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 had taken imperial examinations few times with little success, but in his journeys to the capital, he is able to see alot more than the average examiners can see. Some says in this time, he befriends with westerners and spent time to modified the europeon cannons togather.

Early Military Career

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 and own modified "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. This battle was an amazing deed since Yuan had only 9000 soldiers (many of them are simply militia), yet Nurhaci's men consited of 100,000 strong men. This battle prevent China from being conquer and boost the hopes of Ming and its allies that the Manchurians are defeatable. It is noted that Yuan was said to have studied every aspects of the cannon for it to fire correctly at the position he wanted, and this is the reason, Nurhaci even though well protected by his elites in a relatively safe position was shot down.

During this time, he executed Mao Wenlong (毛文龍), a somewhat talent commander but have a terriable morale character. Various texts had different perspective in his actions. Many stated this as a terrible mistake since Mao could still be used to defend against the Manchus. However, Yuan took in account of how Mao commit his battle. Mao's tacitcs usually involves in using Civilian settlements as sheild for his troops and during the occupation time, civilians or rural areas had suffered tremedously. It is also Mao's fault for using Kora, Ming's ally as a base to attack Manchuria, which result Korea being conquer by Manchus as Mao ordered a great retreat when the Manchus entered Korea. This results acutally angered many merchants in the Beijing area since Mao had never dare to drag major cities into war even when there is a strategically advantage. In addition, Mao had paid the ennuches and corrupted officials bribe, thus, Yuan had made enemies amongst the darkest people in China.

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, stating that he take too long to fight off "Barbarians" Manchurians, in consequence of which he retired.

Later Military Career and Death

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 new Emperor stated that he will give in all support to Yuan's decisions. This time Yuan bad to face again a larger Manchurians (Aprroximately 50 thousand) under Huang Taiji with only ten thousand men. This time the Manchurians had in cooperate many more men including the newly surrender Mongols, rebel Ming army and the conquered Korea and various small states of the North. Yuan was at odds and decided to hold on to the Gate at Shanhai Pass. At this time, he inflicted tremedous lost on Manchurian army under the cunning strategist Dorgon. All seemed well for Yuan.

Yet, The Manchus, repulsed in the east, appeared suddenly north of Beijing in the winter of 1629. Yuan rushed back with some elites from Ningyuan to defend the capital, but in order to stop the plundering of Manchu on villages, he halted the shortest route. He arrived back to Beijing and defeated the Manchurian "Eight Flags" which numbered ten thousand and erased all the Manchurians in the Beijing area. As he arrived into Beijing, instead of being welcome, he was heavily criticized, not one general dare not to put villages' fortune in front of the capital city. Some ennuches even accused Yuan collied with the enemies. In fact, they were actualy tricked by HaungTaiji into thinking that Yuan had backstabbed them.

Without much evidences, the Ming Emperor ordered his arrest 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. It is stated the merchants, euniches and corrupted officials rushed to buy his body parts so they can eat it. Before his execution, Yuan was asked to speak his last words, he stated: "Everyone have their climax, my deeds will be rememebered in my heart. I had done my duty and only wish if my soul can guard Liaodong always." (一生事業總成空，半世功名在夢中。死後不愁無將勇，忠魂依舊保遼東！)

Mournings was given to the general's honor throughout most part of the country and even Korea. 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.

Huang Taijie personally stated that he would never able to beat Yuan in a fair game, thus, making the foolish emperor kill him is the only method to get rid of him.

Modern judgement of Yuan Chonghuan

For many years of the Manchurian regime, Yuan was characterized as a villian by the Qing government, but locals still reverted him as a great patriot. Especially in Taiwan and South China, where Chinese diehards spent much longer time resisting the Manchurian invaders. During the regime of Qianlong, under presssure from civilian population, Yuan was reverted back as a "Patriot."

Many historians stated that Yuan's death marked the end of the Ming dynasty, since Yuan was the only able general that can turn off such odds in the late years of Ming.

The twentieth century intellectual Liang Qichao, characterised Yuan Chonghuan as China's greatest soldier. Some Japenese Scholars was especially fond of Yuan, and reverted him as Master of Artillery Warfare,砲戦の神.

Historians even believed Yuan's tolerance warfare tactics was influenced by Christianity. In fact, he had meet alot of Jesuits in his life time and could possibly be a converted Christian.

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.

Various films were conducted in his honor.