Ronglu
Encyclopedia
Ronglu was a Manchu
statesman
and general
during the late Qing dynasty
. Born into the powerful Guwalgiya
clan of the Plain White Banner in the Eight Banners
, he was cousin to Yehenara Lan
, who later became Empress Dowager Cixi
. He served in a number of important positions in the Imperial Court, including the Zongli Yamen
and the Grand Council
, Grand Scholar, Viceroy of Zhili
, Beiyang Minister, Minister of Board of War, Nine Gates Infantry Commander
, Wuwei Troop
Commander that safeguard the military security of the Forbidden City
, and jokingly told Cixi that he would be her bodyguard if she became Empress when they were children.
as an official.
Before Cixi's marriage as a concubine into the royal family, Ronglu was rumored to have had a love relationship with Cixi. During Cixi's tenure as regent of the Qing Dynasty, Ronglu became one of the leaders of Cixi's conservative faction at the imperial court, and opposed Kang Youwei's
Hundred Days' Reform
in 1898. Cixi always remembered her cousin's support for her, even when they were young, and rewarded him by allowing his only surviving child, his daughter Youlan
, to marry into the imperial clan
.
Through his daughter's marriage to Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun
, Ronglu is the maternal grandfather of Xuantong Emperor
.
was appointed Peking Land Troop Commander (Chinese:步军统领), at 1895, he was appointed minister of Zongli Yamen
, minister of Board of War (Chinese:兵部尚书) and Peking Land Troop Commander. During the Boxer Rebellion
, Ronlu was the commander of Wuwei Middle Troop (Chinese:武卫中军), providing military security for the Forbidden City
.
At 1898, Ronlu was appointed Grand Scholar (Chinese:协办大学士), Viceroy of Zhili
, Beiyang Minister (Chinese:北洋大臣), Minister of Grand Council
and Minister of Board of War (CHinese:兵部), coordinating between Dong Fuxiang
, Nie Shicheng, Song Qing and the Yuan Shikai
Beiyang Army
, and creating Wuwei Troop
(Chinese:武卫军), then appointed Nine Gates Infantry Commander
. When Empress Dowager and Guangxu Emperor escaped to Xian during the invasion of the Eight Nation Alliance, Ronlu was ordered to stay in Peking to safeguard the Peking City and the Forbidden City
.
, Tiger Gods Division
, with Horse cavalry, in addition of Wuwei Middle Troop
, to suppress these bandits, to intensify searching patrol; to arrest and execute immediately all criminals with weapons who advocate killing.". Decree No.4 of the same day ordered Ronglu to "send an efficient troops of Wuwei Middle Troop
swiftly, to the Peking Legation Quarter, to protect all the diplomatic buildings."
, Ronglu began to build the first modern infantry military force of the Manchu Empire. During the war at Eight Nation Alliance, Wuwei Troops commanded by Dong Fuxiang
and Nie Shicheng and Ronglu himself suffered heavy casualty and since been disbanded.
. When Dong Fuxiang's
Muslim troops were eager to and could have destroy the foreigners in the legations, Ronglu stopped them from doing so. The Manchu prince Zaiyi was xenophobic and was friends with Dong Fuxiang
. Zaiyi wanted artillery for Dong Fuxiang's troops to destroy the legations. Ronglu blocked the transfer of artillery to Zaiyi and Dong, preventing them from destroying the legations. When artillery was finally supplied to the Imperial Army and Boxers, it was only done so in limited amounts, Ronglu deliberately held back the rest of them.
It was Ronglu and other moderates, who withdrew the Kansu Muslim warriors from Beijing, in order to let the foreigners march right in. The Muslim troops were feared intensely by the foreigners.
Ronglu also deliberately hid an Imperial Decree from General Nie Shicheng. The Decree ordered him to stop fighting the Boxers due to the foreign invasion, and also because the population was suffering from the campaign against the Boxers. Due to Ronglu's actions, General Nie continued to fight against the Boxers and killed many of them, while the foreign invaders were making their way into China. Ronglu also ordered Nie to protect foreigners and save the railway from the Boxers.
During the war, because parts of the Railway were saved under Ronglu's orders, the foreign invasion army was able to transport itself into China quickly.
Due to Ronglu's sabotage, General Nie was forced to fight the Boxers as the foreign army advanced into China. The fierce Boxer insurgency led General Nie to commit thousands of troops against them, instead of against the foreigners. Nie was already outnumbered by the Allies by 4,000 men. General Nie was blamed for attacking the Boxers, as Ronglu intended to sabotage Nie and let him take all the blame. At the Battle of Tientsin
, General Nie decided to take his own life by walking into the range of Allied guns.
