Yuchi also then followed Li Shimin in his campaign against Liu Heita's ally Xu Yuanlang. In 623, he was again fighting invading Tujue forces, this time at Shuo Prefecture, and then in 624 at Long Prefecture (隴州, modern western Baoji, Shaanxi).

Involvement at the Incident at Xuanwu Gate

By this point, Li Shimin was locked in an intense rivalry with Li Jiancheng, who was supported by Li Yuanji. Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, because they saw that Li Shimin had many fierce officers under him, wanted to try to tempt them to leave Li Shimin and follow Li Jiancheng. Li Jiancheng sent large sums of gold and silver to Yuchi to try to persuade him to join Li Jiancheng. Yuchi wrote back, declining the gift, and pointed out that he needed to be faithful to Li Shimin. Li Jiancheng, in anger, cut off his relations with Yuchi, and soon sent assassins against Yuchi. Yuchi took precautions, however, and the assassination was not successful. Li Yuanji then falsely accused Yuchi of crimes, and Emperor Gaozu arrested Yuchi and wanted to execute him; Yuchi was only saved after intercession by Li Shimin.

In summer 626, Li Shimin, fearing that Li jiancheng would kill him, was considering acting against Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji preemptively but was hesitating. Yuchi, in particular, was a major advocate for preemptive action, and when rumor was reported to Li Shimin that Li Yuanji was planning to first kill Yuchi, Cheng Zhijie, Qin Shubao and Duan Zhixuan (段志玄), Yuchi stated:

:''All humans fear death. However, we are now willing to support Your Royal Highness with our lives, and this is the will of Heaven. Great disaster is about to come, and Your Royal Highness believes that there is nothing to worry. Even if you do not think of yourself, what about the future of the empire and the imperial temples? If Your Royal Highness does not accept my suggestion, I will flee your mansion and roam the wilderness. I cannot remain here, waiting to have my hands be bound and to be executed!"

With particular advocacy from Yuchi and Zhangsun Wuji, Li Shimin decided to take action. Li Shimin tried to summon his strategists Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, who had been demoted out of his mansion based on accusations by Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, and when Fang and Du initially resisted (as they feared Emperor Gaozu's wrath), Li Shimin sent Yuchi to summon them, with the direction that if they refused, that they be killed. Yuchi was able to persuade Fang and Du that Li Shimin was about to take action and that they should not fear, and then divided up with Fang and Du, arriving at Li Shimin's mansion separately.

Meanwhile, Li Shimin submitted a secret accusation to Emperor Gaozu that Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were committing adultery with Emperor Gaozu's concubines and were planning to kill Li Shimin, and then laid an ambush for Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji at Xuanwu Gate, at the entrance of Emperor Gaozu's palace. As Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were approaching Emperor Gaozu's palace, ready to answer the charges against them, they sensed that something was unusual, and tried to turn back. By this point, though, Li Shimin had them in a trap, and he killed Li Jiancheng with an arrow. Subsequently, Yuchi arrived with 70 men, and they killed Li Yuanji's horse, causing Li Yuanji to fall off his horse. Meanwhile, however, Li Shimin's horse was spooked and ran into a forest. Li Shimin fell off his horse, and Li Yuanji tried to kill him by strangling him with a bow. Yuchi then arrived, and Li Yuanji fled, trying to get back to his own palace Wude Palace (武德殿). Yuchi chased him and killed him with an arrow.

Subsequently, Li Shimin ordered Yuchi to lead his men into Emperor Gaozu's palace, ostensibly to protect Emperor Gaozu. Yuchi entered in full armor and wielding his lance—considered usually to be a highly improper action—into Emperor Gaozu's presence, as Emperor Gaozu was attended by the high level officials Pei Ji, Xiao Yu, and Chen Shuda. Emperor Gaozu was shocked and asked, "Who is committing treason? What are you doing here?" Yuchi stated to Emperor Gaozu:

:''The Crown Prince and Prince of Qi have committed treason. The Prince of Qin mobilized his troops and executed them. As he feared that Your Imperial Majesty would be shocked, he sent me here to protect you."

