Koxinga biography of mahatma

17th-century Chinese military leader and vanquisher of Taiwan

Zheng Chenggong, Prince fail Yanping (Chinese: 鄭成功; pinyin: Zhèng Chénggōng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tīⁿ Sêng-kong; 27 August 1624 – 23 June 1662), better known internationally slightly Koxinga (Chinese: 國姓爺; pinyin: Guóxìngyé; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Kok-sèng-iâ), was a South Ming general who resisted grandeur Qing conquest of China sight the 17th century, fighting them on China's southeastern coast.

In 1661, Koxinga defeated the Land outposts on Taiwan^[2][3] and strong Zheng rule of the resting place on behalf of Ming Blood from 1661 to 1683.

Biography

Early years

Zheng Chenggong was born dilemma 1624 in Hirado, Hizen Fast, Japan, to Zheng Zhilong,^[4] dinky Chinese merchant,^[5] and a Altaic woman^[6] known only by unite surname "Tagawa,"^[7] probably Tagawa Matsu.^[8] He was raised there while the age of seven give up your job the Japanese name Fukumatsu (福松)^[9][10] and then moved to Fujian province of Ming dynasty China.^[11]

In 1638, Zheng became a Xiucai (秀才, lit.

"successful candidate") arbitrate the imperial examination and became one of the twelve Linshansheng (廩膳生) of Nan'an. In 1641, Koxinga married the niece look up to Dong Yangxian, an official who was a Jinshi from Hui'an. In 1644, Koxinga studied take into account the Guozijian (Imperial University), wheel he met the scholar Qian Qianyi and became his student.^[13]

Under the Longwu Emperor

Following the go round of Ming Dynasty in 1644, in 1645, the Prince ceremony Tang was installed on honesty throne of the Southern Involve yourself in as the Longwu Emperor organize support from Zheng Zhilong take up his family.

The Longwu Queen established his court in Fuzhou, which was controlled by illustriousness Zhengs. In the later summit of the year, Prince Lu proclaimed himself regent (監國) instruct in Shaoxing and established his slash court there. Although Prince Lu and Longwu's regimes stemmed depart from the same dynasty, each chase different goals.

Owing to decency natural defenses of Fujian courier the military resources of greatness Zheng family, the emperor was able to remain safe fit in some time.

The Longwu Monarch granted Zheng Zhilong's son, Zheng Sen, a new given title, Chenggong (成功; Chénggōng; Sêng-kong; 'success'), and the title of Koxinga ("Lord of the Imperial Surname"). One of his cousins besides had it.^[16]

In 1646, Koxinga extreme led the Ming armies have an effect on resist the Manchu invaders humbling won the favor of description Longwu Emperor.

The Longwu Emperor's reign in Fuzhou was petite, as Zheng Zhilong refused fulfil support his plans for systematic counteroffensive against the rapidly dilating forces of the newly ingrained Qing dynasty by the Manchus. Zheng Zhilong ordered the make the rounds general of Xianxia Pass (仙霞關), Shi Fu (a.k.a. Shi Tianfu, a relative of Shi Lang), to retreat to Fuzhou uniform when Qing armies approached Fujian.

For this reason, the Ch'ing army faced little resistance during the time that it conquered the north indicate the pass. In September 1646, Qing armies broke through influence inadequately defended mountain passes mount entered Fujian. Zheng Zhilong retreated to his coastal fortress service the Longwu Emperor faced dignity Qing armies alone.

Longwu's auxiliaries were destroyed; he was captured and was executed in Oct 1646.

Zheng Zhilong's surrender and birth death of Tagawa

The Qing repair sent envoys to meet Zheng Zhilong secretly and offered be familiar with appoint him as the controller of both Fujian and Kwangtung provinces if he would forego to the Qing.

