生平

少有干能

陈敏年轻时有才干，初当郡吏，以廉吏获补尚书仓部令史。永宁元年（301年），齐王司马冏等三王起兵击败篡位的赵王司马伦，迎晋惠帝复位，然而他们的军队却久驻洛阳，遂将洛阳仓库中的粮食都吃尽了。面对粮仓空匮的困境，陈敏提议将南方积聚的粮食运上来以解京师粮困。朝廷听从了陈敏的建议，于是改以陈敏为合肥度支，后转广陵度支。

扬土复宁

太安二年（303年），义阳蛮张昌于江夏起兵，派遣石冰进攻扬州，当时扬州刺史陈徽出逃令扬州失陷，石冰随后攻向寿春，都督荆州诸军事刘准对此忧心旁惶，无计可施。陈敏当时亦在寿春，就向刘准自请统率运粮兵出击，刘准分配兵力支援。刘准于是分配些兵力加强陈敏战力，最终陈敏果败石冰。陈敏接著乘胜北逐石冰，前后打了数十战事，虽然都以寡敌众，但都每战皆捷。陈敏及后自广陵率兵增援自发讨伐石冰的江南士族人士周玘，于芜湖击杀石冰别帅率赵驡，于是两军合力进攻建康。石冰无法抵抗，出走徐州投靠封云。陈敏回军进攻封云，封云司马张统将二人杀害，以此投降，徐扬二州遂回复安定。陈敏战后以功勋获授广陵相。

自立楚公

当时西晋仍在八王之乱的纷乱之中，河间王司马顒势力挟晋惠帝至长安，引来东方以东海王司马越为首的诸王力量不满，就将要讨伐司马顒。陈敏这时就萌生了割据江东的想法，其父知道后大怒：「灭我门者，必此儿也！」不久其父去世，陈敏就离职守孝。永兴二年（305年），东海王司马越要出兵迎惠帝东归洛阳，承制授陈敏为右将军、假节、前锋都督，并写书称许他讨伐石冰的战功，请他支援自己。陈敏当时亦有领兵北上会合东海王，但在萧县被豫州刺史刘乔阻挡。接著，陈敏见中原大乱，自请返回江东，收集兵众以历阳作据点，开展割据的计划。

东海王参军、离狐令甘卓当时亦见天下大目而弃官东归，经过历阳时就遇上陈敏。陈敏十分高兴，并和他共同筹划大计，更加让儿子陈景娶了甘卓的女儿，以姻亲巩固二人关系。陈敏让甘卓假传皇太弟命令，拜陈敏为扬州刺史，更加假授一众江南士族为将军、郡守等职。当时陈敏弟弟陈昶怀疑士族们的忠诚，劝陈敏尽杀他们，但陈敏在江南士族领袖顾荣的劝说下没有听从，继续任用他们。扬州刺史刘机、丹杨太守王旷知陈敏反叛，都弃官逃命，陈敏就分遣弟弟陈恢进攻江州，逼逐刺史应詹；陈斌攻东方诸郡，将吴越地区都占领。陈敏下令部下推举自己为都督江东军事、大司马，以十郡封「楚公」，加九锡，并称受了诏命要北方迎帝。

溃败灭门

庐江内史华谭知顾荣等人接受了陈敏所授官位，就写信诘责他们。顾荣等人本身亦不是尽忠事奉陈敏，反而见陈敏无大志向，且对刑政无章，得不到俊才支持，又纵容子弟为祸，遂日夜害怕祸难降临，周玘更是称病不就职。他们接到信后更感羞愧，于是决心反叛。周玘暗中联结刘准，请他临江列兵，并以己作内应。面对刘准派刘机、衡彦兵向历阳，陈敏派了陈昶到历阳防御；但周玘就策反陈昶司马钱广，让钱广杀掉陈昶，控制了历阳以应晋军，并移兵朱雀桥，在南岸列阵。陈敏派了甘卓讨伐钱广，更将最好的装备都给了甘卓部队，甘卓陈兵朱雀桥南与之对峙。甘卓向来敬重顾荣，加上对于陈昶之死的恐惧，顾荣于是成功策反甘卓。永嘉元年（307年），甘卓先诈病迎女儿回来，接著断朱雀桥，将船都收到南岸，正式反叛陈敏。陈敏率万多人讨伐甘卓，但因桥断无船而受阻于水，顾荣以其威望向大军一挥羽扇，竟令陈敏军溃散，陈敏被逼出奔，但走到江乘就被捕，接著被押到建康与母亲及妻儿一同被诛杀，其他在诸郡的弟弟亦被处死。

Early life and career

Chen Min was a native of Lujiang Commandery (庐江郡; around present-day Lu'an, Anhui). He was talented at a young age and became an official around the same time as a fellow commandery native, Tao Kan. Eventually, he was nominated as Filial and Incorrupt and became a Granary Clerk of the Masters of Writing.

