[Yang Zongbao]

Though I've come up with Yuan Chonghuan's name once in my previous Chinese Military History Studies (Of Shanhai Guan), it never occured to me that his name would be such an important one...I thought he'd be a throwaway name, a name of a mere Gate Guarding General.
However I was wrong.
I went to have lunch with my cousin, and her gan die, Mr. Zhou, was well versed in Chinese history. I found it very interesting to discuss people as Tian Dan, Han Xin,Wei Qing, Huo Qubing, and Yue Fei with him. As we were talking of military history, he asked me whether I knew of Yuan Chonghuan, for he knew that my father's family was Cantonese (Yuan House). I told him that the name had come up once, but I never attributed much to it; I just knew him as using cannons to turn back Nurhaci.
He told me, Yuan Chonghuan was a great General, of Guangdong's Yuan Clan. He told me of his struggle on the Northern Border against the Manchus, of his recall to the Capital. And how he was executed. He also told me that a guard took the remains and buried them, with his family guarding it every generation.

I found it very interesting to finally find a great general quite likely related to me...however, I do not really know the details of his military career in the north, just a basic summary. Could anyone please tell me certain battles he helped direct or participate in?

Oh, and on a side note...does his life seem just very reminiscent of Yue Fei? It seems that their patriotism to their nation was very resolute...and their fates, unfortunately, also seem very alike- framed by vicious ministers.

[caocao74]

You possibly already know these details which I found at Science Daily, but here goes anyways.

Yuan Chonghuan 袁崇煥 (styled Yuansu 元素 and Ziru 自如; born June 6, 1584, died Sept. 22 1630) was a famed patriot and military commander of the Ming Dynasty who battled the Manchus in Liaoning.
Born in Tongguan, Guangdong province 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. 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 and pushed the frontiers steadily northward, fortifying Ningyuan in 1623. In 1625 Sun was recalled and replaced by Gao Ti, who ordered a general retreat to Shanhaiguan, but Yuan flatly refused to leave Ningyuan. Early the next year the Nurhaci led the Manchus back across the Liao River. Yuan Chonghuan and his commanders successfully held Ningyuan with newly-mounted "foreign guns". Consequently the Imperial Court at Beijing appointed Yuan on 27th 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 reappared 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 offical 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 northweast. 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 slicing at Ganshiqiao in Beijing. His body was taken outside the Inner City Wall by a city guard and buried east of Wofosi Street. The twentieth century intellectual Liang Qichao, characterised Yuan Chonghuan as China's greatest soldier.

[caocao74]

Regarding the defence of Ningyuan, I read that Yuan used foreign cannon ('provided' by Jesuits) and an experienced artillery advisor called Luo Li. The source said that it was the cannon 'Red-Coated Alien Cannon' that caused Nurhaci the wounds that lead to his death. For this defence he was made 'Xun Hu' of Liaodong (Patrolling and Protecting General).

In 1627, Huangtaiji was anxious to prevent Yuan, operating from Liaodong, from intervening in his offensive into northern Joseon. Then Huangtaiji attacked Jizhou, which Yuan urged Zhao Shuaijiao to hold out at. Zhao defeated the attacking forces, and then Yuan defeated them as they approached Ningyuan, forcing them to retreat to Shenyang. However, the court reprimanded him for not having supported Jizhou, and was replaced by Wang Zichen.

He was restored in April 1628 after the accession of the Emperor Sizong, and the execution of the Eunuch We Zhongxian.

In 1629, he executed the successful general Mao Wenlong, on charges of disobedience. This was seen as an abuse of authority by the court.
He then dashed back to the capital to attack the Manchu forces, but was taken by the Jinyiwei after falling into the trap laid by Huangtaiji and plotters within the Ming government.

[MengTzu]

Yuan Chonghuan was probably a cousin of my ancestor (if not my ancestor.) I think he's still honored by the Yuan's (Yuen's) clan in Dong Guan (my ancestral house.)

[General_Zhaoyun]

"CaoCao74" said:

The source said that it was the cannon 'Red-Coated Alien Cannon' that caused Nurhaci the wounds that lead to his death. For this defence he was made 'Xun Hu' of Liaodong (Patrolling and Protecting General).

I think the "Red-Coated Alien Cannon" was called "Hong Yi Da Pao" 红夷大炮 in chinese, and it was introduced to the Ming army by the Portuguese or Dutch Jesuits. They were a variant of the much better artillery introduced from Europe.

[MING-LOYALIST]

One of the last Ming hero Yuan Chong Huan, probrably the first Chinese hero from a Cantonese background.

Battle of Ningyuan

After Sun Chengzong was replaced by a new commander, the new commander was a coward and ordered all Ming Forces outside the great wall to retreat inside and abandon all lands out side SanHai pass.
Yuan chong huan objected stronglly and was thus left to command a lone army gaurding NingYuan.

In 1626 Kundulun Khan Nurhaci seeing all Ming forces leaving decides to advance towards NingYuan, personally leading a force 130,000(some say 200,000).

