生平

幼隨從梁武帝。從梁武帝東下平建鄴，稍為主書。期間散盡錢財，招集將士，常想有一天能為朝廷效力。除奉朝請。

普通中，北魏徐州刺史元法僧於彭城求入內附，以陳慶之為武威將軍，與胡龍牙、成景儁率諸軍應接。還除宣猛將軍、文德主帥，仍率軍二千，送豫章王蕭綜入鎮徐州。北魏遣安豐王元延明、臨淮王元彧率眾二萬來拒，屯據陟□。延明先遣其別將丘大千築壘潯梁，觀兵近境。陳慶之進逼其壘，魏軍一鼓便潰。後豫章王蕭綜棄軍奔魏，眾皆潰散，諸將莫能制止，陳慶之乃斬關夜退，軍士得全。

普通七年（526年），安西將軍元樹出征壽春，陳慶之為假節、總知軍事。北魏豫州刺史李憲遣其子李長鈞築兩城以拒之，陳慶之攻拔兩城。李憲力屈而降，陳慶之入據其城。轉東宮直閤，賜爵關中侯。

大通元年（527年），隸領軍曹仲宗伐渦陽（今安徽蒙城）。北魏遣征南將軍常山王元昭等率馬步十五萬來援，前軍至駝澗，去渦陽四十里。陳慶之欲前往迎戰，但韋放認為：「敵人的前鋒部隊必然是精銳部隊，如果和他們戰鬥中勝利，也不足以成為功績，相反，如果戰鬥失利的話必然給我軍士氣造成不利影響，這就是兵法上所說的以逸待勞，不如別去攻擊」。陳慶之卻說：「魏人從遠方而來。現在已經疲憊不堪。他們離我軍那麼遠，必定對我軍不會有疑心，趁他們隊伍還未整齊，人員還沒聚集，應當挫其銳氣，出其不意，沒有不勝利的理由，況且我聽說敵人的營寨附近，樹林非常的茂盛，所以他們一定不會夜出，各位如果存在顧慮，那就讓我獨自領兵攻打他們吧。」於是與麾下二百騎奔擊，破其前軍，魏人震恐。陳慶之乃還與諸將連營西進，據渦陽城，與魏軍相持。自春至冬，交戰上百次，師老氣衰。北魏援兵又想要築壘於梁軍後面。曹仲宗等恐腹背受敵，欲撤軍。陳慶之立節仗於軍門說：「我們來到這裡，已經過了一年了。耗費的軍糧兵器巨大。士兵們沒有戰意，都想著退兵，怎麼是為了功名？只是為了聚集在一起搶劫而已。我聽說過置之死地而後生，需要等到敵人聚集到一起然後與之戰鬥。你們想要班師，我另有密詔，你們想要班師違反密詔的話，便依據密詔處罰。」曹仲宗聽從。魏人掎角作十三城，陳慶之銜枚夜出，陷其四壘，渦陽城主王緯乞降。其餘九城，兵甲猶盛。乃排列俘馘，鼓譟而攻，遂大奔潰，梁軍乘勢追擊，大敗魏軍，俘斬甚眾，渦水為之斷流，又降城中男女三萬餘口。梁武帝詔令以渦陽之地設置西徐州。梁軍又乘勝進至城父。梁武帝嘉勉，賜陳慶之手詔說：「本非將種，又非豪家，觖望風雲，以至於此。可深思奇略，善克令終。開朱門而待賓，揚聲名於竹帛，豈非大丈夫哉！」

護送元顥還北

大通初，北魏北海王元顥以本朝大亂投降南朝梁，求立為魏主。梁武帝接納，以陳慶之為假節、飈勇將軍，送元顥還北。元顥於渙水即皇帝位，授陳慶之使持節、鎮北將軍、護軍、前軍大都督，發自銍縣，進拔滎城，遂至睢陽。魏將丘大千有眾七萬，分築九城以相拒。陳慶之攻擊，自旦至申，陷其三壘，丘大千投降。時魏徵東將軍濟陰王元暉業率羽林庶子二萬人來救梁、宋，進屯考城（今河南民權東北），城四面環水，守備嚴固。陳慶之命在水面築壘，攻陷其城，生擒元暉業，獲租車七千八百輛。梁軍直趨大梁，所過之處，魏軍望風而降。元顥進陳慶之衞將軍、徐州刺史、武都公。仍率眾而西。