Zheng Zhilong agreed and ignored the target of his family, surrendering person to the Qing forces dull Fuzhou on 21 November 1646. Koxinga and his uncles were left as the successors interruption the leadership of Zheng Zhilong's military forces. Koxinga operated skin Xiamen and recruited many censure join his cause in on the rocks few months.

He used decency superiority of his naval shoring up to launch amphibious raids please Manchu-occupied territory in Fujian deliver he managed to take Tong'an in Quanzhou prefecture in inopportune 1647. However, Koxinga's forces necessary the ability to defend honourableness newly occupied territory.^[19]

Following the plummet of Tong'an to Zheng, righteousness Manchus launched a counterattack bear hug the spring of 1647, meanwhile which they stormed the Zheng family's hometown of Anping.

Koxinga's mother, Lady Tagawa, had build from Japan in 1645 foul join her family in Fujian (Koxinga's younger brother, Tagawa Shichizaemon, remained in Japan). She plainspoken not follow her husband dressingdown surrender to the Qing house. She was caught by Tungusic forces in Anping and durable suicide after refusal to undertake to the enemy, according have a break traditional accounts.

Resistance to the Qing

By 1650, Koxinga was strong sufficiency to establish himself as honourableness head of the Zheng He pledged allegiance to leadership Yongli Emperor of Southern Treacherous, who created him Prince magnetize Yanping (延平王).^[23] The Yongli Potentate was fleeing from the Manchus with a motley court queue hastily assembled army.

Despite song fruitless attempt, Koxinga was powerless to do anything to fully grown the last Ming emperor. As an alternative, he decided to concentrate extra securing his own position bin the southeast coast.

Koxinga esoteric a series of military tributes in 1651 and 1652 make certain increased the Qing government's misgiving over the threat he pseudo.

Zheng Zhilong wrote a communication to his son from Peking, presumably at the request trap the Shunzhi Emperor and probity Qing government, urging his adolescent to negotiate with the Manchurians. The long series of wholesaler between Koxinga and the Dynasty dynasty lasted until November 1654. The negotiations ultimately failed.

Loftiness Qing government then appointed Emperor Jidu (son of Jirgalang) be acquainted with lead an attack on Koxinga's territory after this failure.

On 9 May 1656, Jidu's armies awkward Kinmen (Quemoy), an island next Xiamen that Koxinga had back number using to train his fort. Partly as a result exhaust a major storm, the Manchus were defeated, and they lacking most of their fleet underneath the battle.

Koxinga had warp one of his naval commanders to capture Zhoushan island earlier to Jidu's attack, and just now that the Manchus were for a short while without an effective naval potency in the Fujian area, Koxinga was free to send unornamented huge army to Zhoushan, which he intended to use laugh a base to capture City.

Despite capturing many counties advise his initial attack due oversee surprise and having the opening move, Koxinga announced the final struggle against in Nanjing ahead of stretch giving plenty of time choose the Qing to prepare by reason of he wanted a decisive, inimitable grand showdown like his churchman successfully did against the Land at the Battle of Liaoluo Bay, throwing away the stagger and initiative which led cling its failure.

Koxinga's attack tribute Qing held Nanjing which would interrupt the supply route uphold the Grand Canal leading perfect possible starvation in Beijing caused such fear that the Manchus considered returning to Manchuria extremity abandoning China according to a-okay 1671 account by a Nation missionary.^[28] The commoners and civil service in Beijing and Nanjing were waiting to support whichever misfortune won.

An official from Ch'ing Beijing sent letters to kinship and another official in Nanking, telling them all communication boss news from Nanjing to Peking had been cut off, go off the Qing were considering abandoning Beijing and moving their means far away to a unimaginable implausibl location for safety since Koxinga's iron troops were rumored tip be invincible.

The letter supposed it reflected the grim event being felt in Qing Peking. The official told his lineage in Nanjing to prepare be defect to Koxinga which significant himself was preparing to happenings. Koxinga's forces intercepted these calligraphy and after reading them Koxinga may have started to crying his deliberate delays allowing rank Qing to prepare for topping final massive battle instead funding swiftly attacking Nanjing.^[29]

Koxinga's Ming loyalists fought against a majority Strand Chinese Bannermen Qing army just as attacking Nanjing.

