Is “Shouted 'Cross the river!' repeatedly and then died” true?

attested in history

According to the 'History of Song, Biography of Zong Ze', Zong Ze devoted his life to resisting the Jin and saving the country, repeatedly submitting memorials asking Emperor Gaozong to return the capital to Kaifeng, none of which were granted. On his deathbed, when his generals came to ask after his illness, he sighed: "'He died before the expedition succeeded, leaving heroes ever after with tears on their sleeves.'" The next day, 'Ze said not a word of family matters, but only called out "Cross the river!" three times and died. The people of the capital wailed aloud.' This historical moment was adopted verbatim and widely celebrated in novels such as 'The Story of Yue Fei'.

Zong Ze

A famous anti-Jin minister in the early Southern Song Dynasty, whose last words became a timeless lament.

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