At the foot of Qixia Hill, near West Lake’s northwestern shore, Yue Fei’s name has become part of the landscape. Halls, a tomb and lines of inscription carry it from one generation to the next.
Yue Fei lived from 1103 to 1142 and served as a Southern Song commander in the wars with the Jurchen Jin. Recalled and imprisoned after accusations associated with Qin Hui, he died before his reputation was later restored. His life became a powerful story of loyalty and injustice.
The years that followed a life
The Yue Fei temple is usually dated to 1221. Generations have maintained and renewed the memorial, adding words and giving remembrance a lasting home beside the lake.
In the lyric Xiaochongshan, traditionally attributed to Yue Fei, the scale grows smaller. A person wakes at night and longs for someone who understands. Beside the public memory of a commander, a few lines preserve the feeling of an individual voice.