Pan Mei | |
|---|---|
 from an 1887 Pan family genealogy book | |
| Zhongwu Command military governor | |
| Monarch | Emperor Taizong of Song |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 925 or early 926[1] likely modern Daming County, Hebei |
| Died | 20 July 991 (aged 65–66[2]) modern Taiyuan, Shanxi |
| Children |
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| Father | Pan Lin (潘璘) |
| Full name | Surname: Pān (潘) Given name: Měi (美) Courtesy name: Zhòngxún (仲詢) Posthumous name: Wǔhuì (武惠) |
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| Pan Mei | |||||||||||
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| Chinese | 潘美 | ||||||||||
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Pan Mei (潘美) (c. 925[1] – 20 July 991[3]) was a military general and statesman in the early years of imperial China's Song dynasty. In the 970s, he was the main commander in Song's conquest of Southern Han and also played pivotal roles in the conquest of Southern Tang and Northern Han. Afterwards he fought the Khitan-ruled Liao dynasty on Song's northern border.
In 986 he was demoted by 3 ranks for contributing to the death of fellow Song general Yang Ye during battles against Liao. At this time one of his daughters[4] had married into the imperial House of Zhao. The antagonist Pan Renmei (潘仁美, also known as Pan Hong 潘洪) in the largely fictional Generals of the Yang Family legends is based on Pan Mei from this episode.
- ^ a b From his date and Chinese age at death we can deduct that he was born some time between 27 January 925 and 14 February 926.
- ^ Song Shi, ch. 258.
- ^ Xu Zizhi Tongjian Changbian, ch. 32.
- ^ A contradiction exists in History of Song: according to Vol. 258 Empress Pan was the daughter of Pan Mei's son Pan Weixi (潘惟熙), while Vol. 242 describes her as Pan Mei's 8th child. Historians believe in the latter claim.