Wen Tianxiang (June 6, 1236 - January 9, 1283), Han nationality, was a native of Luling, Jizhou (now Qingyuan District, Jiangxi Province), a national hero of the Southern Song Dynasty. His first name was Yunsun, and his courtesy name was Tianxiang. . After being selected as a tribute, he changed his name to Tianxiang and changed his name to Lushan. After winning the first prize in the fourth year of Baoyou (1256), he changed his name to Song Rui. Later, because he lived in Wenshan, he was named Wenshan and Fuxiu Taoren. Wen Tianxiang's reputation as a loyal martyr was passed down to future generations. During his capture, Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty persuaded him to surrender with a high official and generous salary. Wen Tianxiang would rather die than surrender and calmly went to justice. His life deeds were praised by later generations. He, Lu Xiufu and Zhang Shijie were known as the "Three Heroes of the Late Song Dynasty".

Wen Tianxiang, an outstanding martyr of China, lived in an era shrouded in the shadow of national crisis. At the beginning of the 13th century, the Mongols became powerful in the Mongolian grasslands, and Temujin established the Mongol Khanate. For decades, they traveled across Europe and Asia, conquered cities and territories, burned, killed, and looted, bringing great suffering to the people. After his son Wokuotai succeeded to the throne, he destroyed the Jin Kingdom and then attacked the Southern Song Dynasty with his whip to the south. From 1235 to 1279, the two sides fought for more than 40 years, and the Southern Song Dynasty finally perished. Wen Tianxiang's life was always connected with this cruel war of national conquest. He is a famous patriotic general and poet who will forever be recorded in Chinese history. At the critical moment when a powerful enemy invaded, the country fell, and people were in ruins, he sold his property, organized a rebel army, and raised troops to fight against the enemy. After being captured, he spoke righteously and generously and died for his country.

Common people

Wen Tianxiang was born on June 6, 1236 (the second day of May in the third year of Duanping in the Song Dynasty) in Futian, Luling County, Jizhou, Jiangxi (now Qingyuan, Jiangxi). This is a beautiful and quiet small town. Not far from the town is Wenshan, which is famous for its hills, valleys, forests and springs. His ancestors were out-and-out common people and had never been officials, so Wen Tianxiang repeatedly said that he "rose from a white house." However, because his ancestors had good moral conduct and had a slight reputation in the countryside, they were called "gentlemen and elders." This had a profound impact on Wen Tianxiang's personality.

Chess master

Wen Tianxiang likes to play chess very much, and his chess skills are extremely high. He once wrote a chess book, recording 40 chapters of dangerous and extraordinary games. When he is at home in the summer, Wen Tianxiang likes to swim while using the water surface as a chessboard and play blind chess with his chess friends based on memory. This really requires a strong memory. The others couldn't bear to be immersed in the water for a long time and gradually left. Only he became happier and happier as time went by. Wen Tianxiang has four seven-character quatrains, describing the superb chess skills of four chess friends, but none of them can defeat him. Playing chess was Wen Tianxiang's lifelong hobby, even in Yanjing Prison. It was not until the eve of his death that the jailer took away his chessboard, ending the game.

A strict father and a good teacher

Wen Tianxiang’s father, Wen Yi, was a scholar and had never been an official in his life. He was addicted to books, and as long as he had a book in hand, he would forget about food and sleep, often reading hard all night long with a solitary lamp. The sky was twilight, and I stood under the eaves and read the small characters carefully. His knowledge is very profound, and he has studied all the classics and history, and even extensively read books on astronomy, geography, medicine, and divination. He also has a hobby of buying books. Sometimes when he has no money, he will buy books even if he pawns his clothes. Wen Yi was full of sympathy for the hardworking villagers and had the ambition to read to make up for the world. He wrote thirty volumes of "Treasure" and twenty volumes of "Random Record". Wen Tianxiang's literary skills are outstanding, and his father's education really deserves the most credit.

Seeing the wise and thinking of others

When Wen Tianxiang was a child, he admired heroic figures and especially loved reading The Legend of Loyal Ministers. One day, he came to the Academy in Jizhou to pay homage to the portraits of the sages. He saw the portraits of Ouyang Xiu, Yang Bangyi and Hu Quan in Jizhou solemnly displayed, which made him admire and admire them very much. These loyal and martyrs are all natives of their hometown. What they can do, Wen Tianxiang feels that he should be able to do it too. He secretly made a vow: I must follow their example. If I can't be respected and sacrificed like them after my death, I will be in vain as a man!

