Yue Fei, courtesy name Pengju (鵬舉) was a Chinese military general who lived during the Southern Song dynasty and is remembered as a patriotic national hero of Song China, known for leading its forces in the wars in the 12th century between Southern Song and the Jurchen-ruled Jin dynasty in northern China. Because of his warlike stance, he was put to death by the Southern Song government in 1142 under a frameup, after a negotiated peace was achieved with the Jurchens. Yue Fei is depicted in the Wu Shuang Pu by Jin Guliang.
Illustration of Yue Fei in Liu Songnian's Four Generals of Zhongxing, 72 years after the death of Yue Fei.
Qing dynasty illustration of Yue Fei
Illustration of Zhou Tong, Yue Fei's teacher
Yue Fei's mother writes jin zhong bao guo on his back, as depicted in a "Suzhou style" beam decoration at the Summer Palace, Beijing.
The Song dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Ten Kingdoms, ending the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The Song often came into conflict with the contemporaneous Liao, Western Xia and Jin dynasties in northern China. After retreating to southern China following attacks by the Jin dynasty, the Song was eventually conquered by the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty.
Emperor Taizu of Song (r. 960–976), a court portrait painting
A portrait of Emperor Taizong of Song (r. 976–997)
A wooden Bodhisattva from the Song dynasty (960–1279)
Flock of Crane over Song Palace painting by Emperor Huizong
