生平

少年经历

宋徽宗崇宁二年二月十五日（1103年3月24日），岳飞生于相州汤阴永和乡孝悌里，家中世代务农，是北宋政治家韩琦家的佃农。诞生时生母梦见一大鹏鸟降于家屋顶，故命名「飞」、字「鹏举」。史载岳飞力量惊人，能开三百斤弓、八石之弩，且拜师于弓术名家周同，能左右开弓。宣和四年（1122年）冬，岳飞从军，旋因其父岳和病故，回到家乡守孝三年。宣和六年（1124年）冬，再次投军；翌年，驻地沦陷于金军之手，战败还乡。宋钦宗靖康元年（1126年），第三次投军。宋高宗建炎元年（1127年）年，以越职上书言事，被夺官。对于这三次从军经历，各种史书众说纷纭。

成书于元代的《宋史》记载，岳飞冤狱时，法官大理寺寺丞何铸命岳飞脱衣受审，「飞袒而示之背，背有旧涅『尽忠报国』四大字」。何铸为岳飞申诉冤情不得，秦桧改派万俟卨审理。

清代钱彩的历史评书《说岳全传》演绎成岳飞在第四度投军时，岳飞的母亲用针在岳飞的背后刺上「尽忠报国」，后以醋墨敷彩，精通尽字，于是留下了「岳母刺字」这个故事。

早期抗金

宋高宗建炎元年（1127年）八月，岳飞投奔借通直郎、直龙图阁、河北西路招抚使张所军中，受到赏识，借补修武郎、阁门宣赞舍人，充中军统领；不久，又借补武经郎，充中军统制。九月，张所命都统制王彦率岳飞等七千人北渡黄河抗金。张所不久被撤职流放，河北西路招抚司随之撤销。在进军途中，岳飞与王彦意见不合，后遂脱离王彦单独行动，但众寡不敌，重归王彦被拒，于是南下投奔延康殿学士、京城留守、兼开封尹宗泽。岳飞以不服主将号令当斩，被宗泽赦免，仅免官待罪。

建炎二年（1128年七月），宗泽病逝，杜充接任东京留守。八月，岳飞再次在汜水关击败金军，升转武功郎。杜充命令岳飞去消灭张用、曹成、王善等被原宗泽招安但在其死后不受约束的部队，岳飞以所部八百人死战，升转武经大夫。接著，岳飞奉命解救盗匪杜叔五、孙海围困的东明县，升转武略大夫，借补英州刺史。岳飞再救援被王善围困的淮宁府，升转武德大夫，实授英州刺史。

建炎三年（1129年）六月，杜充撤往建康府，岳飞苦谏不从，开封失守。不久完颜宗弼率金军南下建康，杜充所部战败，率亲兵三千投降。岳飞退屯建康东北的紫金山，后四战收复常州。宋高宗从海上逃走，金军从海道追出三百多里，仍然没能抓住他，随即在大肆掳掠后北还。

建炎四年（1130年）三月，宋高宗从海上返回越州，任命张俊为浙西路江东路制置使，「诸将并受节度」，命其收复建康。四月，岳飞在清水亭首战告捷；五月，进屯牛头山，率三百骑兵、两千步兵在建康城西北十五里击败完颜宗弼，收复建康。六月，岳飞随张俊讨伐沦为盗匪的原统制戚方，以三千人在广德军东南约七十里的苦岭击败戚方，戚方投降张俊。

岳飞回到张渚镇，因为即将离开，在房东张大年的屏风上题词：

张俊回朝后「盛称岳飞可用」，于是岳飞升转任武功大夫、昌州防御使，通州镇抚使兼知泰州。

完颜宗弼北上后，与完颜昌会师攻打楚州。宋高宗命张俊援救楚州。张俊命并非嫡系的岳飞出战，又命刘光世为岳飞后援。岳飞于九月赶到承州，但未能解楚州之围，楚州失陷。岳飞无险可恃，撤军而还。同年六月，御前五军改为神武军，韩世忠所部为神武左军，张俊所部为神武右军都统制，两人均为都统制；辛永宗所部六千人为神武中军，王燮所部一万五千人为神武前军，陈思恭所部万人为神武后军，三人均为统制。御营司五军改为神武副军，辛企宗所部为神武副军，辛企宗为都统制；李横所部为神武左副军，颜孝恭所部为神武右副军，两人均为统制。后神武右副军统制颜孝恭改任江南东路安抚大使司统制，空缺由岳飞填补。。十月，岳飞升转亲卫大夫、建州观察使。十二月，神武副军都统制辛企宗因镇压福建范汝为之乱不力而被削职，岳飞的「神武右副军」改名为「神武副军」，并升迁为都统制。

绍兴二年（1132年）正月末，岳飞被任命为知州、兼荆湖东路安抚使、都总管，统率军马前往潭州。二月，主战派头号人物李纲被起用为荆湖、广南路宣抚使，岳飞等将领划入李纲部下，讨伐湖东路的盗匪曹成。当时岳家军的兵力为一万二千馀人，岳飞以二千人驻守吉州（今江西吉安市），以其馀的一万多人进攻曹成的部队。战斗中岳家军占尽优势，但曹成部下悍将杨再兴骁勇异常，先是攻入岳家军第五正将韩顺夫的营地，将韩砍折一臂而死，后又杀死了岳飞的胞弟岳飜。但杨再兴最终被岳家军俘虏，被岳飞收服而成为日后岳家军的著名悍将之一。李纲称赞岳飞「年齿方壮，治军严肃，能立奇功，近来之所少得」，断言他「异时决为中兴名将」。闰六月，岳飞升三官为中卫大夫、武安军承宣使，仍属从五品。讨伐曹成后，岳家军兵力增一倍，达二万三千到四千人左右，与韩世忠、刘光世、张俊等军相差不多。

绍兴三年（1133年）九月，岳飞第二次朝见宋高宗。宋高宗亲笔书写「精忠岳飞」四字，绣成一面战旗，命岳飞在用兵行师时作为大纛。又任命岳飞任江南西路舒蕲州制置使，将驻守蕲州的统制李山，屯扎江州的统制傅选两支部队并入岳家军，将淮南西路舒州和蕲州的防务并入岳飞的防区。岳家军的军号也由「神武副军」升格为「神武后军」，但岳飞的官衔却由都统制改回统制，这是因为他的资历尚浅，还不能和「神武左军」都统制韩世忠、「神武右军」都统制张俊相比。

镇守襄汉

绍兴四年（1134年）五月至七月，岳飞第一次北伐。岳飞率岳家军三万五千人左右打败刘齐刘豫的部将李成等人，成功地收复了前一年南宋失去的襄阳府镇抚使李横的辖地，以及唐州和信阳军。

克复襄汉后，岳飞面临新复中原地区的后勤防务问题，这问题直到灭金后端平入洛时都一直困扰宋军。这些地方因为「久罹兵火」，原来的居民「或被驱虏，或遭杀戮，甚为荒残」，以至于「百里绝人，荆榛塞路，虎狼交迹」，「野无耕农，市无贩商，城郭隳废，邑屋荡尽，而粮饷难于运漕」。凡是克复失地的宋军，都有一个两难的防务问题：「若少留将兵，恐复为贼有」；「若多留将兵，唯俟朝廷千里馈粮，徒成自困，终莫能守」。

因为后勤问题，岳飞只能将主力撤回，留少量兵力戍守。张旦被任命为唐州邓州郢州襄阳府安抚使、兼襄阳知府，牛皋为安抚副使，李道任唐州邓州郢州襄阳府四州都统制，配置军士2000人，守卫襄阳府；周识和李旦率150名军士守郢州；孙翬和蒋廷俊率200名军士守随州；舒继明和訾谐守信阳军；戍守襄阳府的2000人中分拨出来一部分，由高青和单藻带领守唐州，由张应、党尚友和邵俅带领守邓州，以整治防务，恢复生产。刘齐李成军虽然不时骚扰，却始终不能夺回襄汉六郡的控制权。襄汉六郡原来分属京西南路和京西北路，此次收复之后，宋廷为统一管理，单设襄阳府路。除在襄阳府设安抚使司外，不按制度设置「差监司」、即转运使司等文人监军系统，「止委制置使岳飞措置」。这是战时放宽宋朝历来固有的文人控制武将政策，对提高军队的战斗力有一定帮助。

此时岳飞作为武将不敢居功，上奏说自己「人微望轻，难任斯职」，要辞去制置使并请求宋廷另「委任重臣，经画荆、襄」。宰相赵鼎认为：「湖北鄂、岳，最为沿江上流控扼要害之所，乞令（岳）飞鄂、岳州屯驻。不惟淮西藉其声援，可保无虞，而湖南、二广、江、浙亦获安妥。」宋高宗同意赵鼎的主张，确定岳飞改驻荆湖北路的首府鄂县（今湖北鄂州），自此岳家军的大本营就定在了鄂州。