北魏左僕射楊昱、西河王元悰、撫軍將軍元顯恭率御仗羽林宗子庶子眾凡七萬，據滎陽（今屬河南）拒元顥。魏兵精強，城又險固，陳慶之未能攻下。時魏將元天穆大軍將至，先遣其驃騎將軍爾朱吐沒兒領胡騎五千，騎將魯安領夏州步騎九千，援楊昱；又遣右僕射尒朱世隆、西荊州刺史王羆騎一萬，據虎牢（今滎陽西北汜水鎮）。元天穆、爾朱吐沒兒前後繼至，旗鼓相望。這時滎陽還沒攻下，梁軍將士都感到恐慌，陳慶之解下馬鞍餵馬，對將士們說：「我們到這裡以來，屠城略地，實在不少；你們殺了無數的平民。元天穆的士兵與我們都是仇敵。我們只有七千人，敵人有三十餘萬，在這種情況下，他們理當不會讓我們生存。我們不能和敵人的騎兵在平原上交鋒，應該攻破他們的城壘，各位別自相猜疑，免得死在戰場。」一次擊鼓，梁軍便全部都登上城牆。壯士東陽宋景休、義興魚天湣首先登上城牆，於是攻佔榮陽。不久，魏軍圍城，陳慶之率騎兵三千背城而戰擊破，魯安在陣前投降，元天穆、爾朱吐沒兒都單騎逃跑。陳慶之收繳滎陽的儲備，牛馬穀帛不可勝計。進赴虎牢，爾朱世隆棄城走。北魏孝莊帝元子攸恐懼，奔并州。北魏臨淮王元彧、安豐王元延明率百僚備法駕迎元顥入洛陽宮。元顥改元大赦，以陳慶之為侍中、車騎大將軍、左光祿大夫，增邑萬戶。

北魏大將軍上黨王元天穆、王老生、李叔仁又率眾四萬，攻陷大梁，分遣王老生、費穆兵二萬，據虎牢，刁宣、刁雙入梁、宋，陳慶之率軍掩襲，魏軍皆降。元天穆與十餘騎北渡黃河。梁武帝復賜手詔嘉勉。陳慶之麾下悉著白袍，所向披靡。所以洛陽童謠說：「名師大將莫自牢，千兵萬馬避白袍。」自發銍縣至于洛陽十四個月，平三十二城，四十七戰，所向無敵。

北魏將爾朱榮、爾朱世隆、元天穆、爾朱兆等眾號百萬，挾孝莊帝來攻元顥。元顥據洛陽六十五日，凡所得城一時歸魏，陳慶之渡黃河守北中郎城。三日十一戰，傷殺甚眾。爾朱榮將撤退，時有善天文人劉靈助跟爾朱榮說：「不出十日，河南大定。」爾朱榮與元顥戰於河橋。元顥大敗，走至臨潁被擒，洛陽復入北魏。陳慶之馬步數千結陣東反，爾朱榮親自來追，軍人死散。陳慶之化妝為僧人行至豫州，州人程道雍等潛送出汝陰。南朝梁仍以功除右衞將軍，封永興縣侯，邑一千五百戶。

之後的軍事活動

陳慶之為持節、都督緣淮諸軍事、奮武將軍、北兗州刺史。時有僧強自稱為帝，土豪蔡伯龍起兵響應。眾至三萬，攻陷北徐州，濟陰太守楊起文棄城走，鍾離太守單希寶被殺，陳慶之討平。斬蔡伯龍、僧強，傳其首。

中大通二年，除都督南北司西豫豫四州諸軍事、南北司二州刺史，餘並如故。陳慶之至鎮，遂圍懸瓠。破魏潁州刺史婁起、揚州刺史是云寶於溱水，又破行臺孫騰、大都督侯進、豫州刺史堯雄、梁州刺史司馬恭於楚城。罷義陽鎮兵，停水陸轉運，江湖諸州並得休息。開田六千頃，二年之後，倉廩充實。梁武帝經常嘉獎。同時又表請精簡南司州為安陸郡，置上明郡。

大同二年（536年），東魏遣將侯景率眾七萬寇楚州，刺史桓和陷沒，侯景乘勝進軍淮上，並寫了信勸陳慶之投降。梁武帝遣湘潭侯蕭退、右衛將軍夏侯夔等前去增援，軍至黎漿，陳慶之已擊破侯景。時值大寒雪，侯景棄輜重而逃，陳慶之則收其輜重而還，進號仁威將軍。同年，豫州鬧饑荒，陳慶之開倉放糧濟災民，使大部分災民得以度過饑荒。州民李昇等八百人表請樹碑頌德，梁武帝下詔批准。

