生平

郭默出身卑贱，世代以屠宰和卖酒等为业，但郭默强壮勇猛，穿上整套盔甲也能跳过三丈阔的护城河，因而在河内太守裴整手下当督将。永嘉之乱后，郭默带著部众结坞自守，当上坞主，并掠夺路过东归的人，获得了大笔财富。另一方面因中原大乱，愈来愈多避乱的流人归附郭默的坞堡，而郭默抚恤将士亦有道，遂很得人心。后郭默派使者去见并州刺史刘琨，并获其任命为河内太守。建兴二年（314年），汉赵将领刘曜前来进攻郭默，并命军队围困他，郭默粮食吃尽，遂送妻儿给刘曜为质请求粮食，但郭默收到粮食后又婴城固守，愤怒的刘曜于是将郭默妻儿送到黄河中溺死，并命令军队进攻。郭默派了弟弟郭芝向刘琨求救，但刘琨因为郭默狡猾，藉故留下郭芝而没有立即派兵救援。随后郭默再派使者向刘琨告急，使者正遇上出城洗马的郭芝，就强行拉他回来了。郭默转而向石勒求救，以郭芝为人质，不过石勒也知道郭默狡猾多诈，于是将郭默书信转寄给刘曜。郭默命人截获书信后便想改投李矩，李矩也派了外甥郭诵迎接，因兵少而不敢前进，但正遇上由刘琨参军张肇所领，因路阻而无法往长安的五百鲜卑兵，郭诵藉助鲜卑兵吓退汉赵兵，成功让郭默突围而出，投奔李矩。随后郭默就与李矩一起对抗北方外族政权。

东晋建立后，郭默转任颍川太守。郭默后被后赵石聪攻击，其时郭默就意图向前赵皇帝刘曜投降，但为李矩反对，不过李矩实力转弱，为另一位后赵军官石良所败。后赵屡侵河南更令郭默和李矩缺粮饥馑。郭默遂重提归降之事，终得李矩同意，刘曜亦派了刘岳协助郭默对抗石良，但后赵又派军围攻刘岳，逼其闭城自守，郭默于是为石良所败。与后赵的战事不利令郭默十分忧心，于是想逃走，并命参军殷峤在他走后三天才告知李矩。李矩知郭默逃走十分愤怒，派了郭诵追他，郭默在襄城被追上，于是抛下妻儿独个逃走《晋书·李矩传》：「石勒遣其养子聪袭默，默惧后患未已，将降于刘曜，遣参军郑雄诣矩谋之，矩距而不许。后勒遣其将石良率精兵五千袭矩，矩逆击不利。郭诵弟元复为贼所执，贼遣元以书说矩曰：『去年东平曹嶷，西宾猗卢，矩如牛角，何不归命？』矩以示诵，诵曰：『昔王陵母在贼，犹不改意，弟当何论！』勒复遗诵麈尾马鞭，以示殷勤，诵不答。勒将石生屯洛阳，大掠河南，矩、默大饥，默因复说矩降曜。矩既为石良所破遂，从默计，遣使于曜。曜遣从弟岳军于河阴，欲与矩谋攻石生。勒遣将围岳，岳闭门不敢出。默后为石匆所败，自密南奔建康。矩闻之大怒，遣其将郭诵等赍书与默，又敕诵曰：『汝识唇亡之谈不？迎接郭默，皆由于卿，临难逃走，其必留之。』诵追及襄城，默自知负矩，弃妻子而遁。」，最终成功走到东晋都城建康，获授征虏将军。咸和元年（326年），徐州刺史刘遐去世，郭默任北中郎将、监淮北军事、假节，接替刘遐。刘遐旧将李龙等人反抗作乱，朝廷遂命郭默与右衞将军赵胤进攻，成功平定。咸和二年（327年），朝廷徵召历阳内史苏峻入朝，为防备其违命作乱而先任命郭默为后将军，领屯骑校尉。苏峻果然作乱，郭默一开始有点战功，但因为朝廷军队战败，建康失守，郭默也转附持续抵抗苏峻的郗鉴。当时苏峻兵强，于是建了大业、曲阿和庱亭三垒分散苏峻军力，守衞京口，并命郭默等人据守。及后苏峻将韩晃等进攻郭默守的大业垒，其时垒中缺水，郭默惊惧之下遂在分配人马出垒外的机会循南门出走，只留下兵众继续守垒。面对如此困境，作为讨伐军统帅的陶侃率军直攻苏峻所守的石头城，战事中杀死了酒醉出战的苏峻，对大业垒的攻势亦随之而平。不久苏峻之乱亦获平定。