救援淮西

绍兴四年（1134年）九月，伪齐刘豫发动秋季攻势伐宋，扬言要「直捣僭垒，务使六合混一」。金军由左副元帅完颜宗辅、刚升任的右副元帅完颜昌和元帅左都监完颜宗弼（兀术）的统率下，配合由刘豫之子刘麟指挥之伪齐军，在九月下旬分路渡过淮河攻南宋。刘光世不战退兵江南，将整个淮南西路相让。张俊主张划长江而守，「当聚天下兵守平江，俟贼退，徐为之计」，以「坠马伤臂」为藉口，拒不出兵渡长江攻击金军和伪齐军。宋丞相赵鼎派人监督张俊发兵，并奏请严惩张俊，但不了了之。结果，几路宋军全部防守于江南，张俊军守常州，韩世忠军守镇江府，刘光世军守建康府。长江北面的庐州（治合肥）知州、兼淮南西路安抚使仇悆拒绝执行其上级刘光世的撤退命令，刘光世派统制张琦来问罪，仇悆说：「若辈无守土责，吾当以死殉国！寇未至而逃，人何赖焉！」张琦只好作罢。仇悆以召募来的庐州和寿州（治下蔡，今安徽凤台县）守军几百人和二千乡兵几次打退伪齐攻势。十二月，刘麟又增兵攻打，完颜宗弼亲自为后继，所幸岳家军由鄂州赶到，统制徐庆和牛皋先胜一仗，岳飞后亲自赶到击败伪齐军，解了庐州之围。此时，金太宗病危将死，完颜宗辅、完颜昌和完颜宗弼撤兵。伪齐攻势瓦解。

剿灭杨么及扩编

绍兴五年（1135年），岳飞剿灭杨么后，杨么军壮丁六万人大都编入岳家军，岳家军规模从三万多人增加到十万人左右，岳家军以后直到岳飞被宋高宗所害，也大体维持十万左右之数量。麾下主要将领包括中军统制王贵、前军统制张宪、徐庆、牛皋和董先。

岳飞北伐

绍兴七年（1137年）二月，岳飞因在商虢的战功，被加太尉。

遇害及平反

岳飞在收到十二道金牌班师回朝之时自称「十年之力，废于一旦」。岳飞回到京城。之后，向高宗请辞。高宗当时没有答应他的辞呈。次年（绍兴11年）四月，拜枢密副使（从一品）。但是这次，岳飞请求拿回兵权，未得允许。

完颜兀术遗秦桧书曰：「汝朝夕以和请，而岳飞方为河北图，必杀飞，始可和。」绍兴十一年七月右谏议大夫万俟卨上书指控岳飞「爵高禄厚，志满意得，平昔功名之念，日以颓情。……而乃稽违诏旨，不以时发……伏望免飞副枢职事，出之于外，以伸邦宪」，接著御史中丞何铸和殿中侍御使罗汝楫等亦相继弹劾。八月甲戌，罢岳飞之职务。此后岳飞闲居庐山。九月八日，岳家军鄂州前军副统制王俊向王贵告发岳飞在庐山曾致信鄂州张宪、岳云，要求张宪起兵造反，以迫朝廷恢复岳飞军职。十月，岳飞、岳云父子被逮捕，命御史中丞何铸、大理寺卿周三畏审讯，但岳飞下狱两个月都没有查出罪证，不仅齐安郡王赵士㒟以阖门百口保岳飞没有二心，连原本曾弹劾岳飞的何铸都反而为岳飞求情，秦桧遂将主审官由何铸换成万俟卨。绍兴十一年十二月二十九日刑部大理寺发布《刑部大理寺状》，认定岳飞「坐观胜负，逗留不进」、「指斥乘舆」（对皇帝不恭）、「致张宪意待谋反」等罪名成立，「飞狱成，寺官聚断，咸谓死有馀罪」。大理寺按律：「临军征讨，稽期三日者，斩。」一般史家皆同意岳飞的死从头到尾都是件冤案。

岳飞的罪名还有「坐拥重兵……逗留不进」，宋朝皇帝的「祖宗家法」就是猜忌武将，绍兴七年（1137年），高宗已经警告他「犯吾法者，唯有剑耳」，只是当时议和还没成功，高宗仍需要岳飞来抵抗金人南侵；岳飞自从改任枢密副使，已经没有兵权，因为不赞成议和，也已辞职去庐山为母守墓。但绍兴十一年高宗以「示逗留之罚与跋扈之诛」为由，默许或指示秦桧杀岳飞以示议和诚意及换取其母韦贤妃南归。绍兴十一年农历十二月廿九（1142年1月27日）除夕之夜，高宗下诏「特赐死」，在杭州大理寺风波亭命自鸩，并把岳飞枭首。目前史界以鸩死为通说，其馀说法，尚有「拉胁而殂」（打断肋骨）或者赐自缢而死。或傍晚被狱卒持白布勒毙于杭州郊外凉亭名风波亭，其尸体后被狱卒隗顺冒死盗取，葬在临安外九曲丛祠旁供隗顺家人悼念。

岳云及张宪则在赐死岳飞的一个月前，即绍兴十一年冬十一月二十七日遭到斩首。韩世忠认为岳云、张宪二人罪不致死，当面质问秦桧，但秦桧表示「飞子云与张宪书，虽不明，其事体，莫须有（难道没有吗）？」另有一说为「或许有」。至于「莫须有」一词是韩世忠质询岳云与张宪的重罪事，后转嫁至岳飞身上。

岳飞前幕僚左朝散郎姚岳献言于秦桧：「乱臣贼子侵叛，州郡不幸污染其间，则当与之惟新。以叛臣故地，又与姓同，顾莫之或改」，遂于二十五（1155年）年六月，岳州和岳阳军各改为纯州、华容军。

三十一年（1161年）五月，太学生程宏图上书，要求「正秦桧之罪，追夺其官爵，而籍其家财，雪岳飞之冤」，太学生宋芑上书知枢密院事叶义问，要求「断秦桧之棺，而戮其尸，贬窜其子孙，而籍其资产以助军，以正其首倡议和欺君之罪，复岳飞之爵邑，录用其子孙，以谢三军之士，以激忠义之气」。十月，诏：「蔡京、童贯、岳飞、张宪子孙家属见拘管州军，并放令逐便。」。三十二年（1162年）六月，皇太子赵眘（宋孝宗）即位，准备北伐，七月下诏平反，追复少保、武胜定国军两镇节度使、武昌郡开国公，诏曰「飞起自行伍，不逾数年，位至将相，而能事上以忠，御众有法，屡立功效，不自矜夸，馀烈遗风，至今不泯。去冬出戍鄂渚之众师行不扰，动有纪律，道路之人归功于飞。虽坐事已殁，而太上皇帝念之不忘，今可仰承圣意，追复元官，以礼改葬，访求其后，特与录用」。隗顺后人助朝廷安葬岳飞。 乾道六年（1170年）七月，立庙祀于鄂州，额名「忠烈」。淳熙五年（1178年）九月，諡「武穆」（折冲御侮曰武 布德执义曰穆）。宋宁宗嘉泰四年（1204年）五月，追封鄂王。宋理宗宝庆元年（1225年）二月，改谥「忠武」。在西湖栖霞岭，即杭州西湖畔「宋岳鄂王墓」，元人修宋史列志传记。

评价

;自己评价

岳飞曾自勉要跟东汉末三国时期名将关羽、张飞二人看齐：「一死何足道，要使后世书策知有岳飞之名，与关张辈功烈相仿佛耳。」（《金驼续编.卷二十八》）

;宋人评价

岳飞在南宋士大夫界评价甚高。朱熹与门生论岳飞，门生问：「岳侯若做事，何如张韩？」朱熹说：「张韩所不及，都是他识道理了。」门生又问：「岳侯以上者，当时有谁？」朱熹答道：「次第无人。」陆游有诗「剧盗曾从宗父命，遗民犹望岳家军。」宋孝宗对岳飞之子岳霖说：「卿家纪律、用兵之法，张韩远不及。卿家冤枉，朕悉知之，天下共知其冤。」

;《宋史》评价

善以少击衆。欲有所举，尽召诸统制与谋，谋定而后战，故有胜无败。猝遇敌不动，故敌为之语曰：「撼山易，撼岳家军难。」张俊尝问用兵之术，曰：「仁、智、信、勇、严，阙一不可。」调军食，必蹙额曰：「东南民力，耗敝极矣。」荆湖平，募民营田，又为屯田，岁省漕运之半。帝手书曹操、诸葛亮、羊祜三事赐之。飞跋其后，独指操为奸贼而鄙之，尤桧所恶也。……高宗忍自弃其中原，故忍杀飞，呜呼寃哉！呜呼寃哉！