Yuan Chong huan had only 10,000 men under his command. He burnt everything outside Ningyuan city and wrote a edict of defience against Jin in his own blood and sent orders to gaurds at the Great wall to excute any deserters from Ningyuan thus greatly boosting City's morale.

20 days later Jin army arrives and immediately attacks the City. however after two days of intense fighting the citizens and soldiers of Ningyuan inflicted heavy losses on the Jin forces and Nurhaci himself was wounded by Cannon fire and decides to retreat.
While retreating Yuan chong huan chases them and inflicts even more losses on the Jin army.
Nurhaci retreats back to Mukden(ShengJing (modern Shenyan) ) and dies from his wounds in anger.
His eighth son or the forth Beilei(lord) Huang tai ji assumes the Khanate(Khan of later Jin).

Huang tai ji kills yuan with wit
After Nurhaci's death Yuan sends a delegate to Mukden to morne for him which upsets Huang tai ji greatly, however since Jin needs to recuperate Huang tai ji not only received the delegates he even sent his own messengers with gifts to thank Yuan.
Both are secretly preparing for war.

Two years later Huang tai ji sends forces to attacks JingZhou as a decoy while personally leads an army to attack Ningyuan.
This attack fail as Yuan predicted his moves and both JingZhou and Ningyuan were both heavily defended.

In tenth month of year 1629 Huang Tai Ji personally leads an Jin army of 200,000+ and goes around Sanhai pass and crosses the yellow river and heads straight for the nerve center of the Ming empire BeiJing.

This move caught Yuan off guard who immediately disbaches force to cut off Huang Tai ji, but the Jin army has already reached the outskirts of Beijing.

Yuan immediatly force march his men for two days,two nights without rest and joins other Ming armies who have now converged onto the capital and battle the Jin forces till Huang tai ji retreats.

The Jin's sudden attack on Beijing shocks the whole city, and some eunachs who was capitured by the Jin forces escapes and tell the Ming Emperor(ChongZhen) that Yuan and Huang had a secret agreement and that yuan is a traiter(Someone else please elaborate on this).
The whole thing was set up by Huang tai ji.
Yuan Chong huan is summoned to forbbiden city and excuted in public.

In year 1635 Huang tai ji changes the name Nuzhen to Manchus and a years later he Changes the Jin to Qing and ascends the throng as Qing Tai Zong Emperor.

[Wú Fēi]

Photo of 袁崇焕(Yuan Chonghuan):

Photo of Yuan's tombstone in Beijing:

Photo of Yuan's calligraphy of "听雨"(Listening the rain):

Yuan had trained the most powful troops of Ming Dynasty in his time.
From his battalions, there came forth so many famous generals.
For example, Man Gui(满桂, a Mongolian), Zhao Shuaijiao(赵率教), He Kegang(何可纲), Sun Zushou(孙祖寿), Zu Dashou(祖大寿), Zuo Liangyu(左良玉), Wu Sangui(吴三桂), Cao Wenzhao(曹文诏), Cao Bianjiao(曹变蛟), Huang Degong(黄得功), Liu Zeqing(刘泽清), Yu Dacheng(余大成), etc. Those generals played important roles in Centeria's history.
The following is Yu Dacheng's "Pou Gan Lu"(剖肝录, Record of Allegiance. 剖, cut open; 肝, liver. 剖肝 symbolizes an attitude of allegiance.) in Centerian language:
http://siyuan.ad184.com/benzhuan3.htm
The next is "Ji Sheng Ji"(矶声记) written by a plebeian Cheng Benzhi(程本直), who contributed himself to being executed with Yuan Chonghuan for making the mass find out Yuan's grievance:
http://siyuan.ad184.com/benzhuan2.htm
========================================
Some of Yuan's poems.

南还别陈翼所总戎　
慨慷同仇日，间关百战时。
功高名主眷，心苦后人知。
糜鹿还山便，麒麟绘阁宜。
去留都莫讶，秋草正离离。

边中送别　
五载离家别路悠，送君寒侵宝刀头。
欲知肺腑同生死，何用安危任去留。
策杖只因图雪耻，横戈原不为封侯。
故园亲侣如相问，愧我边尘尚未收。

哭熊经略之一
记得相逢一笑迎，亲承指授夜谈兵。
才兼文武无余子，功到雄奇即罪名。
慷慨裂眦须欲动，模糊热血面如生。
背人痛极为私祭，洒泪深宵苦失声。

临刑口占
一生事业总成空，半世功名在梦中。
死后不愁无勇将，忠魂依旧守辽东。

Note: The verses with underline are that have deeply moved me to tears.

[Yang Zongbao]

Mengtzu, I'm not very sure if Yuan Chonghuan had any descendants...would his accused crime be enough for a level 3 extermination?

And, excellent pictures, Wu Fei!

[Wú Fēi]

Yang Zongbao, on Dec 18 2004, 12:04 PM, said:

Mengtzu, I'm not very sure if Yuan Chonghuan had any descendants...would his accused crime be enough for a level 3 extermination?
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excuse me, does your "level 3 extermination" mean "夷三族"?
It was a sort of punishment for implicating others related to the one charged or found guilty.

