Tie Xuan

Tie Xuan (鐵鉉; Wade–Giles: T'ieh Hsüan; 1366 – 1402), also known as Tie Zhoucheng (鐵周城) and posthumously as Marquis Zhongmin (忠愍侯), was a Ming dynasty official known for his fierce loyalty to the Jianwen Emperor and his heroic defense of Jinan against the rebel forces of Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan (later the Yongle Emperor), during the Jingnan Campaign.

Tie Xuan was born in Dengzhou (登州, present-day Penglai, Shandong). He passed the imperial examinations and served in minor administrative roles. When Zhu Di rebelled, Tie Xuan initially defended the city of Dezhou. After Dezhou fell, he was transferred to Jinan as a military commissioner.

During the siege of Jinan, Tie Xuan employed ingenious strategies to repel Zhu Di's numerically superior army. These tactics included feigning surrender to lure Yan forces into ambushes, using fire attacks, and flooding the city's moats. The prolonged and costly siege significantly weakened Zhu Di's campaign.

Despite the eventual capture of Nanjing and the Jianwen Emperor's disappearance, Tie Xuan refused to surrender. Eventually, Jinan was captured due to internal betrayal. Tie Xuan was taken to Nanjing, where he steadfastly refused to acknowledge Zhu Di as the new emperor. He cursed Zhu Di to his face and repeatedly turned his back on him. Enraged, Zhu Di had Tie Xuan brutally executed.

Tie Xuan is remembered as a paragon of loyalty and patriotism in Chinese history. His story is often invoked as an example of unwavering devotion to principle. He is venerated in numerous temples and shrines throughout China, particularly in Jinan.