The number one scholar and the first place

In the fourth year of Baoyou (1256), Wen Tianxiang went to the capital Lin'an (today's Hangzhou, Zhejiang) to take the imperial examination. The examination results were released and the candidates passed the preliminary selection. During the palace examination, Wen Tianxiang fell ill, but he still managed to carry his illness to the examination room.

There was a rush of people when I entered, and I broke out in a sweat. I immediately felt more comfortable and my mind was clear. When I saw the title, I thought about it for a while and finished it in one go without even writing a draft. Emperor Lizong of the Song Dynasty went to Jiying Hall to personally name Wen Tianxiang

This time, he named Wen Tianxiang the first in the first class. Wen Tianxiang was only 21 years old. In the fourth year of Baoyou's reign (1256), Lizong of the Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang went to Beijing to take the examination. During the palace examination, the examiner ranked his paper seventh. Lizong went to Jiying Hall to read the candidates' papers and ranked Wen Tianxiang's paper first. Wang Yinglin, a famous scholar who participated in the review at that time, praised: "This paper has excellent arguments and is in line with the principles of ancient sages and sages. The article shows loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, which is as solid as iron stone. I congratulate Your Majesty on getting such a talent!" The paper was sealed. When I opened it, I found that the candidate's name was Wen Tianxiang. Lizong felt it was very auspicious and said happily: "Tianxiang, Tianxiang, this is the auspiciousness coming from heaven, and it is a sign of auspiciousness in the Song Dynasty." From then on, people used "Songrui" as the word for Tianxiang.

Edit this section The ups and downs of the officialdom

Submit a letter of advice

In the first year of Kaiqing (1259), Mongolia launched a large-scale attack on the Southern Song Dynasty. In September, Kublai Khan surrounded Ezhou (now Wuchang, Hubei). When the news reached Lin'an, the government and the public were shocked. Dong Songchen, a favored eunuch nicknamed "Living Yama", suggested moving the capital to Siming (today's Ningbo, Zhejiang) to avoid the war, replaying the story of Gaozong Zhaogou's escape at sea in the early Southern Song Dynasty. However, this is very detrimental to uniting the morale of the military and the people. Wen Tianxiang knew that his words were too small and his too much talk brought disaster, but for the sake of the people of the country, he stepped forward and wrote to the emperor, pointing out that the proposal to move the capital was a villain's words that harmed the country. Dong Songchen was full of evil and should be beheaded. Wen Tianxiang also suggested reforming politics, expanding military strength, and resisting the Yuan Dynasty and saving the country. It is a pity that Lizong did not adopt his suggestions, and the government of the Southern Song Dynasty became more and more corrupt day by day.

Being willing to be indifferent

In the first year of Jingding (1260), Wen Tianxiang was appointed as the official official of the Jiedu Magistrate's Office of Zhennan Army (now Nanchang, Jiangxi), but he was unwilling to take up the post. , requesting "Ancestral Lu". The imperial court agreed and appointed him as the supervisor of the Xiandu Temple in Jianchang Army (now Nancheng, Jiangxi). Xiandu Temple is a Taoist temple, and this position is a casual job. Wen Tianxiang is only 25 years old, but he has the idea of ????retiring from the world. Why? This is caused by the current situation. The imperial court was dominated by powerful traitors, and his reform ideas failed. He was very disappointed. He did not want to stay in the officialdom and join the officialdom, and he did not want to be complicit. He would rather stay out of the political whirlpool for the time being. As the saying goes, "If the state has the right, then you will be an official; if the state does not have the right, then you will be a secluded person." This is Wen Tianxiang's philosophy of life.

Good officials in Ruizhou

In the fourth year of Jingding (1263), because the emperor did not listen to the crowd and re-appointed the treacherous Dong Songchen, Wen Tianxiang resigned angrily, and later Wen Tianxiang

He was demoted to a local post by the imperial court and governed present-day Gao'an County, Jiangxi Province, which was called Ruizhou at the time. Ruizhou was ravaged by Mongolian soldiers, with city walls and houses destroyed and cultural relics looted. After Wen Tianxiang took office, he implemented a lenient policy, tried his best to appease the people, raised funds to establish a "convenience bank" for loans and relief, and restored local order. He also restored some historic sites such as "Biluo Hall" and "Sanxian Hall", and built new buildings such as "Barbarian Cottage" and "Songfeng Pavilion" to promote the national integrity of the sages and inspire the people's patriotic spirit. Under Wen Tianxiang's governance, Ruizhou prospered despite all its failures.