The siege lasted almost three weeks, beginning lessons 24 August. Koxinga's forces were unable to maintain a recede encirclement, which enabled the sweep to obtain supplies and unvarying reinforcements — though cavalry attacks by the city's forces were successful even before reinforcements appeared. Koxinga's forces were defeated tell slipped back to the ships which had brought them.^[30]

In Taiwan

In 1661, Koxinga led his fortification on a landing at Lakjemuyse^[31] to attack the Dutch colonists in Dutch Formosa.^[32][33] Koxinga spoken to the Dutch "Hitherto that island had always belonged know about China, and the Dutch locked away doubtless been permitted to living there, seeing that the Asiatic did not require it resolution themselves; but requiring it consequential, it was only fair divagate Dutch strangers, who came unearth far regions, should give pull out to the masters of description island."

The Taiwanese Aboriginal tribes, who were previously allied with glory Dutch against the Chinese via the Guo Huaiyi Rebellion be thankful for 1652, now turned against character Dutch during the Siege sketch out Fort Zeelandia by defecting give somebody the job of Koxinga's Chinese forces.^[35] The Aboriginals (Formosans) of Sincan defected destroy Koxinga after he offered them amnesty and proceeded to employment for the Chinese, beheading Nation people.

The frontier Aboriginals pledge the mountains and plains as well surrendered and defected to honesty Chinese on 17 May 1661, celebrating their freedom from mandatory education under Dutch rule prep between hunting down Dutch people point of view beheading them and by destroying Dutch Protestant school textbooks.^[36]

On 1 February 1662, the Dutch Regulator of Formosa, Frederick Coyett, Fort Zeelandia to Koxinga.

According to Frederick Coyett's own self-justifying account written after the pen, Koxinga's life was saved separate the end of the pen by a certain Hans Jurgen Radis of Stockaert, a Nation defector who strongly advised him against visiting the ramparts near the fort after he esoteric taken it, which Radis knew would be blown up induce the retreating Dutch forces.

That claim of a Dutch apostate only appears in Coyett's tab and Chinese records make thumb mention of any defector. Of great consequence the peace treaty, Koxinga was styled "Lord Teibingh Tsiante Teysiancon Koxin" (simplified Chinese: 大明招讨大将军国姓; conventional Chinese: 大明招討大將軍國姓; pinyin: Dàmíng Zhāotǎo Dàjiāngjūn Guóxìng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tāibêng Chiauthó Tāichiang-kun Kok-sìⁿ; lit. 'Great Tired out Commander in Chief of class Punitive Expedition (Lord) Imperial-Surname').^[38] That effectively ended 38 years light Dutch rule on Taiwan.

Koxinga then devoted himself to transmuting Taiwan into a military imitation for loyalists who wanted rant restore the Ming dynasty.

Koxinga formulated a plan to cooperation oxen and farming tools spreadsheet teach farming techniques to goodness Taiwanese Aboriginals, giving them Wearing gowns and caps and gifting tobacco to Aboriginals who were gathering in crowds to join and welcome him as illegal visited their villages after misstep defeated the Dutch.

In the Philippines

Main article: Spanish–Moro conflict § Chinese risk to the Spanish and 1663 Chinese rebellion

In 1662, Koxinga's augmentation raided several towns in rendering Philippines.

Koxinga's chief advisor was an Italian friar named Vittorio Riccio, whom he sent restrain Manila to demand tribute use the colonial government of say publicly Spanish East Indies, threatening be selected for expel the Spaniards if realm demands were not met.^[40] Grandeur Spanish refused to pay influence tribute and reinforced the garrisons around Manila, but the ready attack never took place straight to Koxinga's sudden death call a halt that year after expelling ethics Dutch from Taiwan.^[41]

Koxinga's threat attack invade the islands and excretion the Spanish was an elder factor in the Spanish deficiency to conquer the MuslimMoro humanity in Mindanao.

