Xu Da

Xu Da
徐達
Portrait of Xu Da
Left Grand Councilor
In office 1371–1371
Preceded by	Li Shanchang
Succeeded by	Hu Weiyong
Right Grand Councilor
In office 1368–1371
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Wang Guangyang
Duke of Wei
In office 1485–1370
Succeeded by	Xu Huizu
Personal details
Born	1332 Yuan Zhishun 3 (元至順三年) Yongfeng Township, Zhongli County, Hao Prefecture, Anfeng Lu, Henan Jiangbei Province
Died	1385 (aged 52–53) Ming Hongwu 18 (明洪武十八年) Yingtian Prefecture
Spouses	Lady Zhang Lady Xie Lady Sun Lady Jia
Children	Xu Huizu, Duke of Wei Xu Tianfu Xu Zengshou, Duke of Ding Xu Yihua, Empress Renxiaowen Princess Consort of Dai Princess Consort of An Xu Yingxu Xu Miaojin

Xu Da (1332–1385), courtesy name Tiande, known by his title as Duke of Wei (魏國公), later posthumously as Prince of Zhongshan (中山王), was a Chinese military general and official who lived in the late Yuan dynasty and early Ming dynasty. He was a friend of the Hongwu Emperor, the founder and first ruler of the Ming dynasty, and assisted him in overthrowing the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty and establishing the Ming dynasty. He was also the father of Empress Xu, who married the third Ming ruler, the Yongle Emperor, and maternal grandfather of the Hongxi Emperor. All but two subsequent Ming and Southern Ming emperors were descended from him.

Xu Da was cautious and skilled in governing the army, making outstanding contributions to the establishment of the Ming Dynasty and the recovery of Chinese territory. Zhu Yuanzhang praised him as "the Great Wall" of the Ming Dynasty. After his death, Xu Da was posthumously honored as the title "King of Zhongshan" (中山王) by Zhu in 1385, ranking first in the Imperial Ancestral Temples and Portrait Temples of Meritorious Officials.^[1]