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...
statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
and general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
during the late Qing dynasty
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....
. Born into the powerful Guwalgiya
Guwalgiya
Guwalgiya was one of the most powerful Manchu clans. Kangxi's administrator Oboi came from this clan....
clan of the Plain White Banner in the Eight Banners
Eight Banners
The Eight Banners were administrative divisions into which all Manchu families were placed. They provided the basic framework for the Manchu military organization...
, he was cousin to Yehenara Lan
Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
, who later became Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
. He served in a number of important positions in the Imperial Court, including the Zongli Yamen
Zongli Yamen
Zongli Yamen was the government body in charge of foreign affairs in imperial China during the late Qing dynasty. It was established by Prince Gong in 1861, following the Convention of Peking. It was abolished in 1901 and replaced with a Foreign Office of ministry rank.The former site of the...
and the Grand Council
Grand Council
The Grand Council or Junjichu was an important policy-making body in the Qing Empire. It was established in 1733 by the Yongzheng Emperor...
, Grand Scholar, Viceroy of Zhili
Viceroy of Zhili
The Viceroy of Zhili , fully referred to as the Governor General of Zhili and surrounding areas; Overseeing Military Affairs, Food Production; Manager of Waterways; Director of Civil Affairs , was one of eight regional viceroys in China proper during the Qing Dynasty of China...
, Beiyang Minister, Minister of Board of War, Nine Gates Infantry Commander
Nine Gates Infantry Commander
Nine Gates Infantry Commander is a military post of the Qing Dynasty, in charge of safe guarding, and monitoring traffic and the opening times of the nine gates of the Peking City, namely Zhengyangmen, Chongwenmen, Andingmen, Fuchengmen, Xizhimen, Dongzhimen, Xuangwumen, Dehshengmen, Zhaoyangmen...
, Wuwei Troop
Wuwei Troop
Wuwei Troop was the first modern army of the Qing Dynasty consisted of infantry, cavalry and artillery, formed on June 1899 and trained by western military advicers, responsible for security of Peking City and the Forbidden City, with Ronglu as the supreme commander...
Commander that safeguard the military security of the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
, and jokingly told Cixi that he would be her bodyguard if she became Empress when they were children.
Life
Ronglu was born on 6 April 1836. He was the son of Guwalgiya Changshou (瓜爾佳長壽). Ronglu's grandfather, Guwalgiya Tasiha (瓜爾佳塔斯哈), had served in KashgarKashgar
Kashgar or Kashi is an oasis city with approximately 350,000 residents in the western part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Kashgar is the administrative centre of Kashgar Prefecture which has an area of 162,000 km² and a population of approximately...
as an official.
Before Cixi's marriage as a concubine into the royal family, Ronglu was rumored to have had a love relationship with Cixi. During Cixi's tenure as regent of the Qing Dynasty, Ronglu became one of the leaders of Cixi's conservative faction at the imperial court, and opposed Kang Youwei's
Kang Youwei
Kang Youwei , was a Chinese scholar, noted calligrapher and prominent political thinker and reformer of the late Qing Dynasty. He led movements to establish a constitutional monarchy and was an ardent Chinese nationalist. His ideas inspired a reformation movement that was supported by the Guangxu...
Hundred Days' Reform
Hundred Days' Reform
The Hundred Days' Reform was a failed 104-day national cultural, political and educational reform movement from 11 June to 21 September 1898 in late Qing Dynasty China. It was undertaken by the young Guangxu Emperor and his reform-minded supporters...
in 1898. Cixi always remembered her cousin's support for her, even when they were young, and rewarded him by allowing his only surviving child, his daughter Youlan
Youlan, 2nd Princess Chun
Youlan , was the mother of the last Chinese emperor Puyi, also known as the Xuantong Emperor. She was married to Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun and also gave birth to another son, Puyi's younger brother Pujie, and three daughters....
, to marry into the imperial clan
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...
.
Through his daughter's marriage to Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun
Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun
The 2nd Prince Chun was born Zaifeng , of the Manchu Aisin-Gioro clan . He was the leader of China between 1908 and 1911, serving as regent for his son Puyi, the Xuantong Emperor.His courtesy name was Yiyun...
, Ronglu is the maternal grandfather of Xuantong Emperor
Puyi
Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the...
.
