Volume 125 Biographies 13: Xu Da, Chang Yuchun

徐達常遇春

Xu Da and Chang Yuchun

徐達，字天德，濠人，世業農。達少有大志，長身高顴，剛毅武勇。太祖之為郭子興部帥也，達時年二十二，往從之，一見語合。及太祖南略定遠，帥二十四人往，達首與焉。尋從破元兵於滁州澗，從取和州，子興授達鎮撫。子興執孫德崖，德崖軍亦執太祖，達挺身詣德崖軍請代，太祖乃得歸，達亦獲免。從渡江，拔採石，取太平，與常遇春皆為軍鋒冠。從破擒元將陳野先，別將兵取溧陽、溧水，從下集慶。太祖身居守，而命達為大將，帥諸軍東攻鎮江，拔之。號令明肅，城中宴然。授淮興翼統軍元帥。

Xu Da, whose style name was Tiande, came from Hao; his family had farmed there for generations. From boyhood Xu Da harbored great ambitions; as a man he was tall, with prominent cheekbones, and was resolute, martial, and fearless. When the Founder was still a division commander under Guo Zixing, Xu Da was twenty-two; he went to join him, and from their first meeting they were in perfect accord. When the Founder marched south to take Dingyuan, he led twenty-four men on the expedition, and Xu Da was among the first to go. He soon followed the Founder in defeating Yuan forces at Chuzhou Ravine and in capturing Hezhou; Guo Zixing then appointed Xu Da Pacification Commissioner. When Guo Zixing seized Sun Decai, Sun's troops seized the Founder in turn; Xu Da went alone to Sun's camp and offered to take his place, so the Founder was released—and Xu Da was spared as well. He followed the Founder across the Yangzi, captured Caishi and Taiping, and he and Chang Yuchun ranked first among the army's vanguard. He helped defeat and capture the Yuan general Chen Yexian, led a separate force to take Liyang and Lishui, and took part in the reduction of Jiqing. The Founder stayed behind to hold the base while appointing Xu Da grand general to lead the armies east against Zhenjiang, which they captured. His orders were clear and discipline strict, and the city remained calm and orderly. He was appointed commander-in-chief of the Huai-Xing wing.

時張士誠已據常州，挾江東叛將陳保二以舟師攻鎮江。達敗之于龍潭，遂請益兵以圍常州。士誠遣將來援。達以敵狡而銳，未易力取，乃離城設二伏以待，別遣將王均用為奇兵，而自督軍戰。敵退走遇伏，大敗之，獲其張、湯二將，進圍常州。明年克之。進僉樞密院事。繼克甯國，徇宜興，使前鋒趙德勝下常熟，擒士誠弟士德。明年復攻宜興，克之。太祖自將攻婺州，命達留守應天，別遣兵襲破天完將趙普勝，復池州。遷奉國上將軍、同知樞密院事。進攻安慶，自無為陸行，夜掩浮山寨，破普勝部將于青山，遂克潛山。還鎮池州，與遇春設伏，敗陳友諒軍于九華山下，斬首萬人，生擒三千人。遇春曰：「此勁旅也，不殺為後患。」達不可，乃以狀聞。而遇春先以夜坑其人過半，太祖不懌，悉縱遣餘眾。於是始命達盡護諸將。陳友諒犯龍江，達軍南門外，與諸將力戰破之，追及之慈湖，焚其舟。

Zhang Shicheng already held Changzhou and, with the Jiangdong rebel Chen Bao'er's fleet, attacked Zhenjiang. Xu Da defeated them at Longtan and then asked for reinforcements to besiege Changzhou. Zhang Shicheng sent generals to relieve the city. Judging the enemy crafty and fierce and not easy to overpower head-on, Xu Da drew off from the city, laid two ambushes, sent Wang Junyong with a flanking force, and personally led the main fight. The enemy fell back into the ambushes and was routed; Xu Da captured two of their generals, surnamed Zhang and Tang, and pressed the siege of Changzhou. The following year he took the city. He was promoted to associate commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. He next took Ningguo, swept through Yixing, and had the vanguard Zhao Desheng seize Changshu and capture Zhang Shicheng's brother Shide. The next year he attacked Yixing again and captured it. While the Founder led the assault on Wuzhou in person, he left Xu Da to hold Yingtian and sent another force to rout the Tianwan general Zhao Pusheng and recover Chizhou. He was promoted to General Who Upholds the State and vice commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. Marching overland from Wuwei against Anqing, he stormed Fushan Stockade by night, routed one of Zhao Pusheng's lieutenants at Qingshan, and took Qianshan. Back at Chizhou he and Chang Yuchun laid an ambush and routed Chen Youliang's army below Mount Jiuhua, killing ten thousand men and taking three thousand prisoners. Chang Yuchun said, "These are crack troops—if we do not kill them they will trouble us later. Xu Da refused and reported the matter to the Founder. But Chang Yuchun had already buried more than half the prisoners alive by night; the Founder was displeased and ordered the rest set free. From then on the Founder put all the generals under Xu Da's overall command. When Chen Youliang attacked Longjiang, Xu Da held the south gate, fought the invaders off with the other generals, pursued them to Cihu, and burned their fleet.

明年，從伐漢，取江州。友諒走武昌，達追之。友諒出戰艦沔陽，達營漢陽沌口以遏之。進中書右丞。明年，太祖定南昌，降將祝宗、康泰叛。達以沌口軍討平之。從援安豐，破吳將呂珍，遂圍廬州。會漢人寇南昌，太祖召達自廬州來會師，遇於鄱陽湖。友諒軍甚盛，達身先諸將力戰，敗其前鋒，殺千五百人，獲一巨舟。太祖知敵可破，而慮士誠內犯，即夜遣達還守應天，自帥諸將鏖戰，竟斃友諒。

The next year he joined the campaign against Han and captured Jiangzhou. Youliang fled to Wuchang, and Xu Da pursued him. Youliang brought his fleet out at Mianyang; Xu Da encamped at Zhunkou on the Han to block him. He was promoted to right vice director of the Secretariat. The next year, after the Founder secured Nanchang, the surrendered generals Zhu Zong and Kang Tai rebelled. Xu Da marched from Zhunkou and put down the revolt. He helped relieve Anfeng, routed the Wu general Lü Zhen, and then laid siege to Luzhou. When Han forces threatened Nanchang, the Founder recalled Xu Da from Luzhou; the armies met at Poyang Lake. Youliang's army was overwhelming; Xu Da led the generals in a fierce assault, broke their vanguard, killed fifteen hundred men, and captured a great warship. Seeing the enemy could be broken but fearing Zhang Shicheng might strike inland, the Founder that night sent Xu Da back to hold Yingtian and himself led the bitter fight that finally killed Youliang.

明年，太祖稱吳王，以達為左相國。復引兵圍廬州，克其城。略下江陵、辰州、衡州、寶慶諸路，湖、湘平。召還，帥遇春等徇淮東，克泰州。吳人陷宜興，達還救復之。復引兵渡江，克高郵，俘吳將士千餘人。會遇春攻淮安，破吳軍于馬騾港，守將梅思祖以城降。進破安豐，獲元將忻都，走左君弼，盡得其運艘。元兵侵徐州，迎擊，大破之，俘斬萬計。淮南、北悉平。

The next year the Founder took the title King of Wu and made Xu Da his left prime minister. He again besieged Luzhou and took the city. He overran Jiangling, Chen, Heng, Baoqing, and the other circuits until Hunan and the Xiang region were pacified. Recalled, he led Chang Yuchun and others east along the Huai and took Taizhou. When Wu forces seized Yixing, Xu Da marched back and recovered it. He crossed the river again, took Gaoyou, and captured more than a thousand Wu officers and men. Meanwhile Chang Yuchun attacked Huai'an, routed the Wu army at Maluo Harbor, and the defender Mei Sizu surrendered the city. Pressing on he broke Anfeng, captured the Yuan general Xindu, drove off Zuo Junbi, and seized all their transport ships. When Yuan forces invaded Xuzhou he met them head-on, routed them, and killed or captured tens of thousands. Huainan and the northern regions were fully pacified.

