During WW2, when the Imperial Japanese Army was overrunning China, the Chinese had adopted the slogan of huan wo jiang shan, meaning tentatively as "return us our rivers and mountains", as a rallying cry in the resistance war against the Japanese forces. This emotional and evocative slogan was part of a lyric said to be composed by the great Chinese general Yue Fei, although no evidence exists that this verse was earlier than the 15th century.
Yue Fei was the second most celebrated military hero in Chinese history; the first being Guan Yu of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms fame. During times of foreign invasions when the normally civilian-oriented Chinese state was in need of military heroes, the names of these two celebrated heroes would be invoked to rally the soldiers and people of China. As befitting heroes, a host of legends had grown up around Yue Fei, and magnified (and obscured) his exploits and heroism.
The future general was born into a poor peasant family in what is today Anyang county in north-eastern Henan in 1103, during the Northern Song dynasty. Yue Fei was said to be typically North Chinese i.e. above average in height, physically strong, taciturn and of stoical temperament and endowed with an honest, direct manner that won people's confidence. He received some rudimentary education, probably in the village's 'winter school', where peasant boys were taught some basic literacy during the farming year's short slack season.
Yue Fei was attracted to the military very early in life, and while still a young boy, had been accepted as a protege by a noted archery instructor. He quickly excelled in the military art of archery, as well as learning how to wield a pike and a battle sword. According to traditional accounts, at the age of 16, he entered into the service of the most prominent family in the local area.
Living where he was, Yue Fei had ample opportunities to learn of the devastating Liao-Jin struggles now taking place across the border in the Liao Qidan empire. He also had first-hand experiences when the Jurchen Jin eventually invaded China a few times in the early 1120s. In early 1122, Yue Fei responded to a recruitment exercise by a regional commander for daredevils who knew how to fight.
By this time, Yue Fei appeared to have acquired some literary education as well. The national mythos presented him as an ideal 'scholar-general' though this was clearly exaggerated. Yue Fei remained largely a soldier, a fighter of some limited literary cultivation.
However his father's death in 1123 required Yue Fei to return home to attend the funeral and observe the traditional 3 years' mourning period, which he did. After which, he revolunteered for active service in 1126; this time serving with the commander of Xiangzhou near his home.
By then, North China was in upheavel as Jin troops were marauding in the countryside, along with uprisings of local bandits intent on plunder. Yue Fei saw action against these bandits and was quite successful at it. He undoubtably believed suppressing such local disorders were necessary to conserve the strength of the empire for the coming war with the Jin.
Later, Yue Fei went to join the Song forces defending the abandoned capital of Kaifeng, again in Chinese hands after the Jin had looted it and returned to Manchuria. By now, Prince Kang, self-proclaimed and first emperor of the Southern Song dynasty was at Yangzhou, organizing the Chinese resistance - the actual emperor and retired senior emperor having been captured by the Jurchens and escorted back to Manchuria.
The Song forces retreated to the south of the Yangzi in 1129 and Yue Fei followed. He was stationed at Jiankang (Nanjing today). When the Jin, under Prince Zongbi, crossed the Yangzi to pursue the Nan-Song emperor in 1129-30, Yue Fei led a detachment that harassed the invaders and eventually drove them back across the mighty Yangzi.
His reputation growing, Yue Fei was given higher titles and larger assignments. He was called to the Imperial Court in 1133, and at the age of 30 was appointed as commander of the main Song armies in the central Yangzi region. In 1134, Yue Fei attacked the Jin puppet state of Qi, and campaigned far north into the region of modern Xiangyang in Hubei, capturing that bastion as well as a number of important military bases.
This was to be the first of Yue Fei's four campaigns into now Jin territories north of the Yangzi during the next six or seven years. Other generals, including some real 'scholar-generals', also defended the buffer zone along the Yangzi-Huai rivers well, and at times, also attacking into Jin territory. The common mythos that Yue Fei was the only Chinese general who attacked into Jin territories was quite false.
In 1134, Yue Fei was given command of the Central China armies based at Ezhou, present day Wuchang in Hubei. This would be his base, on and off, throughout the remaining of his military career.
The Nan-Song also faced uprisings south of the Yangzi, especially by opportunists and bandits. In particular, the one led by one Yang Yao was particularly worrisome. Yang Yao's forces were partially comprised of inland naval forces, who had adopted armored human-powered paddle wheel ships of large size and good maneuverability for naval warfare.
As Yue Fei was the nearest Song commander to Yang Yao's uprising, he was assigned to suppress it. He managed to capture some of the new-fangled warships and used them against the rebels. Within a few months in late 1135, Yue Fei had suppressed Yang Yao's uprising and took over his naval forces, consisting of some 50000 troops; increasing his command to more than 100000 soldiers. This was also the beginning of the Nan-Song great inland navy, which would play an important part in the defense of the Yangzi for decades.