In 301, the three princes, Sima Ying, Sima Yong and Sima Jiong, held a coalition to overthrow Emperor Hui of Jin's regent, Sima Lun. The coalition forces occupied the capital of Luoyang and stayed there for a lengthy period. The city had to keep the soldiers fed, and eventually, there was a food shortage. To resolve this crisis, Chen Min suggested to the court that they transport the abundance of food from southern China to the capital. The court agreed with his proposal, so they appointed him Logistical Director and transferred him to Hefei and later to Guangling.

Zhang Changs rebellion

In 303, a Man official named Zhang Chang started a rebellion in Jingzhou, which later spread to Jiangzhou, Xuzhou, Yangzhou and Yuzhou. The Inspector of Jingzhou, Liu Hong, defeated him and forced him into hiding, but Zhang Chang's general, Shi Bing, still had a sizeable army under his command. Shi Bing was invading Yangzhou when Zhang Chang fled and was marching his troops to take Shouchun. The commander in Shouchun, Liu Zhun (刘准), panicked and was indecisive on what to do. Chen Min was in Shouchun at the time, and he reassured Liu Zhun that morale in Shi Bing's army was low. Chen Min also volunteered to lead the army against the rebels, which Liu Zhun permitted.

Chen Min and Shi Bing fought each other in several battles. Shi Bing's soldiers vastly outnumbered Chen Min's, but Chen Min won in every bout they engaged. In 304, Chen Min and another general, Zhou Qi, besieged Shi Bing at Jiankang. Shi Bing fled to Xuzhou to seek refuge with a fellow rebel leader, Feng Yun (封云), but Chen Min turned around and attacked Feng Yun. Eventually, Feng Yun's general, Zhang Tong (张统), beheaded the two rebel leaders and surrendered. Shi Bing's death effectively ended the rebellion, although Jin would only capture Zhang Chang later in the year. For his contributions, the court made Chen Min the Chancellor of Guangling.

Chen Mins rebellion

War of the Eight Princes

Despite displaying loyalty to Jin against Zhang Chang, Chen Min secretly had ambitions to establish a state. His victory over Shi Bing changed his attitude, as he reputedly became arrogant about his ability. In 305, the civil war in the north between the Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong, and the Prince of Donglai, Sima Yue, also made Chen Min's plans appear plausible. When Chen Min's father heard of his son's behaviour, he became angry and exclaimed that Chen Min would bring about his family's demise. He died shortly after, and Chen Min resigned to mourn him.

Sima Yue wanted Chen Min to join his side in the war, so he appointed Chen Min General of the Right and Commander of the Vanguard in his march to take Chang'an. He also sent Chen Min a flattering letter, and in the end, Chen Min agreed to support him. During Sima Yue's campaign against Sima Yong's Inspector of Youzhou, Liu Qiao, Chen Min led his army to help, but Liu Qiao defeated them at Xiao County. Following their loss at Xiao, Chen Min returned east to Liyang to recruit more soldiers.

Coincidentally, while Chen Min was in Liyang, the Regular Attendant to the Prince of Wu, Gan Zhuo, arrived from Luoyang. Gan Zhuo had abandoned his office to escape the war in the north and wanted to return to his hometown. However, Chen Min saw Gan Zhuo as his opportunity to start his rebellion. Chen Min convinced Gan Zhuo to impersonate an envoy from the Crown Younger Prince, Sima Ying, delivering a decree to Chen Min. He also married his son, Chen Jing (陈景), to Gan Zhuo's daughter, sealing their alliance, and soon after, Gan Zhuo appointed Chen Min the Inspector of Yangzhou.

