Guo Zixing

Guo Zixing (Traditional Chinese: 郭子興; simplified Chinese: 郭子兴; pinyin: Guō Zǐxīng; died 1355) was a rebel leader during the late Yuan dynasty in China. He originated from Dingyuan. His father was a fortune teller, and his mother was the daughter of a wealthy individual. Guo was recognized for his combat skills and was known to have a temper. He led a local White Lotus society and held beliefs aligned with the Maitreya Buddha. Using his financial resources, he assembled a loyal force of soldiers and, along with four colleagues—including Sun Deya (孫德崖)—appointed as commanders-in-chief, captured Haozhou in February 1352.

From the outset, Guo Zixing's leadership was unstable, and he experienced difficulties in maintaining control over his followers. The Yuan dynasty's response to Haozhou's capture was initial inaction, characterized by disorganized village raids and the burning of temples. Notably, the temple where Zhu Yuanzhang resided was burned in February 1352. In April of that year, Zhu Yuanzhang arrived in Haozhou and joined Guo Zixing's forces. Zhu quickly gained Guo Zixing’s favor, and Guo's younger wife persuaded him to marry Zhu's adopted daughter, the future Empress Ma. Zhu became close to Guo’s wife and subsequently took her daughter as a concubine. Guo entrusted Zhu with the control of Chuzhou and Hezhou.

In late 1352, Yuan forces under Toqto'a expelled Sesame Seed Li (芝麻李) from Xuzhou. Early in 1353, two generals—Peng Da (彭大) and Zhao Junyong (趙均用)—sought refuge in Haozhou, leading to internal factional conflicts. Guo Zixing allied with Peng Da, but was shortly afterward kidnapped by rivals led by Sun Deya and Zhao Junyong. Zhu Yuanzhang, returning from an expedition, rescued Guo Zixing by bringing Guo's wife, her children, and Peng Da to the opposing faction’s camp and raiding Sun Deya’s residence.

Yuan forces under hydraulic engineer Jia Lu (賈魯) besieged Haozhou during the winter of 1352 and lifted the siege in June 1353 upon Jia Lu’s death. After Peng Da’s death, Zhao Junyong became the dominant leader in Haozhou, diminishing Guo and Zhu’s influence. Nevertheless, in autumn 1353, Guo Zixing granted Zhu Yuanzhang an independent commission, which contributed to Zhu’s subsequent rise. Meanwhile, Zhao and Guo coordinated to besiege Xuyi, with plans to capture Xuzhou afterward. Zhao Junyong sent Zhu southward toward the Yangtze River, hoping Zhu would fail. Contrary to expectations, Zhu captured Dingyuan, Lupai Fort (驢牌寨), and Chuzhou, and ambushed Yuan general Zhang Zhiyuan (張知院), expanding his forces to approximately 20,000 men. Guo Zixing, with 10,000 men, then joined Zhu after leaving Zhao’s forces.

Tensions grew between Zhu Yuanzhang and Guo Zixing. Both agreed to seize Hezhou, though Guo sent his troops first, and Zhu’s general Tang He captured the city subsequently. Zhu also humiliated Guo’s generals, including Zhang Tianyou (張天祐), Guo’s brother-in-law. Following a failed Yuan counterattack, Zhu allowed Sun Deya—Guo’s old adversary—to join their alliance, increasing Guo's resentment.

Guo Zixing died in Heyang in May 1355. His elder son, Guo Tianxu (郭天敍), and his brother-in-law, Zhang Tianyou, regarded themselves as his successors, a claim supported by Han Lin’er, the nominal emperor of the Northern Red Turbans. Zhu Yuanzhang initially challenged this succession but later utilized these relatives, employing Guo’s son and brother-in-law as part of his emerging power base. Both were killed during Zhu’s October 1355 attack on Nanjing. Guo Zixing’s younger son was appointed Zhu’s second-in-command in April 1356 but was later executed following a rebellion plot. These events contributed to consolidating Zhu Yuanzhang’s position as the de facto leader of the Northern Red Turbans.

During the Qing dynasty, the Kangxi Emperor expressed concerns regarding the inclusion of Guo Zixing’s biography in the “History of Ming,” especially due to Guo's association with the White Lotus society. Zhang Tingyu, the compiler of the history, justified his decision to pair Guo’s biography with that of Han Lin’er by noting that Zhu Yuanzhang swore nominal allegiance to Han until 1367.