Professional career
At 1894 after First Sino-Japanese WarFirst Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
was appointed Peking Land Troop Commander (Chinese:步军统领), at 1895, he was appointed minister of Zongli Yamen
Zongli Yamen
Zongli Yamen was the government body in charge of foreign affairs in imperial China during the late Qing dynasty. It was established by Prince Gong in 1861, following the Convention of Peking. It was abolished in 1901 and replaced with a Foreign Office of ministry rank.The former site of the...
, minister of Board of War (Chinese:兵部尚书) and Peking Land Troop Commander. During the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
, Ronlu was the commander of Wuwei Middle Troop (Chinese:武卫中军), providing military security for the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
.
At 1898, Ronlu was appointed Grand Scholar (Chinese:协办大学士), Viceroy of Zhili
Viceroy of Zhili
The Viceroy of Zhili , fully referred to as the Governor General of Zhili and surrounding areas; Overseeing Military Affairs, Food Production; Manager of Waterways; Director of Civil Affairs , was one of eight regional viceroys in China proper during the Qing Dynasty of China...
, Beiyang Minister (Chinese:北洋大臣), Minister of Grand Council
Grand Council
The Grand Council or Junjichu was an important policy-making body in the Qing Empire. It was established in 1733 by the Yongzheng Emperor...
and Minister of Board of War (CHinese:兵部), coordinating between Dong Fuxiang
Dong Fuxiang
Dong Fuxiang , a Chinese, was born Gansu, China. He commanded an army of Chinese Muslim soldiers, which included the later Ma clique generals Ma Anliang and Ma Fuxiang. According to the Western calendar, his birth date is in 1839.- Religion :Conflicting accounts are given about his religion and...
, Nie Shicheng, Song Qing and the Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived...
Beiyang Army
Beiyang Army
The Beiyang Army was a powerful, Western-style Chinese military force created by the Qing Dynasty government in the late 19th century. It was the centerpiece of a general reconstruction of China's military system. The Beiyang Army played a major role in Chinese politics for at least three decades...
, and creating Wuwei Troop
Wuwei Troop
Wuwei Troop was the first modern army of the Qing Dynasty consisted of infantry, cavalry and artillery, formed on June 1899 and trained by western military advicers, responsible for security of Peking City and the Forbidden City, with Ronglu as the supreme commander...
(Chinese:武卫军), then appointed Nine Gates Infantry Commander
Nine Gates Infantry Commander
Nine Gates Infantry Commander is a military post of the Qing Dynasty, in charge of safe guarding, and monitoring traffic and the opening times of the nine gates of the Peking City, namely Zhengyangmen, Chongwenmen, Andingmen, Fuchengmen, Xizhimen, Dongzhimen, Xuangwumen, Dehshengmen, Zhaoyangmen...
. When Empress Dowager and Guangxu Emperor escaped to Xian during the invasion of the Eight Nation Alliance, Ronlu was ordered to stay in Peking to safeguard the Peking City and the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
.
Imperial decrees from Empress Dowager
On Day Nineteen of May(lunar calendar) 1901, a total of five decrees were issued by the Empress Dowager. Decree No.1 ordered Ronglu to "command various Imperial soldiers, plus ShenjiyingDivine Engine Division
Divine Engine Division was one of the three elite military divisions of the Ming Dynasty stationed around the capital Beijing. Established in the reign of the Yongle Emperor , its main purpose was the research and training in the use of firearms...
, Tiger Gods Division
Hushenying
The Hushenying were a unit of 10,000 Manchu Bannermen under the command of Zaiyi during the Boxer Rebellion.-Summary:Hushenying can be translated as "Tiger and Divine Corps", "Tiger Spirit Division", or "Tiger Spirit Battalion"....
, with Horse cavalry, in addition of Wuwei Middle Troop
Wuwei Troop
Wuwei Troop was the first modern army of the Qing Dynasty consisted of infantry, cavalry and artillery, formed on June 1899 and trained by western military advicers, responsible for security of Peking City and the Forbidden City, with Ronglu as the supreme commander...
, to suppress these bandits, to intensify searching patrol; to arrest and execute immediately all criminals with weapons who advocate killing.". Decree No.4 of the same day ordered Ronglu to "send an efficient troops of Wuwei Middle Troop
Wuwei Troop
Wuwei Troop was the first modern army of the Qing Dynasty consisted of infantry, cavalry and artillery, formed on June 1899 and trained by western military advicers, responsible for security of Peking City and the Forbidden City, with Ronglu as the supreme commander...
swiftly, to the Peking Legation Quarter, to protect all the diplomatic buildings."
