Xu Da was cautious and skilled in governing the army, making outstanding contributions to the establishment of the Ming Dynasty and the recovery of Chinese territory.

[1] Xu Da was described as a stalwart man with a slim face and high cheekbones, he joined the Red Turban rebels in 1353 to overthrow the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty in China.

Xu served as a general under Zhu Yuanzhang, a prominent rebel leader, and assisted him in defeating other rival warlords and opposing forces.

As a member of the anti-Yuan Ming Cult, Xu Da participated actively in the rebellions to overthrow the Yuan dynasty under the leadership of Zhang Wuji.

Zhang passes Xu the Book of Wumu, a text on military strategy written by the Song dynasty general Yue Fei.