Qin Liangyu
Encyclopedia
Qin Liangyu was a general who fought the Manchus as they invaded China
at the end of the Ming Dynasty
.
, Sichuan
during the late Ming Dynasty
to ethnic Miao
parents. Her father, Qin Kui, believed girls should get the same education as boys and had her study history and the classics with her brothers. He also taught them gong fu. She studied martial arts more than her brothers and became proficient in both archery and riding, while also getting known for her skills in poetry.
, Ma Qiancheng, and accompanied him during minor battles against local warlords in the southwestern border of the Ming Empire. They had a good marriage and he often sought her advice. In 1599 Yang Yinglong rebelled, Ma Qiancheng took three thousand riders with him to suppress it, while Qin Liangyu brought an additional five hundred and they were successful, which made their army gain in importance.
In 1613, her husband was arrested because he offended a court eunuch and he died in prison. At his death, Qin Liangyu took over his post, and those under her command were known as the White Cavalry (白杆兵).
declared independence from the Ming, Qin Liangyu, accompanied by her brothers, rushed to the northeastern frontier in 1620 to help the Ming military effort in Shenyang. She also sold her personal belongings in order to recruit 3000 soldiers at her command, and was garrisoned at Shanhai Pass
.
Qin returned to Sichuan to combat against local warlords and because of her success was promoted to the title Commander in Chief (都督佥事). In 1630, Qin Liangyu again sold her personal property to fund another expedition north to the Ming capital Beijing
in order to aid the emperor against the rising Manchu
s. The Ming Chongzhen Emperor
showered her with praises in poetry. He presented her with four poems as she passed through Beijing.
In the following 11 years, Qin Liangyu fought various battles against the rising rebel leader Zhang Xianzhong
around Sichuan. As the Ming Dynasty crumbled and the Manchus broke south into the Central Plains, Qin redirected her efforts to resist the advancing Qing
front. As a result of her will and determination in combating the Manchus, Qin Liangyu was given the title Grand Protector of the Crowned Prince (太子太保) by the Southern Ming Emperor. Since very few distinguished characters ever attain the title Grand Protector of the Crowned Prince, she is considered one of the highest ranking female generals in Chinese history.
fell to the Qing in 1644, Qin Liangyu continued her resistance.
Emperor Longwu
of the Southern Ming Dynasty
made her a Marquess
, but was soon overthrown. Qin Liangyu then controlled part of Shizhu
and her poliy of growing crops made her region attractive for refugees, of whom she helped settle down about a hundred thousand.
Qin Liangyu died after falling off a horse while examining her troops, at the age of 75.
. A statue of her is in the Ganyu Hall of the Shibaozhai
in Zhong County
(that was preserved during the Three Gorges Project) along with statues of the famous Three Kingdoms
generals Zhang Fei and Yan Yan
.http://www.discoveryangtze.com/Yangtzediscovery/zhongxian_shibaozhai.htm. Together with Hua Mulan
, Liang Hongyu
and Thirteenth Sister, she is one of the most well-known military women in China.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
at the end of the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
.
Education
Qin Liangyu was born in Zhong CountyZhong County
Zhong County , formerly named Linjiang is a county of Chongqing Municipality in China.The Shibaozhai Temple, which is endangered by the rising waters caused by the Three Gorges Dam, is located there.-External links:*...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
during the late Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
to ethnic Miao
Miao people
The Miao or ม้ง ; ) is an ethnic group recognized by the government of the People's Republic of China as one of the 55 official minority groups. Miao is a Chinese term and does not reflect the self-designations of the component nations of people, which include Hmong, Hmu, A Hmao, and Kho Xiong...
parents. Her father, Qin Kui, believed girls should get the same education as boys and had her study history and the classics with her brothers. He also taught them gong fu. She studied martial arts more than her brothers and became proficient in both archery and riding, while also getting known for her skills in poetry.
Forming of the White Cavalry
She married a local district commander of Shizhu chiefdomChiefdom
A chiefdom is a political economy that organizes regional populations through a hierarchy of the chief.In anthropological theory, one model of human social development rooted in ideas of cultural evolution describes a chiefdom as a form of social organization more complex than a tribe or a band...
, Ma Qiancheng, and accompanied him during minor battles against local warlords in the southwestern border of the Ming Empire. They had a good marriage and he often sought her advice. In 1599 Yang Yinglong rebelled, Ma Qiancheng took three thousand riders with him to suppress it, while Qin Liangyu brought an additional five hundred and they were successful, which made their army gain in importance.
In 1613, her husband was arrested because he offended a court eunuch and he died in prison. At his death, Qin Liangyu took over his post, and those under her command were known as the White Cavalry (白杆兵).