About Yuan Chonghuan's descendants, there are sentences from "清史稿·志八十五" (The 85th chapter of the "Records", "History Draft of Qing Dynasty"):
"……令各都统、督、抚访明有无后嗣，有何官职，请旨施恩。若夫乾隆四十八年录用明臣经略熊廷弼五世孙世先，督师袁崇焕五世孙炳，则推恩特廕胜代忠臣后裔，尤旷典也。" (The bold characters mean "Bing(炳), Governor Yuan Chonghuan's grandson in the fifth generation".)
and sentences from "明史·列传第一百四十七" (The 147th chapter of the "Biographies", "History of Ming Dynasty"):
"三年八月，遂磔崇焕于市，兄弟妻子流三千里，籍其家。崇焕无子，家亦无余赀，天下冤之。" (The bold characters mean "(Yuan) Chonghuan had no children".)

I can't tell the reason of these two different records. It was said by Jin Yong(金庸) that "袁后裔不知以何缘入黑龙江汉军旗籍"(The descendants of Yuan joined in the Manchurian Bannermen of Hei Long River's Han Peoples for the unknown reason.) in Ye Gongchao's(叶恭绰, http://www.zgshj.com...2214344-1.html) opinion.

There are sentences may supply the idea above from the link
http://cache.baidu.com/c?word=%D4%AC%3B%B3...b=30&user=baidu :
"富明阿英雄父子为袁崇焕后裔的事实，除《清史稿》明文记载以外，在光绪重修《吉林通志》卷七一、魏毓兰《龙城旧闻》、杨钟义《雪桥诗话余集》卷八、董耆庶所撰《江宁將军富明阿去思碑〉，以及缪荃荪《艺风堂文集外篇》附录的吉林將军富明阿碑文等文中都有记载。" (The bold characters mean "The fact of that heroical Fu Ming Ah and his sons were Yuan Chonghuan's descendants".)

[MengTzu]

Yang Zongbao, on Dec 18 2004, 04:04 AM, said:

Mengtzu, I'm not very sure if Yuan Chonghuan had any descendants...would his accused crime be enough for a level 3 extermination?

And, excellent pictures, Wu Fei!
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, according to some of the sources Wu Fei gave, he does have descendants. =D (Although one source that Wu Fei gave said he has no son. Does that mean he doesn't have son and therefore might have daughters or does it mean he has no child at all? Either case I wouldn't be his descendant.) I actually have no idea if I'm a direct descendant of him, which is why I said I might be descendant of one of his cousins. I'm sure you're familiar with the idea of ancestral house: the Yuan ancestral house is located in Dong Guan, and that's my ancestral house (my last name is Yuen, Cantonese for Yuan.) This is the same village that he was from I think. I think my grandmother once told me that he was a celebrated figure within my clan.

[Wú Fēi]

MengTzu, on Dec 19 2004, 02:59 PM, said:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mr. Yuan?
It's wonderful to be in the hero's family.
I haven't found any useful materials for telling the daughters of Yuan Chonghuan.
My personal idea is apt to admitting he had no children at all.
Or else, we can't explain why his descendants offered nothing to build a memorial temple in Beijing, where he left his body.

[MengTzu]

Wú Fēi, on Dec 21 2004, 05:56 PM, said:

Mr. Yuan?
It's wonderful to be in the hero's family.
I haven't found any useful materials for telling the daughters of Yuan Chonghuan.
My personal idea is apt to admitting he had no children at all.
Or else, we can't explain why his descendants offered nothing to build a memorial temple in Beijing, where he left his body.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm Cantonese so I go by "Yuen," but right, it's the same with "Yuan" in Mandarin. Regrettably I'm not well versed with my family history. I can only go by Jin Yong's account, and I think he said Yuan Chonghuan only had a daughter.

[Wú Fēi]

MengTzu, on Dec 22 2004, 03:22 AM, said:

I'm Cantonese so I go by "Yuen," but right, it's the same with "Yuan" in Mandarin.  Regrettably I'm not well versed with my family history.  I can only go by Jin Yong's account, and I think he said Yuan Chonghuan only had a daughter.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh yes?
I remember Jin Yong(金庸) just created a son of Yuan Chonghuan in "Bi Xue Jian"(《碧血剑》).
Just a kiding.
I think you are talking about Jin Yong's "袁崇焕评传".

[MengTzu]

Wú Fēi, on Dec 22 2004, 07:59 AM, said:

Oh yes?
I remember Jin Yong(金庸) just created a son of Yuan Chonghuan in "Bi Xue Jian"(《碧血剑》).
Just a kiding.
I think you are talking about Jin Yong's "袁崇焕评传".
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah.

Funny thing is that this son of Yuan Chonghuan has a very similar name as mine =D

[Wú Fēi]

MengTzu, on Dec 22 2004, 04:33 PM, said:

Funny thing is that this son of Yuan Chonghuan has a very similar name as mine
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe that is the evidence of that you have blood of our hero.