;金人评价

岳飞于绍兴十一年十二月二十九日（儒略历1142年1月27日）被杀，南宋使节马上于绍兴十二年（1142年）正月带著正式照函从岳飞被杀的临安（今杭州）去金国囚禁宋钦宗和高宗生母韦太后的五国城（今黑龙江哈尔滨市依兰县依兰镇五国城村）接人。绍兴十二年（1142年）夏四月丁卯（5月1日），韦太后启程回宋。「皇太后偕梓宫发五国城，金遣完颜宗贤、刘祹护送梓宫，高居安护送皇太后。」同年八月，韦太后和刘祹到达临安。刘祹问南宋官员：「岳飞以何罪而死？」南宋接伴官回答：「意欲谋叛，为部将所告，以此抵诛。」刘祹嘲讽道：「江南忠臣善用兵者，止有岳飞，所至纪律甚严，秋毫无所犯。（刘邦）所谓『项籍有一范增而不能用，所以为我擒』。如（岳）飞者，无亦江南之范增乎？！」

宋宁宗开禧二年（金泰和六年，儒略历1206年），金章宗写诏书招降吴曦时说：「且卿自视翼赞之功孰与岳飞？飞之威名战功，暴于南北，一旦见忌，遂被参夷之诛，可不畏哉！」（且你自己评价一下自身能否比得上岳飞？岳飞这样的威名战功，南宋北金之人全都知晓；结果有朝一日被宋廷猜忌，就被杀且连累亲族，难道这还不可怕么！）金国皇帝于此直接承认岳飞的战力和威名。

金女真将领最畏服岳飞，平日往往不直呼其名，而称其为「岳爷爷」。闻知岳飞死讯，喝酒相庆。被扣押在金的宋使洪皓目睹此情此景，给南宋朝廷的密信中写道：「金人所畏服者惟飞，至以父呼之，诸酋闻其死，酌酒相贺。」

;明代评价

明太祖认为圣贤英烈的神灵至上、不能加封，明初至景泰年间均承祖制并未加封过任何一位圣贤英烈的神祇，故将岳飞入祀历代帝王庙配享宋太祖。明神宗加封三界靖魔大帝忠孝庙法天尊岳圣帝君。

;清人评价

王夫之评价：「岳飞之能取中原与否，非所敢知也；其获誉于士大夫之口，感动于流俗之心，正恐其不能胜任之在此也。受命秉钺，以躯命与劲敌争死生，枢机之制，岂谈笑慰藉、苞苴牍竿之小智，以得悠悠之欢慕者所可任哉。」

康熙帝也曾钦赐给岳飞23世裔孙、刑部掌印岳镇九伴朝銮驾和蟒服。

乾隆帝多次造访杭州岳飞墓，并且亲自撰写《岳武穆论》，还题对联一副：「两言臣则师千古，百战兵威震一时」。

;现代评价

中华人民共和国官方认定岳飞为民族英雄。2002年，中华人民共和国教育部也对网络上流传岳飞不再是民族英雄的说法进行了澄清，称岳飞在中国历史上历来被认为是民族英雄，从20世纪50年代后期以来，在中小学的历史教学大纲和教材中，对岳飞的评价都是一贯的，不存在重新定义岳飞是否是「民族英雄」的问题。

争议

杀岳飞者为宋高宗

钱穆的《国史大纲》认为「高宗决心对内加强统治，而无意于对外恢复」，所以「岳飞不得不杀，韩世忠不得不废」。岳飞统帅全国五分之三兵力后，金人欲立钦宗之子为傀儡，岳飞莽撞请求高宗早日解决皇位继承人问题，乞请正皇子（后来之宋孝宗）之名，以定民心，沮金人之谋。高宗当时不悦：「握重兵于外，此事非卿所当预也」。《帝国政界往事》提出观点，认为下令杀岳飞者其实是高宗，岳飞触犯了皇家最大的忌讳：手握重兵的武将对皇位继承感兴趣，令皇帝相信他野心太大，遂起杀心。此外，《中国人的历史误读》认为岳飞主张「迎请二帝还朝」，威胁到高宗的地位，才是他被杀的原因。脱脱等于《宋史·岳飞传》论曰：「高宗忍自弃其中原，故忍杀飞。」

但是，宋徽宗早已去世，岳飞也早已改称钦宗父子为「天眷」「丙午元子」，及其请求立太子的行为都表达了他只忠于高宗及其继承人，高宗也曾让岳飞与建国公即后来的孝宗相见。此外，文官娄寅亮、赵鼎乃至比岳飞职权更高的武臣张浚等也都曾倡议立太子，但都被视为忠臣得到嘉奖，娄寅亮更因此得到升迁。

满江红作词者

岳飞之孙岳珂所编《金佗粹编·家集》中没有收录满江红一词，被现代部分学者怀疑是伪作或托名之作，引发正反辩证。宋辽金史专家邓广铭与王曾瑜、李安等则考据岳飞确有作《满江红》。王克等人认为词中贺兰山指河北西路磁州贺兰山，正于对金战场。

民族英雄争议

对于岳飞是否属于民族英雄，各界有不同说法：

有学者认为古代中国发展出的「华夷之辨」自成体系，与西方民族主义不同。区别「华夷」的标准在于是否遵循「礼治」以及是否接受「先进文明」的教化，与其居住地和部落族群无关，华夏和四夷的界线是以生活习惯与政治形态而不是以血统划分。辽朝辽道宗亦以契丹之出身而自视为「中华」，以「礼法」、「文物」作为区分「中华与夷」的标准，辽道宗说：「上世獯鬻、猃狁，荡无礼法，故谓之夷。吾修文物彬彬，不异中华，何嫌之有！」，可见「中华」在当时并非现代的民族或种族概念，而是文化概念。南宋学者叶适在给皇帝的奏摺中说：「中原者我之地，中华者我之名，报复仇耻者我之义」，叶适以「中华」为南宋人命名，但其涵义同样无关「民族」。亦有学者说，一个人是否「民族英雄」，最基本的前提是此人对民族必须要有主观认同，然而包括岳飞在内的南宋人的「中华」是一种「文明共同体」，而非「民族（种族）共同体」；既无「民族认同」，岳飞自然不属于民族英雄。

亦有说法指出「民族概念」的第一种释义是「基于『共同祖先语言或历史』而组成的领土国家」，按此释义岳飞自然是「民族英雄」；而「民族」的第二种释义是来源自德文「Volk」和「Nation」的翻译，德国哲学家约翰·戈特弗里德·赫尔德主张的「Volk」概念，其核心是将「民族」视为一个拥有共同语言、历史、文化的民族共同体，他将民族定义为「民族是一个具有独特语言和文化的共同体」。强调文化的一体性，较之于他者（异人种、异民族、异国民）而言，自然易用文化或文明概念来区别和划分自我与他者的优劣，「语言、历史、文化的共同体」本身就是「用文化或文明概念来区别和划分自我与他者」，换言之，所谓「文明共同体」本身就是德国源流的「民族」，说只有「文明共同体」而无「民族共同体」等于说「民族」不是「民族」是自我否认，是将同一内涵的概念冠上不同名字试图用其中一个否定另一个的做法，有如「白马非马」，指出当时南宋人的「中华」、「华夏」文明共同体即是「民族」共同体。

共青团中央有评论文章指，自宋代以来，岳飞的英雄地位从未被少数民族所质疑过，对他的英雄叙事也不存在民族矛盾。宋后由少数民族建立的元清两朝也对岳飞表示了最高敬意，把他当作中国各族共同的精神偶像。文章又指出，「民族英雄」是一个近现代概念，「岳飞的民族英雄地位在民族英雄这个概念诞生之初，就受到全国人民的广泛认同。反过来将他否定，既不符合历史的客观实际，也一定不会为绝大多数中国人民的情感所接受，认为用近现代中国的标准去套用古代中国的人物，无疑是机械式的，荒唐程度堪比责备古人为什么不能建立社会主义中国……对于各民族的成就贡献，一概予以肯定，而对各民族统治者的倒行逆施，也一概予以否定，一视同仁……既不要大汉族主义，也不要地方民族主义。」又认为无论从哪个角度来说，对岳飞的否定都是没有道理。「中华民族的形成是一个长期的过程，在这个过程中，纵然是一个家庭都能形成彼此的谅解默契，何况是一个国家，一个文化和命运上的共同体。」岳飞对中国人和中国文化的影响力没有随著时间的流逝而淡去，反而历久弥新，认为他是中国最伟大的古代英雄人物之一，认为岳飞是中华民族的民族英雄。

轶事典故

• 岳飞在宗泽军中时显示出对野战的不同一般的爱好，宗泽担心他将来要吃亏：「尔勇智才艺，古良将不能过，然好野战，非万全计。」因而授岳飞以阵法。岳飞由此说出一句军事名言：「阵而后战，兵法之常，运用之妙，存乎一心。」

• 岳飞在宗泽军中保持对金兵不败的记录。在上书宋高宗而被黄潜善和汪伯彦开除军籍后，岳飞投奔河北西路招抚司张所，张所曾问起：「闻汝从宗留守，勇冠军，汝自料能敌人几何？」岳飞以「上兵伐谋，次兵伐交」的道理答：「勇不足恃也，用兵在先定谋。谋者，胜负之机也，故为将之道，不患其无勇，而患其无谋。」张所的评论是：「公殆非行伍中人也！」

