Regarding the cause of death of Xu Da, one of the founding heroes of the Ming Dynasty, there is a folk tale claiming that he died because of a roasted goose. However, is this tale true? This article will guide you to explore the truth behind Xu Da's death.

I. Brief Introduction to Xu Da

Xu Da, styled Wenyuan and known as Dongli, was a native of Changzhou, Jiangsu. He was one of the founding heroes of the Ming Dynasty. In his early years, he followed Zhu Yuanzhang to rise up against the Yuan Dynasty, establishing numerous military achievements and being awarded the title of Pingxi Wang. After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Xu Da served as the Left Prime Minister and made remarkable contributions to the country.

II. Legend of Xu Da's Death

There is a folk tale regarding Xu Da's death, claiming that he died because of a roasted goose. It is said that one day, Xu Da hosted a banquet at his home, and the chef prepared a delicious roasted goose for him. However, while tasting the goose, Xu Da suddenly felt discomfort and eventually died. This tale is widely spread among the people, but is it true?

III. Truth behind Xu Da's Death

According to historical records, Xu Da died in the 18th year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1385), at the age of 46. The cause of his death is not clearly stated in the historical texts. However, from the available historical materials, it can be seen that Xu Da's health was indeed poor in his later years. According to the "History of the Ming Dynasty," Xu Da requested to retire due to illness in the 17th year of Hongwu (1384), and Zhu Yuanzhang allowed him to take a leave of absence to recuperate. Soon after, Xu Da died of his illness.

IV. Conclusion

Based on the available information, we can conclude that Xu Da's death was not caused by a roasted goose. Although there is a folk tale to this effect, historical records do not explicitly mention any connection between his death and a roasted goose. In fact, Xu Da's health was poor in his later years, and he may have died of illness. Therefore, we should rely on historical facts and not easily believe folk tales.

　　Disclaimer: The above content is sourced from the internet and the copyright belongs to the original author. If there is any infringement of your original copyright, please inform us and we will delete the relevant content as soon as possible.