師還，太祖議征吳。右相國李善長請緩之。達曰：「張氏汰而苛，大將李伯升輩徒擁子女玉帛，易與耳。用事者，黃、蔡、葉三參軍，書生不知大計。臣奉主上威德，以大軍蹙之，三吳可計日定。」太祖大悅，拜達大將軍，平章遇春為副將軍，帥舟師二十萬人薄湖州。敵三道出戰，達亦分三軍應之，別遣兵扼其歸路。敵戰敗返走，不得入城。還戰，大破之，擒將吏二百人，圍其城。士誠遣呂珍等以兵六萬赴救，屯舊館，築五寨自固。達使遇春等為十壘以遮之。士誠自以精兵來援，大破之于皁林。士誠走，遂拔升山水陸寨。五太子、硃暹、呂珍等皆降，以徇於城下，湖州降。遂下吳江州，從太湖進圍平江。達軍葑門，遇春軍虎丘，郭子興軍婁門，華雲龍軍胥門，湯和軍閶門，王弼軍盤門，張溫軍西門，康茂才軍北門，耿炳文軍城東北，仇成軍城西南，何文輝軍城西北，築長圍困之。架木塔與城中浮屠等。別築台三成，瞰城中，置弓弩火筒。臺上又置巨礮，所擊輒糜碎。城中大震。達遣使請事，太祖敕勞之曰：「將軍謀勇絕倫，故能遏亂略，削群雄。今事必稟命，此將軍之忠，吾甚嘉之。然將在外，君不禦。軍中緩急，將軍其便宜行之，吾不中制。」既而平江破，執士誠，傳送應天，得勝兵二十五萬人。城之將破也，達與遇春約曰：「師入，我營其左，公營其右。」又令荅士曰：「掠民財者死，毀民居者死，離營二十里者死。」既入，吳人安堵如故。師還，封信國公。

After the army returned, the Founder debated an expedition against Wu. The right prime minister Li Shanchang urged delay. Xu Da said, "The Zhang regime is decadent and harsh; commanders like Li Bosheng care only for wives, children, and treasure—they will be easy to overcome. Those in power are the staff officers Huang, Cai, and Ye—scholars who know nothing of grand strategy. If Your Majesty's servant leads the great army against them under your authority, the Three Wu can be settled within days. The Founder was delighted, made Xu Da grand general and Chang Yuchun his deputy, and sent two hundred thousand men by water against Huzhou. The enemy advanced on three fronts; Xu Da met them with three divisions and sent another force to cut off their retreat. Defeated, the enemy fled but could not re-enter the city. When they turned to fight again he routed them, took two hundred officers and officials prisoner, and invested the city. Zhang Shicheng sent Lü Zhen and others with sixty thousand men; they camped at Jiuguan and built five fortified camps. Xu Da had Chang Yuchun and others erect ten camps to block them. Zhang Shicheng came in person with elite troops; Xu Da routed them at Zaolin. Shicheng fled, and Xu Da then took the Shengshan camps by land and water. The Fifth Prince, Zhu Xian, Lü Zhen, and the rest surrendered; paraded before the walls, they brought about Huzhou's surrender. He then took Wujiang and advanced from Lake Tai to besiege Pingjiang. Xu Da held the Fumeng Gate, Chang Yuchun Tiger Hill, Guo Zixing the Lou Gate, Hua Yunlong the Xu Gate, Tang He the Chang Gate, Wang Bi the Pan Gate, Zhang Wen the West Gate, Kang Maocai the North Gate, Geng Bingwen the northeast, Qiu Cheng the southwest, and He Wenhui the northwest, forming a long encirclement around the city. They built wooden towers as tall as the city's pagodas. They raised three-tiered platforms overlooking the walls and mounted crossbows and fire-lances. Great bombards on the platforms shattered whatever they struck. Panic spread through the city. Xu Da sent to ask for orders; the Founder wrote to praise him: "Your stratagem and courage are unmatched; that is how you check rebellion and cut down rival powers. That you report on every move shows your loyalty, and I commend it highly. Yet when the general is in the field, the ruler does not micromanage him. In matters urgent or routine, act as you see fit—I will not second-guess you from the capital. Soon Pingjiang fell; Zhang Shicheng was seized and sent to Yingtian, and twenty-five thousand seasoned troops were taken. As the city was about to fall, Xu Da and Chang Yuchun agreed: "When the army enters, I will take the left and you the right. He also proclaimed to the troops: "Anyone who loots civilians, destroys homes, or strays twenty li from camp will be put to death." After the entry the people of Wu lived undisturbed as before. On the army's return he was enfeoffed as Duke of the State.

尋拜征虜大將軍，以遇春為副，帥步騎二十五萬人，北取中原，太祖親祃于龍江。是時稱名將，必推達、遇春。兩人才勇相類，皆太祖所倚重。遇春剽疾敢深入，而達尤長於謀略。遇春下城邑不能無誅僇，達所至不擾，即獲壯士與諜，結以恩義，俾為己用。由此多樂附大將軍者。至是，太祖諭諸將禦軍持重有紀律，戰勝攻取得為將之體者，莫如大將軍達。又謂達，進取方略，宜自山東始。師行，克沂州，降守將王宣。進克嶧州，王宣復叛，擊斬之。莒、密、海諸州悉下。乃使韓政分兵扼河，張興祖取東平、濟寧，而自帥大軍拔益都，徇下濰、膠諸州縣。濟南降，分兵取登、萊。齊地悉定。

He was soon made General Who Subdues the Barbarians, with Chang Yuchun as his deputy, and led two hundred fifty thousand foot and horse north to take the Central Plains; the Founder personally performed the libation at Longjiang. At that time any roll of great generals began with Xu Da and Chang Yuchun. The two were matched in talent and courage, and both were pillars of the Founder's power. Chang Yuchun was swift and daring in deep strikes, while Xu Da excelled above all in strategy. Chang Yuchun could hardly take a city without executions; wherever Xu Da went the people were undisturbed, and stalwarts and spies he won over with kindness he put to his own use. For this reason many were glad to serve under the Grand General. Now the Founder told his generals that in holding an army with discipline and gravity, and in the art of victory and conquest, none matched Grand General Xu Da. He also told Xu Da that the advance should begin in Shandong. On the march he took Yizhou and the defender Wang Xuan surrendered. He advanced and took Yi Prefecture; when Wang Xuan rebelled again, Xu Da struck and beheaded him. Ju, Mi, Hai, and the other prefectures all fell. He sent Han Zheng to hold the river line, Zhang Xingzu to take Dongping and Jining, and himself led the main force to seize Yidu and sweep through Wei, Jiao, and the other counties. Jinan surrendered, and he sent detachments to take Deng and Lai. The Qi region was fully pacified.

捷聞，太祖幸汴梁，召達詣行在所，置酒勞之，且謀北伐。達曰：「大軍平齊魯，掃河洛，王保保逡巡觀望；潼關既克，思齊輩狼狽西奔。元聲援已絕，今乘勢直搗元都，可不戰有也。」帝曰：「善。」達復進曰：「元都克，而其主北走，將窮追之乎？」帝曰：「元運衰矣，行自澌滅，不煩窮兵。出塞之後，固守封疆，防其侵軼可也。」達頓首受命。遂與副將軍會師河陰，遣裨將分道徇河北地，連下衛輝、彰德、廣平。師次臨清，使傅友德開陸道通步騎，顧時浚河通舟師，遂引而北。遇春已克德州，合兵取長蘆，扼直沽，作浮橋以濟師。水陸並進，大敗元軍於河西務，進克通州。順帝帥後妃太子北去。逾日，達陳兵齊化門，填濠登城。監國淮王帖木兒不花，左丞相慶童，平章迭兒必失、樸賽因不花，右丞張康伯，御史中丞滿川等不降，斬之，其餘不戮一人。封府庫，籍圖書寶物，令指揮張勝以兵千人守宮殿門，使宦者護視諸宮人、妃、主，禁士卒毋所侵暴。吏民安居，市不易肆。

When victory was reported, the Founder went to Bianliang, summoned Xu Da to his camp, feasted him, and planned the northern expedition. Xu Da said, "The great army has pacified Qi and Lu and swept the He and Luo regions; Wang Baobao hangs back and watches; Tong Pass is taken and men like Siji have fled west in disorder; Yuan reinforcements are cut off—if we strike straight at Dadu now, we can take it without a battle. The Emperor said, "Excellent." Xu Da went on, "When Dadu falls and the Yuan ruler flees north, will you pursue him to the end?" The Emperor said, "The Yuan mandate is spent—it will collapse on its own. There is no need for endless pursuit. Once he has fled beyond the frontier, hold the borders firm and guard against raids—that will be enough." Xu Da kowtowed and accepted the orders. He joined the deputy commander at Heyin, sent lieutenants along separate routes through Hebei, and in succession took Weihui, Zhangde, and Guangping. The army halted at Linqing; Fu Youde opened a land route for the infantry and cavalry, Gu Shi dredged the river for the fleet, and the force marched north. Chang Yuchun had already taken Dezhou; the armies united to seize Changlu, held Zhigu, and built a pontoon bridge to cross. Advancing by land and water together, they routed the Yuan army at Hexiwu and took Tongzhou. Emperor Shundi fled north with his consorts and the crown prince. The next day Xu Da drew up his troops at the Qihua Gate, filled the moat, and scaled the walls. The regent Prince Huai Timur Buqa, the left chancellor Qing Tong, the pingzhang Dierbish and Pusaiyin Buqa, the right chancellor Zhang Kangbo, the censor-in-chief Manchuan, and others who refused to surrender were beheaded; not another soul was killed. He sealed the treasuries and inventoried books and treasures, posted Commander Zhang Sheng with a thousand men at the palace gates, set eunuchs to guard the palace women and princesses, and forbade the troops any violence. Officials and commoners lived undisturbed, and the markets carried on as before.