Touch the powerful

In the fifth year of Jingding (1264), Lizong died. The powerful minister Jia Sidao supported the prince as emperor (i.e. Du Zong) and further manipulated the government. He was dissolute and shameless, covering the sky with one hand, and the government of the Southern Song Dynasty became even more corrupt. In 1270, Wen Tianxiang served as the weapons supervisor (in charge of weapons manufacturing) and the storyteller of Chongzheng Palace (explaining the history and classics to the emperor). Once, Jia Sidao threatened Du Zong with the excuse of being ill and threatened to leave his job and return to his hometown. The weak Du Zong actually cried and tried to persuade him to stay. Wen Tianxiang drafted an edict for the emperor. He did not praise Jia Sidao like previous ministers. Instead, he bluntly stated that his ministers should put state affairs first, pointing out that Jia Sidao's behavior was "sparing his body" and "against my heart." As a result, Jia Sidao was offended and dismissed from all his posts. In September of the sixth year of Xianchun (1270), Wen Tianxiang returned to his hometown after being dismissed from office. He felt deeply that people's hearts were sinister and the world was dirty, so he decided to rest in Linquan. He built a villa in Wenshan and lived in seclusion here, focusing on the mountains and rivers, and wrote many beautiful poems.

However, his heart was not peaceful at all. Every time he saw the fallen leaves rustling and the cool moon falling, he felt worried about the country and the people. In the ninth year of Xianchun (1273), the imperial court appointed him to carry out punishments for Hunan and be in charge of prison litigation. He could not refuse, so he had to take up the post.

Ganzhou Parent Official

In the tenth year of Xianchun (1274), Wen Tianxiang was appointed as the magistrate of Ganzhou (now in Jiangxi). Ganzhou is his hometown, and he is extremely diligent and conscientious in serving the local people. He advocated using less punishment and more justice for the people. The people in his 10 counties loved him very much. In addition, the weather was good this year and the rice harvest was good, which led to a short-term peace and happiness. But within a year, the Yuan army invaded the south in a large scale, and the Song Dynasty reached its most dangerous moment. Wen Tianxiang ended 15 years of ups and downs in the officialdom and embarked on a military journey.

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Raise troops to help the king

In July of the tenth year of Xianchun (1274), Du Zong died of illness. Jia Sidao suppressed his elders and established his young ones, and supported the 4-year-old Zhao Kou (with the Xi removed, pronounced "xianxian") to ascend the throne and became Emperor Gong of the Song Dynasty. Wen Tianxiang

In September, the 200,000 Yuan army, led by Yuan Prime Minister Boyan, attacked the Southern Song Dynasty in two ways. The Huaixi system made Xia Gui flee without a fight. In December, Ezhou fell and the commander-in-chief Cheng Pengfei surrendered. Song generals from various places rebelled one after another when the troops pressed on the territory. Huangzhou, Qizhou (now Qichunnan, Hubei), Jiangzhou (now Jiujiang, Jiangxi), De'an (now Anlu, Hubei), Liu'an and other places fell one after another. The Southern Song Dynasty The dynasty was defeated like a mountain. After Emperor Gong of the Song Dynasty came to the throne, the Yuan army fell into Ezhou, and the capital was shocked. Lizong's wife Xie Daoqing issued a "Grieve Edict", describing how the emperor was young, she was old, the people's livelihood was suffering, and the country was in danger. She hoped that the civil servants, generals, heroes and righteous people everywhere would urgently The royal family is worried about the same enemy. If he goes to the country to face a national crisis, the court will not hesitate to reward him for his merits and titles. But the death knell of the Song Dynasty had already sounded, and most generals from all over the country were waiting and watching. Only Wen Tianxiang and Zhang Shijie responded to the "Edict of Sorrow", summoned troops and horses, and raised troops to serve the king.

Serve the country with death

In the first month of the first year of Deyou (1275), Wen Tianxiang received a special order from the court, ordering him to "quickly set out to serve the righteous king and go to the In, refers to the place where the emperor left Beijing to live)". Wen Tianxiang cried bitterly after reading the imperial edict, and immediately issued a list to recruit volunteers and raise food and salaries. He donated all his family wealth for military expenses and sent his mother and family to his younger brother to support him as a sign of relief from the family's destruction. Inspired by Wen Tianxiang, a patriotic rebel army composed mainly of farmers and supplemented by intellectuals was formed in a very short period of time, with a total number of more than 30,000 people. Qibingqinwang opened a new page in Wen Tianxiang's life. A friend once said to Wen Tianxiang: "Now that the Yuan army is advancing in three directions, you are facing the enemy with a mob, which is like driving sheep to fight tigers." Wen Tianxiang replied: "I know this too. But the country has raised its subjects for more than three hundred years. Once there is an emergency, "I am deeply saddened that no one or one of my cavalry has responded to the call, so I risk my own life regardless of my ability. I hope that the loyal and righteous people in the world will rise up and gather their strength to save the country." He also said: To receive the favor of the king and to live on the wealth of the country, one should die to repay the country.

