Yuchi Gong

Also known as Yuchi Jingde · Eguo Gong · Zhong Wu

Yuchi Gong, known by his courtesy name Jingde, came from Shanyang in Shuozhou. A commander under the rebel Liu Wuzhou at the end of the Sui, he surrendered to Li Shimin at Jiexiu in 620. Soon afterwards, near Luoyang, when Shan Xiongxin charged at Li Shimin, Yuchi speared him from the saddle and escorted the prince to safety. At the Xuanwu Gate in 626, when Li Shimin fell from his horse and Li Yuanji seized his bow to strangle him, Yuchi drove Yuanji off and shot him dead, then went armed into the palace to guard Emperor Gaozu and obtained the order placing all troops under the prince. He was later made Duke of E, his portrait was hung in the Lingyan Pavilion in 643, and in his last sixteen years he shut his gates and took mica elixirs. He died in 658 aged seventy-four, was named Zhongwu and was buried near the Zhao mausoleum. Popular custom later pasted his image beside Qin Qiong's on doors as a guardian god.