Di Qing

This article is about the Song Dynasty general. For the prefecture in Yunnan, see Dêqên Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Di.

Di Qing
Chinese	狄青
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Dí Qīng - Wade–Giles Ti Ching

Di Qing

Di Qing (1008–1057), style name Hanchen (simplified Chinese: 汉臣; traditional Chinese: 漢臣; pinyin: Hànchén), was a military general of the Northern Song Dynasty. He was born to a poor family in Xihe, Fenzhou (汾州西河; present-day Fenyang, Shanxi). He sported tattoos on his face and excelled in mounted archery. In 1038, during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song, Di Qing was appointed as Commander (指揮使) of Yanzhou (延州; covering parts of present-day Shaanxi). He participated in the war between Song and Western Xia. Each time he went to war, he would don a bronze mask and let his hair run wild and disheveled, and charge into the battlefield. Di Qing was known to be close to Song ministers such as Yin Zhu (尹洙), Han Qi (韓琦) and Fan Zhongyan. Fan Zhongyan once presented Di Qing a copy of the Zuo Zhuan and advised him to read. Di Qing took up scholarly pursuits and became a versed military strategist. He was later promoted to Deputy Commander of the Secret Cabinet (樞密副使) for his contributions. Di Qing participated in a total of 25 battles in his whole life. Of these battles, he was best known for his night raid on Kunlun Pass on the 15th day of the first lunar month in 1053.

References

• Toktoghan et al. (Yuan Dynasty). History of Song, Volume 290, Biography of Di Qing.
• Sima Guang. (Northern Song Dynasty). Su Shui Ji Wen (涑水記聞), Volume 13.

Persondata
Name	Di, Qing
Alternative names
Short description	Military General
Date of birth	1008
Place of birth
Date of death	1057
Place of death