Yue Fei (Traditional Chinese: 岳飛, Simplified Chinese: 岳飞, pinyin: Yuè Fēi; March 17?, 1103 - January 27, 1142) was a patriotic and nationalist military leader during the Song Dynasty of China.

Days after birth, flooding of the Yellow River destroyed his village. His father drowned ensuring his wife and son's safety by floating them downstream in a jar. Yue Fei and his mother settled in Hebei province. Becoming proficient in warfare at an early age, Yue Fei as a young man narrowly escaped execution after killing the Prince of Liang in a martial arts tournament. He did not join the fight against Jin Dynasty invaders until he was 23.

As a valiant and tactically astute general, Yue Fei led many successful campaigns against the Jins although his troops were frequently outnumbered. His forces were on the verge of victory and recouping the lands lost by the Southern Song dynasty when corrupt officials persuaded the Emperor Gaozong to recall him to the capital. He and his son, Yue Yun , were sentenced to death on charges that were "Not Necessarily There" (莫須有).

One of the great symbols of patriotism and a national hero in China, Yue Fei is also a renowned poet, his most famous piece being Manjiang Hong (The Bloody River).

Yue Fei is also sometimes credited with developing the internal style of wushu known as Hsing Yi.

There is a famous mausoleum shrine to Yue Fei in Hangzhou.

Zi: Peng Ju (鵬舉) Posthumous name: Wu Mu (武穆)

External links

• The Most Famous Tattoo in Chinese History - Jing Zhong Bao Guo