Taking over Jiangnan

Chen Min appointed more than forty members of the gentry clans of Jiangnan to serve under him. To win the gentry's support, Chen Min initially acted respectfully and generous toward them. He even provided salaries to those too ill or too old to take up the offices. However, Chen Min began to doubt the gentry's loyalty, so he considered killing them instead. One of his appointees, Gu Rong, persuaded him against it, so Chen Min changed his mind.

Chen Min sent his brother, Chen Hui (陈恢), to invade Jiangzhou and another brother, Chen Bin (陈斌), to invade Yangzhou. The two provinces did not anticipate Chen Min's attack. The Inspector of Yangzhou, Liu Ji (刘机), the Inspector of Jiangzhou, Ying Miao (应邈), and many other administrators fled their cities, allowing Chen Min's forces to occupy them. Chen Min's territory encompassed the ancient domains of the Wu and Yue states. Afterwards, Chen Min instructed his subordinates to acclaim him the Chief Controller of Jiangdong, Grand Marshal and the Duke of Chu and bestow him the Nine Bestowments. He also claimed he received an imperial edict that granted him control over the territory from the Yangzi to the Mian (沔水) and Han rivers, where he would welcome the emperor from the north.

Invasion of Jingzhou

Chen Min's rebellion caught the attention of Sima Yong, who sent his general, Zhang Guang, to campaign against Chen Min. The Inspector of Jingzhou, Liu Hong, also joined Zhang Guang to fight the rebellion. At the end of 305, Chen Min aimed to conquer Jingzhou, so Chen Min appointed Chen Hui as his Inspector of Jingzhou and sent him to invade the province. Chen Hui led his troops to take Wuchang, but the Jin forces routed him numerous times. The Jin army then defeated Chen Min's general, Qian Duan (钱端), at Zhangqi (长岐; in present-day Jiangxia District, Hubei). Chen Min's defeat in Jingzhou discouraged him from encroaching on the province for the remainder of his revolt.

Gentry revolt and death

By 307, Chen Min had lost most of his support from the people under him. The law and government of his domain were incoherent, and his brothers and sons were violent and conniving. He failed to attract local talents to his administration, and even those who accepted him at first, like Gu Rong and Zhou Qi, were worried that they would suffer from associating with Chen Min. That year, Jin's Interior Minister of Lujiang, Hua Tan (华谭), wrote letters to Gu Rong and others urging them to revolt against Chen Min. They agreed and even swore a pledge of trust by cutting off their hair.

The conspirators informed the Jin general, Liu Zhun, of their plot, so he coordinated an attack on Liyang while they worked from the inside. Chen Min was in Jiankang, and the attack coerced Chen Min to send his brothers, Chen Chang (陈昶) and Chen Hong (陈宏), to defend Wujiang (乌江; southeast of present-day Dingyuan County, Anhui) and Niuzhu (牛渚; southwest of present-day Ma'anshan, Anhui) with thousands of soldiers. Another brother, Chen Chu (陈处), saw through the conspirators' plans, so he urged Chen Min to execute them. However, Chen Min did not believe him and disregarded his advice.

Chen Chang's Marshal, Qian Guang (钱广), was from the same commandery as Zhou Qi, so Zhou Qi secretly convinced him to assassinate Chen Chang. After killing Chen Chang, Qian Guang spread a false claim that Chen Min was dead and threatened anyone who refused to take his order with execution. Qian Guang marched south of the Zhuque Bridge (朱雀桥; south of present-day Nanjing), so Chen Min sent Gan Zhuo and Gu Rong to face him. However, Gu Rong and Zhou Qi also convinced Gan Zhuo to defect. After destroying the bridge and gathering the boats, Gan Zhuo advanced toward Jiankang with Gu Rong and Zhou Qi.

Chen Min personally went out with his army to fight Gan Zhuo. However, Chen Min's soldiers were demoralized when news of Gu Rong and Zhou Qi's defections reached them. They were so unwilling to fight that when Gu Rong waved a white feather fan signalling them to disperse, they willingly scattered and fled. As his army collapsed, Chen Min rode on a horse alone to flee north, but the Jin soldiers caught up with him and captured him at Jiangcheng (江乘; in present-day Xianlin University City, Jiangsu). Before his death, Chen Min lamented that Gu Rong and the others had misled him. He also expressed regret over not listening to Chen Chu's advice. Chen Min was beheaded in Jiankang, and his head was delivered to Luoyang. His family was also executed to the third degree, and the commanderies in his domain had his younger brothers killed.