Wuwei Troop
On 1899, with the approval of Empress DowagerEmpress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
, Ronglu began to build the first modern infantry military force of the Manchu Empire. During the war at Eight Nation Alliance, Wuwei Troops commanded by Dong Fuxiang
Dong Fuxiang
Dong Fuxiang , a Chinese, was born Gansu, China. He commanded an army of Chinese Muslim soldiers, which included the later Ma clique generals Ma Anliang and Ma Fuxiang. According to the Western calendar, his birth date is in 1839.- Religion :Conflicting accounts are given about his religion and...
and Nie Shicheng and Ronglu himself suffered heavy casualty and since been disbanded.
Sabotage of the Chinese Army
Ronglu deliberately sabotaged the performance of the Imperial army during the Boxer RebellionBoxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
. When Dong Fuxiang's
Dong Fuxiang
Dong Fuxiang , a Chinese, was born Gansu, China. He commanded an army of Chinese Muslim soldiers, which included the later Ma clique generals Ma Anliang and Ma Fuxiang. According to the Western calendar, his birth date is in 1839.- Religion :Conflicting accounts are given about his religion and...
Muslim troops were eager to and could have destroy the foreigners in the legations, Ronglu stopped them from doing so. The Manchu prince Zaiyi was xenophobic and was friends with Dong Fuxiang
Dong Fuxiang
Dong Fuxiang , a Chinese, was born Gansu, China. He commanded an army of Chinese Muslim soldiers, which included the later Ma clique generals Ma Anliang and Ma Fuxiang. According to the Western calendar, his birth date is in 1839.- Religion :Conflicting accounts are given about his religion and...
. Zaiyi wanted artillery for Dong Fuxiang's troops to destroy the legations. Ronglu blocked the transfer of artillery to Zaiyi and Dong, preventing them from destroying the legations. When artillery was finally supplied to the Imperial Army and Boxers, it was only done so in limited amounts, Ronglu deliberately held back the rest of them.
It was Ronglu and other moderates, who withdrew the Kansu Muslim warriors from Beijing, in order to let the foreigners march right in. The Muslim troops were feared intensely by the foreigners.
Ronglu also deliberately hid an Imperial Decree from General Nie Shicheng. The Decree ordered him to stop fighting the Boxers due to the foreign invasion, and also because the population was suffering from the campaign against the Boxers. Due to Ronglu's actions, General Nie continued to fight against the Boxers and killed many of them, while the foreign invaders were making their way into China. Ronglu also ordered Nie to protect foreigners and save the railway from the Boxers.
During the war, because parts of the Railway were saved under Ronglu's orders, the foreign invasion army was able to transport itself into China quickly.
Due to Ronglu's sabotage, General Nie was forced to fight the Boxers as the foreign army advanced into China. The fierce Boxer insurgency led General Nie to commit thousands of troops against them, instead of against the foreigners. Nie was already outnumbered by the Allies by 4,000 men. General Nie was blamed for attacking the Boxers, as Ronglu intended to sabotage Nie and let him take all the blame. At the Battle of Tientsin
Battle of Tientsin
The Battle of Tientsin, or the Relief of Tientsin, occurred on July 13–14, 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion in Northern China. A multinational military force, representing the Eight-Nation Alliance, came to the rescue of a besieged population of foreign nationals within the city of Tientsin by...
, General Nie decided to take his own life by walking into the range of Allied guns.
See also
- Imperial Decree of declaration of war against foreign powers Imperial Decree of declaration of war against foreign powersImperial Decree of declaration of war against foreign powers was a 1900 declaration of war against the colonising powers: Russia, America, England, Japan, France, Germany, Spain, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, and Holland simultaneously. This declaration of war was one of the direct cause of the Boxer...
- Imperial Decree on events leading to the signing of Boxer Protocol Imperial Decree on events leading to the signing of Boxer ProtocolThe Imperial Decree on events leading to the signing of Boxer Protocol is a royal decree issued by the Qing Dynasty in the name of Guangxu Emperor, as an official imperial statement on historical events such as Boxer Rebellion, Eight-Nation Alliance and Battle of Peking and Siege of the...
- Divine Engine DivisionDivine Engine DivisionDivine Engine Division was one of the three elite military divisions of the Ming Dynasty stationed around the capital Beijing. Established in the reign of the Yongle Emperor , its main purpose was the research and training in the use of firearms...