Helian Chang - After Capture By Northern Wei

After Capture By Northern Wei

Helian Chang was delivered to the Northern Wei capital Pingcheng (平城, in modern Datong, Shanxi). Instead of killing him, Emperor Taiwu gave him the western palace as his residence, with supplies fitting an emperor. He also created Helian Chang the Duke of Kuaiji and gave Helian Chang his sister Princess Shiping in marriage. He often had Helian Chang attend him on hunts. Because Helian Chang was respected as a mighty soldiers, the Northern Wei officials often feared that Helian Chang might assassinate the emperor, but the emperor trusted Helian Chang continued to treat him well.

In 429, Helian Chang was effectively used as a witness at the imperial advisory council, for the prime minister Cui Hao as he confronted astrologers Zhang Yuan (張淵) and Xu Bian (徐辯), who were advising against a campaign against Rouran, which Cui advocated. The astrologers, who were previously Xia court astrologers, argued that the stars were favoring Rouran and that a campaign would be fruitless. Cui, himself an astrologer, pointed out that if Zhang and Xu could predict the future, then they should have warned Helian Chang, who was present at the council as well, before Tongwan fell—that if they knew what would happen and did not warn Helian Chang, then they were unfaithful; if they did not know what would happen, then they had no prophetic abilities. With Helian Chang present, Zhang and Xu knew that he would confirm that they never informed him of impending doom, and so they withdrew their opposition.

In 430, Emperor Taiwu promoted Helian Chang's title to Prince of Qin. The reason is unclear, but perhaps he was considering using Helian Chang to counter his brother Helian Ding, against whom Emperor Taiwu was waging a campaign against—and in winter 430, he did have Helian Chang try to persuade Helian Shegan into surrendering Pingliang to him; Helian Shegan initially refused, but did surrender after less than two months. In 431, pressured by Northern Wei forces, Helian Ding, after first destroying Western Qin and its prince Qifu Mumo, intended to head west to attack Northern Liang and capture its territory, but on the way was intercepted, defeated, and captured by the Tuyuhun khan Murong Mugui (慕容慕璝). Xia was at its end.

In 434, for reasons unknown, Helian Chang turned against Wei and fled west from Pingcheng. He was intercepted by the Wei generals west of the Yellow River and killed. Northern Wei then executed his surviving brothers.