Wen Tianxiang was born on 6 June 1236 in Luling (
Ji'an),
Jiangxi Province during the Song dynasty. At the age of 18, he excelled in his local examinations, and two years later participated in examinations in the capital, during which he was personally awarded first rank (
Zhuangyuan) by
Emperor Lizong. He would subsequently take up several posts in the government of the Southern Song, including being Attendant () of the Justice Ministry and Prefect of
Ganzhou. Wen Tianxiang was frequently in conflict with the corrupt magistrate
Jia Sidao and the pro-peace faction as he supported the war effort against the invading Mongols. Wen once requested the execution of a eunuch who proposed fleeing from the capital
Lin'an. As a result, Wen was demoted and forced into premature retirement at the age of 37. Later when the war situation further deteriotated, Wen was recalled an appointed as the Prefect of
Ganzhou. He immediately recruited some troops from the local population and was later assigned to defend the region of Pingjiang (now in
Suzhou, Jiangsu). In 1275,
Yuan Mongols troops under
Bayan attacked the Jiangsu and Jiejiang regions. Yuan forces quickly bypassed Pingjiang and marched directly to the region now known as
Yuhang District. Wen Tianxiang hurriedly rushed to Yuhang but he was too late, his former base in Pingjiang was also quickly overwhelmed by the Mongols. Wen and his troops then retreated back to Lin'an. Together with
Zhang Shijie, Wen Tianxiang proposed a plan to keep fighting, but it was rejected by Chancellor of the Right Chen Yizhong. At that time many Song court officials (including Chancellor of the Left Liu Mengyang) had already run away fearing the approaching Yuan troops, while others were mostly pro-peace. Pro-war figures like Zhang Shijie also left to continue the fight on their own. The Song Empress Dowager finally decided to surrender, and Wen was appointed as the new Chancellor of the Right to lead the Song delegation to ask the Yuan for peace (1276). However, Wen Tianxiang didn't plead for a surrender as tasked. When meeting Bayan, Wen asked Bayan about the Mongol's intentions and demanded the retreat of the Yuan forces: Seeing that Wen Tianxiang was determined to not surrender, Bayan arrested Wen in the Mongol headquarters. An enraged but helpless Wen Tianxiang could only witness the Empress Dowager and other Song court officials finalize their surrender. Nonetheless, Wen managed to escape from the Yuan Mongol camp, and head to Yang province. The Yang prefect wrongly suspected Wen as a spy from the Yuan, therefore Wen further travelled south and finally met Zhang Shije and Chen Yizhong in
Fuzhou, this time with a newly crowned
Emperor Duanzong. After a brief discussion, Wen travelled to Nanjian pronvince (now located as Nanping, Fujian province) to recruit troops, then marched to Jiangxi. Wen managed to gain several victories, but he was soon overwhelmed by the Yuan forces led by
Zhang Hongfan and was captured (7 February 1278). Wen was treated well by Zhang Hongfan and was promised a prestigious Yuan post in exchange for his surrender, but Wen refused. Later, Song resistance forces was completely destroyed at the
Battle of Yamen (1279), Zhang again provide the same offer, reasoning that Wen was no longer bound by the already perished as Song Dynasty. Wen again categorically refused, saying that "I was a court officer of the Song but failed to save the country. I deserve to be tried as a criminal, why should I cling to my life now?" Zhang had no choice but escort Wen to
Dadu. He was imprisoned in a military prison. During this time he wrote the poems "Song of Righteousness" (), and "Crossing the Lingding Sea", the latter of which included these lines of defiance in the face of Mongol rule: The Yuan court, still hoping to persuade Wen Tianxiang, sent the former Song Chancellor Liu Mengyan (the one who had run away when the Mongols approached Lin'an) to see Wen in prison. An enraged Wen Tianxiang immediately gave Liu a violent scolding. The Yuan sent former
Emperor Gong of Song to persuade Wen, but he simply answered: "Your Highness please come back to the palace!" Later his brother Wen Pi was also sent to the prison with the same task, and Wen Tianxang said: "We have the same parents but do not serve under the same sky!" During the imprisonment, Wen Tianxiang also received letters from his daughter, informing him that his whole family was held captive in the Yuan royal palace. Wen then replied: "I have received the letter, my soul hurts so much. Everybody have relatives and family, but in this circumstance I can only choose death, there is no alternative." == Ancestry and descendants ==