咸和四年（329年），郭默获朝廷徵召为右衞将军，但郭默喜欢当边将，并不想入朝，于是向江州刺史刘胤寻求协助，说：「我可以抵御胡人但没被重用。右军将军主掌禁衞军，若果前线有事，要受命出征时才得配备士兵，将领与士卒并不相识，之间没有甚么恩信，这样打仗很难不输。现在应该为官职选有才能的人，若果由人选想当的官职，怎么不乱呀！」但刘胤也表示其无能为力。《晋书·郭默传》：「我能御胡而不见用。右军主禁兵，若疆场有虞，被使出征，方始配给，将卒无素，恩信不著，以此临敌，少有不败矣。时当为官择才，若人臣自择官，安得不乱乎」胤曰：「所论事虽然，非小人所及也。」郭默最终还是决定应命，于是请刘胤送点物资给他去建康，不过刘胤只给一头猪和一酲酒给他。郭默当日以受命后将军受徵召时时经过寻阳，刘胤参佐张满等人对其不礼，郭默本已十分愤恨，现在只得到这么少物资就更加愤怒，将它们都丢到水中。其时有一个叫盖肫的人又与刘胤、张满等人有仇，遂以刘胤知免官诏书已下仍不离职之事造文章，指其意图谋反，劝郭默先一步消灭他。郭默在愤怒之下听信，于是率众进攻刘胤，向刘胤部属们假称受了诏命，将刘胤等人杀害，并且公布伪造的诏书，又收掠刘胤家中的财宝及女眷到自己的船上。

郭默还将刘胤的首级传到建康，咸和五年（330年）朝中辅政的司徒王导怕郭默难以控制，于是大赦天下，悬挂刘胤首级并以郭默为西中郎将、江州刺史。然而太尉陶侃知道郭默擅杀刘胤后却立即出兵讨伐，王导于是收回首级，下诏让豫州刺史庾亮协助陶侃。郭默本欲南取豫章据守，但未行事陶侃就已兵临寻阳，并建土山居高临城，待大军集结后更以数重兵墙围城。陶侃还是很珍惜骁勇的郭默，想保住他的性命，遂命郭诵劝降，郭默亦同意投降。不过，郭默部将张丑及宋侯怕被陶侃杀死，在进退之间徘徊，遂令郭默没有在约定时间出降，城外军队于是发动猛烈攻击，宋侯惊惧之下就绑起郭默出降，郭默及其麾下四十多人都被诛杀。

家庭

妻

• 陆氏，河内人陆允女。

As a wuzhu

Early years

Guo Mo was from Huai County in Henei Commandery. His family was described as humble and made a living of selling meat and wine for generations. Guo was said to have martial talents, being able to jump over a roughly 3 metres wide moat while wearing full armour. It was because of this that he earned a position under the Prefect of Henei, Pei Zheng (裴整), as a general. In 310, Pei Zheng was besieged and captured by Han Zhao forces. Guo gathered Pei Zheng's remaining soldiers and established himself as a wuzhu. The Inspector of Bingzhou, Liu Kun, commissioned him to take up Pei Zheng's position.

For the next few years, Guo amassed a fortune from robbing travellers fleeing east by boat who passed by his territory. This had little to no repercussions for Guo, however, as many refugees would rather join him than stay in Han Zhao, even more after hearing about his wealth. Guo also treated his soldiers kindly, so they remained loyal to him. On one occasion, Guo Mo's wife's brother, Lu Jia (陆嘉), was stealing rice from the granaries and giving it to his sister. When Guo found out, he tried to execute Lu Jia, but Lu ran away to Han Zhao. To show that he had no part in the act, Guo personally killed his own wife with a bow.

