Xu Da

Timeline

1. 1353–1355Zhongli, Haozhou · Fengyang CountyXu Da and Tang He among others joined Zhu Yuanzhang in Haozhou; valued for his calm and strategic mind, he participated in early conquests, establishing his status as a founding meritorious official.
2. 1356–1367Jiqing Circuit · Nanjing CityXu Da led troops across the river, successively capturing Jiqing, Zhenjiang and other places, and participated in campaigns destroying Chen Youliang and Zhang Shicheng, earning first merit for the Ming unification of Jiangnan.
3. 1368–1370Dadu · North ChinaIn the first year of Hongwu, Xu Da was appointed Grand General Who Conquers the Barbarians, led the northern expedition to capture Dadu; the Yuan emperor Shun fled north, and the Ming established rule over the Central Plains, making Xu Da the foremost founding meritorious official.
4. 1371–1380Beiping · North ChinaFrom the fourth to tenth year of Hongwu, Xu Da campaigned north multiple times against the Northern Yuan, pursuing remnant forces, and long guarded Beiping, consolidating northern defenses; his cautious warfare and restraint in killing captives made a key contribution to early Ming northern stability.
5. 1384–1385Yingtian Prefecture · Nanjing CityXu Da contracted a carbuncle on his back during a northern campaign and died after returning to the capital; Zhu Yuanzhang personally attended his mourning, posthumously raised him to Prince of Zhongshan, with posthumous name Wuning, and granted him temple sacrifice; his tomb is at Zhongshan in Nanjing.