捷聞，詔以元都為北平府，置六衛，留孫興祖等守之，而命達與遇春進取山西。遇春先下保定、中山、真定，馮勝、湯和下懷慶，度太行，取澤、潞，達以大軍繼之。時擴廓帖木兒方引兵出雁門，將由居庸以攻北平。達聞之，與諸將謀曰：「擴廓遠出，太原必虛。北平有孫都督在，足以禦之。今乘敵不備，直搗太原，使進不得戰，退無所守，所謂批亢搗虛者也。彼若西還自救，此成擒耳。」諸將皆曰：「善。」乃引兵趨太原。擴廓至保安，果還救。達選精兵夜襲其營。擴廓以十八騎遁去。盡降其眾，遂克太原。乘勢收大同，分兵徇未下州縣。山西悉平。

When victory was reported, an edict renamed the Yuan capital Beiping Prefecture, established six guards, left Sun Xingzu and others to hold it, and ordered Xu Da and Chang Yuchun to take Shanxi. Chang Yuchun first took Baoding, Zhongshan, and Zhending; Feng Sheng and Tang He took Huaiqing, crossed the Taihang, and seized Ze and Lu; Xu Da followed with the main army. Köke Temür was then marching out through Yanmen Pass, intending to strike Beiping via Juyong. Hearing this, Xu Da consulted the generals: "Köke Temür is far afield—Taiyuan must be undefended. Commander Sun at Beiping can hold him off. If we strike Taiyuan now while they are unprepared, they cannot advance to fight and have nowhere to retreat—that is to strike the vitals and raid the undefended point. If they turn west to save themselves, we will take them alive. The generals all agreed. They marched at once on Taiyuan. Köke Temür reached Bao'an and turned back as expected. Xu Da chose elite troops and raided his camp by night. Köke Temür escaped with eighteen horsemen. His entire force surrendered, and Xu Da took Taiyuan. Pressing the advantage he took Datong and sent detachments to reduce the remaining counties. Shanxi was fully pacified.

二年引兵西渡河。至鹿台，張思道遁，遂克奉元。時遇春下鳳翔，李思齊走臨洮，達會諸將議所向。皆曰：「張思道之才不如李思齊，而慶陽易於臨洮，請先慶陽。」達曰：「不然，慶陽城險而兵精，猝未易拔也。臨洮北界河、湟，西控羌、戎，得之，其人足備戰鬥，物產足佐軍儲。蹙以大兵，思齊不走，則束手縛矣。臨洮既克，于旁郡何有？」遂渡隴，克秦州，下伏羌、寧遠，入鞏昌，遣右副將軍馮勝逼臨洮，思齊果不戰降。分兵克蘭州，襲走豫王，盡收其部落輜重。還出蕭關，下平涼。思道走寧夏，為擴廓所執，其弟良臣以慶陽降。達遣薛顯受之。良臣復叛，夜出兵襲傷顯。達督軍圍之。擴廓遣將來援，逆擊敗去，遂拔慶陽。良臣父子投于井，引出斬之。盡定陝西地。詔達班師，賜白金文綺甚厚。

In the second year he led his army west across the Yellow River. At Lutai, Zhang Sidao fled, and he took Fengyuan. Chang Yuchun had taken Fengxiang; Li Siqi fled to Lintao; Xu Da convened the generals to decide their next move. All urged taking Qingyang first: Zhang Sidao was the lesser foe, and Qingyang would be easier than Lintao. Xu Da said, "No—Qingyang is strongly fortified and well garrisoned; it cannot be taken quickly. Lintao borders the He and Huang rivers on the north and commands the Qiang and Rong on the west; its people would supply fighting men and its produce would fill the army's stores. If we press Li Siqi with the main army, he will either flee or be taken bound. Once Lintao falls, what will the neighboring prefectures matter?" He crossed Long, took Qinzhou, reduced Fuqiang and Ningyuan, entered Gongchang, and sent the right deputy Feng Sheng against Lintao; Li Siqi surrendered without a fight. A detachment took Lanzhou, routed the Prince of Yu, and seized all his tribal baggage. He returned through Xiaoguan and took Pingliang. Zhang Sidao fled to Ningxia and was seized by Köke Temür; his brother Liangchen surrendered Qingyang. Xu Da sent Xue Xian to accept the surrender. Liangchen rebelled again and by night attacked and wounded Xue Xian. Xu Da personally directed the siege. Köke Temür sent relief forces; Xu Da met and routed them and took Qingyang. Liangchen and his son threw themselves into a well; they were hauled out and beheaded. All of Shaanxi was pacified. An edict recalled Xu Da and rewarded him lavishly with silver and brocade.

將論功大封，會擴廓攻蘭州，殺指揮使，副將軍遇春已卒，三年春帝復以達為大將軍，平章李文忠為副將軍，分道出兵。達自潼關出西道，搗定西，取擴廓。文忠自居庸出東道，絕大漠，追元嗣主。達至定西，擴廓退屯沈兒峪，進軍薄之。隔溝而壘，日數交。擴廓遣精兵從間道劫東南壘，左丞胡德濟倉卒失措，軍驚擾，達帥兵擊卻之。德濟，大海子也，達以其功臣子，械送之京師，而斬其下指揮等數人以徇。明日，整兵奪溝，殊死戰，大破擴廓兵。擒郯王、文濟王及國公、平章以下文武僚屬千八百六十餘人，將士八萬四千五百余人，馬駝雜畜以巨萬計。擴廓僅挾妻子數人奔和林。德濟至京，帝釋之，而以書諭達：「將軍效衛青不斬蘇建耳，獨不見穰苴之待莊賈乎？將軍誅之，則已。今下廷議，吾且念其信州、諸暨功，不忍加誅。繼自今，將軍毋事姑息。」達既破擴廓，即帥師自徽州南一百八渡至略陽，克沔州，入連雲棧，攻興元，取之。而副將軍文忠亦克應昌，獲元嫡孫妃主將相。先後露布聞，詔振旅還京師。帝迎勞于龍江。乃下詔大封功臣，授達開國輔運推誠宣力武臣，特進光祿大夫、左柱國、太傅、中書右丞相參軍國事，改封魏國公，歲祿五千石，予世券。明年帥盛熙等赴北平練軍馬，修城池，徙山后軍民實諸衛府，置二百五十四屯，墾田一千三百餘頃。其冬，召還。