March to Lin'an

After Wen Tianxiang raised his troops, he actively requested to go to the front line to stop the Yuan army, and the statue of Wen Tianxiang

turned the tide of the war. However, they were obstructed by the emperor and powerful ministers of the imperial court, and some people falsely accused King Qin's army of robbing in the Le'an and Yihuang areas. Wen Tianxiang was angry and wrote a letter to protest, and public opinion generally supported him. Tai students also wrote a letter to criticize the capitulationists. Under pressure from all sides, the imperial court finally issued a decree calling Wen Tianxiang to lead troops to Beijing. In August of the first year of Deyou (1275), the troops arrived in Lin'an and made no mistakes all the way. Wen Tianxiang's reputation greatly increased.

Battle of Changzhou

In October, Changzhou (now Changzhou, Jiangsu Province) was in emergency. The imperial court ordered Wen Tianxiang to lead the army to defend Pingjiang, and sent Zhang Quan to lead 2,000 troops to reinforce Changzhou. Considering the overall situation, Wen Tianxiang sent Yin Yu, Zhu Hua, and Max Long, important generals of the rebel army, to lead 3,000 people under Zhang Quan's control to reinforce Changzhou's troops. However, Zhang Quan was despicable and selfish. When the three generals were fighting a bitter battle with the Yuan army, they watched the fire from across the bank and did nothing to save them. During the battle, they fled at night, trapping the rebel army in an isolated and helpless place, thus causing the battle to fail. Wen Tianxiang requested Zhang Quan beheaded, but Prime Minister Chen Yizhong objected. Wen Tianxiang was very indignant about the unclear rewards and punishments in the DPRK and was very worried about the safety of the country.

Wen Tianxiang Memorial Hall

After the Yuan army conquered Changzhou and Pingjiang, they were in danger. The two factions of peace and war have different opinions and each goes his own way. Wen Tianxiang and Zhang Shijie took the lead in the battle, and they jointly petitioned the court to fight against the city and seek peace in the midst of danger. However, the Prime Minister Chen Yizhong stepped up his plans to propose surrender, and the Empress Dowager was also prepared to "submit a letter of surrender", "beg for land in the country", and "confess it as a small country". Zhang Shijie despaired of the imperial court and went south to recruit troops in an attempt to make a comeback. Wen Tianxiang's strategy of saving the country did not receive support, and he also wanted to leave Lin'an and return to Jiangxi to continue the fight against the Yuan Dynasty. As the troops approached the city, Prime Minister Liu Mengyan on the left and Prime Minister Chen Yizhong on the right fled one after another, leaving the court in chaos.

As an envoy to Yuanying

In the first month of the second year of Deyou (1276), three troops of the Yuan army besieged Lin'an. , not much left. The Empress Dowager appointed Wen Tianxiang as Prime Minister and Privy Envoy to clean up the mess. Wen Tianxiang saw that the matter had come to an end and could not refuse, so he agreed to send an envoy to Yuanying in order to have a glimpse of the reality and act according to the opportunity. But he didn't expect that the other party's methods were sinister. After a heated exchange of words, he was unreasonably detained by Boyan. After losing Wen Tianxiang, the Empress Dowager had no one to rely on, and finally surrendered to the Yuan Dynasty.

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Rebuke the surrendered general

After the surrender of the Song Dynasty, the surrendered general Lu Shimeng ridiculed Wen Tianxiang: "The prime minister once wrote a letter asking him to kill the rebellious relic Lu Shimeng, now Why don't you kill me?" Wen Tianxiang reprimanded him unceremoniously: "Your uncle and nephew have become traitors. It is a failure of the government to not kill you. You are living shamelessly, how can you show your face to others? You surrendered to the enemy. "It was easy to kill me, but it made me become a loyal minister of the Song Dynasty. I have nothing to be afraid of!" After hearing this, the generals in the Yuan Dynasty admired Wen Tianxiang's courage and said, "Swear me hard!"