• 宋高宗曾感叹：「天下未太平。」岳飞由此说出一句广为流传的话「文臣不爱钱，武臣不惜命，天下当太平」。

• 岳飞家乡汤阴沦陷，对金人有家仇国恨，心中所思以军务为主总想收复黄河以北的故土（汤阴虽属于今河南省，但历史上一直在黄河以北），因此对女色不太感兴趣。汤阴沦陷后，原配刘氏在战乱中「两经更嫁」，成为韩世忠前护军中「一拥押之妻」。岳飞后又娶李娃为妻，维持一夫一妻，一直到被害。1134年夏，岳飞率军攻取襄阳时，宋廷命令吴玠牵制陕西一带的金军，以免金军增援襄阳。吴玠派一位属官去鄂州的岳飞大营商洽军务。岳飞宴请这位来使。这位使臣发现岳飞设宴别无姬妾、歌童、舞女之类作陪和劝酒，颇感惊讶，回蜀后便告诉了吴玠。吴玠大为吃惊，马上以两千贯钱的高价，在四川买了一位仕宦之家出身的美貌女子，派两名使臣的妻子把她送到鄂州，献给岳飞。岳飞为避嫌，把这个女子安置在一间空屋，隔著屏风问：「某家上下所衣䌷布耳，所食齑面耳。女娘子若能如此同甘苦，乃可留，不然，不敢留。」结果此女被退回四川。

• 岳飞部将毕进，是宋孝宗时的名将毕再遇的父亲。

• 岳飞军中有孟安和其子孟林，是南宋末年名将孟珙的曾祖父和祖父。

• 岳飞在《良马对》中以高宗赐马两匹为对照，建铮高宗应以良马（忠臣）之言为上，驽马（奸臣）之言为下，令高宗大为称赞。

后世纪念

下列各地建有纪念建筑：

• 宜兴岳飞生祠，在宜兴东庙巷周将军庙内，建于1130年8月，为最早之岳庙。1939年被日本军机炸毁。

• 靖江岳王庙——江苏省靖江市生祠镇，为岳飞生祠，第二座岳庙。

• 杭州岳王庙——浙江杭州西湖栖霞岭南麓，也是岳飞墓地。

• 安阳汤阴岳飞庙——安阳汤阴城东15公里，是岳飞故里所在地，规模宏大，为三大岳庙之一。

• 朱仙镇岳飞庙——河南开封南20公里。

• 武汉武昌黄鹤楼后有岳飞塑像、石碑，纪念岳飞镇守武昌。

• 湖南衡东县沈陂村的岳氏后裔自发筹集资金兴建「岳飞纪念馆」。

• 中华民国海军成功级巡防舰4号舰岳飞号PFG-1106是一艘以岳飞来命名的军舰

• 台湾台南市后壁区嘉苳里，于清初建立旌忠庙，主祀「岳府元帅」与岳家军十位元帅。岳飞思想研究会会长，岳飞第28代嫡孙岳朝军，于2001年莅临访问，认定为台湾岳王首庙。

• 台湾嘉义县新港乡大潭村精忠庙，主祀岳飞

• 台湾台北市林森公园内设有岳飞铜像，其基座题字为「岳武穆王铜像」与「还我河山」。

• 台湾云林县虎尾镇的持法妈祖宫内的「石雕园」中设有岳飞雕像。

• 台湾台南县仁德乡岳王庙

• 台湾屏东县林边乡岳王庙

• 台湾澎湖县精忠庙

• 台湾台中县大里市武圣岳王庙

• 台湾嘉义市林森东、西路与忠孝路口，设有岳飞铜像。

• 台湾宜兰县宜兰市城隍街，建有岳庙碧霞宫。

• 台湾新竹市新竹关帝庙，旁有岳武穆王庙，主祀岳武穆王。

• 香港铜锣湾岳王古庙，香港唯一以奉祀岳飞的庙宇。

家庭

;曾祖辈父母兄弟

• 曾祖：岳成

• 曾祖母：杨氏

• 祖：岳立

• 祖母：许氏

• 叔：岳睦

• 父：岳和

• 母：姚氏

• 弟：岳翻

;婚姻

岳飞一生结婚两次，第一次在15岁结婚，妻子刘氏，婚后1年，生了岳云；婚后8年，生了岳雷。后来因为岳飞在外当兵，家庭贫困，家乡汤阴县被金国占据，刘氏最终撇下了两名儿子改嫁。岳飞第二次结婚是在26至27岁时，妻子李娃，为岳飞生了岳霖、岳震和岳霆。1175年，75岁的李娃在江州病逝。

;子

• 岳云 ，岳飞长子。年十二，从张宪战，多得其力，军中呼曰「赢官人」。飞征伐，未尝不与。终左武大夫，提举醴泉观。后与岳飞论罪，弃市。死年二十三。孝宗时与岳飞复元官，以礼袝葬。

• 岳雷，岳飞次子。

• 岳霖，岳飞三子，终官敖文阁侍制、朝散大夫、广南东路经略安抚使兼知广州事、充马步军都总管、以敖文阁侍制致仕、赠中散大夫。

• 岳震，岳飞四子。

• 岳霆，岳飞五子。

;女

• 岳安娘，嫁高祚

• 岳银瓶，一说其本名为岳孝娥，是否有次女存有疑义，可能为后世杜撰。南宋皆无此女记载，至元朝才开始形成岳银瓶故事。另查岳珂《岳忠武行实》：「先臣妻李氏，历授楚国夫人。臣云，先臣长子也；臣雷，臣霖，臣震、臣霆……先臣女安娘适高祚。隆兴元年，诏补祚承信郎。」中记载，并无此姑母。另传婚配岳飞爱将张宪，《昭雪庙諡》中提及张宪有四子，「子张敌万讼冤，诏复张宪原观察使，四子各与补官。」显然早已成家生子，和传说13岁投井死亡的岳银瓶更无关系。

;孙

• 岳甫，岳云之子。

• 岳申，岳云之子。

• 岳珂，岳霖之子。

• 岳大娘，岳云之女。

后世

• 李之兰，岳霆五世孙之子。

• 岳锺琪，岳飞二十一世孙，清代将领。

文艺形象

;忠孝

在所有故事中，岳飞被同时描绘为一个文武双全的完美军人与恪守儒家道德之模范。这些故事有的强调他与生俱来的民族主义精神，如虚构「岳母刺字」，其母通过在他的背上刺「尽忠报国」四个字，让他铭记国仇家恨。这个民间杜撰的故事也体现了他的「孝道」，在「家国同构」的中国古代社会有特殊寓意。《s:三朝北盟㑹编 (四库全书本)/卷144》记载岳飞杀舅挖心的故事：岳飞以通泰州镇抚使方退屯于江阴军。戊申被命，已本进发。癸丑到宜兴，取老小到徽州。有百姓诉其舅姚某搔扰。飞白其母。责之曰：「舅所为如此。有累于飞。飞能容。恐军情与军法不能容。」母亦苦劝而止。他日，飞与兵官押马，舅亦同徒。舅出飞马前而驰约数十步，引弓满，回身射飞，中共鞍轿。飞邓马，逐舅擒下马，令王贵张宪捉其手，自取佩刀破其心，然后碎割之归。白其母。母曰：「我锺爱此弟，何遽如此。」飞曰：「若一箭或上或下，则飞死矣。为舅所杀，母虽欲一日安，不可得也。所以中鞍轿者，乃天相飞也。今日不杀舅，他日必为舅所害，故不如杀之。」母意亦解。

;军事

有的故事强调他的军事天才，在《岳家军》等民间文学作品中，岳家军饿死不抢粮，冻死不拆屋，令行禁止，甚至让敌人也有「撼山易，撼岳家军难」之感叹。他出师百战百胜，朱仙镇大捷，将金兵打得一败涂地。几乎所有作品都著重描绘了他的个人悲剧，并把它和民族命运相联系。

;政治

这些描写的共同范式如下：在战局顺利，本可直捣金国黄龙府之情况下，岳飞被南宋皇帝赵构十二道金字牌招回，又被以「莫须有」之罪名处死。这些描写体现了中国社会不自觉的「泛道德化」倾向，即用道德标准评价政治事件，将政治矛盾描绘为政治人物「忠」、「奸」的道德冲突。

值得一提的是，岳飞被诬陷至死而宁死不反，体现了儒家的忠君之道，也同时为这些作品所肯定。明代架空历史小说话本《黄龙府》将历史改写为岳飞打败金朝军队，「直捣黄龙」。《水浒传》也有类似冤屈与忠诚的命题。

