Zhao Kuangyin

A crimson glow and strange fragrance in Luoyang’s Jia Ma Camp heralded the beginning of Zhao Kuangyin’s legendary life. Exceptionally strong from childhood, he learned to ride and shoot at seven and could draw a bow strong enough to pull one shi at ten. By his youth, he had already demonstrated extraordinary military talent. After joining Guo Wei’s camp in 948, the first year of the Qianyou era under the Later Han, he fought at the Battle of Gaoping, leading two thousand cavalry straight into the Northern Han camp. His furious cry, “Our sovereign is in peril. We must fight to the death!” turned the tide of battle. He was promoted to Palace Front Vice Commander and joined the ranks of the imperial army’s senior generals. At the Battle of Chuzhou, he captured the Southern Tang general Huangfu Hui single-handedly, shaking Jiangnan with his bold declaration: “I came only for Huangfu Hui. No one else is my match.” These vivid accounts of key battles showcase Zhao Kuangyin’s decisiveness and courage as a military commander.