Emperor Gaozu, realizing the situation was serious, requested opinions from Pei, Xiao, and Chen. Xiao and Chen suggested that he create Li Shimin crown prince, and he agreed to do so. As Li Jiancheng's and Li Yuanji's forces were then engaging Li Shimin's forces, Yuchi requested that Emperor Gaozu order that the battling stop and that all armies fall under Li Shimin's command. Emperor Gaozu agreed. When Li Shimin's subordinates wanted to massacre Li Jiancheng's and Li Yuanji's associates and confiscate their wealth, Yuchi earnestly opposed, stating that this would lead to more turmoil, and Li Shimin agreed. Subsequently, Li Shimin awarded Li Yuanji's treasures to Yuchi and promoted him to a major general title.

During Emperor Taizongs reign

Two months after the Incident at Xuanwu Gate, Emperor Gaozu yielded the throne to Li Shimin, who took the throne as Emperor Taizong. Later that year, when Eastern Tujue's Jiali Khan Ashina Duobi launched a major attack against Tang, Yuchi was one of the generals sent to resist Eastern Tujue; he was able to defeat and kill an Eastern Tujue general that he faced. (Ashina Duobi, however, was able to penetrate all the way to the Tang capital Chang'an, forcing Emperor Taizong to personally meet him and promising large tributes before withdrawing.) Late in 626, Emperor Taizong created Yuchi Jingde the Duke of Wu and gave him, Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and Du Ruhui the largest fiefs among his supporters.

Meanwhile, Yuchi, who was known for being blunt, was proud of his achievements. Whenever he disagreed with Zhangsun, Fang, and Du (all of whom were made chancellors by Emperor Taizong), he would argue with them bitterly, and thus had poor relationships with them. In 629, Yuchi was made the commandant at Xiang Prefecture (襄州, roughly modern Xiangfan, Hubei). In 634, he was made the prefect of Tong Prefecture (同州, roughly modern Weinan, Shaanxi), a nominal demotion but considered a promotion as it was close to Chang'an. On one occasion, when he attended a feast held by Emperor Taizong at Qingshan Palace (慶善宮, in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi), another person, probably Yuwen Shiji, was seated above him, and Yuchi angrily stated, "What achievement do you have that you get to be seated above me?" Li Daozong, who was seated under Yuchi, tried to intercede, and Yuchi, in anger, violently punched Li Daozong in the eye, and severely injuring him. Emperor Taizong was displeased and ended the feast early, and thereafter warned Yuchi:

:I greatly hated Emperor Gao of Han for his massacre of those with achievements, and I wanted to maintain my honor and glory with you and your descendants for generals. But you, even though you are a governmental official, continue to commit crimes, and I now see that it was not Emperor Gao's fault that Han Xin and Peng Yue had their flesh ground into bits. The order of the state is maintained by awards and punishments. My grace toward you cannot be perpetual. You need to examine yourself and change yourself before it is too late.

Only thereafter did Yuchi began to fear Emperor Taizong and start to modify his behavior. In 637, as part of Emperor Taizong's scheme to bestow prefectures on his relatives and great generals and officials as their permanent domains, Yuchi's title was changed to Duke of E, and he was given the post of prefect of Xuan Prefecture (宣州, roughly modern Xuancheng, Anhui), to be inherited by his heirs. Soon, however, with many objections to the system, the strongest of which came from Zhangsun Wuji, Emperor Taizong cancelled the scheme, although Yuchi's title remained Duke of E. He subsequently served two different terms as commandant. In 643, he offered to retire, and the retirement was granted, but Emperor Taizong still requested that Yuchi attend imperial gatherings once every five days. Later that year, when Emperor Taizong commissioned the Portraits at Lingyan Pavilion to commemorate the 24 great contributors to Tang rule, Yuchi's was one of the portraits commissioned.

In 645, when Emperor Taizong wanted to personally attack Goguryeo, Yuchi submitted a petition opposing it, arguing that he should just send generals and not go himself, lest that someone rises against Emperor Taizong's crown prince Li Zhi. Emperor Taizong did not agree, and instead had Yuchi follow him on the campaign, apparently as a consultant. After the end of the campaign, Yuchi returned to retirement.

It was said that late in his life, starting from around 642, Yuchi became an adherent to Taoist alchemy, and regularly consumed mica. He also lived luxuriously within his mansion but did not take in visitors, instead spending time enjoying Qingshang (清商樂), a musical style said to originate from Cao Cao.

During Emperor Gaozongs reign

In 649, Emperor Taizong died and was succeeded by Li Zhi (as Emperor Gaozong). In 658, Emperor Gaozong, in recognition of Yuchi Jingde's accomplishments, posthumously honored Yuchi's father as a commandant. Yuchi Jingde died later that year, and Emperor Gaozong ordered that all mid-level and above officials attend the wake. He buried Yuchi with great honors, near Emperor Taizong's tomb.

