Saturday, December 18, 2004

The Story of Yue Fei

As told by Hao Zhuo:

As a valiant and wise commander, General Yue Fei once defeated an enemy said to be 500,000 strong with only 800 soldiers on the outskirts of today's Kaifeng. So a commander of Jin sighed, 'It is easier to shake Mount Tai than to shake Yue Fei's army.' Thanks to Yue Fei and a contemporary general, Han Shizhong, the shaky regime of Southern Song maintained itself for the time being.

Although Yue Fei and other war hawks had won brilliant victories and recovered the most part of the territory, it was the capitulationists like Qin Hui who wielded real power at court. They even resorted to false accusations to eliminate the war party and finally had Yue Fei sent to prison and executed.

After the emperor Xiao Zong succeeded to the throne, Yue Fei was cleared of the groundless charges and a temple was built in his memory at the foot of Qixia Ling by West Lake in Hangzhou. Before Yue Fei's tomb are four cast-iron kneeling figures, with chests bare and hands bound behind their backs. They are responsible for the murder of Yue Fei.

Honored the green hill is to provide
eternal resting-place for the loyal soul;
Innocent is the iron used to cast the images
of the hated traitorous ministers.

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