Fei Ju (1326–1390), courtesy name Tingyong, was a native of Wuhe in Haozhou (modern Anhui Province). He was an eminent founding general of the Ming dynasty and one of the illustrious Twenty-Four Huaixi Generals. Joining Zhu Yuanzhang's rebellion in Dingyuan during the late Yuan, he fought in key foundational campaigns across Chuzhou, Hezhou, and the seizure of Jiqing (Nanjing). Under supreme commanders Xu Da and Chang Yuchun,…
1390 CEMing Dynasty
PROFILE
Fei Ju (1326–1390), courtesy name Tingyong, was a native of Wuhe in Haozhou (modern Anhui Province). He was an eminent founding general of the Ming dynasty and one of the illustrious Twenty-Four Huaixi Generals. Joining Zhu Yuanzhang's rebellion in Dingyuan during the late Yuan, he fought in key foundational campaigns across Chuzhou, Hezhou, and the seizure of Jiqing (Nanjing). Under supreme commanders Xu Da and Chang Yuchun, he helped overthrow Zhang Shicheng, campaigned in Henan and Shandong, and subjugated northern warlords Li Siqi and Zhang Sidao in Shaanxi and Gansu. In 1370, during the grand ennoblement of founding merit, he was invested as the Marquis of Pingliang with an annual stipend of 1,500 shi and granted a hereditary iron certificate. Later, he garrisoned Yunnan and Shaanxi, putting down tribal insurrections. In 1390, he was executed after being implicated in the Hu Weiyong Faction Case, and his marquisate was abolished.
Era
Late Yuan to early Ming
Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
Identity
Founding general of the Ming
Date of Birth
1326
Date of Death
1390
Ethnicity
Han
Ancestral Home
Wuhe, Haozhou (modern Wuhe County, Anhui Province)
Place of Birth
Wuhe of Haozhou (present-day Wuhe county, Anhui)
Place of Death
Place of death unknown
Lifespan
1326–1390
Highest Office
Vice General of Northern Expedition, Commissioner of Central Military Commission
Peerage
Marquis of Pingliang (with a stipend of fifteen hundred piculs and an hereditary warrant)
LIFE TIMELINE
Born in Wuhe County, Haozhou ｜ Bold and athletic from youth, skilled iOpen
Born in Wuhe County, Haozhou ｜ Bold and athletic from youth, skilled in horsemanship and archery
Joined Zhu Yuanzhang's forces in Dingyuan ｜ Assisted in organizing locOpen
Joined Zhu Yuanzhang's forces in Dingyuan ｜ Assisted in organizing local volunteer militias, made Chengxin Officer
Crossed the Yangtze to capture Taiping and Jiqing ｜ Promoted to Army MOpen
Crossed the Yangtze to capture Taiping and Jiqing ｜ Promoted to Army Marshal for valor in capturing river bastions
Pacified remnant divisions of Chen Youliang ｜ Appointed Vice CommanderOpen
Pacified remnant divisions of Chen Youliang ｜ Appointed Vice Commander of Xi'an Garrison, enforcing iron discipline
Participated in the campaign against Zhang Shicheng ｜ Spearheaded the Open
Participated in the campaign against Zhang Shicheng ｜ Spearheaded the storming of Suzhou, promoted to Garrison Commander
Marched west to pacify Shaanxi and Gansu ｜ Smashed warlord armies of LOpen
Marched west to pacify Shaanxi and Gansu ｜ Smashed warlord armies of Li Siqi and Zhang Sidao, securing northern borders
Ennobled as Marquis of Pingliang ｜ Bestowed annual stipend of 1,500 shOpen
Ennobled as Marquis of Pingliang ｜ Bestowed annual stipend of 1,500 shi of grain and hereditary iron certificate
Joined Fu Youde's southern campaign in Yunnan ｜ Pacified insurgent triOpen
Joined Fu Youde's southern campaign in Yunnan ｜ Pacified insurgent tribes in Wusa and Shuixi, garrisoned Anlu
Implicated in the Hu Weiyong Treason Case ｜ Executed at the age of sixOpen
Implicated in the Hu Weiyong Treason Case ｜ Executed at the age of sixty-five; noble title stripped
Following the founding of the Ming Empire in 1368 ｜ Following the founOpen
Following the founding of the Ming Empire in 1368 ｜ Following the founding of the Ming Empire in 1368, Fei was dispatched as a core commander on the Great Western Expedition to pacify the northern borderlands.
