Detailed explanation of Tuibeitu 60: The seventh image of Tuibeitu: Gengwu (the invasion of Tubo)

The Tuibei Tu was created during the Tang Dynasty. According to folk legend, this Tuibei Tu predicted more than 2,000 years of Chinese history. Even major events that are happening today can be found in it. The book contains a total of 60 images. Because it was too accurate, it aroused the emperor's dissatisfaction and was listed as a banned book. This issue's special topic of Tui Bei Tu is what we are going to introduce to you. Tuibei 60 explains in detail the seventh sign Gengwu (the invasion of Tubo), let’s learn about it together if you are interested!

Tui Bei Tu original text: The seventh image is Geng Wu

【Prophecy】

The flags fill my eyes, the mountains and rivers step on my feet

The sudden arrival of the invaders made the Central Plains cry

【Song said】

Ants have always been able to break the dam. The six palaces are locked up and the dream is completely different.

The heavy doors and golden drums carry the spirit of war, the grass grows, the earth cries

Vernacular explanation:

1. Interpretation of prophecies

[My eyes are filled with flags and mountains and rivers are pressing on my feet] "跼", pronounced as ju, has the same meaning as jucu and jucu. There were flags of local warlords everywhere, and the mountains and rivers were divided into patterns by the warlords, making it difficult to gain a foothold.

During the Anshi Rebellion, in order to resist the rebels, the military garrison system was expanded to the interior. Jiedushi, Defense Envoys, and Tuanlian Envoys were set up to guard important places. Military garrisons of all sizes were divided and the emperor found it difficult to control them.

Each image in "Tui Bei Tu" has a main body, and these two sentences are the domestic environment of the main event.

[The sudden arrival of the visitor who broke through the border made the Central Plains cry] "Zha" means suddenly. "Steep" also means sudden. The Tubo[1] suddenly attacked the outskirts of Chang'an, and Chang'an and other places suffered unprecedented looting. "Ke" refers to foreigners in "Tui Bei Tu", and here it refers to Tubo. "Fan" in ancient Chinese means "bo".

In 763 AD, Tubo led 200,000 people from the Tuyuhun, Dangxiang, Di, Qiang and other ethnic groups to invade Guanzhong. The border was in danger, and the eunuch Cheng Yuanzhen obstructed the reporting of military intelligence. The emperor only learned about it when the Tibetan troops passed Jingzhou (Jingchuan, Gansu), 480 miles away from Xi'an. On the second day of October, Tubo captured Fengtian (now Gan County, Shaanxi), 150 miles away from Chang'an.

After learning about the situation, Guo Ziyi, who had been dismissed from his post, rushed to Xianyang with 20 cavalrymen. Seeing 200,000 Tibetan horses rushing across the mountains and plains to the Wei River outside Xianyang, Guo Ziyi hurriedly sent people to request reinforcements, but was stopped by Cheng Yuanzhen again. On the sixth day, Emperor Daizong was training his troops, and the Tubo had already crossed the Wei River. On the seventh day, Daizong fled hastily to Shanzhou (Shan County, Henan Province), and the Tang army scattered. On the ninth day, the Tubo entered Chang'an and plundered it wantonly, and the defeated government troops also took advantage of the situation to rob.

2. Explanation of the Song

[Ants have always been able to breach the dam, and the six palaces are locked up, so the dream is completely shattered] It means that the eunuchs' monopoly of power has harmed the country, they blocked the news from the palace, the national dam collapsed, and the beautiful dream of the palace was shattered. "Ants" refers to eunuchs. They were born into the common people, who were formerly called ants.

[The golden drums at the gates contain military spirit, the grass grows, and the earth cries.] The Tubo people broke into the gates and looted wantonly. "Tukou" is the "Tu" in Tubo. "The grass grows": It is the character "fan" in Tubo; "fan" means lush grass (Shuowen Jiezi), "fanmao" means the flourishing of grass and trees

3. Chen Xi’s interpretation of the diagram

The people in the picture are holding grass in their mouths, and the grass refers to Tubo. The costumes in the picture are those of the Qing Dynasty, which is one of the reasons some people use to attack "Tui Bei Tu", saying that it was compiled by people of the Qing Dynasty. If it was really compiled by people of the Qing Dynasty, why didn't they change it to the costumes of the Tang Dynasty Hu people? Instead, they are "trying to cover up the truth"?

In fact, this prophecy was written to set up a mystery and keep it secret - if the people of that time were dressed in their attire, the secret would be seen through by contemporary people. Therefore, in the "Tui Bei Tu", all the images before the Qing Dynasty were painted in Qing Dynasty clothing to represent foreigners; and in the images after the Qing Dynasty, officials were painted in Han official clothing - reversing the clothing to set up a puzzle!

What is the seventh elephant about: [Tibetan invasion]

Guo Ziyi supported the Tang Dynasty with his own hands, and his reputation drove away the foreign troops three times

The following historical facts are not mentioned in the original "Tui Bei Tu", but are briefly described as they are related to this image. (Continued from the previous article "Interpretation of the Prophecy") Facing an enemy force of 200,000, the 66-year-old Guo Ziyi was able to gather only 4,000 soldiers. He sent 200 men to the outskirts of Lantian City, 40 miles east of Chang'an City, beating drums during the day and lighting fires at night to confuse the enemy. At the same time, he sent people to infiltrate Chang'an, secretly recruited hundreds of young men, and shouted in the city at night, "Guo Linggong's army is coming!" The foreign soldiers were terrified and fled without a fight. Chang'an fell for 13 days and was recaptured with shouting.

In October 764, Pugu Huai'en led 100,000 people from Tubo, Huihe and Dangxiang to Fengtian in the south. Guo Ziyi proposed to Emperor Daizong to hold his ground and repel the enemy, and be ready for battle. Most of the Uighur soldiers had fought side by side with Guo Ziyi and had helped him put down the Anshi Rebellion. Intimidated by Guo's prestige, the enemy troops retreated in fear of Guo.

In August 765, 300,000 foreign troops captured Chang'an, and Pugu died of illness on the way. More than 10,000 people led by Guo Ziyi were trapped in Jingyang. Guo personally persuaded the Uighurs to defect, and the Tubo retreated upon hearing the news. The Tang army and the Uighurs then pursued and killed them, and won a great victory.