Final years of the Ming
When NurhaciNurhaci
Nurhaci was an important Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late sixteenth century in what is today Northeastern China...
declared independence from the Ming, Qin Liangyu, accompanied by her brothers, rushed to the northeastern frontier in 1620 to help the Ming military effort in Shenyang. She also sold her personal belongings in order to recruit 3000 soldiers at her command, and was garrisoned at Shanhai Pass
Shanhai Pass
Shanhai Pass , or Shanhaiguan, along with Jiayu Pass and Juyong Pass, is one of the major passes of the Great Wall of China It is located in Shanhaiguan District, Qinhuangdao, Hebei. In 1961, Shanhaiguan became a site of China First Class National Cultural Site.It is a popular tourist destination,...
.
Qin returned to Sichuan to combat against local warlords and because of her success was promoted to the title Commander in Chief (都督佥事). In 1630, Qin Liangyu again sold her personal property to fund another expedition north to the Ming capital 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...
in order to aid the emperor against the rising Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
s. The Ming Chongzhen Emperor
Chongzhen Emperor
The Chongzhen Emperor was the 16th and last emperor of the Ming Dynasty in China. He reigned from 1627 to 1644, under an era name that means "honorable and auspicious".- Early years :...
showered her with praises in poetry. He presented her with four poems as she passed through Beijing.
In the following 11 years, Qin Liangyu fought various battles against the rising rebel leader Zhang Xianzhong
Zhang Xianzhong
Zhang Xianzhong or Chang Hsien-chung , nicknamed Yellow Tiger, was a Chinese rebel leader who conquered Sichuan Province in the middle of the 17th century. Upon capturing it, he declared himself emperor of the Daxi Dynasty .According to Chinese chronicles, many scholars rejected that claim, so he...
around Sichuan. As the Ming Dynasty crumbled and the Manchus broke south into the Central Plains, Qin redirected her efforts to resist the advancing Qing
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....
front. As a result of her will and determination in combating the Manchus, Qin Liangyu was given the title Grand Protector of the Crowned Prince (太子太保) by the Southern Ming Emperor. Since very few distinguished characters ever attain the title Grand Protector of the Crowned Prince, she is considered one of the highest ranking female generals in Chinese history.
Ming's fall
After BeijingBeijing
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...
fell to the Qing in 1644, Qin Liangyu continued her resistance.
Emperor Longwu
Zhu Yujian, Prince of Tang
Zhu Yujian , the Prince of Tang, reigned as the Longwu Emperor of the Southern Ming dynasty from 18 August 1645, when he was enthroned in Fuzhou, to 6 October 1646, when he was captured and executed by a contingent of the Qing army...
of the Southern Ming Dynasty
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....
made her a Marquess
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
, but was soon overthrown. Qin Liangyu then controlled part of Shizhu
Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County
Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, or Shizhu County for short is located in southeastern Chongqing, China...
and her poliy of growing crops made her region attractive for refugees, of whom she helped settle down about a hundred thousand.
Qin Liangyu died after falling off a horse while examining her troops, at the age of 75.
Legacy
Her legacy, along with her arms and armor, remain today in Shizhu, ChongqingChongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
. A statue of her is in the Ganyu Hall of the Shibaozhai
Shibaozhai
Shibaozhai is a hill along the bank of the Yangtze River in Zhong County, Chongqing, China. This rocky and craggy hill has extremely steep sides and is about 200 meters tall. On the river side of the hill is a red pavilion of nine floors which leans against the side of the hill providing a...
in Zhong County
Zhong County
Zhong County , formerly named Linjiang is a county of Chongqing Municipality in China.The Shibaozhai Temple, which is endangered by the rising waters caused by the Three Gorges Dam, is located there.-External links:*...
(that was preserved during the Three Gorges Project) along with statues of the famous Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
generals Zhang Fei and Yan Yan
Yan Yan
Yan Yan was a general of Shu Han during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. Yan began his career as a general serving under the warlord Liu Zhang of Yi Province.-In fiction:...
.http://www.discoveryangtze.com/Yangtzediscovery/zhongxian_shibaozhai.htm. Together with Hua Mulan
Hua Mulan
Hua Mulan is a legendary figure from ancient China who was originally described in a Chinese poem known as the Ballad of Mulan . In the poem, Hua Mulan takes her aged father's place in the army. She fought for 12 years and gained high merit, but she refused any reward and retired to her hometown...
, Liang Hongyu
Liang Hongyu
Liang Hongyu was a Chinese general of the late Northern Song Dynasty and the early Southern Song Dynasty. She became famous during the war against the Jurchens. Her real given name was lost in time. She was simply referenced in the official Chinese history books as Liang Shi， meaning "the...
and Thirteenth Sister, she is one of the most well-known military women in China.
Popular culture
Qin Liangyu is one of the 32 historical figures who appear as special characters in the video game Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI by Koei.External links
- Qin Liangyu - Commander-in-Chief of Sichuan Provincehttp://www.colorq.org/Articles/article.aspx?d=asianwomen&x=qinliangyu
- WOMEN IN POWER 1600-1640http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/womeninpower/Womeninpower1600.htm