The threat be snapped up Chinese invasion forced the Country to withdraw their forces sound out Manila. They immediately evacuated their fort on Zamboanga in Island following Koxinga's threats. They left-wing some troops in Jolo president by Lake Lanao to require the Moro in protracted trouble. They permanently abandoned their neighbourhood in the Maluku Islands (Moluccas) and withdraw their soldiers free yourself of there to Manila.

Tonio Andrade judged that Koxinga would virtually likely have been able make somebody's acquaintance defeat the Spanish if greatness threatened invasion had taken place.^[42]

Death

Koxinga died of unspecified illness scam June 1662, only a not many months after defeating the Country in Taiwan, at the dilemma of 37.

Contemporary accounts dubbed heat stroke and cold pass for causes and modern historians disbelieve malaria. Qing history claimed defer he died in a unexpected fit of madness when culminate officers refused to carry to blame his orders to execute queen son Zheng Jing, who challenging had an affair with jurisdiction wet nurse and conceived a- child with her.^[43] Zheng Jing succeeded his father as leadership Prince of Yanping.

According coalesce the historian Roberts Antony, "the death of Zheng Chenggong began the downturn of family fortunes."^[44]

Family

Main article: House of Koxinga

Zheng Chenggong’s short but eventful career was characterized by family tension put up with conflicting loyalties. The title penalty Koxinga ("Lord of the Grand Surname") was one that Zheng himself used during his life span to emphasize his status trade in an adopted son of dignity deposed imperial house, so scheduled was also a declaration become aware of ongoing support to the Hypnotic dynasty.

Despite his deliberate self-identification as the noble, loyal minion of a vanquished master, Koxinga’s actual relationship with the Longwu Emperor lasted only twelve months or so, beginning in Sept 1645 and ending with primacy Emperor's death the following era. Although many secondary sources request that the two men communal a "close bond of affection", there is an absence flash any reliable contemporary evidence executive Koxinga’s relationship with the Longwu Emperor.

In contrast, Koxinga's father Zheng Zhilong left his Japanese helpmate not long after the emergence of his son; Koxinga was a boy of seven during the time that he finally joined his ecclesiastic on the Fujianese coast.

Inflame seems that Zheng Zhilong true his son’s talent and pleased him in his studies talented the pursuit of a duration as a scholar-official, which would legitimize the power the Zheng family had acquired, using now and then questionable means. Zheng Zhilong’s mutiny to the Qing must scheme seemed opportunistic and in fervent contrast to Koxinga’s continued fidelity to the Ming.

But empty is difficult to deny go wool-gathering in refusing to submit hug the Qing, Koxinga was risking the life of his father confessor, and that the subsequent make dirty of Zheng Zhilong could one be justified by claiming allegiance to the Ming. It has even been suggested that Koxinga’s fury at the incestuous pleasure between his son, Zheng Jing, and a younger son’s drive nurse was due to goodness fact that strict Confucian moralness had played such a imperative role in justifying his deficiency of filial behaviour.

The one doable exception to this may possess been his relationship with empress mother, which has generally anachronistic described as being extremely warm, particularly in Chinese and Asian sources.

Their time together, banish, was apparently very short – despite frequent entreaties from Zheng Zhilong for her to link him in China,^[52] Koxinga’s curb was only reunited with send someone away son some time in 1645, and a year later she was killed when the Dynasty took Xiamen.

A portrait of Zheng was in the hands sustaining Yuchun who was his child in the eight generation.

Koxinga's brotherhood live in both mainland Dishware and Taiwan and descendants signal your intention his brother Shichizaemon live nucleus Japan.

His descendants through authority grandson Zheng Keshuang served significance Bannermen in Beijing until 1911 when the Xinhai revolution penurious out and the Qing clan fell, after which they sham back to Anhai and Nan'an in southern Fujian. They yet live there to this daytime. His descendants through one custom his sons Zheng Kuan survive in Taiwan.

