Zongze (1060~1128.7.29, July 1st, Year 1128 of the lunar calendar)

Minister of Anti-Jin in the Song Dynasty of China. The word Ru Lin. A native of Yiwu, Zhejiang, he is a national hero. Generations have been farming, and their family is poor. In the sixth year of Yuanyou of the Northern Song Dynasty (1091), he was admitted to the Jinshi examination and dealt with the shortcomings of the time. The examiner hated his outspoken words and said: "Admission from the same Jinshi background." Since then, he has served successively as the Lieutenant of Guantao County, and the County Magistrate of Longyou, Zhejiang, Jiaozhou, Shandong, and Ye County in Dengzhou. He has been diligent in governing and loving the people, has outstanding governance achievements, and has a long reputation, but he has not been appreciated by the court. In the first year of Xuanhe (1119), he opposed the court's connection with the Jurchen army to conquer the Khitan and was demoted to Hongqing Palace. Therefore, he submitted a petition to retire and planned to form a house in the Dongyang Valley to spend his life reading and writing.

However, he did what he wanted to do. Because he had offended some powerful people while in Dengzhou, he was dismissed from his post and placed under house arrest in Zhenjiang on trumped-up charges. He was not allowed to be free. Two years later, he was appointed as Li Jiaolang to supervise Runzhou Capital Liquor Tax and Bazhou General Judgment. In the first year of Jingkang (1126), he was appointed governor of Cizhou. At that time, the Jin soldiers invaded, Taiyuan fell, and Zhending was in critical condition. Some officials who went to Cizhou refused to go under various excuses. Only Zong Ze led dozens of entourage to take up their posts.

After arriving in Cizhou, Ji Youji repaired the city wall, renovated weapons, recruited vigilantes, and collected food and pay to prevent the enemy from coming in. Soon after, he was appointed as the chief of Hebei Yibing Capital and led his army to rescue Zhending. Zongze first used his divine arm bow to defeat the fierce flames of the enemy, and then marched forward. He broke through more than 30 camps of the Jin soldiers and killed hundreds of enemies. All the sheep, horses, gold and silk he obtained were rewarded to the soldiers. Some time, Zhao Gou, King of Kang, went to the Jin Dynasty to negotiate peace and arrived in Cizhou. Zongze knocked on his horse to persuade him to stop, so he stayed in Xiangzhou. In the winter of that year, Emperor Qinzong of the Song Dynasty appointed King Kang as the Grand Marshal and Zong Ze as the Deputy Commander. Ze led his army to Ligudu. On the way, he encountered an enemy and defeated him.

In the first month of the following year, he led his army to Kaide and fought 13 battles with the enemy, winning the battle. In June of the first year of Jianyan (1127), Ze was appointed to stay in Tokyo at the age of 70. He was in charge of Kaifeng Prefecture and gathered nearly 2 million Yi soldiers to be stationed in 16 counties in the suburbs of Beijing to confront the Jin soldiers across the Yellow River. At this time, Yue Fei defected to Zongze, who was surprised by his talent and gave him 500 cavalry to make meritorious service bravely. Yue Fei obeyed and annihilated the enemy. From then on, Yue Fei fought north and south under Zongze's troops.

In the first month of the second year of Jianyan, the Jin army invaded on a large scale, and Zemaoban defeated them. The Jin army was completely defeated and abandoned all its baggage. From then on, Zongze's prestige shook the world, and Jin Jin Dynasty feared Zongze, and they all called them "Zonggrandfather." Starting from July of the first year of Jianyan, he submitted a letter 24 times a year, urging Song Gaozong to return to Beijing in an attempt to restore the lost land in the north, but they were all blocked by cunning sycophants. Ze became sick from his anger, and gangrene developed on his back.

Zong Ze knew that he was seriously ill and would not be alive for long, but he still couldn't forget to ask Zhao Gou to return to Kaifeng and swear to the Northern Expedition. There was nothing to say about family matters at his deathbed, but he shouted,"Crossing the river!" Crossing the river! Crossing the River "passed away. Ziying and his subordinates Banyue flew to Zhenjiang to protect the coffin and were buried together with his wife Chen at the foot of Xian Mountain in Beijing. Later, he was awarded the title of Bachelor of Guanwen Hall, Doctor of Tongyi, and posthumous title of Zhongjian.

Comments: There was Zong Ze before him and Yue Fei after him. The Song Dynasty had no shortage of anti-Jin generals. Unfortunately, the fatuous monarch and traitor were in power, and there was no way to serve the country, and he regretted it for life.