Yue Fei
General of Song Dynasty
Biography
Yue Fei (1103โ1142) was a patriot and military commander who defended the Southern Song Dynasty from the Jurchen Jin invaders. Rising from a poor farming family, he became a master archer and a brilliant strategist. His highly disciplined army, known as the 'Yue Family Army,' became so feared by the Jin forces that they famously lamented, 'It is easier to shake a mountain than to shake the Yue Family Army.' He successfully reclaimed vast territories and was on the verge of retaking the old capital Kaifeng. However, his success alarmed court rivals, particularly the minister Qin Hui. Yue Fei was recalled to the capital and executed on false charges of treason.
A famous legend surrounds his birth: it is said that at the very moment he was born, a colossal mythological bird called the Dapeng (Giant Garuda) flew over his family's roof and cried out. Believing this was a sign of a great future, his father named him Fei (meaning 'to fly') and gave him the courtesy name Pengju (meaning 'rising flight'). Another beloved legend is 'Tattooing the Back': to encourage him to serve his country, his mother used a needle to tattoo four large characters on his back: 'Jin Zhong Bao Guo,' which means 'Serve the Country with Utmost Loyalty.' This tattoo served as his lifelong promise to protect his homeland.