Merit awards were pending when Köke Temür attacked Lanzhou and killed its commander; Chang Yuchun had died; in the spring of the third year the Emperor again made Xu Da grand general and Li Wenzhong his deputy, and they marched on separate routes. Xu Da marched west from Tong Pass toward Dingxi to take Köke Temür. Li Wenzhong marched east from Juyong, crossed the great desert, and pursued the Yuan heir. Xu Da reached Dingxi; Köke Temür fell back to Shen'er Ravine; the Ming army closed in. The two sides fortified camps on opposite sides of a ravine and skirmished daily. Köke Temür sent elite troops by a hidden path to storm the southeast camp; the left chancellor Hu Deji panicked and the army wavered; Xu Da led a counterattack and drove them off. Hu Deji was the son of the meritorious minister Dahai; Xu Da sent him in chains to the capital but beheaded several of his subordinate commanders as an example. The next day he reformed the ranks, seized the ravine in a desperate fight, and routed Köke Temür's army. He captured the Princes of Tan and Wenji and more than 1,860 civil and military officials down to state dukes and pingzhang, 84,500 officers and men, and tens of thousands of horses, camels, and livestock. Köke Temür escaped to Karakorum with only a few wives and children. Hu Deji reached the capital and was released; the Emperor wrote to Xu Da: "You imitate Wei Qing, who spared Su Jian—but have you forgotten how Rangju dealt with Zhuang Jia? If you had executed him, that would have been the end of it. Now the matter goes to court—but I recall his service at Xinzhou and Zhuji and will not have him put to death. Hereafter, General, do not be so lenient. After defeating Köke Temür, Xu Da led his army south from Huizhou through the One Hundred Eight Fords to Lueyang, took Mianzhou, entered the Linked Cloud Plank Road, and captured Xingyuan. Meanwhile Li Wenzhong took Yingchang and captured the Yuan heir's consorts, princesses, and chief ministers. Victory reports arrived in succession; an edict ordered the armies home to the capital. The Emperor went out to welcome them at Longjiang. An edict then enfeoffed the great ministers: Xu Da was made founding martial minister who aided the dynasty with sincere merit, specially promoted to Grand Master of Splendid Happiness, Left Pillar of the State, Grand Tutor, and right chancellor of the Secretariat with a voice in state affairs, enfeoffed as Duke of Wei with an annual stipend of five thousand piculs and a hereditary patent. The next year he led Sheng Xi and others to Beiping to drill troops, repair the walls, resettle frontier populations into the guard districts, established 254 military colonies, and opened more than 1,300 qing of farmland. That winter he was recalled.

五年復大發兵征擴廓。達以征虜大將軍出中道，左副將軍李文忠出東道，征西將軍馮勝出西道，各將五萬騎出塞。達遣都督藍玉擊敗擴廓於土刺河。擴廓與賀宗哲合兵力拒，達戰不利，死者數萬人。帝以達功大，弗問也。時文忠軍亦不利，引還。獨勝至西涼獲全勝，坐匿駝馬，賞不行，事具《文忠》、《勝傳》。明年，達復帥諸將行邊，破敵於答剌海，還軍北平，留三年而歸。十四年，復帥湯和等討乃兒不花。已，復還鎮。

In the fifth year a great army was again raised against Köke Temür. Xu Da marched as General Who Subdues the Barbarians on the central route, Li Wenzhong on the east, and Feng Sheng on the west—each with fifty thousand horse beyond the frontier. Xu Da sent Commissioner Lan Yu to defeat Köke Temür on the Tula River. Köke Temür joined He Zongzhe to resist; Xu Da was defeated and tens of thousands were killed. Because of Xu Da's great merit, the Emperor did not hold him to account. Li Wenzhong's army had also fared badly and withdrew. Only Feng Sheng reached Xiliang victorious, but concealed camels and horses from the spoils and received no reward—the full accounts are in the biographies of Li Wenzhong and Feng Sheng. The next year Xu Da again patrolled the frontier, defeated the enemy at Dalai Sea, returned to Beiping, stayed three years, and came home. In the fourteenth year he again led Tang He and others against Nayirbuqa. When that was done he returned to his post.

每歲春出，冬暮召還，以為常。還輒上將印，賜休沐，宴見歡飲，有布衣兄弟稱，而達愈恭慎。帝嘗從容言：「徐兄功大，未有甯居，可賜以舊邸。」舊邸者，太祖為吳王時所居也。達固辭。一日，帝與達之邸，強飲之醉，而蒙之被，舁臥正寢。達醒，驚趨下階，俯伏呼死罪。帝覘之，大悅。乃命有司即舊邸前治甲第，表其坊曰「大功」。胡惟庸為丞相，欲結好于達，達薄其人，不答，則賂達閽者福壽使圖達。福壽發之，達亦不問；惟時時為帝言惟庸不任相。後果敗，帝益重達。十七年，太陰犯上將，帝心惡之。達在北平病背疽，稍愈，帝遣達長子輝祖齎敕往勞，尋召還。明年二月，病篤，遂卒，年五十四。帝為輟朝，臨喪悲慟不已。追封中山王，諡武寧，贈三世皆王爵。賜葬鐘山之陰，禦制神道碑文。配享太廟，肖像功臣廟，位皆第一。

Each year he marched out in spring and was recalled in late winter—a fixed routine. On each return he surrendered his seal, was granted leave, and was feasted as an old comrade in plain cloth—but Xu Da grew only more respectful and cautious. The Emperor once said casually, "Brother Xu's merit is great and he has no settled home—I should give him my old residence. That residence was where the Founder had lived as King of Wu. Xu Da firmly declined. One day the Emperor visited Xu Da's house, made him drink until drunk, covered him with a quilt, and had him carried to the main chamber. When Xu Da awoke he rushed down the steps in alarm, prostrated himself, and cried that he deserved death. The Emperor watched and was delighted. He ordered a grand mansion built before the old residence and named the ward "Great Merit." When Hu Weiyong was chancellor he sought Xu Da's friendship; Xu Da despised him and refused; Hu then bribed Xu Da's gatekeeper Fushou to spy on him. Fushou exposed the plot; Xu Da did not pursue it; but told the Emperor again and again that Hu Weiyong was unfit to be chancellor. When Hu was ruined at last, the Emperor valued Xu Da all the more. In the seventeenth year a lunar eclipse struck the General Star, and the Emperor was troubled. Xu Da fell ill with a back carbuncle at Beiping; when he improved slightly the Emperor sent his eldest son Huizu with an edict of condolence, then recalled him. The next year, in the second month, his illness turned critical and he died at fifty-four. The Emperor suspended court and mourned at the funeral without cease. He was posthumously enfeoffed as Prince of Zhongshan with the posthumous name Wuning, and three generations of ancestors were given princely rank. He was buried on the north slope of Bell Mountain, with an imperial inscription for the spirit-way stele. He was given paired sacrifice in the Grand Temple and the foremost place in the Meritorious Ministers Temple.

達言簡慮精。在軍，令出不二。諸將奉持凜凜，而帝前恭謹如不能言。善拊循，與下同甘苦，士無不感恩效死，以故所向克捷。尤嚴戢部伍，所平大都二，省會三，郡邑百數，閭井宴然，民不苦兵。歸朝之日，單車就舍，延禮儒生，談議終日，雍雍如也。帝嘗稱之曰：「受命而出，成功而旋，不矜不伐，婦女無所愛，財寶無所取，中正無疵，昭明乎日月，大將軍一人而已。」子四：輝祖、添福、膺緒、增壽。長女為文皇帝後，次代王妃，次安王妃。

Xu Da spoke concisely and thought with precision. In the field his orders brooked no second word. His generals stood in awe of him, yet before the Emperor he was so deferential he seemed unable to speak. He was skilled at winning men over and shared hardship with his troops; they repaid him with loyal service unto death, and for that reason he was victorious wherever he marched. He was especially strict with his troops; he pacified two great capitals, three provincial seats, and hundreds of counties, and everywhere lanes and wells stayed calm so the people did not suffer from war. On his returns to court he came in a single cart to his house, entertained scholars, and talked with them harmoniously all day. The Emperor once said of him: "He goes forth on command and returns in victory, neither proud nor boastful; he takes no women and seizes no treasure; he is upright and without flaw, bright as the sun and moon—the Grand General alone is such a man. He had four sons: Huizu, Tianfu, Yingxu, and Zengshou. His eldest daughter became empress to the Literary Emperor; the next married the Prince of Dai; the next the Prince of An.