Age 13 ｜ Following the founding of the Ming Empire in 1368, Fei was diOpen
Age 13 ｜ Following the founding of the Ming Empire in 1368, Fei was dispatched as a core commander on the Great Western Expedition to pacify the northern borderlands.
Aged about forty-four ｜ He accompanied Xu Da in taking Xi’an, was tranOpen
Aged about forty-four ｜ He accompanied Xu Da in taking Xi’an, was transferred to be commander of the Xi’an guard, advanced to assistant commissioner of the Chief Military Commission and guarded Pingliang.
### Ennoblement and Frontier Governance In November 1370 ｜ ### EnnobleOpen
### Ennoblement and Frontier Governance In November 1370 ｜ ### Ennoblement and Frontier Governance In November 1370, Emperor Taizu issued the historic edict rewarding foundational merit.
Age 15 ｜ ### Ennoblement and Frontier Governance In November 1370, EmpOpen
Age 15 ｜ ### Ennoblement and Frontier Governance In November 1370, Emperor Taizu issued the historic edict rewarding foundational merit.
Aged about fifty-two ｜ He was placed in charge of military affairs at Open
Aged about fifty-two ｜ He was placed in charge of military affairs at Chenzhou and later offered sacrifices at the Middle Marchmount of Huoshan.
In subsequent years ｜ In subsequent years, Fei directed defenses alongOpen
In subsequent years ｜ In subsequent years, Fei directed defenses along the Shaanxi borders and accompanied Fu Youde on the Southern Expedition to subjugate Yunnan in 1381, subduing restive indigenous clans in the rugged southwest.
Age 16 ｜ In subsequent years, Fei directed defenses along the Shaanxi Open
Age 16 ｜ In subsequent years, Fei directed defenses along the Shaanxi borders and accompanied Fu Youde on the Southern Expedition to subjugate Yunnan in 1381, subduing restive indigenous clans in the rugged southwest.
Aged about fifty-seven ｜ He accompanied Mu Ying in taking Dali, then aOpen
Aged about fifty-seven ｜ He accompanied Mu Ying in taking Dali, then as deputy commander attacked Guansuo Ridge and Azan Fort in separate columns, put down the tribal risings and acted as administrator of the Guizhou regional commission.
Aged about sixty ｜ He served as commander and campaigned in Guangnan, Open
Aged about sixty ｜ He served as commander and campaigned in Guangnan, capturing Huo Lida.
In 1390 ｜ In 1390, amidst the secondary purges of the Hu Weiyong treasOpen
In 1390 ｜ In 1390, amidst the secondary purges of the Hu Weiyong treason trials, imperial censors charged Fei Ju with having formerly visited Hu Weiyong's residence and entered into illicit conspiracies.
Age 15 ｜ In 1390, amidst the secondary purges of the Hu Weiyong treasoOpen
Age 15 ｜ In 1390, amidst the secondary purges of the Hu Weiyong treason trials, imperial censors charged Fei Ju with having formerly visited Hu Weiyong's residence and entered into illicit conspiracies.