戏曲

• 元杂剧：一为孔文卿所作《地藏王证东窗事犯》（简名《东窗事犯》）；二为无名氏所作《宋大将岳飞精忠》（简名《岳飞精忠》）。

• 明 姚茂良所作传奇《岳武穆精忠记》，此剧由明初无名氏《岳飞破虏东窗记》改编而成。

• 明 李梅实原作、冯梦龙改定的传奇《精忠旗》。

• 清康熙年间 《如是观》传奇（一名《翻精忠》、《倒精忠》）。

小说

• 熊大木著《大宋中兴通俗演义岳王传》

• 钱彩著《说岳全传》

评书

• 刘兰芳《岳飞传》

• 杭州评话《岳飞传》

• 杭州评话《众安桥》

• 扬州评话王丽堂《水浒》

影视

• 1940年《岳飞》香港新中国影片公司（吴楚帆饰）

• 1962年《岳飞出世》香港宝宝影业公司（洪金宝饰童年岳飞，羽佳饰成年岳飞）

• 1976年《民间传奇之岳飞》香港无线电视单元剧（江文声饰）

• 1984年《十二金牌》香港亚洲电视30集电视剧（岳华饰）

• 1986年《盗日英雄传》新加坡30集电视剧（夏川饰）

• 1988年《八千里路云和月》台湾中华电视公司40集电视剧（何家劲饰）

• 1992年《满江红》浙江电视台6集电视剧（樊志起饰）

• 1994年《岳飞传》香港亚洲电视20集电视剧（徐少强饰）

• 1997年《孝感动天》香港无线电视翡翠台单元剧（黎汉持饰）

• 2013年《精忠岳飞》中国电影集团公司69集电视剧（黄晓明饰）

• 2016年《惊天岳雷》山东影视传媒集团有限公司48集电视剧（于荣光饰）

动画

• 2011年《少年岳飞传奇》上海美术电影制片厂动画电影

• 2012年《中华德育故事·岳飞报国》内蒙古东联动漫公司动画短剧

• 2013年《少年岳飞》济南海水科技有限公司动画电影

歌曲

• 《精忠报国》屠洪刚及歌词满江红

乐曲

• 《临安遗恨》，1990年由中阮演奏家林吉良创作，原为中阮独奏曲，后被著名作曲家何占豪先后改编成中阮、琵琶和古筝协奏曲，其中以古筝曲最为出名

Biographies

Biography of Yue Fei

A biography of Yue Fei, the Eguo Jintuo Zubian (鄂国金佗稡编), was written 60 years after his death by his grandson, the poet and historian Yue Ke (岳柯) (1183post 1240). In 1346 it was incorporated into the History of Song, a 496-chapter record of historical events and biographies of noted Song dynasty individuals, compiled by Yuan dynasty prime minister Toqto'a and others. Yue Fei's biography is found in the 365th chapter of the book and is numbered biography 124. Some later historians including Deng Guangming (1907–1998) now doubt the veracity of many of Yue Ke's claims about his grandfather.

According to the History of Song, Yue Fei was named "Fei", meaning to fly, because at the time he was born, "a large bird like a swan landed on the roof of his house".

General Yue Fei

Chronicle of Yue, Prince of E of Song

The Song Yue E Wang Nianpu (宋岳鄂王年谱 Sòng Yuè È Wáng Niánpǔ, literally Chronicle of Yue, Prince of E of Song) was written by Qian Ruwen (钱汝雯) in 1924.

Birth and early life

Several sources state that Yue was born into a poor tenant farmer's family in Tangyin County, Anyang prefecture, Henan province. According to the Shuo Yue Quanzhuan, the immortal Chen Tuan, disguised as a wandering priest, warned Yue Fei's father, Yue He (岳和), to put his wife and child inside a clay jar if the infant Yue Fei began to cry. A few days later, a young child squeezed Yue Fei's hand too hard and he began to cry. Soon, it began to rain and the Yellow River flooded, wiping out the village. Yue Fei's father held onto the clay jar as it was swept down the river, but eventually drowned. Although the much older Biography of Yue Fei also mentions the flood, it states Yue Huo survived. It reads,

After death of his teacher Zhou Tong, Fei would offer sacrifices at his tomb. His father praised him for his faithfulness and asked him, "When you are employed to cope with the affairs of the time, will you then not have to sacrifice yourself for the empire and die for your duty?" (侗死，溯望设祭于其冢。父义之，曰："汝为时用，其徇国死义乎。)

Yue Fei's father used his family's plot of land for humanitarian efforts, but after it was destroyed in the flood, the young Yue Fei was forced to help his father toil in the fields to survive. Yue received most of his primary education from his father. In 1122 Yue joined the army, but had to return home later that year after the death of his father. In ancient China, a person was required by law to temporarily resign from their job when their parents died so they could observe the customary period of mourning. For instance, Yue would have had to mourn his father's death for three years, but in all actually only 27 months. During this time, he would wear coarse mourning robes, caps, and slippers, while abstaining from silken garments. When his mother died in 1136, he retired from a decisive battle against the Jin dynasty for the mourning period, but he was forced to cut the bereavement short because his generals begged him to come back.

Shuo Yue Quanzhuan gives a very detailed fictional account of Yue's early life. The novel states after being swept from Henan to Hubei, Yue and his mother are saved by the country squire Wang Ming (王明) and are permitted to stay in Wang's manor as domestic helpers. The young Yue Fei later becomes the adopted son and student of the Wang family's teacher, Zhou Tong, a famous master of military skills. (Zhou Tong is not to be confused with the similarly named "Little Tyrant" in Water Margin.) Zhou teaches Yue and his three sworn brothers – Wang Gui (王贵), Tang Huai (汤怀) and Zhang Xian (张显) – literary lessons on odd days and military lessons, involving archery and the eighteen weapons of war, on even days.

After years of practice, Zhou Tong enters his students into the Tangyin County military examination, in which Yue Fei wins first place by shooting a succession of nine arrows through the bullseye of a target 240 paces away. After this display of archery, Yue is asked to marry the daughter of Li Chun (李春), an old friend of Zhou and the county magistrate who presided over the military examination. However, Zhou soon dies of an illness and Yue lives by his grave through the winter until the second month of the new year when his sworn brothers come and tear it down, forcing him to return home and take care of his mother.

Yue eventually marries and later participates in the imperial military examination in the Song capital of Kaifeng. There, he defeats all competitors and even turns down an offer from Cai Gui (蔡桂), the Prince of Liang, to be richly rewarded if he forfeits his chance for the military degree. This angers the prince and both agree to fight a private duel in which Yue kills the prince and is forced to flee the city for fear of being executed. Shortly thereafter, he joins the Song army to fight the invading armies of the Jurchen-ruled Jin dynasty.

The Yue Fei Biography states,

When Yue was born, a Peng flew crowing over the house, so his father named the child Fei – "flight"). Before Yue was even a month old, the Yellow River flooded, so his mother got inside of the center of a clay jar and held on to baby Yue. The violent waves pushed the jar down river, where they landed ashore ... Despite his family's poverty, Fei was studious, and particularly favored the Zuo Zhuan edition of the Spring and Autumn Annals and the strategies of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi. (飞生时，有大禽若鹄，飞鸣室上，因以为名。未弥月，河决内黄，水暴至，母姚抱飞坐瓮中，冲涛及岸得免，人异之。-- 家贫力学，尤好【左氏春秋】、孙吴兵法。)

According to a book by martial arts master Liang Shouyu, "A Dapeng is a great bird that lived in ancient China. Legend has it, that Dapeng Jinchi Mingwang was the guardian that stayed above the head of Gautama Buddha. Dapeng could get rid of all evil in any area. Even the Monkey King was no match for it. During the Song dynasty the government was corrupt and foreigners were constantly invading China. Sakyamuni sent Dapeng down to earth to protect China. Dapeng descended to Earth and was born as Yue Fei."

Martial training

The Biography of Yue Fei states, "Yue Fei possessed supernatural power and before his adulthood, he was able to draw a bow of 300 catties and a crossbow of eight stone (960 catties, ). Yue Fei learned archery from Zhou Tong. He learned everything and could shoot with his left and right hands." Shuo Yue Quanzhuan states Zhou teaches Yue and his sworn brothers archery and all of the eighteen weapons of war. This novel also says Yue was Zhou's third student after Lin Chong and Lu Junyi of the 108 outlaws in Water Margin. The E Wang Shi records, "When Yue Fei reached adulthood, his maternal grandfather, Yao Daweng (姚大翁), hired a spear expert, Chen Guang, to teach Yue Fei spear fighting."

Both the Biography of Yue Fei and E Wang Shi mention Yue learning from Zhou and Chen at or before his adulthood. The Chinese character representing "adulthood" in these sources is ji guan (及冠 jí guàn|l=conferring headdress), an ancient Chinese term that means "20 years old" where a young man was able to wear a formal headdress as a social status of adulthood. So he gained all of his martial arts knowledge by the time he joined the army at the age of 19.

These chronicles do not mention Yue's masters teaching him martial arts style; just archery, spearplay and military tactics. However non-historical or scholarly sources state, in addition to those already mentioned, Zhou Tong taught Yue other skills such as hand-to-hand combat and horseback riding. Yet again, these do not mention any specific martial arts style. One legend says Zhou took young Yue to an unspecified place to meet a Buddhist hermit who taught him the Emei Dapeng qigong (峨嵋大鹏气功) style. This is supposedly the source of his legendary strength and martial arts abilities. According to thirteenth generation lineage Tai He ("Great Harmony") Wudangquan master Fan Keping (范克平), a collector of rare martial arts manuals, Zhou Tong was a master of various "hard qigong" exercises.

