A Fateful Prediction and the Fall of a Virtuous General

In the first month of 1365, Liu Bowen, the famed strategist of the Ming dynasty, cast a meaningful glance at Zhu Yuanzhang, the future founder of the Ming Empire. His cryptic words—”The southeast will lose a fine general”—left Zhu puzzled. At the time, war raged across China, and generals fell in battle daily. Yet Liu Bowen insisted, “I do not yet know who it will be, but now, he walks the path to the underworld.”

Five months later, in June 1365, Hu Shen, a trusted military advisor in Zhu Yuanzhang’s Wu principality, perished in Fujian. Liu Bowen’s prophecy had come true.

The Rise of Hu Shen: Scholar, Strategist, and Savior

Hu Shen was no ordinary general. Unlike many warlords of the era, he valued human life above conquest. A child prodigy from Chuzhou, he excelled in classical studies, military strategy, and even divination—a skill he shared with Liu Bowen. When chaos engulfed southeastern China, Hu Shen foresaw disaster in the celestial signs: “The qi of Zhejiang has turned pale; calamity approaches.” He sold his family’s possessions, raised a militia, and joined the forces of Shi Moi Yisun, a Yuan loyalist.

It was under Shi Moi Yisun that Hu Shen and Liu Bowen first forged their friendship. Yet their bond was cut short when Liu Bowen left for his hometown. In 1359, Zhu Yuanzhang’s army besieged Chuzhou. Hu Shen, commanding defenses across four counties, faced a moral dilemma: resist to the death or surrender to spare civilian lives.

The Weight of Loyalty vs. the Duty to Protect

Hu Shen’s crisis mirrored that of Tang dynasty general Zhang Xun, who famously held Suiyang during the An Lushan Rebellion—at the cost of cannibalism among his troops. While some praised Zhang’s loyalty, others condemned his disregard for human suffering. Confronted with similar stakes, Hu Shen chose differently. He opened Chuzhou’s gates, saving countless lives.

His defection to Zhu Yuanzhang was pragmatic, not opportunistic. As Liu Bowen later reflected, “You acted for the people’s sake. I had the luxury of choice; you did not. In this, you are nobler than I.”

Guardian of Zhejiang: Hu Shen’s Administrative Brilliance

Under Hu Shen’s governance, war-torn Chuzhou revived. Impressed, Zhu Yuanzhang called him “the shield of Zhejiang.” Yet this shield would soon face its greatest test: Chen Youding, the fiercely loyal Yuan commander of Fujian.

Unlike the notorious warlord Chen Youliang, Chen Youding was a self-made man—once a crane herder who rose through Yuan ranks with cunning and courage. By 1365, he was Fujian’s de facto ruler, unshakably loyal to the crumbling Yuan dynasty.

The Fatal Campaign: Clashing Strategies and a Doomed Assault

In 1365, Zhu Yuanzhang set his sights on Fujian. He paired Hu Shen’s tactical prudence with the brute force of Zhu Liangzu, a former bandit leader. The mismatch proved disastrous. At the siege of Jianning, Zhu Liangzu dismissed Hu Shen’s ominous divinations (“The heavens frown upon us”) and demanded an immediate attack.

As torrential rain fell, Hu Shen led the assault—straight into Chen Youding’s trap. Ambushed at the Jin River, his forces were annihilated. Captured, Hu Shen faced Chen’s scorn: “You betrayed your lord. Where is your loyalty?”

The Unyielding Martyr and Liu Bowen’s Unheeded Warning

Back in Yingtian, Zhu Yuanzhang, upon hearing of Hu Shen’s capture, remarked to Liu Bowen, “Your prophecy was true.” But Liu Bowen corrected him: “A general’s death is foretold, not his capture.” Zhu, underestimating Chen Youding’s resolve, offered riches for Hu Shen’s release. Chen refused. On the Yuan court’s orders, Hu Shen was executed.

Legacy: The Cost of Loyalty and the Limits of Prophecy

Hu Shen’s death underscored the era’s brutal choices: between blind loyalty and moral pragmatism. For Zhu Yuanzhang, the tragedy affirmed Liu Bowen’s supernatural insight—a tool he would exploit in founding the Ming dynasty. Yet history remembers Hu Shen not as a pawn in prophecies, but as a man who chose mercy over dogma, and paid the ultimate price.

His story endures as a testament to the human cost of war—and the fleeting nature of honor in the face of ambition.