Chen Youliang facts for kids

Chen Youliang (陳友諒; 1320 – 3 October 1363) was a powerful leader in Chinese history. He founded and became the first emperor of a state called Chen Han. He was one of the important military leaders who fought against the Yuan dynasty at the end of its rule. Many people saw him as a hero who helped start a new era in China.

Who Was Chen Youliang?

Chen Youliang was born into a fishing family in Mianyang, which is now in Hubei province. His family was not rich. Some stories say his family name was Chen, while others say it was Xie.

As a young man, Chen Youliang worked as a local official. Later, he joined the Red Turban Rebellion as a general under a leader named Ni Wenjun. Ni Wenjun planned to harm another rebel leader, Xu Shouhui. But Chen Youliang acted first and took control from Ni Wenjun. After this, Chen Youliang gained power in areas like Fujian and Jiangxi.

Xu Shouhui wanted to move his capital to Jiangxi. Chen Youliang was worried this would make Xu Shouhui too powerful near him. So, Chen Youliang later took full control from Xu Shouhui.

In 1357, Chen Youliang declared himself "King of Han" in a city called Jiangzhou. After Xu Shouhui was no longer in power, Chen Youliang became emperor. His empire was named Da Han (meaning "Great Han"). He chose Zou Pusheng as his top advisor and Zhang Bixian as his prime minister.

Battles and Power

From 1359 to 1363, Chen Youliang's navy was the strongest on the upper Yangtze River. His power was as great as another rebel leader, Zhu Yuanzhang, who later founded the Ming dynasty.

Rebels and warlords at the end of Yuan dynasty, including the territory controlled by Chen Youliang in early 1363

In 1360, Chen Youliang's forces began a long war against Zhu Yuanzhang's army, known as the Wu forces. Zhu Yuanzhang's base was in Jiqing, which is now Nanjing. An attack on Zhu Yuanzhang's capital failed because Zhu Yuanzhang had good information about Chen Youliang's plans.

The war continued, leading to a huge battle called the Battle of Lake Poyang. This was a major naval battle. Zhu Yuanzhang's smaller fleet managed to defeat Chen Youliang's larger fleet after three days of intense fighting.

About a month after this battle, Chen Youliang's fleet tried to escape from Lake Poyang. During these ship battles, Chen Youliang was killed. He was about 43 years old when he died on October 3, 1363.

Chen Youliang's oldest son, Chen Shan, had been captured. So, his second son, Chen Li, became the next emperor. However, Zhu Yuanzhang's forces quickly attacked Chen Li. It took two more years, but by April 1365, the Chen Han empire was completely taken over by Zhu Yuanzhang.

Family Life

Chen Youliang had a large family.

• His father was Chen Pucai.
• His mother was from the Wu family.
• He had several brothers: Chen Youfu, Chen Youzhi, Chen Youren, and Chen Yougui. Sadly, Chen Youren and Chen Yougui died in the Battle of Poyang Lake.
• Chen Youliang had several wives or partners, including ladies named Yang, Lou, Tao, and Du.
• He had two sons: Chen Shan, who was his crown prince, and Chen Li, who became emperor after him.
• One of his descendants, Chen Mingshan, later lived in Korea.

Different Stories About His Family

Some historical records from Vietnam say that Chen Youliang was the son of Trần Ích Tắc. Trần Ích Tắc was a royal family member from Vietnam's Trần dynasty who went to live in the Yuan dynasty. Chen Youliang supposedly sent a message to Vietnam, asking for an alliance and claiming this family connection.

However, Chinese history books do not mention this. They say Chen Youliang's family was originally named Xie and later changed to Chen. Also, Chen Youliang's family were fishermen in Hubei, while Trần Ích Tắc was a high-ranking official. It seems unlikely that a high-ranking official would have a fisherman son. Some historians think Chen Youliang might have made up this story to get support from Vietnam.

The Trần dynasty in Vietnam did not respond to Chen Youliang's request. Trần Ích Tắc was seen as a traitor in Vietnam, so it was unlikely they would ally with someone claiming to be his descendant.

How People Remember Chen Youliang

Even though Chen Youliang's empire didn't last, he is remembered as an important figure. He fought against the Yuan dynasty's rule and helped set the stage for the new Ming dynasty.

Many famous people have shared their thoughts about him:

• Liu Ji, a wise advisor, said Chen Youliang controlled a large area and was a big threat.
• Zhu Yuanzhang, who became the first Ming emperor, said that after Chen Youliang died, it was much easier to bring peace to China. He also thought Chen Youliang was too proud.
• Historian Wu Han said that even though Chen Youliang failed, he was a hero who fought against the old rulers. People felt sympathy for him and remembered him.

His Tomb and Memorials

After Chen Youliang died in the Battle of Poyang Lake, his body was never found. His clothes were taken by his followers and buried in a special tomb. This tomb is located on a hill near the Yangtze River Bridge in Wuhan City, Hubei Province. It's close to the famous Yellow Crane Tower.

The tomb is a rectangle with rounded corners and is about 2.2 meters tall. It has been repaired and rebuilt many times over the centuries. It was damaged during the Cultural Revolution but was later restored. Today, it is a protected cultural site.

In 2013, a "Chen Youliang Memorial Hall" was opened in Xiantao City, Hubei Province. This memorial hall is a three-story building that tells the story of Chen Youliang's life and achievements.

Chen Youliang in Stories

Chen Youliang is also a character in popular culture. He appears in the famous wuxia novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber by Louis Cha. He has also been shown in many TV shows and films based on this novel.

See also

• Chen Han
• Chen Li (emperor)