輝祖死逾月，成祖詔群臣：「輝祖與齊、黃輩謀危社稷。朕念中山王有大功，曲赦之。今輝祖死，中山王不可無後。」遂命輝祖長子欽嗣。九年，欽與成國公勇、定國公景昌、永康侯忠等，俱以縱恣為言官所劾。帝宥勇等，而令欽歸就學。十九年來朝，遽辭歸。帝怒，罷為民。仁宗即位，復故爵，傳子顯宗、承宗。承宗，天順初，守備南京，兼領中軍府，公廉恤士有賢聲。卒，子俌嗣。俌字公輔，持重，善容止。南京守備體最隆，懷柔伯施钅監以協同守備位俌上。亻甫不平，言於朝，詔以爵為序，著為令。弘治十二年，給事中胡易、御史胡獻以災異陳言下獄，俌上章救之。正德中，上書諫遊畋，語切直。嘗與無錫民爭田，賄劉瑾，為時所譏。俌嗣五十二年而卒，贈太傅，諡莊靖。孫鵬舉嗣，嬖其妾，冒封夫人，欲立其子為嫡，坐奪祿。傳子邦瑞，孫維志，曾孫弘基。自承宗至弘基六世，皆守備南京，領軍府事。弘基累加太傅，卒，諡莊武，子文爵嗣。明亡，爵除。

More than a month after Huizu's death, the Yongle Emperor told the ministers: "Huizu plotted with Qi, Huang, and their faction to endanger the realm. Remembering the Prince of Zhongshan's great merit, I pardoned him. Now that Huizu is dead, the Prince of Zhongshan must have an heir. He ordered Huizu's eldest son Qin to succeed. In the ninth year Qin, the Duke of Cheng Yong, the Duke of Ding Jingchang, the Marquis of Yongkang Zhong, and others were impeached by censors for misconduct. The Emperor pardoned Yong and the rest but sent Qin home to resume his studies. In the nineteenth year he came to court and abruptly left. The Emperor was angry and reduced him to commoner status. When the Renzong Emperor acceded, his title was restored; it passed to his sons Xianzong and Chengzong. Chengzong, early in the Tianshun reign, held Nanjing and headed the Central Military Commission; his fairness and care for his men won him a reputation for virtue. He died and was succeeded by his son Fu. Fu, whose style name was Gongfu, was grave in manner and dignified in bearing. The Nanjing garrison commander's ceremonial standing was the highest; the Earl of Huairou Shi Jian, as co-commander, was ranked above Fu. Fu protested to the court; an edict ordered precedence by noble rank and made it a standing rule. In the twelfth year of Hongzhi the supervising secretary Hu Yi and the censor Hu Xian were imprisoned for memorializing on omens; Fu submitted a memorial in their defense. Under Zhengde he memorialized against the emperor's hunting, in blunt and forthright language. He once disputed land with commoners of Wuxi and bribed Liu Jin, for which he was widely scorned. Fu held the title fifty-two years and died; he was posthumously made Grand Tutor with the posthumous name Zhuangjing. His grandson Pengju succeeded, favored a concubine, had her falsely ennobled as lady, and tried to make her son the heir; he was punished by loss of stipend. The line passed to his son Bangrui, grandson Weizhi, and great-grandson Hongji. From Chengzong through Hongji for six generations, all held Nanjing and headed the military commission. Hongji rose to Grand Tutor, died with the posthumous name Zhuangwu, and was succeeded by his son Wenjue. When the Ming fell, the title was abolished.

增壽以父任仕至左都督。建文帝疑燕王反，嘗以問增壽。增壽頓首曰：「燕王先帝同氣，富貴已極，何故反！」及燕師起，數以京師虛實輸于燕。帝覺之，未及問。比燕兵渡江，帝召增壽詰之，不對，手劍斬之殿廡下。王入，撫屍哭。即位，追封武陽侯，諡忠湣。尋進封定國公，祿二千五百石。以其子景昌嗣。驕縱，數被劾，成祖輒宥之。成祖崩，景昌坐居喪不出宿，奪冠服歲祿，已而復之。三傳至玄孫光祚，累典軍府，加太師，嗣四十五年卒，諡榮僖。傳子至孫文璧，萬曆中，領後軍府。以小心謹畏見親於帝，數代郊天，加太師。累上書請建儲，罷礦稅，釋逮系。嗣三十五年卒，諡康惠。再傳至曾孫允禎，崇禎末為流賊所殺。洪武諸功臣，惟達子孫有二公，分居兩京。魏國之後多賢，而累朝恩數，定國常倍之。嘉靖中詔裁恩澤世封，有言定國功弗稱者，竟弗奪也。

Through his father's influence Zengshou rose to Left Commissioner-in-Chief. When the Jianwen Emperor suspected the Prince of Yan of rebellion, he once asked Zengshou. Zengshou kowtowed and said, "The Prince of Yan is the late Emperor's own brother, already at the height of wealth and honor—why would he rebel! When the Yan army rose, he repeatedly reported the capital's strengths and weaknesses to the prince. The Emperor learned of it but had not yet questioned him. When the Yan army crossed the Yangzi, the Emperor summoned Zengshou and questioned him; he would not answer; the Emperor slew him with his own sword below the palace veranda. When the prince entered the capital he embraced the body and wept. On his accession he posthumously enfeoffed him as Marquis of Wuyang with the posthumous name Zhongmin. He was soon advanced to Duke of Ding with a stipend of twenty-five hundred piculs. His son Jingchang succeeded. He was arrogant and repeatedly impeached, but the Yongle Emperor always pardoned him. When the Yongle Emperor died, Jingchang was punished for not leaving his quarters during mourning and lost his rank and stipend, but both were later restored. Three generations later his great-great-grandson Guangzuo repeatedly headed the military commissions, rose to Grand Preceptor, held the title forty-five years, and died with the posthumous name Rongxi. The line passed to his son and grandson Wenbi, who under Wanli headed the Rear Military Commission. His caution won the emperor's favor; for several generations the family assisted at suburban sacrifices and rose to Grand Preceptor. He repeatedly memorialized to establish an heir, abolish mining taxes, and release prisoners. He held the title thirty-five years and died with the posthumous name Kanghui. Two generations later his great-grandson Yunzhen was killed by bandits at the end of Chongzhen. Among the Hongwu meritorious ministers, only Xu Da's line held two ducal titles, one family in each capital. The Wei dukes produced many worthy men, yet through the dynasties the Ding line's favors were often twice as great. In Jiajing an edict curtailed hereditary favors; some said the Ding title was undeserved, yet it was never revoked.

添福早卒。膺緒，授尚寶司卿，累遷中軍都督僉事，奉朝請，世襲指揮使。

Tianfu died young. Yingxu was appointed director of the Imperial Seals Office, rose to associate commissioner of the Central Military Commission, attended court, and held a hereditary commandant's post.

常遇春

Chang Yuchun

常遇春，字伯仁，懷遠人。貌奇偉，勇力絕人，猿臂善射。初從劉聚為盜，察聚終無成，歸太祖于和陽。未至，困臥田間，夢神人被甲擁盾呼曰：「起起，主君來。」驚寤，而太祖適至，即迎拜。時至正十五年四月也。無何，自請為前鋒。太祖曰：「汝特饑來就食耳，吾安得汝留也。」遇春固請。太祖曰：「俟渡江，事我未晚也。」及兵薄牛渚磯，元兵陳磯上，舟距岸且三丈余，莫能登。遇春飛舸至，太祖麾之前。遇春應聲，奮戈直前。敵接其戈，乘勢躍而上，大呼跳蕩，元軍披靡。諸將乘之，遂拔採石，進取太平。授總管府先鋒，進總管都督。

Chang Yuchun, whose style name was Boren, came from Huaiyuan. He was striking in appearance, possessed superhuman strength, and with his long arms was a master archer. He had first followed the bandit Liu Ju, but seeing Ju would never succeed, he submitted to the Founder at Heyang. Before he arrived he fell asleep exhausted in a field and dreamed of a divine man in armor with a shield crying, "Rise, rise—the lord comes. He woke with a start just as the Founder arrived, and went forward to bow. It was the fourth month of the fifteenth year of Zhizheng. Before long he volunteered as vanguard. The Founder said, "You have only come hungry for a meal—how can I keep you? Chang Yuchun pressed his request. The Founder said, "Wait until we cross the river—it will not be too late to serve me then. When the army reached Niuzhu Rock, Yuan troops held the shore; the boats stood more than three zhang from land and no one could board. Chang Yuchun came up in a swift boat; the Founder waved him forward. Chang Yuchun answered at once, brandished his halberd, and charged straight ahead. An enemy met his halberd; he used the leverage to leap aboard, shouting and leaping about, and the Yuan line broke before him. The other generals followed; they took Caishi and advanced on Taiping. He was made vanguard of the commandery office and promoted to commandery commissioner-in-chief.