BIOGRAPHY
Biography
Early Insurgency and Jiangnan Campaigns
Fei Ju was born into a warrior household in Wuhe, Haozhou. Endowed with robust stature and natural military courage, he aligned himself with Zhu Yuanzhang in 1353 when the future Ming founder recruited troops in Dingyuan. Fei played a critical role in persuading local armed militias to submit to Zhu's banners. Across early campaigns in Anhui and Jiangsu, Fei fought as a dependable shock commander, scaling fortifications in the amphibious assaults on Caishi and Taiping. When the army seized Jiqing (modern Nanjing) in 1356, Fei was elevated to Army Marshal. ### Subduing Zhang Shicheng and the Conquest of the Northwest In the bitter conflict against Zhang Shicheng's kingdom of Wu, Fei Ju served under Senior Marshal Xu Da. Fei repeatedly penetrated enemy boat squadrons along Lake Tai, repelling Wu relief columns and storming the bastions of Pingjiang (Suzhou) in 1367. Following the founding of the Ming Empire in 1368, Fei was dispatched as a core commander on the Great Western Expedition to pacify the northern borderlands. Campaigning across Shaanxi and Gansu, he crushed the veteran forces of Mongol and Chinese warlords Li Siqi and Zhang Sidao, capturing fortified mountain stockades and restoring imperial authority to the Hexi Corridor. ### Ennoblement and Frontier Governance In November 1370, Emperor Taizu issued the historic edict rewarding foundational merit. Fei Ju was honored as a Meritorious Military Officer of Foundery and Loyalty, promoted to Pillar of State, and invested as the Marquis of Pingliang with a hereditary stipend of 1,500 shi of grain and a coveted iron certificate (Tiequan). In subsequent years, Fei directed defenses along the Shaanxi borders and accompanied Fu Youde on the Southern Expedition to subjugate Yunnan in 1381, subduing restive indigenous clans in the rugged southwest. ### The Hu Weiyong Purge and Tragic Demise Despite his battlefield heroism, Fei Ju possessed an abrasive and intemperate character, occasionally clashing with regional magistrates. In his sunset years, Emperor Taizu grew intensely suspicious of powerful military aristocrats. In 1390, amidst the secondary purges of the Hu Weiyong treason trials, imperial censors charged Fei Ju with having formerly visited Hu Weiyong's residence and entered into illicit conspiracies. Without a trial, the aging general was arrested, sentenced to execution, and his noble fief was extinguished.
Foundational Honors and the Iron Certificate
During the grand ennoblement of meritorious officials in 1370, Fei Ju ranked eighteenth among the foundational commanders honored by Emperor Taizu. He was granted the rank of Pillar of State, invested as Marquis of Pingliang with an annual stipend of 1,500 shi, and bestowed a hereditary iron certificate. The imperial edict inscribed upon the iron certificate commemorated his nineteen years of tireless battlefield service, praising his role in seizing Chuzhou, Hezhou, and Yizhen; crossing the Yangtze to take Jurong, Lishui, Jianye, Jingkou, and Guangde; garrisoning Changxing against Zhang Shicheng's incursions; storming Wuxing and Suzhou; campaigning southward by sea to seize Sanshan and Yanping; eradicating coastal brigands; and assisting Senior Marshal Xu Da in subduing the Central Plains and pacifying Shaanxi.
Major Activities
Conquering the Northwest Front
Fei Ju fought with distinction in Shaanxi and Gansu under Xu Da, breaking the stubborn resistance of regional warlords Li Siqi and Zhang Sidao to secure the northwest frontier for the Ming dynasty. ### Subduing Zhang Shicheng's Fortifications During the Suzhou campaign in 1367, Fei Ju led elite vanguard troops in penetrating water fortifications, directly contributing to the destruction of Zhang Shicheng's kingdom. ### Pacifying the Southwestern Marches In the Yunnan campaign of 1381, Fei Ju fought alongside Fu Youde to conquer hostile mountain regions, establishing military colonies and stabilizing regional administration.
Strategic Pacification and Governance of the Southwest
Throughout the campaigns in Yunnan, Fei Ju cooperated closely with Fu Youde, Mu Ying, and Wu Fu. During the Battle of Baishijiang, he personally braved arrow volleys to capture the former Yuan chancellor Dalima. Advancing to Dali, he directed detachments to storm fortified mountain stockades at Guansuoling and Azan, pacifying widespread tribal uprisings. Following the victory, Emperor Taizu instituted the Guizhou Regional Military Commission and placed Fei Ju in acting charge of commission affairs. Subsequently commissioned as Commander-in-Chief, he led troops to subdue Guangnan, capturing Huo Lida and taking over ten thousand enemy troops into surrender, achieving crucial strategic success in establishing Ming imperial control over the southwestern borderlands.
Emperor Taizu (Zhu Yuanzhang): 'Fei Ju followed me from our hometown, braved arrows and spears to conquer the land, and displayed indomitable valor throughout our campaigns.'
History of Ming (Ming Shi): 'Fei Ju was brave and fierce in arms, repeatedly scoring victories in the west and south... Yet failing to cultivate restraint, he perished amidst the dynastic net.'
Ming Shilu: Recorded his foundational merits among the Twenty-Four Generals of Huaixi who built the Ming Empire.