Tan Daoji 檀道濟

Tan Daoji 檀道濟 (394-436) from Jinxiang 金鄉 in the commandery of Gaoping 高平 (in today's Shandong province), was a general of the Liu-Song dynasty 劉宋 (420-479), one of the Southern Dynasties 南朝 (420-589).

He belonged to the general staff of Liu Yu 劉裕 (Emperor Wu 宋武帝, r. 420-422) and had the functions of General Arousing Martiality (yangwu jiangjun 揚武將軍), General Pacifying the North (ningshuo jiangjun 寧朔將軍) and General-in-Chief Assailing the South (zhengnan da jiangjun 征南大將軍). Known for his bravery and his flexibility in tactics, the achieved superior victories. He fought against the rebels Huan Xuan 桓玄 (369-404) and Lu Xun 盧循 (d. 411). In 416, when Liu Yu destroyed the empire of the Later Qin 後秦 (384-417), Tan Daoji and Wang Zhen'e 王鎮惡 (373-418) advanced with the vanguard and occupied the city of Luoyang 洛陽 (in today's Henan province), capturing 4,000 troops of the enemy. While some suggested to bury them alive, Tan decided to pardon them and send them back to gain the hearts of the new subjects.

When Liu Yu was invested as King of Song 宋王, Tan was made palace attendant (shizhong 侍中) and palace cadet (zhongshuzi 中庶子) and appointed grand rectifier (da zhongzheng 大中正) of the province of Yanzhou 兗州. After the foundation of the imperial Song dynasty, Tan was appointed Capital Protector (hujun 護軍) and Cavalier Attendant-in-ordinary (sanji changshi 散騎常侍), and invested as District Duke of Yongxiu 永修縣公. Under Emperor Wen, he was made regional inspector (cishi 刺史) of the province of Jiangzhou 江州.

In 431, he commanded a campaign against the Northern Wei 北魏. Within three weeks, he achieved thirty victories and advanced to Licheng 歷城 (outskirts of present-day Jinan 濟南, Shandong), where skirmishers of the Wei army destroyed Tan's supplies, which forced him to retreat. However, Tan developed a plan to deceive Wei troops which tried to assault the withdrawing army. Once feigning to have ample supplies of rice, and once signalising the preparation of an ambush, Tan's army escaped safely.

Tan Daoji was the only famous general of the Northern Headquarters Army (beifubing 北府兵), but because of this fame and influence, some at the court feared that he might interfere into politics. In 427, Liu Yikang 劉義康 (409-451), the Prince of Pengcheng 彭城王, was made regent of Emperor Wen's young son. Fearing that Tan Daoji would become obstinate, Liu accused Tan of treason, arrested and killed him.