Conflict with Liu Yao

In 314, Han forces were trying to capture Chang'an. Their general, Liu Yao, was repelled, so Liu turnt to Guo Mo in Huai. Liu surrounded the city and fought till Guo had very little food left. As a compromise, Guo traded his wife and children as hostages in exchange for grain. Liu Yao saw this as a sign of submission, but after the exchange, Guo resumed his defence. Liu Yao was angered by this and had Guo's wife and children drowned in the Huai River. Guo considered abandoning the city as Liu Yao intensified his offence. He sent a letter to his neighbouring wuzhu Li Ju, asking if he could come over to his base in Xinzheng. Li Ju permitted and sent his nephew Guo Song (no family ties to Guo Mo) to escort him. However, Song was wary to approach as he did not have enough troops to face Liu Yao. Coincidentally, an army led by Liu Kun's general Zhang Zhao (张肇) happened to be returning from Chang'an. Li Ju asked Zhang for help, so Zhang sent his Xianbei cavalry to attack Liu Yao. The Han soldiers were startled by the reinforcements and retreated without a fight. Guo arrived at Xinzheng while Liu Yao fell back to Baoban.

Service under Li Ju

In 317, Li Ju was attacked by the Han general Liu Chang (刘畅). Guo sent his younger brother, Guo Zhi (郭芝), to help him but by the time he arrived, Li had already routed the enemy. Nonetheless, Li ordered Guo Zhi to pursue the fleeing enemies during the night. Zhi did so and captured many soldiers before returning. Later that year, Guo raided Hedong Commandery with the former Han general Zhao Gu (赵固), who had surrendered Luoyang to Li Ju. The pair took in thousands of refugees in Sili, although a huge number were killed by pursuing Han forces. The following year, Guo Mo and Guo Song camped at Luorui (洛汭, in modern day Luonan County, Shaanxi) to reinforce Zhao Gu.

In 320, the Han Zhao commanders guarding Luoyang, Yin An (洛汭), Song Shi (宋始), Song Shu (宋恕), and Zhao Shen (赵愼) all decided to surrender to Later Zhao (Han Zhao breakaway state formed by Shi Le in 319). Shi Le sent Shi Sheng to receive them, but the generals changed their minds and surrendered to Li Ju instead. Guo Mo quickly reinforced Luoyang, so Sheng only captured Song Shi's army before retreating north. The people of Henan fled to Li Ju, and Luoyang was practically emptied.

In 324, Shi Sheng attacked Guo Song but was defeated. In response, his brother Shi Cong led a surprise attack on Guo Mo. Guo was afraid when he realized he could not overcome Shi Cong and wanted to surrender to Liu Yao (now Emperor of Han Zhao). Guo sent Zheng Xiong (郑雄) to discuss this idea with Li Ju, but Li sternly turned it down. Shi Sheng camped at Luoyang and plundered Henan, continuously defeating Li Ju and Guo Mo. As food supply in Li Ju's army were beginning to run low, Guo asked Li once more to align themselves with Liu Yao, and Li finally agreed. Liu Yao accepted their submission, but the reinforcements he sent led by Liu Yue (刘岳) were defeated by Shi Hu. Guo was once again routed by Shi Sheng, causing Guo to abandon his post and secretly make his escape to Jiankang. Li Ju eventually found out of Guo's desertion and became furious. Guo Song pursued him and managed to catch up with him at Xiangcheng. Desperate, Guo Mo left his wife and children before going on the run again.

Su Juns Rebellion

Guo Mo reached Jiankang while Li Ju later died in a horse accident while returning to the south. During his time in Jiankang, Guo became General Who Conquers the Caitiffs. In 326, he was further made General of the Household Gentlemen of the North, Chief of military affairs north of the Huai River, and acting commander of Liu Xia's forces. In 328, tension between the regent Yu Liang and the warlord Su Jun reached its tipping point. Yu, fearful of Su Jun, recalled his generals back to Jiankang including Guo Mo to defend himself. When war broke out that same year, Guo defended Jiankang but was defeated, and he followed Yu Liang in fleeing the capital to Xunyang.