生平

年少時以打鐵為業，隋煬帝大業末，敬德從軍于高陽，以武勇稱，累授朝散大夫。隋大業十三年劉武周起，收羅敬德為偏將，與宋金剛南侵，陷晉、澮二州。敬德破永安王李孝基，俘虜李孝基、獨孤懷恩、唐儉等。

武德三年（620年），世民征劉武周，劉武周令敬德與宋金剛在介休抵禦。太宗遣任城王李道宗、宇文士及前往勸降。敬德與尋相舉城投降。世民大悅，賜以曲宴，引為右一府統軍。

唐高祖第四子齊王李元吉善馬槊，聽聞敬德擅長避槊，輕視之，想親自試探敬德的本事，約定去掉槊刃，用竿互相刺。敬德卻說即使有刃的槊也不能傷到自己，只去掉自己的槊刃，李元吉卻始終不能用有刃的槊刺中敬德。李世民又命敬德奪取李元吉手中的槊，李元吉騎著馬拿槊要刺敬德，但不一會兒就被敬德三次奪槊。李元吉素來驍勇，驚嘆于敬德的本事，也引以為恥。

高祖武德九年六月初四庚申日（公元626年7月2日），玄武門之變中，敬德事前事後出力甚多，尤以為救李世民本人而射殺李元吉與入宮上船為唐高祖守衛並請立世民為太子等為最，後列凌煙閣二十四功臣之一。

敬德所得財，必散之士卒。頗以功自負，與朝廷宰相不和，後出為襄州都督，遷同州刺史。史載：嘗侍宴慶善宮，有班其上者，敬德曰：「爾何功，坐我上？」任城王道宗解喻之，敬德勃然大怒，一拳揮出，差點把道宗眼睛打瞎。太宗大怒，罷，隔日召讓曰：「朕觀漢史，嘗怪高祖（劉邦）時功臣少全者。今視卿所為，乃知韓、彭（韓信、彭越）夷戮，非高祖過。國之大事，惟賞與罰，橫恩不可數得，勉自修飭，悔可及乎！」敬德頓首謝。後改封鄂國，歷鄜、夏二州都督。敬德晚年謝賓客不與通，「穿築池台，崇飾羅綺，嘗奏清商樂以自奉養」。又餌雲母粉，飛煉金石，為方士術延年，凡十六年。顯慶三年（658年）卒，唐高宗廢朝三日，詔京官五品以上及朝集使赴第臨弔，冊贈司徒、并州都督，諡曰忠武，陪葬昭陵。生子尉遲寶琳，孫尉遲循毓，潞王府倉曹參軍。

傳說

傳說敬德面如黑炭，擅使鐵鞭，騎烏騅馬，據西遊記一書，敬德與秦瓊因保護唐太宗李世民免於龍王鬼魂之犯，成為兩位道教傳統門神，敬德年少時曾為鐵匠，後世鐵匠常奉之為職業守護神。

戲曲小說

文藝作品中，皆為名恭字敬德。有關尉遲恭的小說與戲碼雖多，但都不是主要的核心主角。除了隋唐演義中的戲份頗多之外，在其餘的如羅通掃北中雖有登場，但不是主要人物；薛仁貴征東中則算是主要配角：與老將秦瓊爭奪征高麗的主帥，秦瓊失敗還受傷，因此被秦瓊之子秦懷玉仇視，唐太宗為了安撫秦懷玉，將公主下嫁。日後為了保薛仁貴等「伙頭軍」，與張士貴等人槓上，令張士貴等人在罪證確鑿下伏法。在薛丁山征西時為了要證明薛仁貴的清白，以死進諫，自殺身亡。

