6 famous Chinese warriors

For thousands of years, powerful dynasties have reigned over China. Each dynasty has produced powerful And leaders, each seeking to exert an influence on the whole of the immense region. Throughout these dynasties, many armies have been lifted and thousands of battles were fought throughout East Asia. It is during these different conflicts that some of the greatest Military Commanders From the history of ancient China have distinguished themselves.

Through this article we have retraced the story of 6 famous Chinese warriors from the history of China: how they knew how to climb to the rank of more powerful Chinese war lords for some, their breathtaking victories who have changed the course of history and many other things that have done their renown.

1) Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu is undoubtedly the most famous Chinese warrior in history. Sun Tzu was general under the King he read of the state of Wu. At the head of the Wu army made up of 30,000 soldiers, Sun defeated the state of CHU which had 200,000 soldiers! But he is also better known for his bookArt of war which is widely recognized as one of the most important books written on the subject of war. Although there are few specific details on the beginnings of Sun Tzu, the researchers determined that he was born in the Chinese State of Qi and that he served King He read of Wu as a military specialist During the end of the Zhou dynasty (1046 BC at 256 BC). Thanks to his knowledge and experience, Sun Tzu has developed military theories Unique focused on psychological warfare, an innovative concept at a time when most soldiers were generally trying to suppress their enemies by overwhelming physical strength. And it was by using these innovative strategies that he managed to overcome much larger armies than his!

The lessons contained in the art of war focuses on a main theme: the use of unconventional means and deception to exercise a psychological domination, producing an invaluable lever effect on enemies in military situations. In his teachings, Sun Tzu encourages tactics such as the dissolution of enemy alliances, and even how to use withdrawal or retirement as a tactical advantage. By studying Sun Tzu's philosophy on mental war and strategy in relation to total dependence on physical strength, military historians can better understand how the art of war has influenced the military tactics employed by countries around the world Until today.

2) Yue Fei

Yue Fei is one of the most famous generals in China. Born at the end of the Northern Song dynasty, Yue Fei (1103-1142) he is known not only for his military successes, but also for his high sense of ethics. Thanks to ancient biographies telling its story and a temple dedicated to his memory, Yue Fei is, in the Chinese tradition, a lasting symbol of loyalty.

While Yue Fei reached its majority, China was invaded by the Jürchens from the North and the Emperor had desperately needed warriors competent. Yue Fei was faced with a dilemma: on the one hand, he wanted to fight the Jürches and defend his homeland; But on the other hand, he also wanted to stay back and take care of his elderly mother. Torn between his values ​​of loyalty and his respect for his elders, he did not know what to do. To encourage him, his mother asked him to put himself shirtless. She then tattooed four Chinese characters on his back: Jing Zhong Bao Guo who meant "serve the country loyally". Now capable of achieving both the wish of his mother and her duty towards the country, Yue Fei quickly went to combat.

Yue Fei organized and trained a powerful army, largely defeated his enemy and brought triumph and hope to countless people. Indeed Yue Fei created his army, theArmy of Yue Fei. It consisted at the origin of some refugees in the North who wanted to return to their lost home, then developed in a large troop with glorious military exploits. Once, with only 500 men, he defeated an army Jürchen of 100,000 soldiers, forcing them to flee! The army he directed was called "the Yue army" and there was a popular saying among the people: "It is easy to shake a mountain, but it is not easy to shake the Yue army."More than 100,000 warriors from his troop were extremely loyal, strong and disciplined. Yue Fei was famous for protecting civilians and taking care of his soldiers outside the battlefield. He was strict with his soldiers and prohibited them from Maling Civilians in the cities they crossed.

But the exploits of Yue Fei aroused the jealousy of several officials close to the emperor. This is why on January 27, 1142, Yue is poisoned To death at the age of 39, in prison, in Hangzhou by Chancellor Qin Hui after being falsely accused. However, 21 years later, the Emperor Xiaozong rises on the throne and ordered the rehabilitation of the reputation of General Yue. The emperor decrees that the tomb of Yue will be built near the western lake of Hangzhou.

3) Han Xin

 Han Xin (around 231 to 196 BC) was one of the strategists The most remarkable soldiers in Chinese history. He is best known for having helped Liu Bang to take power and inaugurate the reign of 400 years of one of the most glorious Chinese dynasties.

At the end of the Qin dynasty, China fell into the Chao and several states compete for control. Han Xin served in the Chinese army, climbing the ladder as a low level guard before being promoted to the rank of general general in just a few years. Lord Liu Bang recognized the military prowess of Han Xin and predicted that man had the potential to become a asset vital. It was finally true, because Han Xin's determination and strategic thinking allowed Liu Bang to settle as one of the three Rebel leaders who clashed to obtain military superiority. Under the direction of Liu Bang, Han Xin played an essential role by forcing the end of a five -year war against the CHU army.

 During this conflict, Han Xin led battles with much greater CHU armies than his, using tactics which involved psychological warfare, as well as surprised attacks and a strategic positioning to take over in conflicts. The jingxing battle, during which Han Xin positioned around 30,000 of his men back against a river (thus blocking any possibility of surprise attack), this was the main demonstration of Han Xin's combat efficiency, ensuring that they would fight as much as possible when they face around 200,000 enemy soldiers. At the same time, he sent a small number of soldiers on horseback to capture the enemy camp, so that when the opposing army was faced with the defeat on the battlefield, the shocking discovery that she had no basis for falling back provoked the collapse of her army.