Escape from Zhenjiang

Although Wen Tianxiang was detained, he was unwilling to fail and refused to surrender. Boyan had no choice but to send him to Dadu (now Beijing), the capital of the Yuan Dynasty. The ship arrived at Zhenjiang (now Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province) and docked, and Wen Tianxiang was imprisoned in a resident's home. He ordered his followers to secretly inquire about the enemy, contact ships, and plan to escape. He also secretly hid a dagger in case he committed suicide if necessary. On the night of the escape, Wen Tianxiang's boat was discovered by a Yuan army patrol boat. However, the boat ran aground during the pursuit and was unable to move. The Yuan army could only watch Wen Tianxiang and 12 people escape.

Zhenzhou is under suspicion

After Wen Tianxiang and his party arrived in Zhenzhou (now Yizheng City, Jiangsu Province, southwest of Yangzhou City) (Jiangsu Province Map), they were warmly welcomed by the soldiers and civilians of Zhenzhou. Guard general Miao Zaicheng believed that with Wen Tianxiang's status as prime minister and privy envoy, it would not be difficult to save the overall situation with the combined efforts of Jiang and Huaihe. Unexpectedly, Li Tingzhi, the envoy of the Huaidong system, fell into the enemy's counter-intentional plan. Thinking that Wen Tianxiang had surrendered to the Yuan army, he came to Zhenzhou to attack the city and asked Miao Zaicheng to kill him. Miao Zaicheng was dubious, but he couldn't ignore his boss's orders, so he had to trick Wen Tianxiang into driving him out of the city. Being doubted by his own people was more painful than being insulted by the enemy. Wen Tianxiang couldn't help but look up to the sky and sigh.

Visitors from Yangzhou

Coming out of Zhenzhou, Wen Tianxiang and his party passed through the territory controlled by the Yuan army at night and arrived at the foot of Yangzhou City. The famous capital Yangzhou has experienced two major military disasters. The bustling Shili Pearl Curtain and the beautiful Twenty-Four Bridges have never been the same. The defenders on the city conducted strict inspections and the situation was tense. What will be the outcome when entering Yangzhou City where Li Tingzhi is guarding? Wen Tianxiang was unpredictable. At this time, a firewood seller was willing to take them to Gaoyou, Jiangsu (today's Gaoyou, Jiangsu). Wen Tianxiang decided to leave Yangzhou and look for the two kings, namely Yi Wang Zhao Shi and Guang Wang Zhao Bing, and then serve the court. When Wen Tianxiang and his party arrived at Guigongtang (a small village about 15 miles away from Yangzhou), it was already bright. To avoid the Yuan army, they hid behind several broken walls. Just as he was about to find some food, he suddenly heard a large group of Yuan troops roaring in. They quickly huddled against the wall, not daring to move. At this time, as long as a Yuan soldier peeks in, they will be discovered and made prisoners again. Fortunately, there was a strong wind and dark clouds in the sky. The Yuan army rushed past in a hurry to avoid the rain. Later I learned that this group of Yuan troops was the group that escorted them to Dadu. Because Wen Tianxiang escaped from Zhenjiang, they had stepped up their vigilance and took strict precautions along the way. From Yangzhou to Gaoyou, Wen Tianxiang was homeless all the way, suffering from hunger and cold. The followers fled and died, and only 6 of the 12 were left.

The exhausted Wen Tianxiang could no longer walk. Every step he took was extremely difficult. He fell down and got up again, gritting his teeth and moving forward. Fortunately, I met a group of woodcutters. Seeing that they were in distress, they enthusiastically helped. They brought a basket and asked Wen Tianxiang to sit in it, and six people took turns carrying it away. They went through many hardships and dangers before reaching Gaoyou. However, Gaoyou received a document from Li Tingzhi and strictly guarded against Wen Tianxiang's attack on the city. Wen Tianxiang did not dare to enter the city and moved towards Taizhou (now Taizhou, Jiangsu).

Walking to Tongzhou at night

There is a boat from Taizhou to Tongzhou (today's Nantong, Jiangsu), but not only the Yuan army appears along the way, but also bandits and robbers, which is very dangerous. Wen Tianxiang used a solitary boat and went out at night and day. Although he encountered the enemy many times, he still reached Tongzhou without any danger. In one of his poems, he interestingly said: "Travelers don't know the dangers of life, and a spring dream from the window sends a light boat." After a life of nine deaths, Wen Tianxiang has regarded difficulties and obstacles as nothing.

