Biography

He Zhen was born in Dongguan, Guangdong in 1321, to He Shuxian (何叔贤), an official in the Yuan government. When He Zhen was 8 years old, his father died. In 1363, in the 23rd year of Zhizheng period of the Yuan dynasty, his troops released Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province. He was appointed as vice-minister of Guangdong and prime minister of Jiangxi and Fujian provinces. He was one of the most powerful officials and held highest rank in the three provinces of Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian.

In 1368, in the 1st year of Hongwu period of the Ming dynasty, He Zhen surrendered to the Ming government. He was appointed vice-minister of Jiangxi province. In 1378, the Ming court conferred him with the title of "Count of Dongguan" upon his contributions of protecting the people in Guangdong province.

In 1388, he died at the age of 67, and was given the posthumous name Zhongjing (忠靖).

Personal life

He had three sons: He Rong (何荣), He Gui (何贵) and He Hong (何宏), who all died in connection with Lan Yu's rebellion.

生平

何真少时好读书击剑，在1341年时担任元朝的河源县务副使，时值中原群雄继起，兵祸波及家乡，因此他弃官回归故里，组织乡兵对抗盗贼。在1354年在茶山打败假元朝号令四处为祸的王成、陈仲玉，并且驱逐黄常、杀王仲刚等一方势力，占惠、循二州，元朝任命何真为惠州府判，不久又擢为广东都元帅。

1362年，南海三山豪强邵宗愚杀元朝江南行台侍御史八撤刺不花，在攻陷广州后四处烧杀掳掠，何真领兵收复广州打败邵宗愚，并诛杀其部将刘守正、李满、谢以文等。元朝晋何真为资德大夫，江西、福建行中书省左丞，敕赐南台银印。而陈友谅也派遣部下熊天瑞进攻广东，但为何真在胥江趁大雷雨时出兵击败。

1365年，邵宗愚又与元廉访副使广宁围攻广州，何真的部将马丑寒与之内通，据博罗，断了何真粮道。何真被迫突围，广州失陷。但何真在隔年随即重整旧部，先破马丑寒，再败邵宗愚、王成，复夺广州。何真掌广州期间聘南海孙蕡、王佐掌书记，中原名士茶陵人刘三吾、建安人张智等皆来依附，德庆人李质据有端州，何真派孙蕡、王佐前去劝降成功。元朝授以荣禄大夫。

1368年二月，明太祖朱元璋命廖永忠为征南将军。廖永忠至福州，何真知元朝大势已去，接受廖永忠的劝降，表示归顺之意，助廖永忠消灭邵宗愚。何真入应天后，受到朱元璋赏识，授中奉大夫，并委以江西等处行中书省参知政事，后历任山东、四川、山西、浙江等地布政使。

1387年，朱元璋封何真为东莞伯，食禄一千五百石。翌年何真病故，明太祖亲为文祭悼，命在朝百官素服三日，以侯礼葬京师城南八里冈，复赠侯爵，谥号忠靖。但由于长子何荣与弟何贵都牵连蓝玉案而被杀，何真之弟何迪害怕牵连而起兵，十个月后方被平定，因此何真的八个儿子除何崇祖逃生之外，其馀7子全被明朝诛杀，连何真的何公祠也被夷为平地。

后人

当时随何崇祖逃出来的还有何崇祖的四个儿子以及何真次子何华的二子一孙。数年间，何崇他们一直东躲西藏，直到建文帝登基大赦天下，才得以重见天日，回笋冈（今深圳市笋岗街道笋岗村）定居，繁衍生息。今笋岗村何氏家族大多即为其后代。

与香港龙跃头邓氏的关系

何真成为东莞伯后，曾经诱骗龙跃头邓氏始祖的邓季琇，让邓季琇在全国进行丈量土地时将其名下的土地以何真的名义申报，以获取豁免赋徭，但当朝廷核实地权时，何真将全部土地侵吞，故何真曾占有香港北部大片土地。至何迪叛乱案后，何真因受其株连，邓季琇子孙才乘机收回原有的土地，而此时邓季琇也早已作古了。