Zhao Erfeng
Encyclopedia
Zhao Erfeng was a Qing official and Chinese bannerman
, who belonged to the Plain Blue Banner. He is known for being the last amban
in Tibet, appointed in March, 1908. Lien Yu , a Manchu, was appointed as the other amban. Formerly Director-General of the Sichuan - Hubei Railway and acting viceroy
of Sichuan
province, he was the much maligned Chinese general of the late imperial era who led military campaigns throughout Kham
(eastern Tibet) and eventually reaching Lhasa
in 1910, thus earning himself the nickname "Zhao the Butcher".
Zhao Erfeng crushed the Tibetan Lamas and their monasteries in the 1905 Tibetan Rebellion
in Yunnan and Sichuan, crushing the Lamas at the seige of Chantreng which lasted from 1905 to 1906. The Tibetan Lamas had revolted against Qing rule, killing Chinese officials and western Catholic Christian missionaries and native Christian converts, since the Tibetan Buddhist Gelug
Yellow Hat sect was jealous of the Christian missionary success.
Zhao Erfeng extended Chinese rule into Eastern Tibet (Kham
), and was appointed Amban
in 1908 - the last man to hold that position. Initially he worked with the Dalai Lama
, who had returned after fleeing from Britain's invasion of 1903-1904
. But in 1909, they disagreed strongly and Zhao Erfeng drove the Dalai Lama ino exile. A former Tibetan Khampa soldier named Aten
recounted Tibetan memories of Zhao, calling him "Butcher Feng", claiming that he: razed Batang monastery, ordered holy texts to be used by troops as shoeliners, and mass murdered Tibetans.
The Dalai Lama was installed at the palace and monastery of Polasta [sic] amid popular demonstrations. The ruler, who was again given civil power at the head of their hierarchy, pardoned all the Tibetans who had given the oath to Colonel Younghusband
, and all went well for a month, when the lama protested to the Chinese in charge of military affairs because of the excesses of the Chinese troops on the Sze Chuen
frontier, where they were sacking the monasteries and killing the monks. This protest served to stir up the whole question of the status of Tibet. The amban declared that it was a Chinese province, and said he would deal with the rebels as it pleased him to do. Other questions of authority arose, and finally the amban ordered to L'hasa
500 Chinese troops who were encamped on the outskirts of the capital. A few companies composed of the dalai lama's followers were hastily enrolled under the name of 'golden soldiers'. They opposed the Chinese soldiers, but, being indifferently armed, were shot down with much bloodshed. Meanwhile the dalai lama, with three of his ministers and sixty retainers, fled through a gate at the rear of the palace enclosure, and were fired upon as they escaped through the city.
In 1911, Zhao Erfeng faced rebellion in Sichuan
. According to Han Suyin
, the main issue was control of a planned railway that would have linked Sichuan to the rest of China. He summoned troops from Wuchang, leading rebels there to see it as an opportunity to rebel. This was the background to the Wuchang Uprising
, the official start of the Chinese Revolution of 1911
. After battling the rebels on 22 December 1911 he was captured and beheaded after slow slicing by Chinese Republican Revolutionary forces who were intent on overthrowing the Qing dynasty.
Zhao Erfeng was the younger brother of Zhao Erxun
, who was also an important official in the last days of the Qing Empire.
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...
, who belonged to the Plain Blue Banner. He is known for being the last amban
Amban
Amban is a Manchu word meaning "high official," which corresponds to a number of different official titles in the Qing imperial government...
in Tibet, appointed in March, 1908. Lien Yu , a Manchu, was appointed as the other amban. Formerly Director-General of the Sichuan - Hubei Railway and acting viceroy
Zongdu
Zǒngdū, usually translated as Viceroy or Governor-General, governed one or more provinces of Qing-dynasty China. One of the most important was the Viceroy of Zhili, since it emcompassed the imperial capital. Yuan Shikai, later president of the Republic of China, held this office...
of 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...
province, he was the much maligned Chinese general of the late imperial era who led military campaigns throughout Kham
Kham
Kham , is a historical region covering a land area largely divided between present-day Tibetan Autonomous Region and Sichuan province, with smaller portions located within Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan provinces of China. During the Republic of China's rule over mainland China , most of the region was...
(eastern Tibet) and eventually reaching Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
in 1910, thus earning himself the nickname "Zhao the Butcher".
Zhao Erfeng crushed the Tibetan Lamas and their monasteries in the 1905 Tibetan Rebellion
1905 Tibetan Rebellion
-Attacks on Christian Missionaries and Converts:Under pressure from foreigners, the Qing Dynasty government allowed Christian missionaries into Tibetan Buddhist areas in Yunnan province. The Tibetan Lamas had long defied the rule of the Qing authorities and officials, and the Qing dynasty fought...
in Yunnan and Sichuan, crushing the Lamas at the seige of Chantreng which lasted from 1905 to 1906. The Tibetan Lamas had revolted against Qing rule, killing Chinese officials and western Catholic Christian missionaries and native Christian converts, since the Tibetan Buddhist Gelug
Gelug
The Gelug or Gelug-pa , also known as the Yellow Hat sect, is a school of Buddhism founded by Je Tsongkhapa , a philosopher and Tibetan religious leader...
