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Xu Da
Founding general of the Ming who led the northern expedition that took the Yuan capital in 1368 and spent years guarding the frontier from Beiping
Mural of the event “Founding of Ming”, which this person took part in.
The end-Yuan Red Turban uprising had cleared most of the southern geopolitical fragmentation but also faced the still-strong counter-strike strength of the main northern Yuan court. The south urgently needed a leader to command the heroes.
Also known as Zi Tiande
Xu Da, courtesy name Tiande, came from Zhongli in Haozhou, the home district of Zhu Yuanzhang, whom he joined in 1353. He crossed the Yangzi with Zhu's army, fought in the battle of Lake Poyang against Chen Youliang, and in 1367 took Pingjiang (Suzhou) and captured Zhang Shicheng, for which he was made Duke of Xin. That autumn he led the northern expedition as general-in-chief with Chang Yuchun as his deputy, and in the eighth month of 1368 he entered the Yuan capital Dadu. Named Duke of Wei in 1370, he held the northern frontier from Beiping for many years, though he was beaten by Koke Temur beyond the desert in 1372. He died in Nanjing in the second month of 1385, aged fifty-four, and was posthumously made Prince of Zhongshan with the name Wuning. The founding emperor placed his tablet first among the meritorious ministers, and his eldest daughter became empress to the Yongle Emperor.
Life and times
Dates 1332 CE–1385 CE
- 1367Founding of MingTook partage 35
- 1368Ming Founded with Fish-Scale Registersage 36