In Chinese history, countless numbers of military generals and strategists led their armies to fight against enemies on battlefields or mapped out strategies for battles. Although they died many years ago, and their fates might not always have been fair, their spirits of loyalty and dedication to the country remain in people's minds forever, and their glorious deeds are still talked about in modern China.

Ten most famous Generals in ancient China are:

Yuan Chonghuan 袁崇煥

Yuan Chonghuan (1584-1630), also known as Yuansu and Zi Ru, was a famed politician and military commander of the late Ming Dynasty, who battled the Later Kin in Liaoning. He was born in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, on June 6, 1584. During his adolescence, Yuan spent time travelling from town to town, and befriended many foreigners along the way. In 1619, he passed the imperial examinations and was appointed to the minor post of magistrate in Shaowu County in south China's Fujian.

Yuan Chonghuan was later known to have excelled in artillery warfare, and was in charge of guarding Shanhai Pass and eastern Liaoning. His military career reached its pinnacle when he defeated Nurhaci and the Manchu army in the Battle of Ningyuan. Nurhaci's son and successor, Huang Taiji, was also defeated by him in the Battle of Ningjin.

However, General Yuan was a tragic figure. He was executed by the emperor on uncertain charges. Without much evidence, he was accused of collusion with the enemy and other charges, and was condemned to "death by a thousand cuts" at Ganshiqiao in Beijing on September 22, 1630. Local people at that time all thought that he colluded with the enemy, so they hated him very much, but now many scholars believe that the truth remains a mystery still to be uncovered.

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