Yellow Hat sect was jealous of the Christian missionary success.
Zhao Erfeng extended Chinese rule into Eastern Tibet (Kham
Kham
Kham , is a historical region covering a land area largely divided between present-day Tibetan Autonomous Region and Sichuan province, with smaller portions located within Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan provinces of China. During the Republic of China's rule over mainland China , most of the region was...
), and was appointed Amban
Amban
Amban is a Manchu word meaning "high official," which corresponds to a number of different official titles in the Qing imperial government...
in 1908 - the last man to hold that position. Initially he worked with the Dalai Lama
Thubten Gyatso, 13th Dalai Lama
Thubten Gyatso was the 13th Dalai Lama of Tibet.During 1878 he was recognized as the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. He was escorted to Lhasa and given his pre-novice vows by the Panchen Lama, Tenpai Wangchuk, and named "Ngawang Lobsang Thupten Gyatso Jigdral Chokley Namgyal"...
, who had returned after fleeing from Britain's invasion of 1903-1904
British expedition to Tibet
The British expedition to Tibet during 1903 and 1904 was an invasion of Tibet by British Indian forces, whose mission was to establish diplomatic relations and trade between the British Raj and Tibet...
. But in 1909, they disagreed strongly and Zhao Erfeng drove the Dalai Lama ino exile. A former Tibetan Khampa soldier named Aten
Aten
Aten is the disk of the sun in ancient Egyptian mythology, and originally an aspect of Ra. The deified Aten is the focus of the monolatristic, henotheistic, or monotheistic religion of Atenism established by Amenhotep IV, who later took the name Akhenaten in worship in recognition of Aten...
recounted Tibetan memories of Zhao, calling him "Butcher Feng", claiming that he: razed Batang monastery, ordered holy texts to be used by troops as shoeliners, and mass murdered Tibetans.
The Dalai Lama was installed at the palace and monastery of Polasta [sic] amid popular demonstrations. The ruler, who was again given civil power at the head of their hierarchy, pardoned all the Tibetans who had given the oath to Colonel Younghusband
Francis Younghusband
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband, KCSI, KCIE was a British Army officer, explorer, and spiritual writer...
, and all went well for a month, when the lama protested to the Chinese in charge of military affairs because of the excesses of the Chinese troops on the Sze Chuen
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...
frontier, where they were sacking the monasteries and killing the monks. This protest served to stir up the whole question of the status of Tibet. The amban declared that it was a Chinese province, and said he would deal with the rebels as it pleased him to do. Other questions of authority arose, and finally the amban ordered to L'hasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
500 Chinese troops who were encamped on the outskirts of the capital. A few companies composed of the dalai lama's followers were hastily enrolled under the name of 'golden soldiers'. They opposed the Chinese soldiers, but, being indifferently armed, were shot down with much bloodshed. Meanwhile the dalai lama, with three of his ministers and sixty retainers, fled through a gate at the rear of the palace enclosure, and were fired upon as they escaped through the city.
- In January 1908 the final instalment of the Tibetan indemnity was paid to Great Britain, and the Chumbi valley was evacuated. The Dalai Lama was now summoned to Peking, where he obtained the imperial authority to resume his administration in place of the provisional governors appointed as a result of the British mission. He retained in office the high officials then appointed, and pardoned all Tibetans who had assisted the mission. But in 1909 Chinese troops were sent to operate on the Sze-ch`uen frontier against certain insurgent lamas, whom they handled severely. When the Dalai Lama attempted to give orders that they should cease, the Chinese amban in Lhasa disputed his authority, and summoned the Chinese troops to enter the city. They did so, and the Dalai Lama fled to India in February 1910, staying at Darjeeling. Chinese troops followed him to the frontier, and he was deposed by imperial decree.
In 1911, Zhao Erfeng faced rebellion in 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...
. According to Han Suyin
Han Suyin
Han Suyin , is the pen name of Elizabeth Comber, born Rosalie Elisabeth Kuanghu Chow . She is a Chinese-born Eurasian author of several books on modern China, novels set in East Asia, and autobiographical works, as well as a physician...
, the main issue was control of a planned railway that would have linked Sichuan to the rest of China. He summoned troops from Wuchang, leading rebels there to see it as an opportunity to rebel. This was the background to the Wuchang Uprising
Wuchang Uprising
The Wuchang Uprising began with the dissatisfaction of the handling of a railway crisis. The crisis then escalated to an uprising where the revolutionaries went up against Qing government officials. The uprising was then assisted by the New Army in a coup against their own authorities in the city...
, the official start of the Chinese Revolution of 1911
Xinhai Revolution
The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China...
. After battling the rebels on 22 December 1911 he was captured and beheaded after slow slicing by Chinese Republican Revolutionary forces who were intent on overthrowing the Qing dynasty.
Zhao Erfeng was the younger brother of Zhao Erxun
Zhao Erxun
Zhao Erxun was the brother of Zhao Erfeng. He was the governor of Hubei and Sichuan and viceroy and governor of Fengtian....
, who was also an important official in the last days of the Qing Empire.