Yang Maosou

Yang Maosou (died 317), originally named Linghu Maosou, was the founding ruler of the Di (Five Barbarians) state. A member of the Linghu clan, he was adopted by his uncle, the Di chieftain, Yang Feilong, and succeeded him in 296. That same year, he led his followers to Chouchi and established a small independent state that would last until 443. He is also known as Yang Wusou in some records.The Book of Wei|Book of Wei states that his name was Yang Maosou (楊茂搜), while the Book of Song states that his name was Yang Wusou (楊戊搜). This discrepancy is likely due to 'Mao' (茂) and 'Wu' (戊) appearing nearly identical. The Zizhi Tongjian chose to use Yang Maosou as his name.
== Background ==
Yang Maosou was the nephew of the Di chieftain, Yang Feilong. Their ancestors had previously resided in the Chouchi region, but during the reign of Emperor Wu of Jin, Feilong resettled the clan in Qingshui County, Lüeyang Commandery (略陽郡; roughly modern-day Tianshui, Gansu). Feilong was unable to conceive a son, so he adopted the son of his sister, Lady Linghu (令狐氏). He then changed his adopted son's name to Yang Maosou (or Yang Wusou).(千萬子孫名飛龍，漸強盛，晉武假征西將軍，還居略陽。無子，養外甥令狐氏子為子，名戊搜。) Song Shu, vol.99 Feilong died in 296, and Yang Maosou succeeded him as the new chief.
== Reign ==
That same year, another Di chieftain, Qi Wannian, led a tribal rebellion against Jin that, along with coinciding famines, devastated Qín Prefecture and Yongzhou (ancient China). Around the end of 296, Yang Maosou decided to move back to his ancestral homeland in Chouchi to escape the confusion, bringing with him 4,000 families. He declared himself General Who Upholds the State and Worthy Prince of the Right, and soon, many refugees from the Guanzhong region also decided to join him. Maosou welcomed the refugees with open arms and allowed them to leave if they wanted to, even providing them with resources to protect themselves on the way out.(晉惠帝元康六年，避齊萬年之亂，率部落四千家，還保百頃，自號輔國將軍、右賢王。關中人士奔流者多依之，戊搜延納撫接，欲去者則衞護資遣之。) Song Shu, vol.98
Later, Emperor Min of Jin legitimized Maosou's authority by appointing him General of Agile Cavalry and Worthy Prince of the Left. Maosou's son, Yang Nandi, was also appointed General Who Attacks the South by the Prince of Nanyang, Sima Bao.(愍帝以為驃騎將軍、左賢王。時南陽王保在上邽，又以戊搜子難敵為征南將軍。) Song Shu, vol.99
In 313, Jin's Inspector of Liang (realm), Zhang Guang, campaigned against the rebel leader, Yang Hu (楊虎). Both sides approached Yang Maosou to form an alliance, and Maosou decided to back Zhang Guang. He sent Yang Nandi to aid Jin, but Nandi betrayed Zhang Guang and joined forces with Yang Hu instead.(會光、虎求捄。秋八月，茂搜遣難敵將騎入漢中，外言助光，內實應虎。) Huayang Guozhi, vol.7.9 Nandi defeated Zhang Guang and briefly controlled Hanzhong before being ousted back to Chouchi by a local revolt in 314.(冬十月，虎與氐急攻州城... 氐、虎得州城，發光冢，焚其屍喪。難敵得光鼓吹妓樂，自號刺史。) Huayang Guozhi, vol.7.9(漢中民張咸等討難敵。) Huayang Guozhi, vol.8.9
Yang Maosou died around the end of 317. Yang Nandi, being Maosou's eldest son, succeeded him, but decided to jointly rule Chouchi with his brother, Yang Jiantou (楊堅頭).(建興五年，戊搜卒，難敵襲位。與堅頭分部曲，難敵號左賢王，屯下辯，堅頭號右賢王，屯河池。) Song Shu, vol.99
Category:Chouchi
Category:Jin dynasty (266–420) people
Category:Founding monarchs
Category:317 deaths