家世

尉遲氏系北魏鮮卑尉遲部出身，魏孝文帝遷洛，有八氏十姓，三十六族九十二姓，並號河南洛陽人。尉遲氏即屬于代北虜姓之列，郡望河南洛陽。

尉遲敬德墓誌載：

• 曾祖：尉遲本真，後魏中郎將、冠軍將軍、漁陽郡開國公，贈六州諸軍事、幽州刺史，謚號曰懋。

• 祖：尉遲孟都，齊左兵郎中、金紫光祿大夫、周濟州刺史。

• 父：尉遲伽，隋儀同，皇朝贈汾州刺史、幽州都督、幽、檀、媯、易、平、燕等六州諸軍事、幽州刺史、常寧安公。中年早逝。

• 髮妻：蘇娬（589年—613年6月21日），京兆始平人。

• 後妻：姓氏不詳，在敬德之後去世。

　• 子：尉遲寶琳，襲爵鄂國公。官銀青光祿大夫、上柱國、衛尉少卿。

　　• 孫：尉遲循毓，潞王府倉曹參軍。

　　• 孫：尉遲循寂，（《元和姓纂》作脩寂）。

　　• 孫：尉遲循儼，（《元和姓纂》作脩儼）。

　　• 孫女：尉遲氏，嫁秦瓊子秦□道（墓誌銘闕字）。

• 弟或堂弟：尉遲紹宗，左屯衛將軍、衛尉卿、江油縣開國公（按《元和姓纂》和《宋高僧傳》窺基傳，尉遲紹宗為尉遲羅之子，尉遲敬德從兄弟。而高郵縣尉尉遲恕墓誌，則曰：鄂國生衛尉卿諱紹宗，以孝友知名；衛尉生邛州使君諱瓌，以理行著稱。《全唐文》杜鵬舉神道碑：夫人河南郡君，尉遲鄂國公之孫（裔孫的意思），邛州刺史瓌之女也。）

　• 侄或堂侄：僧窺基，玄奘弟子，唯識宗第二祖。

　　• 孫：尉遲瓌，邛州刺史。

　　　• 曾孫：尉遲貝，亳州司兵參軍，子尉遲愻、尉遲恕。

　　　• 曾孫女：尉遲氏，河南郡君，嫁安州刺史杜鵬舉。

　• 子：尉遲寶琪。

官職、爵位

尉遲敬德曾任

• 隋開皇五年（585年）出生

• 隋煬帝末年，朝散大夫、正議大夫

• 劉武周帳下偏將

• 降唐，為秦王府右一府統軍

• 秦王府左二副護軍

• 武德九年（626年），任皇太子李世民的太子左衛率

• 貞觀元年（627年），右武侯大將軍、賜爵吳國公，實封一千三百戶、涇州道行軍總管

• 貞觀四年（630年），襄州都督、襄鄀鄧淅唐五州諸軍事、襄州刺史

• 貞觀八年（634年），靈州都督、鹽環靜等四州諸軍事、靈州刺史，尋加光祿大夫、行同州刺史

• 貞觀十一年（637年），封建功臣，冊拜使持節宣州諸軍事、宣州刺史，徙封鄂國公，食宣州實封一千三百戶

• 拜光祿大夫、行鄜州都督、鄜坊丹延四州諸軍事、鄜州刺史

• 貞觀十六年（642年），又以本官檢校夏州都督、夏綏銀三州諸軍事、夏州刺史

• 貞觀十七年（643年），以開府儀同三司致仕，圖形于凌煙閣

• 貞觀十八年（644年），唐太宗征討高句麗，為左一馬軍大總管

• 顯慶三年十一月二十六日（658年12月26日），在隆政里私第去世，享年七十四，追贈司徒、并州都督，謚號忠武。

尉遲恭碑和墓誌銘

尉遲恭碑為陝西醴泉縣昭陵陪葬碑之一。許敬宗撰文，書者不詳。碑額篆書題：「大唐故司徒并州都督鄂國忠武公之碑」。碑文共41行，每行78字。此碑明朝年間出土時，上半部已泐甚，下截存1000餘字，今北京圖書館藏有拓本。碑文《文苑英華》、《全唐文》有載。

尉遲恭和夫人蘇娬的墓誌銘于1971年在西安昭陵內出土，現藏昭陵博物館。其墓誌中所載名為「融」，神道碑上的名字已經磨滅不見，而《尉遲恭碑》《文苑英華》則稱尉遲恭，《文苑英華》訛誤甚多，不足為憑。尉遲恭之名始見于北宋，唐及五代著作中尚未有見稱「尉遲恭」者。《太平廣記》卷一四六「尉遲敬德」條稱其為「尉遲公」，可能訛傳為「尉遲恭」。其祖父之名，《文苑英華》所錄尉遲敬德碑文作「大父益都」，墓誌為「祖孟都」，「益」字顯然系「孟」字之誤。墓誌載敬德「終于隆政里之私第」，據徐松《唐兩京城坊考》卷四，長安朱雀門街西第三街有「隆政坊」，玄宗時改「布政坊」。

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