Pei (p é i) Min (m í n), with ancestral roots in Hedong Wenxi (now Wenxi, Shanxi), was a figure during the Tang Dynasty’s Kaiyuan period. He once defended Beiping County (now Lulong, Hebei) and participated in wars against the Xiren, Khitan, and Tubo tribes. According to records, he was appointed as the “Left Jin Wu Grand General”. Below, the history encyclopedia editor will bring you a detailed introduction. Let’s take a look together!
There are rumors that the poet Li Bai once learned swordsmanship from him, but there is no concrete evidence. During the reign of Emperor Wenzong of Tang Dynasty, Li Bai’s poetry, Zhang Xu’s cursive script, and Pei Min’s sword dance were referred to as the “Three Wonders of the Tang Dynasty”, and people called them the “Sword Saints”.
Anecdotes about Pei Min’s character
Integration of Sword and Painting
During the Kaiyuan period, Pei Min wanted to invite the great painter Wu Daozi to create murals at the Tiangong Temple to transcend the souls of the deceased due to the death of his mother. Wu Daozi said: It’s been a long time since I last painted. If General Pei insists on me painting, I can only ask him to dance a “sword dance” first to inspire my painting ideas.
Pei Min immediately took off his mourning clothes and danced with a sword. He was seen “flying like a horse, pulling left and right”. Suddenly, he “threw the sword into the clouds, several tens of zhang high. If the electric light shot down, Min held the scabbard in his hand and entered the room with the sword”. A sword thrown dozens of zhang high can be caught with a hand-held scabbard, making it fall straight into the scabbard. It’s truly a swordsmanship skill.
At that time, thousands of onlookers were shocked and amazed. Wu Daozi was also moved by the fierce sword dance momentum, and his painting ideas were agile. With the help of gods, he waved his brush to paint the wall, and the wind blew up. Soon, a magnificent mural for the world was painted.
Pei Min Shooting Tigers
Pei Min, as the commander of Longhua Army, was stationed in Beiping. There are many tigers in Beiping. Pei Min is good at archery and once shot and killed 31 tigers in one day.
Then he looked around at the foot of the mountain, showing a contented expression. An old man walked over and said to him, “The things you shot to death are all fierce, like tigers rather than tigers. If you encounter a real tiger, you will be powerless.” Pei Min said, “Where is the real tiger?” The old man said, “Thirty miles north from here, tigers often appear
Pei Min urged the horse to head north and arrived at a place overgrown with vegetation. Indeed, a tiger jumped out. This tiger is relatively small in size, but its momentum is fierce. Standing there with a roar, the rocks shattered, and Pei Min’s horse was scared backwards. His bow and arrows fell to the ground, almost being swallowed by the tiger. From then on, he felt both ashamed and afraid, and no longer shot tigers.
Shoot the strange spider
Pei Min has also shot large spiders. It is said that while walking in the deep mountains, he encountered a large spider resembling a wheel, and its web hung down like a piece of cloth. The spider spun silk into a web, almost entangling Pei Min. Pei Min “drew a bow and shot him”, and took several feet of silk from the spider web to collect. When his subordinates were injured, he cut a square inch and stuck it on, and the bleeding stopped immediately.
Regarding Pei Min’s ancient poetry
Yan Zhenqing’s “Gift to General Pei”
The great ruler established the Six Harmonies system, and the fierce general Qing Jiugai. War horses are like dragons and tigers, how majestic they are to soar.
The general is facing the Eight Wilderness, exuding great talent. Sword dance is like swimming electricity, swaying and returning with the wind.
Climbing high and gazing at the Tianshan Mountains, the white clouds are majestic. Entering the battlefield to defeat the arrogant invaders, with a majestic and thunderous reputation.
Shoot a hundred horses down, then shoot ten thousand men. The Xiongnu dared not resist and called out to return.
To repay the emperor with success, one can paint a Lin Tai.
Wang Wei’s “Gift to General Pei”
A precious sword with seven star inscriptions on the waist, and a carved bow with a hundred battle honors on the arm.
Seeing the capture of the cunning invaders in the clouds, I realized that there was a general in the sky.
Qiao Tan’s “Sword Dance Ode to General Pei”
On the seventh day of the first lunar month and autumn, Duke Pei of Yulin presented his military victory in the capital and went up to the Imperial Huazi Tower. He set up a large banquet of wine, drank heavily, and ordered the general to dance swords, which was a magnificent sight for the world. Therefore, he bestowed it upon him.