The official returned to the south

Wen Tianxiang heard in Tongzhou that King Yi and King Guang had established the Marshal's Mansion in Yongjia (now Wenzhou, Zhejiang), and called on the volunteers and warriors from all over the country to continue to fight against the Yuan Dynasty, so he immediately Decided to defect to the Second King. In the leap month of the second year of Deyou (1276), he sailed into the sea and returned to the place he occupied in the Southern Song Dynasty. He planned to raise the flag of righteousness in Fujian and Guangzhou, unite all the righteous soldiers, make unified deployment, and revive the Song Dynasty.

Portraits of Wen Tianxiang (8 photos)

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Duanzong succeeded to the throne

In the second year of Deyou (1276) On the first day of May, King Yi ascended the throne in Fuzhou and changed Yuan Jingyan to Duanzong. King Guang of Jin was granted the title of King of Wei. Wen Tianxiang served as the privy envoy and governor of the army and horses. In July, Wen Tianxiang opened a governor's office in Nanjianzhou (now Nanping, Fujian). Many civil servants and generals from Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi, local celebrities, and former members of King Qin's army came to serve. Wen Tianxiang sent people to various places to recruit troops and raise wages. Soon A governor's army was formed, which was much larger in scale and momentum than the Jiangxi King Qin's army last year. However, the inability of the ministers of the DPRK and China to deal with the enemy with one heart and one mind became a major hidden danger in the anti-Yuan military campaign.

Government in Exile

In October of the second year of Deyou, the imperial court ordered Wen Tianxiang to send troops to Tingzhou (now Changting, Fujian), but unfortunately the battle failed. Under the attack of the Yuan army, Nanjianzhou also fell into the hands of the enemy, and the capital Fu'an (ie Fuzhou) lost its barrier. Prime Minister Chen Yizhong and Deputy Privy Councilor Zhang Shijie were panic-stricken and hurriedly escorted Duanzong and King Wei into the sea to avoid the attack. Fu'an Prefecture immediately fell, and the Southern Song Dynasty's small court became a government-in-exile at sea.

Victory in southern Jiangxi

At the beginning of the second year of Jingyan (1277), the Yuan army advanced on Tingzhou, and Wen Tianxiang retreated to Meizhou, Guangdong (today's Meizhou, Guangdong). After reorganization, they set out from Meizhou in May and started the campaign to regain Jiangxi. Under Wen Tianxiang's leadership, Jiangxi's anti-Yuan military campaign was in full swing. The rebels from all sides cooperated with the governor's army to recapture Huichang, Yudu, and Xingguo respectively. Heroes from Fenning, Wuning, and Jianchang counties, as well as volunteers from Linchuan, Hongzhou, Yuanzhou, and Ruizhou came to request the governor to control . Wen Tianxiang unified the deployment, swept across southern Jiangxi, and recovered a large area of ??land.

Defeated and captured

In August of the second year of Jingyan, the Yuan army launched a large-scale attack. Due to the lack of combat experience and strict training, the governor's army was weak in combat effectiveness. Under the fierce attack of the Yuan army's cavalry, it ended dismally. Civil servants and generals were either sacrificed or arrested. Wen Tianxiang's family was left with only the young and old. Although Wen Tianxiang suffered a huge blow from the destruction of his country and his family and the separation of his wife and children, he did not waver in his will to resist the Yuan Dynasty. He led troops into Guangdong and continued to fight against the Yuan Dynasty in Chaozhou and Huizhou. On December 20, the first year of Xiangxing (1278), Wen Tianxiang was unfortunately captured by a Yuan army that attacked Wupoling. He committed suicide by swallowing two taels of brains (ie borneol), but the medicine failed and he failed to die for his country.

Crossing the Lingding Ocean

Marshal Zhang Hongfan of the Yuan Dynasty led his land and sea armies directly to Guangdong to completely eliminate the Southern Song Dynasty government-in-exile. Wen Tianxiang was escorted by warships to Lingdingyang (now part of Guangdong Province) outside the Pearl River Estuary. Zhang Hongfan sent someone to ask Wen Tianxiang to write a letter to surrender Zhang Shijie. Of course, Wen Tianxiang refused to write a surrender letter, but he wrote a seven-character poem to express his intentions. This poem is "Crossing the Lingding Ocean" that has been remembered for thousands of years. The noble character of "No one has died since ancient times, and his loyalty will be remembered by history" has become a model for Chinese people for thousands of years.

Crossing the Lingding Ocean, we encountered hardships once and for all, and there were only a few stars surrounding us in the fight. The mountains and rivers are broken, the wind flutters and the catkins float, and the life experience is ups and downs, and the rain hits the rafters. Afraid to say panic at the beach, sighing at Ling Ding in the ocean. Since ancient times, no one has died, leaving a loyal heart to illuminate history.