Yue Feis tattoo

According to historical records and legend, Yue had the four Chinese characters jin zhong bao guo (尽忠报国 jìn zhōng bào guó, literally serve the country with the utmost loyalty) tattooed across his back. The Biography of Yue Fei says after Qin Hui sent agents to arrest Yue and his son, he was taken before the court and charged with treason, but

飞裂裳以背示铸，有尽忠报国四大字，深入肤理。既而阅实无左验，铸明其无辜。

Yue ripped his jacket to reveal the four tattooed characters of "serve the country with the utmost loyalty" on his back. This proved that he was clearly innocent of the charges.

Later fictionalizations of Yue's biography would build upon the tattoo. For instance, one of his earliest Ming era novels titled The Story of King Yue Who Restored the Song dynasty (大宋中兴岳王传) states that after the Jurchen armies invaded China, young heroes in Yue's village suggest that they join the bandits in the mountains. However, Yue objects and has one of them tattoo the aforementioned characters on his back. Whenever others want to join the bandits, he flashes them the tattoo to change their minds.

The common legend of Yue receiving the tattoo from his mother first appeared in Shuo Yue Quanzhuan. In chapter 21 titled "By a pretext Wang Zuo swore brotherhood, by tattoos Lady Yue instructed her son", Yue denounces the pirate chief Yang Yao (杨幺) and passes on a chance to become a general in his army. Yue Fei's mother then tells her son, "I, your mother, saw that you did not accept recruitment of the rebellious traitor, and that you willingly endure poverty and are not tempted by wealth and status ... But I fear that after my death, there may be some unworthy creature who will entice you ... For these reason ... I want to tattoo on your back the four characters 'Utmost', 'Loyalty', 'Serve' and 'Nation' ... The Lady picked up the brush and wrote out on his spine the four characters for 'serving the nation with the utmost loyalty' ... So she bit her teeth, and started pricking. Having finished, she painted the characters with ink mixed with vinegar so that the colour would never fade."

The Kaifeng Jews, one of many pockets of Chinese Jews living in ancient China, refer to this tattoo in two of their three stele monuments created in 1489, 1512, and 1663. The first mention appeared in a section of the 1489 stele referring to the Jews' "Boundless loyalty to the country and Prince". The second appeared in a section of the 1512 stele about how Jewish soldiers and officers in the Chinese armies were "boundlessly loyal to the country".

Adult life

Portrait

Southern Song era artist Liu Songnian (刘松年) (1174–1224), who was best known for his realistic works, painted a picture, "Four Generals of Zhongxing" (中兴四将). The group portrait shows eight people – four generals and four attendants. Starting from the left: attendant, Yue Fei, attendant, Zhang Jun (张浚), Han Shizhong (韩世忠), attendant, Liu Guangshi (刘光世), and attendant.

According to history professor He Zongli of Zhejiang University, the painting shows Yue was more of a scholarly-looking general with a shorter stature and chubbier build than the statue of him currently displayed in his tomb in Hangzhou, which portrays him as being tall and skinny. Shen Lixin, an official with the Yue Fei Temple Administration, holds the portrait of Yue Fei from the "Four Generals of Zhongxing" to be the most accurate likeness of the general in existence.

Character

In his From Myth to Myth: The Case of Yüeh Fei's Biography, noted Sinologist Hellmut Wilhelm concluded that Yue Fei purposely patterned his life after famous Chinese heroes from dynasties past and that this ultimately led to his martyrdom. Apart from studying literature under his father Yue He (岳和), Yue Fei loved to read military classics. He favored the Zuo Zhuan commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals and the strategies of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi. Although his literacy afforded him the chance to become a scholar, which was a position held in much higher regard than the common soldiery during the Song dynasty, Yue chose the military path because there had never been any tradition of civil service in his family. Therefore he had no reason to study Confucian classics in order to surpass the accomplishments of his ancestors or to raise his family's social status to the next level. His fourth generation ancestor, Yue Huan (岳涣), had served as a lingshi (令使) (essentially a low-level functionary), but he was never a full-fledged member of the civil service rank. A second theory is that he joined the military in the hopes of emulating his favorite heroes.

Scholars were always welcome in Yue Fei's camp. He allowed them to come and tell stories and deeds of past heroes to bolster the resolve of his men. This way he was able to teach them about the warriors that he had constructed his own life after. He also hoped that one of these scholars would record his own deeds so he would become a peer amongst his idols. He is recorded in saying that he wished to be considered the equal of Guan Yu and other such famous men from the Three Kingdoms period. Yue succeeded in this endeavor since later "official mythology" placed him on the same level as Guan Yu.

Yue was careful to conduct himself as the ideal Confucian gentleman at all times for fear that any misconduct would be recorded and criticized by people of later dynasties. However he had his faults. He had a problem with alcohol during the early part of his military career. Yue drank in great excess because he believed it fitted the image of heroes of old. However once he nearly killed a colleague in a drunken rage, the emperor made him promise not to drink any more until the Jurchen invaders had been driven away.

Family

According to Shuo Yue Quanzhuan, Yue had five sons and one daughter. The History of Song records that Yue Yun (岳云) (1119–1142) was adopted by Yue Fei at the age of 12 whilst others claim he was his biological son; Yue Lei (岳雷), the second, succeeded to his father's post; Yue Ting (岳霆) was the third; Yue Lin (岳霖) was the fourth; and Yue Zhen (岳震), the fifth, was still young at the time of his father's death. Yue Yinping was Yue Fei's daughter. The novel states she committed suicide after her father's death and became a fairy in heaven. However, history books do not mention her name and therefore she should be considered a fictional character. Yue Fei married the daughter of Magistrate Li when he was 16 years old (1119). However, the account of his marriage is fictional.

The Biography of Yue Fei states that Yue left his ailing mother with his first wife while he went to fight the Jin armies. However she "left him (and his mother) and remarried". He later took a second wife and even discussed "affairs" pertaining to his military career with her. He truly loved her, but his affection for her was second to his desire to rid China of the Jurchen invaders. Her faithfulness to him and his mother was strengthened by the fear that any infidelity or lacking in her care of Lady Yue would result in reprisal.

Yue forbade his sons from having concubines, although he almost took one himself. Even though she was presented by a friend, he did not accept her because she laughed when he asked her if she could "share the hardships of camp life" with him. He knew she was liberal and would have sex with the other soldiers.

Though not mentioned in the memoir written by Yue Fei's grandson, some scholarly sources claim Yue had a younger brother named Yue Fan (岳翻). He later served in the army under his brother and died in battle in 1132.

Military record

The son of an impoverished farmer from northern China, Yue Fei joined the Song military in 1122. Yue briefly left the army when his father died in 1123, but returned in 1126. After reenlisting, he fought to suppress rebellions by local Chinese warlords responsible for looting in northern China. Local uprisings had diverted needed resources away from the Song's war against the Jin. Yue participated in defending Kaifeng during the second siege of the city by the Jin in 1127. After Kaifeng fell, he joined an army in Jiankang tasked with defending the Yangtze. This army prevented the Jurchens from advancing to the river in 1129. His rising reputation as a military leader attracted the attention of the Song court. In 1133, he was made the general of the largest army near the Central Yangtze. Between 1134 and 1135, he led a counteroffensive against Qi, a puppet state supported by the Jin, and secured territories that had been conquered by the Jurchens. He continued to advance in rank, and to increase the size of his army as he repeatedly led successful offensives into northern China. Several other generals were also successful against the Jin dynasty, and their combined efforts secured the survival of the Song dynasty. Yue, like most of them, was committed to recapturing northern China.

Stone Lake: The Poetry of Fan Chengda 1126–1193 states, "...Yue Fei (1103-1141)...repelled the enemy assaults in 1133 and 1134, until in 1135 the now confident Song army was in a position to recover all of north China from the Jin dynasty ... 1140, Yue Fei initiated a general counterattack against the Jin armies, defeating one enemy after another until he set up camp within range of the Northern Song dynasty's old capital city, Kaifeng, in preparation for the final assault against the enemy. Yet in the same year Qin Hui ordered Yue Fei to abandon his campaign, and in 1141 Yue Fei was summoned back to the Southern Song capital. It is believed that the emperor then ordered Yue Fei to be hanged."

Six methods for deploying an army

Yue Ke (岳珂) states his grandfather had six special methods for deploying an army effectively:

Careful selection: He relied more on small numbers of well-trained soldiers than he did large masses of the poorly trained variety. In this way, one superior soldier counted for as much as one hundred inferior soldiers. One example used to illustrate this was when the armies of Han Ching and Wu Xu were transferred into Yue's camp. Most of them had never seen battle and were generally too old or unhealthy for sustaining prolonged troop movement and engagement of the enemy. Once Yue had filtered out the weak soldiers and sent them home, he was only left with a meager thousand able-bodied soldiers. However, after some months of intense training, they were ready to perform almost as well as the soldiers who had served under Yue for years.

Careful training: When his troops were not on military campaigns to win back lost Chinese territory in the north, Yue put his men through intense training. Apart from troop movement and weapons drills, this training also involved them leaping over walls and crawling through moats in full battle garb. The intensity of the training was such that the men would not even try to visit their families if they passed by their homes while on movement and even trained on their days off.