With the help of Han Xin, the forces of Liu Bang came out victorious and he became the first emperor of a new dynasty Han.

Han Xin showed a remarkable loyalty. During the conquest of the Kingdom of IQ, some pushed him to abandon Liu Bang and to establish his own kingdom on the land he had taken. ""My gratitude to King Han is extremely deep", would have replied Han Xin. The loyalty of Han Xin flowed from his belief in following the will of the sky and the traditional Chinese conviction according to which the emperors were endowed with their power thanks to the divine blessing.

Despite Han Xin's promises, which he did not intend to usurp the throne, over time, Liu Bang and Queen Lu became suspicious and jealous of the very competent general. Finally, Queen Lu accused her of "plotting a rebellion". Han Xin was taken to a trap And killed At the Palais de Changle with his relatives. The rest of his clan was also destroyed later.

4) CAD CAD

Cao Cao has entered history as one of the most powerful Chinese general of the Han dynasty, which extended from 206 BC to 220 AD CAD was promoted to the rank of general thanks to its important contributions at the end of the Rebellion of the yellow turban, an uprising of peasants and people of the people who started in 184 and ended in Chao. At the end of the rebellion in 205, China was divided into three unstable kingdoms, each to be led by a certain number of large generals. Generals of high row, like Cao, fought and maneuvered to unify the kingdoms under a single leader. After claiming a strategic position near the capital of Emperor Xian to the north, Cao made the emperor his prisoner.

Cao then forced Emperor Xian to bring together hundreds of thousands of soldiers under his command, thus becoming the most powerful war lord of Northern China. His goal was to win the allegiance of other great generals, and when they refused to honor his command, he made them submit by the strength. Using his control over the Chinese political and military landscape, Cao Cao assumed the role of manager, and thanks to a cautious administration of resources, he pushed to the reunification of all of China. Despite his efforts, Cao Cao could not completely unify China because of the number of generals who categorically disputed his reign, but we still remember him as a brilliant and famous commander who fought relentlessly to claim the Being able and changing the old Chinese socio -political landscape. Cao is also a perfect example of manager who used a political strategy, in this case, transforming the emperor into a puppet, instead of resorting to military tactics or brute force to win the battle.

5) Xiang Yu

Xiang Yu and his family were stripped of their privileges and forced to poverty once the Qin dynasty officially took the power. The Qin dynasty, which abolished the opponent states, the state of CHU of which Xiang Yu and his family were part, was the target of a generalized hatred on the part of Chinese citizens because of their cruel methods to enforce the government. In search of power, Xiang Yu, cajolé by his uncle, Xiang Liang, decides to take up arms against the Empire. While the battle between the combined rebel forces and the Qin Empire progressed, Yu finally succeeded his uncle as Supreme Commander CHU rebel forces, later succeeding in crushing the capital of the Qin Empire, and executing the Emperor Qin. Particularly with the battle of Julu, or Xiang Yu with 50,000 men defeated more than 400,000 Qin men after days of combat. Up to 200,000 Qin soldiers went to him. He then massacred these soldiers. His victory sealed the fate of the Qin dynasty.

The emperor having died, the great generals all tried to seize imperial supremacy. Yu concluded a treaty with General Liu Bang, stipulating that the two parties would share Chinese territory in equal parts. Unfortunately, Xiang Yu's forces were defeated by Liu Bang's army when he broke the truce in a surprising way in 202 BC. After his defeat, Yu committed suicide before the enemy could capture him. Today, historians remember him for his heroism in the fire of the battle, as well as for the essential role he played in the dissolution of the Malimé Empire Qin. Yu's heritage is honored by countless stories, songs and poems.

6) Qi Jiguang

Qi Jiguang was born in 1528, under the Ming dynasty, which extended from 1368 to 1644. When the Mongol army, which had been driven out of power at the end of the previous dynasty, tried to reconquer Chinese territory in crossing the Great wall of China In 1549, Jiguang served as a general in the defense of Beijing and contributed significantly to repel the Mongolian invaders.

After defeating the Mongols, Jiguang was finally appointed deputy commander responsible for defending the Zhejiang coastal area against the raids of pirates Around 1556. Qi Jiguang rejected the attacks by Japanese pirates by forming a group of volunteers to defeat the invaders thanks to a tactical training innovative called training of mandarin duck. This new creative approach used advanced collective combat tactics to ensure that a group of 12 men would protect its leader at all costs during a conflict; If the chief came to die, Jiguang ordered that all the survivors of this unit be put to death, ensuring that the soldiers are making every possible effort to protect their chief since their own lives depended. This cold but effective strategy allowed Jiguang to permanently repel Japanese invaders in 1567, worth the necessary respect to reach the highest grade of the Chinese army, that of chief commissioner, in 1574. The fundamental concepts of the when Jiguang was chief commissioner helped to improve theglobal efficiency of the Chinese army and to advance its defensive tactics

The wars of ancient China have produced new political systems, new military strategies and new philosophies, which constitute the foundation of what the People's Republic of China today represents. The lessons left by the generals and military strategists of that time continued to have an impact on world military events, because their strategies, theories and tactics are often applied to modern military situations; Many modern American generals admire the Sun Tzu psychological and defensive combat tactics in the military campaigns.

Here we have drawn the portrait of 6 Chinese warlords but there are many others, with incredible stories and exploits, which we will tell you about soon.