時將士妻子輜重皆在和州，元中丞蠻子海牙復以舟師襲據採石，道中梗。太祖自將攻之，遣遇春多張疑兵分敵勢。戰既合，遇春操輕舸，沖海牙舟為二。左右縱擊，大敗之，盡得其舟。江路復通。尋命守溧陽，從攻集慶，功最。從元帥徐達取鎮江，進取常州。吳兵圍達于牛塘，遇春往援，破解之，擒其將，進統軍大元帥。克常州，遷中翼大元帥。從達攻甯國，中流矢，裹創鬥，克之。別取馬駝沙，以舟師攻池州，下之，進行省都督馬步水軍大元帥。從取婺州，轉同僉樞密院事，守婺。移兵圍衢州，以奇兵突入南門甕城，毀其戰具，急攻之，遂下，得甲士萬人，進僉樞密院事。攻杭州，失利，召還應天。從達拔趙普勝之水寨，從守池州，大破漢兵于九華山下，語具《達傳》。

The army's families and baggage were at Hezhou; the Yuan vice censor Manzi Haiya seized Caishi again by sea and cut the route. The Founder led the assault in person and sent Chang Yuchun to deploy decoys and divide the enemy. When battle was joined, Chang Yuchun in a light boat rammed Haiya's ship and split it in two. He struck from both sides, routed them, and seized their entire fleet. The river route was open again. He was soon ordered to hold Liyang and took the greatest credit in the assault on Jiqing. He followed Marshal Xu Da in taking Zhenjiang and Changzhou. When Wu forces besieged Xu Da at Niutang, Chang Yuchun relieved him, broke the siege, captured an enemy general, and was promoted to grand marshal. After Changzhou fell he was made grand marshal of the central wing. He followed Xu Da against Ningguo, took an arrow, bound his wound, and fought on until the city fell. He separately took Matuosha, took Chizhou by water, and was promoted to grand marshal of horse, foot, and naval forces of the branch secretariat. He helped take Wuzhou, was made associate commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs, and garrisoned the city. He moved to besiege Quzhou, stormed the south gate barbican with a surprise force, destroyed their siege equipment, and took the city with ten thousand armored men; he was promoted to commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. An attack on Hangzhou failed and he was recalled to Yingtian. He helped Xu Da take Zhao Pusheng's river camp, held Chizhou, and routed the Han army below Mount Jiuhua—the full account is in Xu Da's biography.

友諒薄龍灣，遇春以五翼軍設伏，大破之，遂復太平，功最。太祖追友諒于江州，命遇春留守，用法嚴，軍民肅然無敢犯，進行省參知政事。從取安慶。漢軍出江遊徼，遇春擊之，皆反走，乘勝取江州。還守龍灣，援長興，俘殺吳兵五千餘人，其將李伯升解圍遁。命甓安慶城。

When Youliang pressed Longwan, Chang Yuchun ambushed him with five divisions, routed him, and recovered Taiping with the greatest credit. While the Founder pursued Youliang to Jiangzhou, Chang Yuchun held the base with such strict discipline that none dared offend; he was promoted to participating administrator of the branch secretariat. He helped take Anqing. When Han troops patrolled the river, Chang Yuchun routed them and pressed on to take Jiangzhou. Back at Longwan he relieved Changxing, killed or captured more than five thousand Wu troops, and their general Li Bosheng lifted the siege and fled. He was ordered to rebuild the walls of Anqing with brick.

先是，太祖所任將帥最著者，平章邵榮、右丞徐達與遇春為三。而榮尤宿將善戰，至是驕蹇有異志，與參政趙繼祖謀伏兵為變。事覺，太祖欲宥榮死，遇春直前曰：「人臣以反名，尚何可宥，臣義不與共生。」太祖乃飲榮酒，流涕而戮之，以是益愛重遇春。

Among the Founder's foremost commanders had been Pingzhang Shao Rong, Right Chancellor Xu Da, and Chang Yuchun. Rong was an old hand especially skilled in battle, but by now he had grown arrogant and, with Participating Administrator Zhao Jizu, plotted a mutiny with hidden troops. When the plot was discovered the Founder wished to spare Rong; Chang Yuchun stepped forward and said, "A subject who bears the name of rebel—how can he be pardoned? I cannot live while he lives. The Founder gave Rong wine, wept as he executed him, and thereafter valued Chang Yuchun all the more.

池州帥羅友賢據神山寨，通張士誠，遇春破斬之。從援安豐。比至，呂珍已陷其城，殺劉福通，聞大軍至，盛兵拒守。太祖左右軍皆敗，遇春橫擊其陣，三戰三破之，俘獲士馬無算。遂從達圍廬州。城將下，陳友諒圍洪都，召還。會師伐漢，遇于彭蠡之康郎山。漢軍舟大，乘上流，鋒銳甚。遇春偕諸將大戰，呼聲動天地，無不一當百。友諒驍將張定邊直犯太祖舟，舟膠於淺，幾殆。遇春射中定邊，太祖舟得脫，而遇春舟復膠於淺。有敗舟順流下，觸遇春舟乃脫。轉戰三日，縱火焚漢舟，湖水皆赤，友諒不敢復戰。諸將以漢軍尚強，欲縱之去，遇春獨無言。比出湖口，諸將欲放舟東下，太祖命扼上流。遇春乃溯江而上，諸將從之。友諒窮蹙，以百艘突圍。諸將邀擊之，漢軍遂大潰，友諒死。師還，第功最，賚金帛土田甚厚。從圍武昌，太祖還應天，留遇春督軍困之。

The Chizhou commander Luo Youxian held Divine Mountain Stockade in league with Zhang Shicheng; Chang Yuchun defeated and beheaded him. He joined the relief of Anfeng. By the time they arrived Lü Zhen had already taken the city and killed Liu Futong; hearing the main army was coming, he massed his forces to resist. Both wings of the Founder's army were beaten; Chang Yuchun struck across the enemy line, broke them three times running, and took prisoners and horses beyond count. He then joined Xu Da in besieging Luzhou. As the city was about to fall, Chen Youliang besieged Hongdu and he was recalled. The armies united against Han and met at Kanglang Mountain on Lake Poyang. The Han fleet was large and held the upstream current; their vanguard was fierce. Chang Yuchun and the generals fought a great battle; their shouts shook heaven and earth; each man fought as ten. Youliang's fierce general Zhang Dingbian drove straight at the Founder's boat, which grounded in the shallows and was nearly lost. Chang Yuchun shot Dingbian; the Founder's boat escaped, but Chang Yuchun's grounded again. A wreck drifting downstream struck his boat and freed it. After three days of fighting they burned the Han fleet; the lake ran red, and Youliang dared not fight again. The generals, judging the Han army still strong, wished to let them go; Chang Yuchun alone said nothing. At the lake mouth the generals wished to sail east downstream; the Founder ordered them to hold the upper current. Chang Yuchun rowed upriver and the generals followed. Youliang, desperate, broke out with a hundred boats. The generals intercepted them; the Han army collapsed and Youliang was killed. On the army's return his merit ranked first and he was rewarded lavishly with gold, silk, and land. He joined the siege of Wuchang; the Founder returned to Yingtian and left Chang Yuchun to press the siege.

明年，太祖即吳王位，進遇春平章政事。太祖復視師武昌。漢丞相張必先自嶽來援。遇春乘其未集，急擊擒之。城中由是氣奪，陳理遂降，盡取荊、湖地。從左相國達取廬州，別將兵略定臨江之沙坑、麻嶺、牛陂諸寨，擒偽知州鄧克明，遂下吉安。圍贛州，熊天瑞固守不下。太祖使使諭遇春：「克城無多殺。苟得地，無民何益？」於是遇春浚壕立柵以困之。頓兵六月，天瑞力盡乃降，遇春果不殺。太祖大喜，賜書褒勉。遇春遂因兵威諭降南雄、韶州，還定安陸、襄陽。復從徐達克泰州，敗士誠援兵，督水軍壁海安壩以遏之。

The next year the Founder became King of Wu and promoted Chang Yuchun to pingzhang administrator of affairs. The Founder again inspected the army at Wuchang. The Han chancellor Zhang Bixian marched from Yue to relieve the city. Chang Yuchun struck before they could assemble and captured him. The city's morale collapsed; Chen Li surrendered and the Jing and Hu regions were taken. He followed Left Prime Minister Xu Da in taking Luzhou, separately reduced the stockades of Shaken, Maling, and Niupo in Linjiang, captured the rebel prefect Deng Keming, and took Ji'an. He besieged Ganzhou, but Xiong Tianrui held firm and would not yield. The Founder sent word to Chang Yuchun: "When you take a city, do not slaughter the people. What good is land without people? Chang Yuchun then dug moats and built palisades to wear the city down. After six months Tianrui's strength gave out and he surrendered; Chang Yuchun spared him as promised. The Founder was delighted and sent a letter of praise. Chang Yuchun then overawed Nanxiong and Shaozhou into surrender and pacified Anlu and Xiangyang. He again followed Xu Da in taking Taizhou, routed Zhang Shicheng's relief force, and posted the fleet at Hai'an Dam to block them.