Justice in rewards and punishments: He rewarded his men for their merits and punished them for their boasting or lack of training. Yue once gave a foot soldier his own personal belt, silver dinner ware, and a promotion for his meritorious deeds in battle. While on the reverse, he once ordered his son Yue Yun to be decapitated for falling off his horse after failing to jump a moat. His son was only saved after Yue's officers begged his mercy. There were a number of soldiers that were either dismissed or executed because they boasted of their skills or failed to follow orders.

Clear orders: He always delivered his orders in a simple manner that was easy for all of his soldiers to understand. Whoever failed to follow them were severely punished.

Strict discipline: While marching about the countryside, he never let his troops destroy fields or to pillage towns or villages. He made them pay a fair price for goods and made sure crops remained intact. A soldier once stole a hemp rope from a peasant so he could tie a bale of hay with it. When Yue discovered this, he questioned the soldier and had him executed.

Close fellowship with his men: He treated all of his men like equals. He ate the same food as they did and slept out in the open as they did. Even when a temporary shelter was erected for him, he made sure several soldiers could find room to sleep inside before he found a spot of his own. When there was not enough wine to go around, he would dilute it with water so every soldier would receive a portion.

Death

In 1126, several years before Yue became a general, the Jurchen-ruled Jin dynasty invaded northern China, forcing the Song dynasty out of its capital Kaifeng and capturing Emperor Qinzong of Song, who was sent into captivity in Huining Prefecture. This marked the end of the Northern Song dynasty, and the beginning of the Southern Song dynasty under Emperor Gaozong.

Yue fought a long campaign against the invading Jurchen in an effort to retake northern China. Just as he was threatening to attack and retake Kaifeng, officials advised Emperor Gaozong to recall Yue to the capital and sue for peace with the Jurchen. Fearing that a defeat at Kaifeng might cause the Jurchen to release Emperor Qinzong, threatening his claim to the throne, Emperor Gaozong followed their advice, sending 12 orders in the form of 12 gold plaques to Yue Fei, recalling him back to the capital. Knowing that a success at Kaifeng could lead to internal strife, Yue submitted to the emperor's orders and returned to the capital, where he was imprisoned and where Qin Hui would eventually arrange for him to be executed on false charges.

There are conflicting views on how Yue died. According to The History of China: (The Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations) and other sources, Yue died in prison. The Chronicle of Yue, Prince of E of Song says he was killed in prison. Shuo Yue Quanzhuan states he was strangled to death. It reads, "...Fei strode in long steps to the Pavilion of Winds and Waves ... The warders on both sides picked up the ropes and strangled the three men Fei, Yue Yun, and Zhang Xian (张宪), Yue's subordinate without further ado ... At the time Lord Yue was 39 years of age and the young lord Yue Yun 23. When the three men returned to Heaven, suddenly a fierce wind rose up wildly and all the fires and lights were extinguished. Black mists filled the sky and sand and pebbles were blown about."

The Secrets of Eagle Claw Kung Fu: Ying Jow Pai comments, "Finally, Fei received the 'Twelfth Golden Edict' the emperor calling him back to the capital, which if ignored meant banishment. Patriotism demanded that he obey. On his way back to the capital he stopped to rest at a pavilion. Qin Hui anticipated Yue Fei's route and sent some men to lie in wait. When Yue Fei arrived, Qin's men ambushed and murdered him. Just 39 years old, Yue Fei like many good men in history, had a swift, brilliant career, then died brutally while still young."

According to A Chinese Biographical Dictionary, "and son had not been two months in confinement when Qin Hui resolved to rid himself of his enemy. He wrote out with his own hand an order for the execution of Yue Fei, which was forthwith carried into effect; whereupon he immediate reported that Yue Fei had died in prison", which meant that Qin Hui had Yue and his son executed but reported they both died in captivity.

Other sources say he was poisoned to death. Still, a great number simply say he was executed, murdered, or "treacherously assassinated".

After Yue's execution, a prison officer, Wei Shun (隗顺), who admired Yue's character, stole his body and secretly buried it at the Nine Song Cong Temple (九曲丛祠) located outside the Song capital.

Qin Huis posthumous punishment

Shuo Yue Quanzhuan states after having Yue Fei, Yue Yun, Zhang Xian arrested under false charges, Qin Hui and his wife, Lady Wang (王氏), were sitting by the "eastern window", warming themselves by the fire, when he received a letter from the people calling for the release of Yue Fei. Qin was worried because after nearly two months of torture, he could not get Yue to admit to treason and would eventually have to let him go. However, after a servant girl brought fresh oranges into the room, Lady Wang devised a plan to execute Yue. She told Qin to slip an execution notice inside the skin of an orange and send it to the judge presiding over Yue's case. This way, Yue and his companions would be put to death before the emperor or Qin himself would have to rescind an open order of execution. This conspiracy became known as the "East Window Plot". A novel about this incident, titled Dong Chuang Ji (东窗记; "Tale of the Eastern Window"), was written during the Ming dynasty by an anonymous writer.

When confronted by Han Shizhong on what crime Yue had committed, Qin Hui replied, "Though it isn't sure whether there is something that he did to betray the dynasty, maybe there is." The phrase "perhaps there is", "no reason needed", "groundless", or "baseless" (莫须有 mò xū yǒu) has entered Chinese language as a proverb to refer to fabricated charges, which also means 'trumped-up charge', 'setup', 'frameup', or 'concocted charge', in English language. There is a poem hanging on the gate surrounding the statues that reads, "The green hill is fortunate to be the burial ground of a loyal general, the white iron was innocent to be cast into the statues of traitors."

Decades later, his grandson, Yue Ke (岳珂), had retrieved documentary evidence of his grandfather's achievements, and published an adulatory biography of him. In 1162 Emperor Xiaozong of Song posthumously pardoned and rehabilitated his honours. For their part in Yue's death, iron statues of Qin Hui, Lady Wang, and two of Qin's subordinates, Moqi Xie (万俟卨) and Zhang Jun (张俊), were made to kneel before Yue Fei's tomb (located by the West Lake, Hangzhou). For centuries, these statues have been cursed, spat and urinated upon by people. The original castings in bronze were damaged, but later were replaced by images cast in iron, but these were similarly damaged. However now, in modern times, these statues are protected as historical relics. Emperor Xiaozong's court gave proper burial to his remains after Wei Shun's family revealed its location; Wei Shun was then posthumously honored at Yue Fei's hometown at Tangyin County, and a statue of him was made standing at its Yue Fei Temple. A tomb was put up in his memory, and he was designated Wumu (武穆; "Martial and Stern"). In 1179 he was canonized as Zhongwu (忠武; "Loyal and Martial").

According to the novel Xi You Bu, a satire of Journey to the West, written in 1641 by the scholar Dong Ruoyu (also known as Dong Yue, 1620–1686), the Monkey King enthusiastically serves in hell as the trial prosecutor of Qin Hui, while Yue Fei becomes the Monkey King's third master (by teaching the latter Confucian methods). At one point, the Monkey King asks the spirit of Yue Fei if he would like to drink Qin's blood, but he politely declined.

File:Youtiaostory hangzhou statue1.jpg|Statues of Lady Wang (秦王氏) and Qin Hui (秦桧) at the Yue Fei Temple, Hangzhou

File:Youtiaostory hangzhou statue2.jpg|Statues of Moqi Xie (万俟卨) and Zhang Jun (张俊) at the Yue Fei Temple, Hangzhou

File:West Lake Map.png|Map of the West Lake with the location of the Temple of Yue Fei

Talents

Martial arts

The two styles most associated with Yue are Eagle Claw and Xingyi boxing. One book states Yue created Eagle Claw for his enlisted soldiers and Xingyi for his officers. Legend has it that Yue studied in the Shaolin Monastery with a monk named Zhou Tong and learned the "elephant" style of boxing, a set of hand techniques with great emphasis on qinna (joint-locking). Other tales say he learned this style elsewhere outside the temple under the same master. Yue eventually expanded elephant style to create the Yibai Lingba Qinna (一百零八擒拿 – "108 Locking Hand Techniques") of the Ying Sao (Eagle Hands) or Ying Kuen (Eagle Fist). After becoming a general in the imperial army, Yue taught this style to his men and they were very successful in battle against the armies of the Jin dynasty. Following his wrongful execution and the disbandment of his armies, Yue's men supposedly traveled all over China spreading the style, which eventually ended right back in Shaolin where it began. Later, a monk named Li Quan (丽泉) combined this style with Fanziquan, another style attributed to Yue, to create the modern day form of Northern Ying Jow Pai boxing.