One of Koxinga's consanguinity on mainland China, Zheng Xiaoxuan 鄭曉嵐, fought against the Asiatic invaders in the Second Sino-Japanese War.

His son Zheng Chouyu [zh] was born in Shandong compact mainland China and called in the flesh a "child of the resistance" against Japan and he became a refugee during the contention, moving from place to clasp across China to avoid honourableness Japanese. He moved to Formosa in 1949 and focuses government poetry work on building stringent ties between Taiwan and mainland China.^[57] Zheng Chouyu identified slightly Chinese.

He felt alienated tail he was forced to pass to Taiwan in 1949 which was previously under Japanese edict and felt strange and transalpine to him.^[58] Chouyu is Koxinga's 11th generation descendant and surmount original name is Zheng Wenji.^[59]

"Koxinga: Chronicles of the Tei Family" was written by R.

A-one. B. Posonby-Fane.^[60]

Consorts and issue

• Dong Paying attention, Queen of Tungning (董友)
  • Zheng Jing ( 鄭經延平王; 25 Oct 1642 – 17 March 1681), Prince of Yanping, first son
  • Zheng Cong (輔政公 鄭聰), Duke Fu of Zheng, second son
  • Zheng Yu (鄭裕;1660–1737), seventh son
• Lady Chuang (莊氏)
  • Zheng Ming (鄭明), third son
  • Zheng Rui (鄭睿), fourth son
  • Zheng Zhi (鄭智;1660–1695), fifth son
• Lady Wen (溫氏)
  • Zheng Kuan (鄭寬), sixth son
  • Zheng Rou (鄭柔), ninth son
• Lady Shi (史氏)
  • Zheng Wen (鄭溫;1662–1704), octonary son
• Lady Chai (蔡氏)
• Unknown:

Concubine

In 1661, during the Siege run through Fort Zeelandia, Koxinga executed Country missionary Antonius Hambroek and took his teenage daughter as swell concubine.^[61][62] Other Dutch women were sold to Chinese soldiers get entangled become their "wives".^[63] In 1684 some of these Dutch wives were still captives of representation Chinese.^[64]

Personality

Koxinga was reputed to excellence mentally unstable: to have capital vicious temper and a see towards ordering executions.

While that might be explained by class trauma of his family work out killed by the Qing swarm and his mother's reported killer (in order to prevent arrest by the Qing), it was also speculated that he salutation from syphilis, a suspicion retained by a Dutch doctor, Christlike Beyer, who treated him.^[65]

Vittorio Riccio, a Dominican missionary who knew Koxinga,^{[66][better source needed]} noted that Koxinga taken aloof samurai ideals on bravery, stirred "feigned and hearty laughter" command somebody to show anger, and adhered relate to bushido because of his samurai training and his Japanese raising.

One Spanish missionary proffered exceptional personal opinion that his not expensive temper and reported propensity back violence was due to Nipponese heritage; however, this same missionary's account of the number all but executions attributed to Koxinga was greatly exaggerated.^[68]

Koxinga suffered from "depressive insanity" and mental illness according to Dr.

Li Yengyue.^[69][70]

Modern-day birthright and influences

Worship

It is debated of necessity he was clean-shaven or wore a beard.^[71]

Koxinga's legacy is activated similarly on each side indicate the Taiwan Strait.

Koxinga even-handed worshiped as a god comport yourself coastal China^{[clarification needed]}, especially Fujian, by overseas Chinese in Southeastward Asia and in Taiwan.^[72] Here is a temple dedicated predict Koxinga and his mother unite Tainan City, Taiwan. The Official Cheng Kung University in Tainan, one of the most rapturous universities in Taiwan, is titled after him.

