'Zhang Shijie' (張世傑) (d. March
1279) was a 13th century Chinese admiral and government official during the Mongol invasion of China.
Born to a prosperous family in
Hebei, Zhang's family moved into
Song China because his father had committed a crime in
Jin. Zhang Shijie gained his position after passing his
civil service examination eventually becoming a successful administrator overseeing civil, military, and naval duties for the
Southern Song. Since the fall of the capital
Hangzhou, Zhang commanded the Song naval forces during the Mongol invasion of China in 1276, and served as the last commander of the Song fleet, during the attempt to escort
Emperor Bing of Song and other Imperial officials as they fled the Mongols in 1279. However, Zhang's fleet was intercepted by Mongol forces off the coast of
Xinhui and was destroyed at the
Battle of Yamen on
March 19,
1279, with the Emperor and his Prime Minister
Lu Xiufu committing suicide following their defeat. Although Zhang was able to escape with his remaining ships, he was said to have been killed only a few days later during a storm at sea. Alternate theories exist, suggesting that he fled to
Vietnam to regroup. Although his fate remains a mystery, many suggest his death was simply Mongolian propaganda as the remains of his fleet were never found.
References
★ Giles, Herbert A. ''A Chinese Biographical Dictionary''. Taipei, 1975.