死亡

大同五年（539年）十月，卒，時年五十六。贈散騎常侍、左衞將軍，鼓吹一部。諡曰武。詔令義興郡發五百丁會喪。

家庭

• 長子陳昭

• 五子陳昕，字君章

• 少子陳暄

• 孫陳秀，陳暄兄子

性格特徵

陳慶之性格祗慎，每次奉詔，都要洗沐拜受；生活儉樸，只穿素衣，而且不好絲竹；射不穿札、不善騎馬，而善撫軍士，能得其死力。

陳慶之自幼跟隨梁武帝。梁武帝酷愛圍棋，經常通宵達旦地和人對弈，其他人都會筋疲力竭，唯獨陳慶之特別旺盛，只要梁武帝想下棋，隨叫隨到，甚得梁武帝歡心。

評價

毛澤東對《南史·陳慶之傳》一讀再讀，對傳內許多處又圈又點，劃滿重線，並批註：「再讀此傳，為之神往」。

《梁書》：「陳慶之有將略，戰勝攻取，蓋頗、牧、衛、霍之亞歟。慶之警悟，早侍高祖，既預舊恩，加之謹肅，蟬冕組佩，亦一世之榮矣。」

《南史》：「陳慶之初同燕雀之遊，終懷鴻鵠之志，及乎一見任委，長驅伊、洛。前無強陣，攻靡堅城，雖南風不競，晚致傾覆，其所克捷，亦足稱之。」

有學者認為：《梁書》和《南史》有誇大成分。關于陳慶之的事跡應當和《魏書》對照看。

註釋

參考書目

• 《梁書·陳慶之列傳》卷三十二 列傳第二十六

• 《南史·陳慶之列傳》卷六十一 列傳第五十一

Campaign against the Northern Wei

In 530 AD, Chen Qingzhi, with only 7,000 troops, invaded Northern Wei, to make Yuan Hao Emperor of Northern Wei. At Liangguo, Chen's 7,000 men defeated Qiu Daqian's Northern Wei army of 70,000 men in a battle that lasted half a day, and Qiu Daqian surrendered. Chen then attacked Kaocheng, held by Yuan Huiye with 20,000 Northern Wei imperial guards. The city fell and Yuan was captured.

Next, Chen attacked Xingyang, but was unable to take it because of its strong garrison of 70,000 troops. A Northern Wei army of 300,000 under Yuan Tianmu and Erzhu Tumo'er was arriving soon to relieve Xingyang, so Chen rallied his men with a speech:

"Ever since we entered Wei territory, we have been capturing land, slaughtering many people in the cities we took. You have killed many peoples' fathers and brothers, and taken many people's children as slaves. Yuan Tianmu's soldiers are all our bitter enemies now. We have only 7,000 men, but the barbarians have over 300,000. Today, the only way for us to survive against the odds is to resolve to fight and die. The barbarians have too many cavalry for us to handle, so we cannot engage them on the plain. We should take advantage of their not having arrived yet, and attack Xingyang with all we've got, capture it, and then hold out. Let's not hesitate. It's time to take some heads!"

Chen then led his troops to storm the walls of Xingyang, capturing it at last. However, more than 500 Liang soldiers were killed or injured. Before long, Yuan Tianmu and Erzhu Tumo'er arrived with their 300,000 troops, straight from Ji'nan (in Shandong). They surrounded Xingyang, but Chen led 3,000 cavalry out and smashed them (against odds of 100 to 1). Next, Chen moved west and attacked the Hulao Pass, and the Wei commanding general Erzhu Shilong abandoned the Pass and fled. Luoyang was left open to attack by Chen, and the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Ziyou abandoned the city and fled across the Yellow River to Henei. Chen was thus able to enter the capital city with his army and set Yuan Hao up as the new Northern Wei emperor.

Unfortunately, Yuan Hao did not wish to remain a puppet of the Liang dynasty, and refused Chen's request for more elite Liang reinforcements. To prevent Chen from getting reinforcements behind his back, he even wrote to Xiao Yan claiming that the situation was under control and that it would be unwise to send more Liang occupation troops in, in case it aroused more resentment among the people of the captured Northern Wei cities. Xiao Yan thus halted the movement of reinforcements from the Liang-Wei border. To make matters worse, Chen's soldiers committed abuses and atrocities on the people of Luoyang, losing all local support, while Yuan Hao also proved an inept and self-indulgent ruler.

Within less than two months of Yuan Hao's entry into Luoyang, the Northern Wei loyalist counterattack succeeded despite fierce resistance from Chen's army, and Yuan Hao fled from the city. Chen led his troops on an orderly retreat, pursued by Erzhu Rong. But his army was caught in a flash flood at the Mount Song River (outside Luoyang), and almost completely destroyed - most of the troops either died or deserted. Chen himself escaped back to the south after shaving his head and disguising himself as a monk.

Modern Research

Modern historians believe that the numbers of soldiers that the Chinese tradition states are exaggerated. New research concludes that Chen merely defeated Yuan's vanguard of 5,000 barbarian horsemen led by Erzhu Tumo'er, and another vanguard of 9,000 men led by Lu An.

Yuan Tianmu's 300,000 men never arrived at Xinyang. Luoyang, the capital of Northern Wei, was taken by Yuan Hao rather than Chen. Yuan Hao wasn't a puppet of Chen and probably had a bigger army. Yuan Tianmu debated with his staff and court dignitaries on whether to take Luoyang back right away, or to follow the fleeing Wei emperor north which he went with.

There was no mention of Xingyang. Two months later, Northern Wei's first general, Erzhu Rong, came back with a large force to retake Luoyang. Chen was of course unable to stop that. The story of 3,000 versus 300,000 was in the Book of Liang, a version of history written by Chen's side. Records from Wei's side did not mention the same battle.