Yuan Chonghuan
Yuan Chonghuan (袁崇煥; style name: Yuansu 元素 and Ziru 自如; born June 6, 1584, died 22 September 1630) was a famed patriot and military commander of the Ming Dynasty who battled the Manchus in Liaoning. He was known to exceed in artillery warfare and successfully incooperate western tactics into the East. Yuan's military career reachs its height when he defeated Nurhaci and the Manchurian army in Ningyang. However, Yuan was a tragic figure, and was executed with false charges.
Early Life
Born in Dongguan, Guangdong. At his adolescent, Yuan spent his time travelling from town to town. It is in these journeys he befriends with many Jesuits and foreigners. He passed the imperial examinations in 1619 and was appointed to the minor post of magistrate. Around this time, the Chinese armies suffered successive defeats and in 1622 they were forced to retreat to Shanhaiguan, abandoning all of Liaoning to the Manchus. The Emperor wanted After a visit to the front, Yuan was appointed second-class secretary in the Board of War, promoted almost immediately to secretary, and supplied with funds for enlisting troops.
Yuan Chonghuan worked harmoniously with the commander-in-chief Sun Chengzong (孫承宗) and pushed the frontiers steadily northward, fortifying Ningyuan (寧遠) in 1623. Although Sun was an able commander, he had good morale character and will not paid the Emperor's ennuchs bribe. In 1625 Sun was recalled and replaced by Gao Di (高第), who ordered a general retreat to Shanhaiguan, but Yuan flatly refused to leave Ningyuan. Early the next year, Nurhaci led the Manchus back across the Liao River. Yuan Chonghuan and his Deputies successfully held Ningyuan with newly-mounted "red-barbarian cannon" (紅衣大炮, 紅夷大炮) and wounded the Manchurian Emperor, Nurhaci. Consequently the Imperial Court at Beijing appointed Yuan on 27 February 1626 Governor of Liaodong, with full authority to handle all forces outside the passes.
Taking advantage of Nurhaci's death later in the year, Yuan reoccupied Jinzhou. The Manchus reappeared in June and withdrew after a series of indecisive battles. The campaign gave opportunity for Yuan to be criticised by the partisons of the eunuch official Wei Zhongxian, in consequence of which he retired.
In 1628, under a new government, Yuan Chonghuan was reinstated as field marshal of all the forces of the northeast. He embarked on an ambitious five year plan for the complete recovery of Liaodong. In 1629 he was granted the title of Senior Guardian of the Heir Apparent. The Manchus, repulsed in the east, appeared suddenly north of Beijing in the winter of 1629. Yuan rushed back from Ningyuan to defend the capital, but was arrested during an interview with the Emperor on January 13 1630. He was accused of collusion with the enemy and condemned to death by "death by a thousand cuts" at Ganshiqiao (甘石橋) in Beijing. His head, the only recongized part after the torture, was taken outside the Inner City Wall by a city guard and buried east of Wofosi Street. The guard's family guarded it from one generation to another ever since till they were forcely evaculated by the Chinese People's Government in 2003.
The twentieth century intellectual Liang Qichao, characterised Yuan Chonghuan as China's greatest soldier. But some historian said that Yuan made a terrible mistake to kill general Mao Wenlong (毛文龍).
Popular Culture
Although history stated that his entire family was executed, in Jinyong wuxia novel Sword Stained with Royal Blood (碧血劍), Yuan had left a son. He was the protagonist of the novel who learned amazing martial arts on Mount Hua. However, Historical record never mention that Yuan have any offsprings.