The Mausoleum of General Yue Fei is one of Hangzhou's most popular attractions among Chinese tourists, who view Yue as a patriotic hero. The historical Yue Fei lived in Southern Song Dynasty China during the 12th century AD, at a time when China was split between the ethnically Han Song and the rival Jin Dynasty, ruled by ethnic Jurchens from the north. The Jin had conquered the north of China, pushing the Song out of their capital Kaifeng and taking the Emperor Qinzong captive. Yue fought the Jin valiantly, but was betrayed by corrupt officials who had him imprisoned and executed as part of a plot to sign a peace treaty with the Jin that would prevent the return of the captured Qinzong, allowing the new Song emperor, Gaozong, to remain in power in the south.
Yue Fei certainly had many virtues and talents, but the fantastic tales of feats and abilities bordering on the supernatural make it impossible to clearly separate fact from myth. We do know that he was a brave, loyal and brilliant military leader, much loved by his men. After his death, his life was commemorated in poems, paintings and novels, starting with a biography written by his grandson, Yue Ke. In 1163, his body was placed in the Hangzhou mausoleum, and ever since he has been adulated as the paragon of patriotism and self-sacrifice.