Tan Lun

Tan Lun (Chinese: 譚綸, courtesy name Zili 子理; (1520 –1577) was an eminent Han Chinese official, military general, of the Jiajing Emperor of mid-Ming Dynasty in China.

Tan Lun raised and organized Qi Jiguang and several other generals to fight effectively against the Jiajing wokou pirates and restored the stability of the Ming Dynasty along with other prominent figures. He was known for his strategic perception, administrative skill, and for making the best army stronger during the middle Ming Dynasty, but also sometimes for his ruthlessness in the execution of his policies. Tan also exemplified loyalty in an era of chaos. He died in 1577, where he was bestowed the posthumous honour of Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent (太子太保).

Popular culture

The 1975 King Hu film The Valiant Ones features Tan Lun.

References

• History of Ming
• Huang, Ray. 1587, a Year of No Significance: The Ming Dynasty in Decline. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1981.