Poem Appreciation

This is an aspirational poem that will last forever. The poem begins with a review of life experience. It is intended to imply that you have been tempered for a long time and are fearless no matter what hardships and hardships you have. Then I recounted my combat career: I spent four years in a desolate and desolate war environment. Linking personal destiny to the rise and fall of the country. Three or four sentences continue to express the development of the situation and the deep sorrow and indignation from both the national and personal aspects. This couplet has neat contrasts and appropriate metaphors, truly reflecting the social reality at that time and the poet's experience. National disasters, personal ups and downs, and all kinds of pain tortured the poet's feelings, making his words doubly sad. The five or six sentences are deeper and deeper, using typical events in the encounter to once again show the poet's painful soul trembling due to the destruction of the country and personal danger. The last two sentences converge the whole article with majestic momentum, and write a heroic oath of preferring death to surrender. The meaning is, since ancient times, is there anyone who is immortal in life? As long as this patriotic loyalty can be left to shine in the annals of history. This famous saying that has been passed down through the ages is a hymn to an ideal life composed by the poet with his own blood and life. The tone of the whole poem is melancholy and solemn, and the awe-inspiring righteousness runs through the rainbow. It is indeed a great patriotic poem that moves the heaven and the earth and weeps ghosts and gods.

The decisive battle of Yashan

Under the fierce offensive of the Yuan army, the Southern Song Dynasty government-in-exile fled to Xiushan (now Hutou Mountain in Humen, Dongguan, Guangdong). At the age of 11, Duanzong became ill due to fright and died of illness in Zhouzhou (now Zhanjiang City, Guangdong). Zhang Shijie and Lu Xiufu succeeded the 8-year-old King Wei to the throne and moved their court to the mountains in the sea in the south of Xinhui County (map of Guangdong Province). On the sixth day of February in the second year of Xiangxing (1279), the Song and Yuan Dynasties launched a thrilling naval battle on the sea. In the end, the Song army led by Zhang Shijie was defeated, and Lu Xiufu carried the little emperor on his back and crossed the sea to die.

Escorted to Dadu

After the Battle of Yashan, Wen Tianxiang was taken to Guangzhou. Zhang Hongfan said to him: "The Song Dynasty was destroyed, and all the loyalty and filial piety were done. Even if he committed suicide, who would record this in the history of the country? Prime Minister Wen turned to serve the Yuan Dynasty as he wished, and he will definitely be reused." Wen Tianxiang replied: "The country has perished. If you can't save him, as a minister, you will be guilty of death, so how can you have second thoughts?" In order to make him surrender, the Yuan Dynasty government decided to escort him to Dadu.

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Imprisoned for three years

Wen Tianxiang was imprisoned for three years from the time he arrived in Dadu in October of the 16th year of Zhiyuan (1279) to the 19th year of Zhiyuan (1282) He was killed in December and imprisoned for three years and two months. During this period, the Yuan Dynasty tried every possible means to persuade, force, or induce Wen Tianxiang to surrender. The number of people involved in persuading him to surrender, the viciousness of the methods of coercion and inducement, the generous conditions promised, and the length of waiting time exceeded those of other Song ministers. Even the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty personally persuaded him to surrender. Therefore, the severe test Wen Tianxiang endured and the firmness of his will were rare in the past. Wen Tianxiang's unyielding spirit can be seen from the shocking weeping ghosts and gods in "Song of Righteousness".

Fine and flesh are hard to reconcile

Wen Tianxiang’s wife, Mrs. Ouyang, and two daughters, Liu Niang and Huan Niang, were captured by the Yuan army and sent to Dadu. The Yuan Dynasty wanted to use flesh and blood to soften Wen Tianxiang. Wen Tianxiang's wife had two sons and six daughters. At that time, these two daughters were the only ones alive, both aged 14. Wen Tianxiang received his daughter's letter. Although he was heartbroken, he still said firmly: "No one has the love of his wife and children, but things have become like this today. It is his fate to die for justice. What can I do! What can I do!" The poem said: "Idiots, don't ask about your current livelihood, but plant seeds for the future life." It means that when the country is broken, the family cannot be whole, because the reunion of flesh and blood means betrayal and surrender. Neither inducement nor family affection could make Wen Tianxiang succumb, so the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty changed their tactics and tortured him. They put wooden shackles on Wen Tianxiang and locked him in a damp and cold earthen cell. The air in the cell was foul and smelly. Wen Tianxiang didn't have enough to eat every day, slept on uneven wooden boards, and was ordered around and drank by the vicious jailers. He lived a life like hell.

