Su Wu, whose name is Ziqing, was an outstanding diplomat and national hero in the Western Han Dynasty. His life is full of legends, and his story has been passed down to future generations.
Su Wu was born in 140 BC and was a native of Duling (present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi). His father, Su Jian, was a general who had followed Wei Qing to the Xiongnu many times and made great achievements. Su Wu received a good education from an early age, he was intelligent, studious, diligent and hardworking, and soon became a knowledgeable and talented young man.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, relations between the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu were very tense. In order to ease the relationship between the two sides, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent Su Wu to lead more than 100 people to the Xiongnu. After Su Wu arrived at the Xiongnu, he was warmly welcomed by the Xiongnu Shan Yu. However, Xiongnu Shan Yu detained Su Wu and others and asked them to surrender to the Xiongnu. Su Wu resolutely rejected the Xiongnu Shan Yu's request and said that he would rather die than give in.
When the Xiongnu saw that Su Wu refused to surrender, they imprisoned him in a large cellar and cut him off from food. Su Wu was tortured in prison, but he never gave in. He survived in prison by eating snow and chewing hair.
Later, the Xiongnu exiled Su Wu to the Beihai Sea (present-day Lake Baikal) and told him to herd sheep. Su Wu lived in Beihai for 19 years, and he held the Han Dynasty talisman every day and herded sheep for a living. Although he was in a foreign country, he never forgot his homeland and mission.
In 81 BC, Su Wu finally returned to the Han Dynasty. His return was warmly welcomed by the Han Dynasty and the people, and he was also named the Marquis of Guannei.
After Su Wu returned to the Han Dynasty, he continued to contribute to the diplomatic cause of the Han Dynasty. He successively served as a vassal state and a doctor of Guanglu, and made important contributions to the peace and friendship between the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu.
In 60 BC, Su Wu died at the age of eighty. His life is full of legends, and his story has been passed down to future generations. His patriotic spirit and indomitable qualities have also become an example for future generations to follow.