Bolo (prince)
Encyclopedia
Bolo was a prince of the Qing Dynasty
. He was born of the Manchu Aisin Gioro
clan as the third son of Abatai
, making him a grandson of the Qing Dynasty's founder Nurhaci
. His title was Prince Duanzhong of the First Rank (端重郡王).
in 1636 and took part in the campaigns against the Mongols, Chinese, and Koreans.
In 1644 he went with Dorgon
to Beijing
. He accompanied Dodo
in pursuit of Li Zicheng, and was promoted to the status of a beile for his achievement. In 1645 he followed Dodo to Nanjing
where he was given command of half the army to pacify nearby cities. He succeeded in taking Changzhou
, Suzhou
, and Hangzhou
, but returned to Beijing late the same year. In 1646 he was again sent to Zhejiang
, this time as commander-in-chief of the Qing troops with the title "Great General Who Pacifies the South" (平南大將軍). His aim was to conquer Zhejiang and Fujian
and this he accomplished in 1646. From Fujian he sent a detachment south, which took Guangzhou
from remaining Southern Ming
forces early in 1647.
On his triumphal return to Beijing he was conferred the title of "Prince Duanzhong of the Second Rank". In 1648 he and Ajige
were commissioned to inquire into the situation in Mongolia, however a rebellion broke out simultaneously in Datong
, Shanxi
, and both laid siege to the city to quell the rebellion. When Dorgon personally conducted the siege of Datong in 1649 he promoted Bolo to the status of a Prince of the First Rank, and placed him in command of an expedition to suppress another uprising in Shanxi. After those who were rebelling were subdued late in 1649, Bolo returned to Beijing. The following year he was entrusted with the supervision of the Six Boards of the central government but was soon demoted to the status of a Prince of the Second Rank for failing to inform against the president of a Board, who had disobeyed orders. Early in 1651 he was reinstated as a Prince of the First Rank. He and the princes Nikan and Mandahai were trusted by Dorgon and were left in power after the latter died. Before long, however, Bolo aligned himself with the princes who had opposed Dorgon. Later he was once more demoted, this time for failure to report that Ajige, then in prison, was in possession of weapons. Eventually, his rank of a Prince of the First Rank was restored to him. After his death in 1652, he was granted the posthumous name of Ding (定), and his title was passed on to one of his sons. But when it was disclosed that Bolo while living had appropriated for his own use property which had belonged to Dorgon, he was posthumously deprived of all honours, and his descendants were also deprived of their ranks in 1659.
A small work written in 1673, entitled Guoxu Zhi (過墟志), tells the story of a Manchu prince who engaged in the conquest of south China, and married a Chinese widow surnamed Liu (劉). This work did not disclosed the name of the prince in question, but according to internal evidence, some historians believe Bolo is the prince described in the work.
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. He was born of the Manchu Aisin Gioro
Aisin Gioro
Aisin Gioro was the family name of the Manchu emperors of the Qing Dynasty. The House of Aisin Gioro ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which established a republican government in its place. The word aisin means gold in the Manchu language, and "gioro" is the name of the place in...
clan as the third son of Abatai
Abatai
Abatai was a Manchu noble and general. Although an inconsistent and dissolute malcontent, he nevertheless showed considerable ability as a military leader and administrator.-Biography:...
, making him a grandson of the Qing Dynasty's founder Nurhaci
Nurhaci
Nurhaci was an important Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late sixteenth century in what is today Northeastern China...
. His title was Prince Duanzhong of the First Rank (端重郡王).
Biography
Bolo was conferred the title of a gulun beiziQing Dynasty nobility
The Qing Dynasty of China developed a complicated peerage system for ranking nobility. All titles were to be inherited by a noble's eldest son, but always one grade lower. There were instances, however, where an emperor approved of a title being hereditary . This was regarded as an honour by the...
in 1636 and took part in the campaigns against the Mongols, Chinese, and Koreans.
In 1644 he went with Dorgon
Dorgon
Dorgon , also known as Hošoi Mergen Cin Wang, the Prince Rui , was one of the most influential Manchu princes in the early Qing Dynasty. He laid the groundwork for the Manchu rule of China.-Early life:Dorgon was born in Yenden, Manchuria , China...
to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. He accompanied Dodo
Dodo (prince)
Dodo was a Manchu prince and military general of the early Qing Dynasty. His title was "Prince Yu of the First Rank" .-Family background:...
in pursuit of Li Zicheng, and was promoted to the status of a beile for his achievement. In 1645 he followed Dodo to Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
where he was given command of half the army to pacify nearby cities. He succeeded in taking Changzhou
Changzhou
Changzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It was previously known as Yanling, Lanling, Jinling, and Wujin. Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Zhenjiang to the...
, Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, and Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
, but returned to Beijing late the same year. In 1646 he was again sent to Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
, this time as commander-in-chief of the Qing troops with the title "Great General Who Pacifies the South" (平南大將軍). His aim was to conquer Zhejiang and Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
and this he accomplished in 1646. From Fujian he sent a detachment south, which took Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
from remaining Southern Ming
Southern Ming Dynasty
The Southern Ming Dynasty was the Ming loyalist regime that continued in Southern China from 1644 to 1662 following the capture of Beijing by rebel armies and the death of the last Ming emperor in 1644....
forces early in 1647.
On his triumphal return to Beijing he was conferred the title of "Prince Duanzhong of the Second Rank". In 1648 he and Ajige
Ajige
Ajige was a prince and general of the Qing Dynasty. He was born of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan as the 12th son of Nurhaci, khan of the Later Jin Dynasty ....
were commissioned to inquire into the situation in Mongolia, however a rebellion broke out simultaneously in Datong
Datong
Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
, and both laid siege to the city to quell the rebellion. When Dorgon personally conducted the siege of Datong in 1649 he promoted Bolo to the status of a Prince of the First Rank, and placed him in command of an expedition to suppress another uprising in Shanxi. After those who were rebelling were subdued late in 1649, Bolo returned to Beijing. The following year he was entrusted with the supervision of the Six Boards of the central government but was soon demoted to the status of a Prince of the Second Rank for failing to inform against the president of a Board, who had disobeyed orders. Early in 1651 he was reinstated as a Prince of the First Rank. He and the princes Nikan and Mandahai were trusted by Dorgon and were left in power after the latter died. Before long, however, Bolo aligned himself with the princes who had opposed Dorgon. Later he was once more demoted, this time for failure to report that Ajige, then in prison, was in possession of weapons. Eventually, his rank of a Prince of the First Rank was restored to him. After his death in 1652, he was granted the posthumous name of Ding (定), and his title was passed on to one of his sons. But when it was disclosed that Bolo while living had appropriated for his own use property which had belonged to Dorgon, he was posthumously deprived of all honours, and his descendants were also deprived of their ranks in 1659.
A small work written in 1673, entitled Guoxu Zhi (過墟志), tells the story of a Manchu prince who engaged in the conquest of south China, and married a Chinese widow surnamed Liu (劉). This work did not disclosed the name of the prince in question, but according to internal evidence, some historians believe Bolo is the prince described in the work.