Top graduate of the 1256 palace examination who led the resistance to the Mongol conquest, then spent over three years in prison in Dadu refusing to serve Kublai Khan. Schoolchildren learn his 过零丁洋 and 正气歌.
After his capture Wen Tianxiang would rather die than give in, and in the end he was executed.
Tips
history
His courtesy name 宋瑞 comes from a pun by Emperor 宋理宗 at the palace exam. Reading the name 天祥 'heaven's good omen', he remarked 天之祥，乃宋之瑞也, 'heaven's good omen is the Song's blessing'.
culture
His 过零丁洋 puns on place names: 惶恐滩 'Fear Rapids' and 零丁洋, where 零丁 also means 'alone and forlorn'. It ends 人生自古谁无死，留取丹心照汗青, 'all men must die; let my loyal heart shine in the annals of history'.
