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Wen Tianxiang (; June 6, 1236 – January 9, 1283), noble title Duke of Xin (信國公), was a Chinese statesman, poet and politician in the last years of the Southern Song dynasty. For his resistance to Kublai Khan's invasion of the Southern Song dynasty, and for his refusal to yield to the Yuan dynasty despite being captured and tortured, he is a popular culture hero symbol of patriotism, righteousness, and resistance against tyranny in China. He is known as one of the 'Three Loyal Princes of the Song' (大宋三忠王), alongside Lu Xiufu and Zhang Shijie. Wen Tianxiang is depicted in the Wu Shuang Pu (無雙譜, Table of Peerless Heroes) by Jin Guliang.
His continuing symbolic importance was evident in an event that took place in Wen Tianxiang's historical shrine in Haifeng (Haifeng County) in 1908, where Chen Jiongming persuaded over thirty young men from the village to swear secret support for a national revolution.Leslie H. Dingyan Chen (1999). Chen Jiongming and the Federalist Movement: Regional Leadership and Nation Building in Early Republican China. Ann Arbor: Center for Chinese Studies, University of Michigan, pp. 13–14
Later when the war situation further deteriotated, Wen was recalled an appointed as the Prefect of Ganzhou. He immediately recruited some troops from the local population and was later assigned to defend the region of Pingjiang (now in Suzhou, Jiangsu). In 1275, Yuan Dynasty Mongols troops under Bayan attacked the Jiangsu and Jiejiang regions. Yuan forces quickly bypassed Pingjiang and marched directly to the region now known as Yuhang District. Wen Tianxiang hurriedly rushed to Yuhang but he was too late, his former base in Pingjiang was also quickly overwhelmed by the Mongols. Wen and his troops then retreated back to Lin'an. Together with Zhang Shijie, Wen Tianxiang proposed a plan to keep fighting, but it was rejected by Chancellor of the Right Chen Yizhong. At that time many Song court officials (including Chancellor of the Left Liu Mengyang) had already run away fearing the approaching Yuan troops, while others were mostly pro-peace. Pro-war figures like Zhang Shijie also left to continue the fight on their own. The Song Empress Dowager finally decided to surrender, and Wen was appointed as the new Chancellor of the Right to lead the Song delegation to ask the Yuan for peace (1276).Lin Handa, Cao Yuchang. Five-thousand years of Chinese history, Vol 3. (Vietnamese translation). Culture and Information Publishing House, 2001. [1] Chapter: The Uprising of Wen Tianxiang.
However, Wen Tianxiang didn't plead for a surrender as tasked. When meeting Bayan, Wen asked Bayan about the Mongol's intentions and demanded the retreat of the Yuan forces:
Seeing that Wen Tianxiang was determined to not surrender, Bayan arrested Wen in the Mongol headquarters. An enraged but helpless Wen Tianxiang could only witness the Empress Dowager and other Song court officials finalize their surrender. Nonetheless, Wen managed to escape from the Yuan Mongol camp, and head to Yang province. The Yang prefect wrongly suspected Wen as a spy from the Yuan, therefore Wen further travelled south and finally met Zhang Shije and Chen Yizhong in Fuzhou, this time with a newly crowned Emperor Duanzong. After a brief discussion, Wen travelled to Nanjian pronvince (now located as Nanping, Fujian province) to recruit troops, then marched to Jiangxi. Wen managed to gain several victories, but he was soon overwhelmed by the Yuan forces led by Zhang Hongfan and was arrested (1278).Lin Handa, Cao Yuchang. Five-thousand years of Chinese history, Vol 3. (Vietnamese translation). Culture and Information Publishing House, 2001. [2] Chapter: Zhang Shije defending Yamen.
Wen was treated well by Zhang Hongfan and was promised a prestigious Yuan post in exchange for his surrender, but Wen refused. Later, Song resistance forces was completely destroyed at the Battle of Yamen (1279), Zhang again provide the same offer, reasoning that Wen was no longer bound by the already perished as Song Dynasty. Wen again categorically refused, saying that "I was a court officer of the Song but failed to save the country. I deserve to be tried as a criminal, why should I cling to my life now?" Zhang had no choice but escort Wen to Khanbaliq.Lin Handa, Cao Yuchang. Five-thousand years of Chinese history, Vol 3. (Vietnamese translation). Culture and Information Publishing House, 2001. [3] Chapter: The Song of Righteousness. He was imprisoned in a military prison. During this time he wrote the poems "Song of Righteousness" (), and "Crossing the Lingding Sea", the latter of which included these lines of defiance in the face of Mongol rule:
The Yuan court, still hoping to persuade Wen Tianxiang, sent the former Song Chancellor Liu Mengyan (the one who had run away when the Mongols approached Lin'an) to see Wen in prison. An enraged Wen Tianxiang immediately gave Liu a violent scolding. Lưu thủ đan tâm chiếu hãn thanh CRI Online The Yuan sent former Emperor Gong of Song to persuade Wen, but he simply answered: "Your Highness please come back to the palace!" Later his brother Wen Pi was also sent to the prison with the same task, and Wen Tianxang said: "We have the same parents but do not serve under the same sky!" During the imprisonment, Wen Tianxiang also received letters from his daughter, informing him that his whole family was held captive in the Yuan royal palace. Wen then replied: "I have received the letter, my soul hurts so much. Everybody have relatives and family, but in this circumstance I can only choose death, there is no alternative."
In 1283, Wen Tianxiang was summoned to appear before Kublai Khan. He briefly bowed his head to greet the Yuan Emperor, but refused to Prostration as a subordinate of the Yuan. Kublai Khan expressed respect to Wen and again offered him a prestigious position. Wen repeated his refusal, saying: "I am Song's chancellor, I cannot serve another dynasty! I can only accept death, if not, I cannot face the matyrs at the Underworld. ... I only desire death, I have nothing to say." At that time an uprising arose and the rebels declared they would attack Dadu "to rescue Chancellor Wen". Kublai Khan had no choice but to execute Wen Tianxiang.
It is said that after Wen's death, people discovered his death poem written as:
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There are now at least six branches of the Wen family in the provinces of Jiangxi, Hunan, Hainan, Guangdong, Fujian, and in Hong Kong and overseas locations. Local dialect pronunciations would be "Man" (Cantonese), "Vun" (Hakka language), "Boon" (Hokkien) and "Bhung" (Teochew people). The "Man" clan are considered one of the original founding families in the history of Hong Kong.
The well-known Ming dynasty painter and calligrapher Wen Zhengming also belonged to the Wen family. The mother of Mao Zedong, Wen Qimei, was a descendant as well.
One of the oldest continuous branches of the Wen family established itself in the Hengyang/Hengshan County area of present-day Hunan shortly after 1000. A branch of this Wen family settled in the United States in the mid-1940s and is related through marriage to the prominent Sun family of Shouxian, Anhui (Sun Jianai; Fou Foong Flour Company 福豐麵粉廠) and the Li family of Hefei, Anhui (Li Hongzhang).
"The Song Dynasty's Top Ranking Scholar and Prime Minister, the West River's Filial Son and Loyal Subject," is carved into the columns of the memorial's main hall.
In addition, three streets also take their name from Wen (i.e. the "Tianxiang Road"). One is in Zhongshan District, Taipei nearby the Minquan W. Road MRT station, another is in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung and the other is in Xiulin, Hualien County.
A Man Tin Cheung Memorial Park and "Man" ancestral hall and residence (Tai Fu Tai Mansion) in San Tin are historical attractions in Hong Kong.
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