其秋拜副將軍，伐吳。敗吳軍於太湖，於毘山，於三里橋，遂薄湖州。士誠遣兵來援，屯於舊館，出大軍後。遇春將奇兵由大全港營東阡，更出其後。敵出精卒搏戰，奮擊破之。襲其右丞徐義于平望，盡燔其赤龍船，復敗之于烏鎮，逐北至升山，破其水陸寨，悉俘舊館兵，湖州遂下。進圍平江，軍虎丘。士誠潛師趨遇春，遇春與戰北濠，破之，幾獲士誠。久之，諸將破葑門，遇春亦破閶門以入，吳平。進中書平章軍國重事，封鄂國公。

That autumn he was made deputy general for the campaign against Wu. He defeated Wu forces at Lake Tai, Pishan, and Sanli Bridge, then pressed on Huzhou. Zhang Shicheng sent relief troops to Jiuguan, coming up behind the main army. Chang Yuchun led a flanking force from Daquan Harbor to East Qian and again got behind the enemy. The enemy sent elite troops to fight; he struck fiercely and broke them. He raided their right chancellor Xu Yi at Pingwang and burned the Red Dragon fleet, routed them again at Wuzhen, pursued north to Shengshan, broke their camps by land and water, captured the Jiuguan force, and Huzhou fell. He advanced to besiege Pingjiang from Tiger Hill. Zhang Shicheng sent a stealth force against Chang Yuchun; at North Moat Chang Yuchun routed them and nearly captured Shicheng. At last the generals broke the Fumeng Gate; Chang Yuchun broke the Chang Gate and entered; Wu was pacified. He was promoted to secretariat pingzhang for weighty military and state affairs and enfeoffed as Duke of E.

復拜副將軍，與大將軍達帥兵北征。帝親諭曰：「當百萬眾，摧鋒陷堅，莫如副將軍。不慮不能戰，慮輕戰耳。身為大將，顧好與小校角，甚非所望也。」遇春拜謝。既行，以遇春兼太子少保，從下山東諸郡，取汴梁，進攻河南。元兵五萬陳洛水北。遇春單騎突其陣，敵二十餘騎攢朔刺之。遇春一矢殪其前鋒，大呼馳入，麾下壯士從之。敵大潰，追奔五十餘里。降梁王阿魯溫，河南郡邑以次下。謁帝於汴梁，遂與大將軍下河北諸郡。先驅取德州，將舟師並河而進，破元兵於河西務，克通州，遂入元都。別下保定、河間、真定。

He was again made deputy general and marched north with Grand General Xu Da. The Emperor told him in person: "Against a million men, none breaks the vanguard and storms strongholds like you. I do not doubt you can fight—I fear you fight too lightly. As a great general you still love to wrestle junior officers—that is not what I want of you. Chang Yuchun bowed in thanks. On the march he was made concurrent junior tutor to the heir apparent; he helped reduce Shandong, took Bianliang, and advanced into Henan. Fifty thousand Yuan troops stood north of the Luo River. Chang Yuchun charged their line alone; more than twenty enemy horsemen surrounded and stabbed at him. With one arrow he killed their vanguard, shouted, and charged in; his stalwarts followed. The enemy collapsed and was pursued more than fifty li. The Liang prince Aruwen surrendered and Henan's cities fell in succession. He had audience with the Emperor at Bianliang, then with the Grand General reduced the Hebei prefectures. As vanguard he took Dezhou, led the fleet upriver, routed the Yuan at Hexiwu, took Tongzhou, and entered Dadu. He separately took Baoding, Hejian, and Zhending.

與大將軍攻太原，擴廓帖木兒來援。遇春言于達曰：「我騎兵雖集，步卒未至，驟與戰必多殺傷，夜劫之可得志。」達曰：「善。」會擴廓部將豁鼻馬來約降，且請為內應，乃選精騎夜銜枚往襲。擴廓方燃燭治軍書，倉卒不知所出，跣一足，乘孱馬，以十八騎走大同。豁鼻馬降，得甲士四萬，遂克太原。遇春追擴廓至忻州而還。詔改遇春左副將軍，居右副將軍馮勝上。北取大同，轉徇河東，下奉元路，與勝軍合，西拔鳳翔。

With the Grand General he attacked Taiyuan; Köke Temür came to relieve it. Chang Yuchun said to Xu Da, "Our cavalry is here but the infantry has not arrived—a sudden fight would cost many lives; a night raid will succeed. Xu Da said, "Good." Köke Temür's lieutenant Huobima offered to surrender and act as informant; they chose elite cavalry and raided by night with gag-sticks in their mouths. Köke Temür was by candlelight writing orders when the raid struck; he fled barefoot on a weak horse with eighteen men to Datong. Huobima surrendered; they took forty thousand armored men and captured Taiyuan. Chang Yuchun pursued Köke Temür to Xinzhou and returned. An edict made Chang Yuchun left deputy general, ranking above the right deputy Feng Sheng. He took Datong, swept Hedong, reduced Fengyuan, joined Feng Sheng, and took Fengxiang in the west.

會元將也速攻通州，詔遇春還備，以平章李文忠副之，帥步騎九萬，發北平，徑會州，敗敵將江文清於錦州，敗也速于全寧。進攻大興州，分千騎為八伏。守將夜遁，盡擒之，遂拔開平。元帝北走，追奔數百里。獲其宗王慶生及平章鼎住等將士萬人，車萬輛，馬三千匹，牛五萬頭，子女寶貨稱是。師還，次柳河川，暴疾卒，年僅四十。太祖聞之，大震悼。喪至龍江，親出奠，命禮官議天子為大臣發哀禮。議上，用宋太宗喪韓王趙普故事。制曰「可」。賜葬鐘山原，給明器九十事納墓中。贈翊運推誠宣德靖遠功臣、開府儀同三司、上柱國、太保、中書右丞相，追封開平王，諡忠武。配享太廟，肖像功臣廟，位皆第二。

When the Yuan general Yesü attacked Tongzhou, Chang Yuchun was recalled; with Li Wenzhong as deputy he led ninety thousand foot and horse from Beiping, defeated Jiang Wenqing at Jinzhou and Yesü at Quanning. He attacked Daxing Prefecture with a thousand horsemen in eight ambushes. The defender fled by night and was captured; Kaiping fell. The Yuan emperor fled north and was pursued for hundreds of li. They captured the imperial prince Qingsheng, the pingzhang Dingzhu, and ten thousand officers and men, ten thousand carts, three thousand horses, fifty thousand cattle, and women, children, and treasure in abundance. On the return the army halted at Liuhe River; he died suddenly of illness at only forty. The Founder was deeply shaken and grieved. When the funeral reached Longjiang he went out in person to mourn and ordered the ritual officials to devise rites for the Son of Heaven to mourn a great minister. They proposed the precedent of Song Taizong mourning Prince Han Zhao Pu. The decree approved it. He was buried on the Bell Mountain plain with ninety sets of grave goods placed in the tomb. He was posthumously made meritorious minister who assisted fortune with sincere virtue and pacified the frontier, grand preceptor of the palace with ceremonies equal to the three excellencies, supreme pillar of the state, grand guardian, and right chancellor of the Secretariat, and enfeoffed as Prince of Kaiping with the posthumous name Zhongwu. He received paired sacrifice in the Grand Temple and second place in the Meritorious Ministers Temple.

遇春沉鷙果敢，善撫士卒，摧鋒陷陣，未嘗敗北。雖不習書史，用兵輒與古合。長於大將軍達二歲，數從征伐，聽約束惟謹，一時名將稱徐、常。遇春嘗自言能將十萬眾，橫行天下，軍中又稱「常十萬」雲。

Chang Yuchun was deep, stern, and fearless, skilled at winning over his men; he broke vanguards and stormed battle lines and was never defeated. Though he had not studied the classics, his use of troops invariably matched the ancients. Two years older than Grand General Xu Da, he campaigned repeatedly under strict discipline; the age's greatest generals were called Xu and Chang. Chang Yuchun once said he could lead a hundred thousand men and sweep the realm; the army called him "Chang the Hundred Thousand."

