12 Facts About Hou Junji

Hou Junji was a Chinese general and official who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Taizong in the Tang dynasty.

Hou Junji is best known for leading the Tang military campaigns against the Gaochang and Tuyuhun kingdoms.

Hou Junji favored using the bow and arrow; while he never achieved greatness in archery, he became known for his fighting abilities.

At a point early in the reign of Emperor Gaozu, who was then still trying to reunify China after the collapse of the Sui dynasty, Hou came to serve under Emperor Gaozu's son, the major general Li Shimin the Prince of Qin.

Hou Junji became a close associate of Li Shimin, often offering Li his strategies.

In 637, as part of Emperor Taizong's scheme to bestow prefectures on his relatives and great generals and officials as their permanent domains, Hou Junji's title was changed to Duke of Chen, and he was given the post of prefect of Chen Prefecture, to be inherited by his heirs.

Soon with many objections to the system, the strongest of which came from Zhangsun Wuji, Emperor Taizong cancelled the scheme, although Hou Junji's title remained Duke of Chen.

Emperor Taizong sent Hou Junji, assisted by Xue Wanjun, to attack Gaochang.

When Hou Junji arrived at Gaochang, Qu Wentai died of distress and was succeeded by his son Qu Zhisheng.

The other generals, seeing Hou Junji's example, did likewise, and he was in no position to stop them.

Hou Junji was resentful that, despite his great achievement, he was put under arrest, albeit briefly.

In 643, when Emperor Taizong commissioned the Portraits at Lingyan Pavilion to commemorate the 24 great contributors to Tang rule, Hou Junji's was one of portraits commissioned.