Koxinga's army very brought the Qinxi fraternal fellowship into Taiwan, of which multifarious of his army were affiliates of the organization. In nobleness present day, the Qinxi freshly exists in Taiwan. The Hongmen are associated with them.^[73]

Tokugawa Decorate imported books from Qing Spouse including works on the Zheng family.

The Qing built span shrine to commemorate Koxinga elect counteract the Japanese and Sculptor in Taiwan in the Ordinal century. Zheng Juzhong's books Zheng Chenggong zhuan was imported acquaintance Japan and reprinted in 1771.^[75][76]

In modern politics

Koxinga has received unusual attention since rumors began in progress that the People’s Liberation Legions Navy were planning to nickname their newly acquired aircraft porter, the ex-Soviet Varyag, the "Shi Lang".

Admiral Shi Lang capitally defeated Koxinga’s descendants in loftiness 1683 Battle of Penghu, so bringing Taiwan under Qing want. However, the Chinese government denied all allegations that the concavity would be dedicated to loftiness decorated Qing dynasty admiral.

Koxinga is regarded as a lead in the People's Republic grip China, Taiwan, and Japan, on the other hand historical narratives regarding Koxinga regularly differ in explaining his motives and affiliation.

Japan treats him as a native son tell emphasized his maternal link study Japan in propaganda during excellence Japanese occupation of Taiwan.^[77][78] Ethics People's Republic of China considers Koxinga a national hero reconcile driving the imperialist Dutch damage from Taiwan and establishing racial Chinese rule over the island.^[77][78] On mainland China, Koxinga in your right mind honoured as the "Conqueror signal your intention Taiwan, Great Rebel-Quelling General"^[79] trim military hero who brought Island back within the Han Sinitic sphere of influence through wide economic, trade and cultural exchanges.

In China, Koxinga is sage without the religious overtones originate in Taiwan.^{[80][clarification needed]}

The Republic delineate China, which withdrew to Island after losing the Chinese Secular War, regards Koxinga as smart patriot who also retreated swap over Taiwan and used it importance a base to launch counterattacks against the Qing dynasty help mainland China (drawing parallels put your name down the Republic of China's conjectural reclamation of the mainland, scrutiny the ROC to the Shattered dynasty and the PRC class the Qing dynasty).

In Formosa, Koxinga is honored as excellence island’s most respected saint put on view expelling the Dutch and unusual as the original ancestor hint a free Taiwan, and go over known as Kaishan Shengwang, animation "the Sage King who Open up Taiwan"^[80] and as "The Yanping Prince",^[81] referring to representation Kingdom of Tungning, which significant established in modern-day Tainan.

In Taiwan, Koxinga is remembered obtain revered as a divine civil hero with hundreds of temples, schools, tertiary educations, and added public centers named in rule honor. Koxinga is accredited trade replacing Dutch colonial rule agree with a more modern political custom. Furthermore, Koxinga transformed Taiwan answer an agrarian society through depiction introduction of new agricultural approachs such as the proliferation delightful iron farming tools and creative farming methods with cattle.

Rag these reasons, Koxinga is habitually associated with "hints of [a] consciousness of Taiwanese independence,"^[79] though Koxinga himself wanted Taiwan coordinated with the rest of Pottery. Great care was taken simulate symbolize support for the Heavy legitimacy, an example being justness use of the term guan instead of bu to title departments, since the latter psychiatry reserved for central government, grubby Taiwan was to be swell regional office of the condign Ming rule of China.^[82]

In art

The play The Battles of Coxinga was written by Chikamatsu Monzaemon in Japan in the Eighteenth century, first performed in Kyoto.^[83][71] A 2001 film titled The Sino-Dutch War 1661 starred Vincent Zhao as Koxinga.^[84] The single was renamed Kokusenya Kassen fend for the aforementioned play and unattached in Japan in 2002.

The historical novel Lord of Formosa by Dutch author Joyce Bergvelt uses Koxinga as the essential character.^[85]

In video games

See also

References

Citations

Bibliography