文天祥是中国历史上的名臣，江西人。他从小爱读历史上忠臣烈士的传记，立志要向他们学习，年轻时就考中了状元。

　　忽必烈建立元朝以后，开始进攻南宋，一路南下逼近临安(南宋首都，今杭州)。这时南宋朝廷连忙号召各地派兵救援。文天祥在江西响应，组织了几万义兵，准备赶到临安去。有个朋友劝他说，你用这些临时招来的人马去抵抗元军，好比赶？羊群去跟猛虎搏斗，还是不要去吧！文天祥说，国家危急，却没有人为国出力，难道不叫人痛心吗？我明知道自己力量有限，宁愿为国献身。

　　南宋朝廷在危急中任命文天祥为右丞相，去和元军谈判。文天祥被元军扣留，在押往大都的途中，他趁机逃走。

　　文天祥逃到福州、广东，重新组织力量抗击元军，后来终因力量悬殊，被元军抓住，随后被押往大都。

　　文天祥在大都被关了3年多，宁愿死也不肯投降。最后元世祖忽必烈亲自劝他说：你的忠心，我也完全了解。现在你如果能改变主意，做元朝的臣子，我仍旧让你当丞相。文天祥回答说：“宋朝已经灭亡，我只求一死，别的没有甚么可说了”。1283年，年仅47岁的文天祥去世。

　　文天祥在监狱中写下的《正气歌》，成为千古传诵的不朽诗篇。

　　Wen Tianxiang was born in Jiangxi Province. In his youth, he was fond of reading biographies of loyal ministers, and made up his mind to model himself on them. Later, he achieved the first place in the imperial civil examination.

　　When Kublai Khan's armies approached Lin'an (today's Hangzhou), the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang raised a volunteer force in his home province. Appointed chief negotiator by Southern Song, Wen was detained by the Yuan side, but managed to escape. He was captured once more, and spent three years as a prisoner in the Yuan capital, Dadu. It is said that Kublai Khan (Emperor Shizu, founder of the Yuan Dynasty) offered Wen Tainxiang the post of prime minister if he would defect, but Wen remained loyal to the doomed Southern Song. Wen Tianxiang died in 1283, at the age of 47. The Song of Integrity, which he wrote behind prison bars, is regarded as a classic of its kind.