Later that year, Yu Liang, Wen Jiao and Tao Kan formed a loyalist coalition to take back Jiankang and Emperor Cheng from Su Jun. The loyalist fought Su Jun at Shitou but could were locked in a stalemate. The eastern army under Chi Jian returned to Jingkou to set up defenses in Daye (大业, in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu), Qu'a (曲阿县; present-day Danyang, Jiangsu), and Chengting (庱亭, in present-day Wujin County, Jiangsu), and Guo was tasked in defending Daye. Su Jun forces led by Han Huang and Zhang Jian (张健) attacked Daye, and soon the water supply within the rampart was used up. Guo quietly fled from his post and left his soldiers to fend for themselves. Panic ensued in Jingkou as news of the situation in Daye reached Chi Jian's army. Regardless, Chi Jian insisted that everyone stood their ground, a decision that bore fruit as the other loyalist forces were eventually able to defeat and kill Su Jun in battle. Su Jun's remaining forces were destroyed the following year.

Downfall and death

Dispute with Liu Yin

Guo never faced punishment for his actions and resumed his role as a border commander. At the end of 329, Guo was summoned to the capital to become General of the Army of the Right. Guo had no interest in serving in the palace and was annoyed by this, so he vented his frustrations to the Inspector of Jiangzhou, Liu Yin. However, Liu told him he wanted nothing to do with the matter. When Guo was about to take up his new position, he asked Liu for assistance, but Liu once again snubbed him. Liu's advisors were also ill-judged towards Guo, so Guo's resentment for Liu grew. During a Laba Festival, Liu sent Guo a pig's head and a cup of wine, an insulting reference to his family background. Guo, angered, threw Liu's envoy into a nearby river.

Some time that month, a man named Gai Zhun (盖肫) kidnapped someone's daughter and made her his concubine. Liu's Chief Clerk, Zhang Man (张满), demanded him to return the daughter to her family, but Gai refused. Earlier, Liu Yin's misconducts warranted him a letter of removal from the court, which he purposefully ignored. Gai went to Guo Mo and told him about the letter. He convinced Guo Mo that Liu Yin was planning something big, and the only person he feared and want to get rid of was Guo Mo. Guo Mo led his men to the government center where Liu Yin was at. Officials who tried to stop Guo were threatened with clan extermination which Guo claimed was sanctioned by the court. Liu Yin was dragged out of the building and beheaded alongside his officials. Guo Mo sent Liu Yin's head to the court and publicized a forged imperial decree to justify his actions. Guo Mo then took Liu Yin's daughter and concubines for himself while confiscating Liu Yin's property. Guo also tried to get the general Huan Xuan to join him, but Huan turned him down.

Death

In 330, Liu Yin's head arrived in Jiankang. The Prime Minister Wang Dao felt that Guo was too strong to deal with, so he hung the head on a ship and gave Guo Mo Liu's positions. Tao Kan, however, believed Guo must be punished and started raising his troops. Guo tried to appease Tao Kan by sending him gifts as well as the forged edict, but Tao Kan persisted. Soon, Wang decided to back Tao Kan, and Yu Liang would also lead his army against Guo. Guo marched to Yuzhang (豫章; around present-day Nanchang, Jiangxi) to occupy the commandery where he met with Tao Kan's army. Tao was victorious, so Guo withdrew into his part of the city. Yu Liang's army arrived at Penkou (湓口, in present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi) and joined up with Tao Kan.

Tao still valued Guo's talents and wanted to capture him alive, so he sent Guo Song to get him to surrender. Guo Mo initially accepted it but began having second thoughts once he realized that Tao may kill his followers. After he took too long to come out, Tao Kan resumed his offense, this time even more fiercely. Guo was eventually betrayed by his subordinates and brought tied alongside his sons before Tao Kan. Guo was beheaded, and his head was sent to Jiankang. Those who were executed alongside him were forty of his partisans.