29 Facts About Han Shizhong

Han Shizhong was a Chinese military general, poet, and politician of the late Northern Song dynasty and the early Southern Song dynasty.

Han Shizhong dedicated his whole life to serving the Song dynasty, and performed many legendary deeds.

Han Shizhong was a great fighter and because of his feats in battle, Yuan Tan said that Han Shizhong was truly an even match for 10,000 men.

Han Shizhong was known as a military inventor: his inventions including various modified bows, chain-like armor, a horse jumping obstacle course for cavalry training, and an archery range for archery practice.

Han Shizhong was born to a poor farming family in a village of the Shanxi province in the year 1089.

Han Shizhong was born in a time when China was under constant threats by stronger bordering nations: notably the Tanguts' Western Xia, the Khitans' Liao dynasty and the Jurchens' Jin Empire.

In 1105, the Tanguts' kingdom of Xi Xia attacked China and Han Shizhong was conscripted into military service.

Han Shizhong led Song Jiang's army offensive against the Liao and these stories were written in the Water Margin.

In 1120, Han Shizhong was sent as a deputy of General Wang Yuan to suppress a local rebellion.

Han Shizhong was nicknamed, "Able to defeat ten thousands" and was rewarded handsomely for his efforts.

Liang approached Han Shizhong and asked him why he wasn't showing any signs of joy in the banquet which was thrown in his honor.

Han Shizhong replied that this was a small victory and that he was worried about the Jurchens who showed signs of hostility to the Song regime.

Han Shizhong was enlisted with the many deputies under General Liang Fongping.

Han Shizhong was given fifty cavalry to take back the fortress of Yishan from the Jurchens.

However, Liang enforced the idea, and Han Shizhong didn't reject it.

Yet, Han Shizhong had no time to celebrate as all the other armies under Liang had been routed by Jurchens.

Han Shizhong was defending the city of Zhaozhou under General Wang Yuan.

Han Shizhong asked for three hundred cavalrymen and, one night, made a surprise attack on the enemy encampment.

Han Shizhong advised Emperor Gaozong to recover the lost lands in the North, but Gaozong, content with simply being emperor, neglected his advice.

Han Shizhong felt the strong generals around him would make him vulnerable and wanted them to lose to remove the threat.

Han Shizhong facing enormous odds, was beaten off for the first time.

Many of the Song generals, disgusted by the cowardly emperor, began to retaliate, and Han Shizhong had to gather up what was left of his force and protect the throne.

Han Shizhong successfully captured the renegade generals and scattered their forces.

Han Shizhong gave the false impression that his soldiers had to retreat to a temple up a mountain, which the Jurchens thought of as a time when they could easily captured him.

The Chinese force under Yue Fei and Han Shizhong quickly took advantage of the situation and began a counterattack.

Han Shizhong soon retired from military service and when General Yue was executed, he neglected an imperial edict to arrest Yue's family, and instead escorted the Yue family to safety.

People often saw Han Shizhong riding a donkey along the West Lake, taking a bottle of wine, and sitting and sprinkling a bit of it upon Yue's grave.

Han Shizhong would speak to Yue in a soft and emotional way, regardless of the weather; rain or snow.

Han Shizhong was credited with many military inventions including various modified armor and bows, horse jumping obstacles that trained cavalry, and an archery range to train the accuracy of archers and mounted archers.