遇春從弟榮，積功為指揮同知，從李文忠出塞，戰死臚朐河。遇春二子，茂、升。

Chang Yuchun's cousin Rong rose to commandant-in-chief, followed Li Wenzhong beyond the frontier, and died at Luju River. Chang Yuchun had two sons: Mao and Sheng.

茂以遇春功，封鄭國公，食祿二千石，予世券，驕稚不習事。洪武二十年命從大將軍馮勝征納哈出於金山。勝，茂婦翁也。茂多不奉勝約束，勝數誚責之。茂應之慢，勝益怒，未有以發也。會納哈出請降，詣右副將軍藍玉營，酒次，與玉相失，納哈出取酒澆地，顧其下咄咄語。茂方在坐，麾下趙指揮者，解蒙古語，密告茂：「納哈出將遁矣。」茂因出不意，直前搏之。納哈出大驚，起欲就馬。茂拔刀，砍其臂傷。納哈出所部聞之，有驚潰者。勝故怒茂，增飾其狀，奏茂激變，遂械系至京。茂亦言勝諸不法事。帝收勝總兵印，而安置茂于龍州，二十四年卒。初，龍州土官趙貼堅死，從子宗壽當襲。貼堅妻黃以愛女予茂為小妻，擅州事。茂既死，黃與宗壽爭州印，相告訐。或構蜚語，謂茂實不死，宗壽知狀。帝怒，責令獻茂自贖，命楊文、韓觀出師討龍州。已而知茂果死，宗壽亦輸款，乃罷兵。

Through his father's merit Mao was enfeoffed as Duke of Zheng with two thousand piculs and a hereditary patent; he was arrogant and ignorant of affairs. In the twentieth year of Hongwu he was ordered to follow Grand General Feng Sheng against Naghachu at Jinshan. Feng Sheng was Mao's father-in-law. Mao often ignored Feng Sheng's orders; Feng Sheng repeatedly rebuked him. Mao answered insolently; Feng Sheng grew angrier but had no occasion to act. When Naghachu came to surrender at Right Deputy Lan Yu's camp, he quarreled with Lan Yu over wine, poured wine on the ground, and spoke urgently to his men. Mao was present; his officer Zhao understood Mongolian and whispered to Mao, "Naghachu is about to flee. Mao seized him by surprise and grappled with him. Naghachu was startled and rose to reach his horse. Mao drew his sword and cut his arm. Some of Naghachu's men panicked and fled. Feng Sheng, already angry at Mao, embellished the affair and reported that Mao had provoked a revolt; Mao was shackled and sent to the capital. Mao in turn accused Feng Sheng of various misconduct. The Emperor took Feng Sheng's command seal and settled Mao at Longzhou; Mao died in the twenty-fourth year. Earlier the Longzhou native official Zhao Tiejian had died; his nephew Zongshou should have succeeded. Tiejian's widow Huang gave her daughter to Mao as a concubine and usurped control of the prefecture. After Mao's death Huang and Zongshou fought over the prefectural seal and denounced each other. Rumors spread that Mao was not really dead and that Zongshou knew it. The Emperor was furious, demanded Mao be produced, and sent Yang Wen and Han Guan against Longzhou. When it was learned Mao was truly dead and Zongshou submitted, the army was withdrawn.

茂無子，弟升，改封開國公，數出練軍，加太子太保。升之沒，《實錄》不載。其他書紀傳謂，建文末，升及魏國公輝祖力戰浦子口，死于永樂初。或謂升洪武中坐藍玉黨，有告其聚兵三山者，誅死。常氏為興宗外戚，建文時恩禮宜厚，事遭革除，無可考，其死亦遂傳聞異詞。升子繼祖，永樂元年遷雲南之臨安衛，時甫七歲。繼祖子甯，寧子復。弘治五年詔曰：「太廟配享諸功臣，其贈王者，皆佐皇祖平定天下，有大功。而子孫或不沾寸祿，淪於氓隸。朕不忍，所司可求其世嫡，量授一官，奉先祀。」乃自雲南召復，授南京錦衣衛世指揮使。嘉靖十一年紹封四王后，封復孫玄振為懷遠侯，傳至曾孫延齡，有賢行。崇禎十六年，全楚淪陷，延齡請統京兵赴九江協守。又言江都有地名常家沙，族丁數千皆其始祖遠裔，請鼓以忠義，練為親兵。帝嘉之，不果行。南都諸勳戚多恣睢自肆，獨延齡以守職稱。國亡，身自灌園，蕭然布衣終老。

Mao had no sons; his brother Sheng was made Duke Who Founded the State, repeatedly drilled troops on campaign, and rose to junior guardian to the heir apparent. Sheng's death is not recorded in the Veritable Records. Other histories say that at the end of the Jianwen reign Sheng and the Duke of Wei Huizu fought fiercely at Puzikou and died early in Yongle. Others say that in Hongwu he was implicated in the Lan Yu faction, was reported for gathering troops at Sanshan, and was executed. The Chang clan were kin to the heir apparent; under Jianwen they should have enjoyed great favor, but records were destroyed in the purge, and even Sheng's death is reported in conflicting accounts. Sheng's son Jizu was relocated to Lin'an Guard in Yunnan in the first year of Yongle, when he was only seven. Jizu's son was Ning; Ning's son was Fu. In the fifth year of Hongzhi an edict said: "The meritorious ministers who receive paired sacrifice in the Grand Temple, those posthumously enfeoffed as kings, all aided the imperial ancestor in pacifying the realm with great merit. Yet some of their descendants receive no stipend at all and sink to commoner status. I cannot bear this—the responsible offices shall find their legitimate heirs, grant them an office, and maintain ancestral sacrifice. Fu was summoned from Yunnan and appointed hereditary commandant of the Nanjing Brocade-Clad Guard. In the eleventh year of Jiajing, after the four kings' titles were restored, Fu's grandson Xuanzhen was enfeoffed as Marquis of Huaiyuan; the line passed to his great-grandson Yanling, a man of virtue. In the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, when all Chu fell, Yanling asked to lead capital troops to Jiujiang to help hold the line. He also said that near Jiangdu was a place called Chang Family Sandbar, where several thousand clansmen were distant descendants of the founder; he asked to rouse them with appeals to loyalty and train them as personal troops. The emperor approved the plan, but it was never carried out. At the Southern Capital most meritorious kin were arrogant and self-indulgent; Yanling alone was praised for doing his duty. When the dynasty fell he watered his own garden and lived out his days plainly as a commoner.

贊曰：明太祖奮自滁陽，戡定四方，雖曰天授，蓋二王之力多焉。中山持重有謀，功高不伐，自古名世之佐無以過之。開平摧鋒陷陣，所向必克，智勇不在中山下；而公忠謙遜，善持其功名，允為元勳之冠。身依日月，剖符錫土，若二王者，可謂極盛矣。顧中山賞延後裔，世叨榮寵；而開平天不假年，子孫亦復衰替。貴匹勳齊，而食報或爽，其故何也？太祖嘗語諸將曰：「為將不妄殺人，豈惟國家之利，爾子孫實受其福。」信哉，可為為將帥者鑒矣。

Appraisal: Ming Taizu rose from Chuyang and pacified the realm; though Heaven granted it, the two kings contributed most of the force. The Prince of Zhongshan was grave and strategic, his merit great yet unboastful; no renowned minister of any age has surpassed him. The Prince of Kaiping broke vanguards and stormed battle lines and was victorious wherever he marched; in wisdom and courage he was the equal of the Prince of Zhongshan; yet he was loyal, public-spirited, and modest, and knew how to hold his fame—truly the foremost of the founding meritorious ministers. They stood beside the throne, received seals and fiefs—such honor for the two kings was the height of glory. Yet the Prince of Zhongshan's rewards extended to his descendants, who enjoyed honor for generations; while Heaven did not grant the Prince of Kaiping long life, and his line declined. Their honors matched their merit, yet the rewards their lines received diverged—why was this? The Founder once told his generals: "A general who does not kill recklessly benefits not only the state—his descendants will reap the blessing. How true this is—a lesson every commander should heed.

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