By now, Yue Fei was one of three or four of the most important military leaders in the Nan-Song state, and the most independent-minded. He was a rigourous disciplinarian, and his troops were well-trained and taught, and highly disciplined. The Song military at this stage was organized around generals and their armies (and soldiers) expected to be permanently attached to their commanding generals.
Yue Fei was held to be the Song general most ardent in recovering the lost North Chinese provinces. Thus, men from Jin-held China who had escaped to the south all wanted to join his particular command. The army of Yue Fei of mostly northern backgrounds with their special espirit de corps was held in awe at the Imperial Court.
More dangerously, Yue Fei's pro-war stance began to conflict with the emperor's attempt to reach an accomodation with the Jurchens, and with Qin Gui, Chief Councillor at the court, and leader of the pro-peace party. Openly, the Imperial Court continued to reward and praise Yue Fei's efforts, and to meet with him when he went to court to (bluntly) state his views on state policies. But underneath, he was treading on dangerous ground.
In 1140, Yue Fei was engaged in yet another campaign into Jin-held North China. This was his furthest and most successful advance yet. Then came the orders from the Imperial Court, and he was to withdraw abruptly. Yue Fei was ordered to court, where plans were already being executed to replace the leading soldiers among the Song generals with civilian commanders.
Later in summer 1140, Yue Fei went to court again to protest the changes taking place and demanded to be allowed to resign. His demand was turned down, and he was reassigned. A few months later, Yue Fei was recalled to court again and this time, he was given an administrative staff position. Military emergencies forced the Imperial Court to give him a brief command in the summer of 1141, but it didn't last.
Instead, Yue Fei was jailed for insubordination and malfeasance.
The emperor had almost negotiated a settlement with the Jurchens and he didn't want any 'complications'. As part of a condition of the peace treaty, possibly the Jin might have demanded that Yue Fei be collared. In any case, the war was over and the Song would make no efforts to recover the North.
High officials were sent to interrogate Yue Fei. They were unable to prove a credible case against the valiant general. In some instances, some officials actually sided with him. Finally in early 1142, under the orders of Qin Gui, one of the architects of the peace treaty with the Jin, Yue Fei was poisoned and killed. To this day, Qin Gui was denounced as a great villain and traitor, though I think the charge was too harsh as the Song simply couldn't outfight the tough Jurchens. Peace through tribute was the only recourse.
Sympathetic jailers would later steal his body and secretly buried it where it could not be found, but marked so that General Yue Fei could be given a proper burial later. That would have to wait however, until the rehabilitation of Yue Fei under the next emperor, Xiaozong, after the present emperor, Gaozong, had retired.
And thus was the legend of General Yue Fei as an upright, patriotic and loyal Chinese to grow down through all the generations of Chinese until the present day, and he was upheld as a leading role model of what the individual Chinese should aspire to.
Yue Fei was the second most celebrated military hero in Chinese history; the first being Guan Yu of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms fame. During times of foreign invasions when the normally civilian-oriented Chinese state was in need of military heroes, the names of these two celebrated heroes would be invoked to rally the soldiers and people of China. As befitting heroes, a host of legends had grown up around Yue Fei, and magnified (and obscured) his exploits and heroism.
The future general was born into a poor peasant family in what is today Anyang county in north-eastern Henan in 1103, during the Northern Song dynasty. Yue Fei was said to be typically North Chinese i.e. above average in height, physically strong, taciturn and of stoical temperament and endowed with an honest, direct manner that won people's confidence. He received some rudimentary education, probably in the village's 'winter school', where peasant boys were taught some basic literacy during the farming year's short slack season.
Yue Fei was attracted to the military very early in life, and while still a young boy, had been accepted as a protege by a noted archery instructor. He quickly excelled in the military art of archery, as well as learning how to wield a pike and a battle sword. According to traditional accounts, at the age of 16, he entered into the service of the most prominent family in the local area.
Living where he was, Yue Fei had ample opportunities to learn of the devastating Liao-Jin struggles now taking place across the border in the Liao Qidan empire. He also had first-hand experiences when the Jurchen Jin eventually invaded China a few times in the early 1120s. In early 1122, Yue Fei responded to a recruitment exercise by a regional commander for daredevils who knew how to fight.
By this time, Yue Fei appeared to have acquired some literary education as well. The national mythos presented him as an ideal 'scholar-general' though this was clearly exaggerated. Yue Fei remained largely a soldier, a fighter of some limited literary cultivation.
However his father's death in 1123 required Yue Fei to return home to attend the funeral and observe the traditional 3 years' mourning period, which he did. After which, he revolunteered for active service in 1126; this time serving with the commander of Xiangzhou near his home.
By then, North China was in upheavel as Jin troops were marauding in the countryside, along with uprisings of local bandits intent on plunder. Yue Fei saw action against these bandits and was quite successful at it. He undoubtably believed suppressing such local disorders were necessary to conserve the strength of the empire for the coming war with the Jin.