Because he was determined not to bow his head, Prime Minister Polo of the Yuan Dynasty threatened him: "You want to die, but I will not let you die, but will imprison you!" Wen Tianxiang showed no sign of weakness: "I am not afraid of death, so why should I be afraid of imprisonment!" During his lonely years, he wrote many touching patriotic poems.

Inducing officials to surrender

In the 19th year of the Yuan Dynasty (1282), Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, asked his ministers: "Who is the most virtuous among the prime ministers in the south and the north?" The memorial said: "The people from the north are not as good as Yelu Chucai, and the people from the south are not as good as Wen Tianxiang." Kublai Khan issued an edict, intending to grant Wen Tianxiang a high official position. Wang Jiweng, a minister of the Song Dynasty who surrendered to the Yuan Dynasty, and others wrote to Wen Tianxiang. Wen Tianxiang replied: "If Guan Zhong does not die, his fame will be known to the world; if Tianxiang does not die, his stink will last for ten thousand years." Wang Jiweng saw that he was so decisive and did not dare to persuade him again. Soon, Kublai Khan ordered Wen Tianxiang to be treated preferentially and given him high-quality meals. Wen Tianxiang asked someone to tell him: "I have not taken official meals for several years, and I don't take it now." Kublai Khan summoned Wen Tianxiang and offered him high-level positions such as prime minister and privy councillor, but he sternly refused, saying: " I wish I could die!"

Calmly sacrifice

On the ninth day of December in the 19th year of the Yuan Dynasty (1282), it was the day when Wen Tianxiang died. On this day, there were heavily armed guards inside and outside the Bingmasi Prison, and the security was tight. Tens of thousands of citizens gathered on both sides of the street when they heard the news of Wen Tianxiang's death. From prison to execution ground, Wen Tianxiang walked calmly and calmly. Before the execution, Wen Tianxiang asked for the direction and then bowed several times to the south. The supervisor asked, "What does the Prime Minister have to say? You can still avoid death if you respond." Wen Tianxiang stopped talking and died calmly at the age of 47.

Eternal fame

After Wen Tianxiang was martyred, people commemorated him in various ways. Wang Yanwu, who once participated in the rebel army, wrote the "Essay on Worshiping the Prime Minister Wen Tianxiang", praising Wen Tianxiang as steadfast as the cold pines and cypresses. His death caused "the mountains and rivers to suddenly change their colors, and the sun and the moon to shine upon them." In 1323, in the county school in Wen Tianxiang's hometown of Jizhou, his portrait was hung in the Xianxian Hall, where he was worshiped alongside Ouyang Xiu, Yang Bangyi, Hu Quan, etc. In 1376, the "Prime Minister Wen's Shrine" was built in Jiaozhongfang, Beijing. Later, the "Prime Minister Wen's Martyrs' Shrine" was also built in Luling, Jizhou. Wen Tianxiang's collected works and biographies have been widely circulated among the people and have endured for a long time, inspiring the righteousness of the nation. During the anti-Yuan period, Wen Tianxiang handled the two issues of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism very appropriately. Before Emperor Gong of the Song Dynasty surrendered, he raised troops to serve the king; after Emperor Gong of the Song Dynasty surrendered, he did not surrender, but insisted that "the king surrenders and the ministers do not surrender." Later, Wen Tianxiang was defeated and imprisoned. The Yuan Dynasty used Emperor Gong of Song to persuade him to surrender, but he still refused. In his opinion, Emperor Gong of the Song Dynasty was a monarch who unfortunately lost his country and deserved sympathy. But at this time, Sheji valued the emperor more than others, and he could never change his belief in loyalty to the country with his actions of loyalty to the emperor. Wen Tianxiang is not only a patriot, but also a politician. He believed that the crisis of the Song Dynasty was mainly internal rather than external, so he actively demanded reforms. He criticized the Song Dynasty's policy of "defending the inside but favoring the outside world" (i.e., controlling the inside and favoring the outside world), and demanded that local forces be strengthened to resist foreign aggression. At the same time, he proposed the method of abolishing ancestral autocracy, communicating with others, gathering people's thoughts, and following people's plans, giving full play to the role of the Privy Council of Zhongshu, and advocated that the appointment of talents must be based on talents, gentlemen, and people who are outspoken and dare to remonstrate. It can be seen that Wen Tianxiang's political opinions not only express the requirements of the times, but also conform to the process of historical development