According to legend, Yue combined his knowledge of internal martial arts and spearplay learned from Zhou Tong (in Shaolin) to create the linear fist attacks of Xingyi boxing. One book claims he studied and synthesized Buddhism's Tendon Changing and Marrow Washing qigong systems to create Xingyi. On the contrary, proponents of Wudangquan believe it is possible that Yue learned the style in the Wudang Mountains that border his home province of Henan. The reasons they cite for this conclusion are that he supposedly lived around the same time and place as Zhang Sanfeng, the founder of t'ai chi; Xingyi's five fist attacks, which are based on the Five Chinese Elements theory, are similar to tai-chi's "Yin-yang theory"; and both theories are Taoist-based and not Buddhist. The book Henan Orthodox Xingyi Quan, written by Pei Xirong (裴锡荣) and Li Ying'ang (李英昂), states Xingyi master Dai Longbang

... wrote the 'Preface to Six Harmonies Boxing' in the 15th reign year of the Qianlong Emperor 1750. Inside it says, '... when Fei was a child, he received special instructions from Zhou Tong. He became extremely skilled in the spear method. He used the spear to create methods for the fist. He established a method called Yi Quan 意拳. Mysterious and unfathomable, followers of old did not have these skills. Throughout the Jin, Yuan and Ming dynasties few had his art. Only Ji Gong had it. (于乾隆十五年为"六合拳"作序云："岳飞当童子时，受业于周侗师，精通枪法，以枪为拳，立法以教将佐，名曰意拳，神妙莫测，盖从古未有之技也。)

The Ji Gong mentioned above, better known as Ji Jike (姬际可) or Ji Longfeng (姬隆丰), is said to have trained in Shaolin Monastery for ten years as a young man and was matchless with the spear. As the story goes, he later traveled to Xongju Cave on Mount Zhongnan to receive a boxing manual written by Yue Fei, from which he learned Xingyi. However, some believe Ji actually created the style himself and attributed it to Yue Fei because he was fighting the Manchus, descendants of the Jurchens who Yue had struggled against. Ji supposedly created it after watching a battle between an eagle and a bear during the Ming dynasty. Other sources say he created it while training in Shaolin. He was reading a book and looked up to see two roosters fighting, which inspired him to imitate the fighting styles of animals. Both versions of the story (eagle / bear and roosters) state he continued to study the actions of animals and eventually increased the cadre of animal forms.

Several other martial arts have been attributed to Yue Fei, including Yuejiaquan (Yue Family Boxing), Fanziquan (Tumbling Boxing), and Chuōjiǎo quan (Feet-Poking Boxing), among others. The "Fanzi Boxing Ballad" says: "Wumu has passed down the Fanziquan which has mystery in its straightforward movements." Wumu (武穆) was a posthumous name given to Yue after his death. One Chuojiao legend states Zhou Tong learned the style from its creator, a wandering Taoist named Deng Liang (邓良), and later passed it onto Yue Fei, who is considered to be the progenitor of the style.

Besides martial arts, Yue is also said to have studied traditional Chinese medicine. He understood the essence of Hua Tuo's Wu Qin Xi (五禽戏 – "Five Animal Frolics") and created his own form of "medical qigong" known as the Ba Duan Jin (八段锦 – "Eight Pieces of Brocade"). It is considered a form of Waidan (外丹 – "External Elixir") medical qigong.

He taught this qigong to his soldiers to help keep their bodies strong and well-prepared for battle. One legend states that Zhou Tong took young Yue to meet a Buddhist hermit who taught him Emei Dapeng Qigong (峨嵋大鹏气功). His training in Dapeng Qigong was the source of his great strength and martial arts abilities. Modern practitioners of this style say it was passed down by Yue.

Connection to Praying Mantis boxing

According to Shuo Yue Quanzhuan, Lin Chong and Lu Junyi of the 108 outlaws in Water Margin were former students of Yue's teacher Zhou Tong. One legend states Zhou learned Chuōjiǎo boxing from its originator Deng Liang (邓良) and then passed it onto Yue Fei, who is sometimes considered the progenitor of the style. Chuojiao is also known as the "Water Margin Outlaw style" and Yuanyang Tui (鸳鸯腿 – "Mandarin Duck Leg"). In chapter 29 of Water Margin, titled "Wu Song beats Jiang the Door God in a drunken stupor", it mentions Wu Song, another of Zhou's fictional students, using the "Jade Circle-Steps with Duck and Drake feet". A famous folklore Praying Mantis manuscript, which describes the fictional gathering of eighteen martial arts masters in Shaolin, lists Lin Chong (#13) as a master of "Mandarin ducks kicking technique". This creates a folklore connection between Yue and Mantis boxing.

Lineage Mantis master Yuen Man Kai openly claims Zhou Tong taught Lin Chong and Lu Junyi the "same school" of martial arts that was later combined with the aforementioned seventeen other schools to create Mantis fist. However, he believes Mantis fist was created during the Ming dynasty, and was therefore influenced by these eighteen schools from the Song dynasty. He also says Lu Junyi taught Yan Qing the same martial arts as he learned from Zhou Tong. Yuen further comments that Zhou Tong later taught Yue Fei the same martial art and that Yue was the originator of the mantis move "Black Tiger Stealing Heart".

Poetry

At the age of 30, Yue supposedly wrote his most celebrated poem, "Man Jiang Hong" ("Entirely Red River") with a subtitle of "Xie Huai" ("Writing about What I Thought"). This poem reflects the raw hatred he felt towards the Jurchen-ruled Jin dynasty, as well as the sorrow he felt when his efforts to recoup northern lands lost to Jin were halted by Southern Song officials of the "Peace Faction". However, several modern historians, including the late Princeton University Prof. James T. C. Liu, believe certain phrasing in the poem dates its creation to the early 16th century, meaning Yue did not write it.

Yue Fei is also the author of at least two other poems, "Xiao Chong Shan" ("Small Hills") and another "Man Jiang Hong" with a subtitle of "Deng Huang He Lou You Gan" ("My Feelings When I Was Climbing the Yellow Crane Pavilion").

Descendants

Among Yue Fei's descendants was Yue Shenglong (岳升龙) and his son the Qing dynasty official Yue Zhongqi, who served as Minister of Defence and Governor-General of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces during the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor. Yue Zhongqi conquered Tibet for the Qing during the Dzungar–Qing War and attacked the Dzungars at Ürümqi in Xinjiang. The Oirats were battled against by Yue Zhongqi. Yue Zhongqi lived at the Ji Xiaolan Residence.

Another notable descendant of Yue Fei was Yue Yiqin, a flying ace of the Republic of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

In 2011, two Yue descendants, Yue Jun and Yue Haijun, with six members of their clan, protested Jiangning Imperial Silk Manufacturing Museum's Qin Hui statue, which indicates that even after centuries, the Yue family still hates Qin Hui and his conspirators for their ancestors' plights. It is also reportedly that the Yue family members were not allowed to marry anyone whose surname was also Qin until 1949, and hardly anyone break this rule prior to it being nulled. By 2017, it is reported that Yue Fei's descendants are 1.81 million people in China, and only Yue Fei's descendants in Anhui Province have grown to more than 1.003 million.

Folk hero

Yue Fei's stature in Chinese history rose to that of a national folk hero after his execution. Qin Hui, and in some cases Emperor Gaozong, were blamed by later historians for their supposed role in Yue Fei's execution and conciliatory stance with the Jin dynasty. The allegations that Qin Hui conspired with the Jin to execute Yue Fei are popular in Chinese literature, but have never been proven. The real Yue Fei differed from the later myths that grew from his exploits. The portrayal of Yue as a scholar-general is only partially true. He was a skilled general, and may have been partially literate in Classical Chinese, but he was not an erudite Confucian scholar. Contrary to traditional legends, Yue was not the sole Chinese general engaged in the offensive against the Jurchens. He was one of many generals that fought against the Jin in northern China, and unlike Yue Fei, some of his peers were genuine members of the scholarly elite. Many of the exaggerations of Yue Fei's life can be traced to a biography written by his grandson, Yue Ke. Yue Fei's status as a folk hero strengthened in the Yuan dynasty and had a large impact on Chinese culture. Temples and shrines devoted to Yue Fei were constructed in the Ming dynasty. A Chinese World War II anthem alludes to lyrics said to have been written by Yue Fei.

He also sometimes appears as a door god in partnership with the deity Wen Taibao.

At certain points in time, Yue Fei ceased to be a national hero, such as in 2002, when the official guidelines for history teachers said that he could no longer carry the title. This was because Yue Fei had defended China from the Jurchen people, who are presently considered to be a part of the Chinese nation. Therefore, concern for the "unity of nationalities" in China prevailed, as Yue Fei was seen as representing only one subgroup within China, and not the "entire Chinese nation as presently defined". However, both the Chinese Ministry of Education and the Minister of Defence deny such claims and still clearly address Yue Fei as a national hero of China. The Chinese Communist Party also continues to treat Yue Fei as a national hero of China.

Modern references

The ROCS Yueh Fei (FFG-1106), a Cheng Kung-class guided-missile frigate of the Republic of China Navy, is named after Yue.

The author Guy Gavriel Kay cites Yue Fei as having inspired the character Ren Daiyan in his novel River of Stars, which is set in a fantasy world based on Song Dynasty China.

Yue Fei is one of the 32 historical figures who appear as special characters in the video game Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI by Koei.