He was the “most loyal and courageous” general in Zeng Guofan’s eyes, and the most tragic hero in the history of the Xiang Army.
Li Xubin’s fiery legend began as the son of a farming family. Though educated as a scholar, his plainspoken, resolute character helped him build the Xiang Army’s finest land force. From the walls of Wuchang to the fortified defenses of Jiujiang, he marched across the bloodiest battlefields, never losing a fight. His name struck fear across Jiangnan, and he etched the words “hard fighting” into the very soul of the Xiang Army.
Yet fate can turn at the very height of success. In the late autumn of 1858, at Sanhe Town, a place destined to go down in history, he and his six thousand soldiers were surrounded by a Taiping army of one hundred thousand. With supplies exhausted and no reinforcements in sight, he fought through the night. He chose not to retreat, instead honoring his vow with his life: “If the city stands, I stand; if the city falls, I fall.”
From that day on, the winds of Sanhe carried a mournful cry. His fall shook the entire Xiang Army and left Zeng Guofan weeping uncontrollably.
Drawing on well-documented historical sources, this book brings to life Li Xubin’s extraordinary journey from farm boy to celebrated general, while vividly depicting the bloody Battle of Sanhe that changed the fate of the Xiang Army. More than a biography, it is a stirring song of loyalty, courage, ideals, and tragedy.
