Pan Mei

Pan Mei
from an 1887 Pan family genealogy book
Zhongwu Command military governor
Monarch	Emperor Taizong of Song
Personal details
Born	925 or early 926 likely modern Daming County, Hebei
Died	20 July 991(991-07-20) (aged 65–66) modern Taiyuan, Shanxi
Children	Pan Weide (潘惟德), son Pan Weigu (潘惟固), son Pan Weiqing (潘惟清), son Pan Weixi (潘惟熙), son Daughter (m. Zhang Zhaoyun) Princess Pan Daughter (m. Cao Wei)
Father	Pan Lin (潘璘)
Full name	Surname: Pān () Given name: Měi () Courtesy name: Zhòngxún () Posthumous name: Wǔhuì ()

Pan Mei (潘美) (c. 925 – 20 July 991) was a military general and statesman in the early years of imperial China's Song Dynasty. In the 970s, he was the main commander in Song's conquest of Southern Han and also played pivotal roles in the conquest of Southern Tang and Northern Han. Afterwards he fought the Khitan-ruled Liao Dynasty on Song's northern border.

In 986 he was demoted by 3 ranks for contributing to the death of fellow Song general Yang Ye during battles against Liao. At this time one of his daughters had married into the imperial House of Zhao. The antagonist Pan Renmei (潘仁美, also known as Pan Hong 潘洪) in the largely fictional Generals of the Yang Family legends is based on Pan Mei from this episode.

Pan Mei's father Pan Lin (潘璘) was a local militia captain (軍校) in Changshan (常山, around modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei). In his 20s, Pan Mei worked as an usher (典謁) at his hometown of Daming (in modern Hebei) during the Later Han (947–951), and often told his close friend Wang Mi (王密) about his ambitions in taking advantage of the turbulent times for fame and riches.

After the establishment of Later Zhou in 951, Pan Mei served Chai Rong, the prefect (府尹) of Kaifeng. When Chai became the emperor in 954, Pan was named a court official. He followed Chai on campaigns against the Northern Han kingdom, and after playing a part in the victory at Gaoping, served in the palace commissions. Later he became the military inspector of an expeditionary army preparing to invade the Later Shu kingdom.