Later, Yue Fei went to join the Song forces defending the abandoned capital of Kaifeng, again in Chinese hands after the Jin had looted it and returned to Manchuria. By now, Prince Kang, self-proclaimed and first emperor of the Southern Song dynasty was at Yangzhou, organizing the Chinese resistance - the actual emperor and retired senior emperor having been captured by the Jurchens and escorted back to Manchuria.
The Song forces retreated to the south of the Yangzi in 1129 and Yue Fei followed. He was stationed at Jiankang (Nanjing today). When the Jin, under Prince Zongbi, crossed the Yangzi to pursue the Nan-Song emperor in 1129-30, Yue Fei led a detachment that harassed the invaders and eventually drove them back across the mighty Yangzi.
His reputation growing, Yue Fei was given higher titles and larger assignments. He was called to the Imperial Court in 1133, and at the age of 30 was appointed as commander of the main Song armies in the central Yangzi region. In 1134, Yue Fei attacked the Jin puppet state of Qi, and campaigned far north into the region of modern Xiangyang in Hubei, capturing that bastion as well as a number of important military bases.
This was to be the first of Yue Fei's four campaigns into now Jin territories north of the Yangzi during the next six or seven years. Other generals, including some real 'scholar-generals', also defended the buffer zone along the Yangzi-Huai rivers well, and at times, also attacking into Jin territory. The common mythos that Yue Fei was the only Chinese general who attacked into Jin territories was quite false.
In 1134, Yue Fei was given command of the Central China armies based at Ezhou, present day Wuchang in Hubei. This would be his base, on and off, throughout the remaining of his military career.
The Nan-Song also faced uprisings south of the Yangzi, especially by opportunists and bandits. In particular, the one led by one Yang Yao was particularly worrisome. Yang Yao's forces were partially comprised of inland naval forces, who had adopted armored human-powered paddle wheel ships of large size and good maneuverability for naval warfare.
As Yue Fei was the nearest Song commander to Yang Yao's uprising, he was assigned to suppress it. He managed to capture some of the new-fangled warships and used them against the rebels. Within a few months in late 1135, Yue Fei had suppressed Yang Yao's uprising and took over his naval forces, consisting of some 50000 troops; increasing his command to more than 100000 soldiers. This was also the beginning of the Nan-Song great inland navy, which would play an important part in the defense of the Yangzi for decades.
By now, Yue Fei was one of three or four of the most important military leaders in the Nan-Song state, and the most independent-minded. He was a rigourous disciplinarian, and his troops were well-trained and taught, and highly disciplined. The Song military at this stage was organized around generals and their armies (and soldiers) expected to be permanently attached to their commanding generals.
Yue Fei was held to be the Song general most ardent in recovering the lost North Chinese provinces. Thus, men from Jin-held China who had escaped to the south all wanted to join his particular command. The army of Yue Fei of mostly northern backgrounds with their special espirit de corps was held in awe at the Imperial Court.
More dangerously, Yue Fei's pro-war stance began to conflict with the emperor's attempt to reach an accomodation with the Jurchens, and with Qin Gui, Chief Councillor at the court, and leader of the pro-peace party. Openly, the Imperial Court continued to reward and praise Yue Fei's efforts, and to meet with him when he went to court to (bluntly) state his views on state policies. But underneath, he was treading on dangerous ground.
In 1140, Yue Fei was engaged in yet another campaign into Jin-held North China. This was his furthest and most successful advance yet. Then came the orders from the Imperial Court, and he was to withdraw abruptly. Yue Fei was ordered to court, where plans were already being executed to replace the leading soldiers among the Song generals with civilian commanders.
Later in summer 1140, Yue Fei went to court again to protest the changes taking place and demanded to be allowed to resign. His demand was turned down, and he was reassigned. A few months later, Yue Fei was recalled to court again and this time, he was given an administrative staff position. Military emergencies forced the Imperial Court to give him a brief command in the summer of 1141, but it didn't last.
Instead, Yue Fei was jailed for insubordination and malfeasance.
The emperor had almost negotiated a settlement with the Jurchens and he didn't want any 'complications'. As part of a condition of the peace treaty, possibly the Jin might have demanded that Yue Fei be collared. In any case, the war was over and the Song would make no efforts to recover the North. High officials were sent to interrogate Yue Fei. They were unable to prove a credible case against the valiant general. In some instances, some officials actually sided with him. Finally in early 1142, under the orders of Qin Gui, one of the architects of the peace treaty with the Jin, Yue Fei was poisoned and killed.
To this day, Qin Gui was denounced as a great villain and traitor, though I think the charge was too harsh as the Song simply couldn't outfight the tough Jurchens. Peace through tribute was the only recourse. Sympathetic jailers would later steal his body and secretly buried it where it could not be found, but marked so that General Yue Fei could be given a proper burial later. That would have to wait however, until the rehabilitation of Yue Fei under the next emperor, Xiaozong, after the present emperor, Gaozong, had retired.
And thus was the legend of General Yue Fei as an upright, patriotic and loyal Chinese to grow down through all the generations of Chinese until the present day, and he was upheld as a leading role model of what the individual Chinese should aspire to.
