Hu Zongxian (1512-1565), also known as Ruzhen or Meilin, was a celebrated military officer and senior government official.
During the reign of Ming emperor Jiajing, he drove invading pirates from China's eastern seaboard and ultimately restored peace to the area. He later held offices as the Minister of National Defense and governor of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. It is he who marked the Diaoyu Islands as part of Chinese territory for the first time.
Hu Zongxian |