There were many famous figures who surrendered to the Qing Dynasty at the end of the Ming Dynasty, such as Wu Sangui and Shang Kexi. Speaking of Zu Taishou, some people may have some strangers, he is Wu Sangui's uncle.
A native of Ningyuan, Zutaishou City
, the family is huge,
It is a famous and prestigious family in the western Liaoning region
。 From the establishment of Ningyuan City, his family moved there and served as the Ming Dynasty's Ningyuan Guard. Later generations have inherited this military position for generations, and the official position is also being promoted.
Zu Taishou learned martial arts from an early age, learned the art of war, was brave and good at war, and was very accomplished in all aspects. He made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty. After surrendering to the Qing Dynasty, he basically did not participate in any major events, therefore
There is no great deed, it is forgotten by future generations, and it disappears into obscurity
。
First, the first surrender to the Qing Dynasty
Zu Taishou was a famous general during the Chongzhen period of the Ming Dynasty.
He was in a high position, powerful, had no worries about food and clothing, and lived a rich and comfortable life. It is a life that everyone wants. The Chongzhen Emperor was also very appreciative of Zu Taishou, and his evaluation was also very high. Zu Taishou was also quite loyal to the Ming Dynasty at that time. Sincere loyalty to the Chongzhen Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
In the fourth year of Chongzhen, Zu Taishou was ordered to repair The City of Dalinghe. However, before it was half repaired, it was surrounded and suppressed by the Qing army led by the Emperor Taiji. Zu Taishou led his soldiers to hold the city and swore to defend the city to the death, but the Emperor Taiji devoted all his strength to encircle and suppress it, and after several months of bloody struggle, in the end, he ran out of ammunition and food, and there was no way out. In this case, already
The army was unstable, and Zu Taishou could only plan to surrender
When it comes to planning surrender, I have to say one person, that is, He Kegang.
He Kegang, like Zu Taishou, was a very talented person
His superior leader Yuan Chonghuan praised him many times to the Chongzhen Emperor, saying that his talents could match his own and appreciated him very much. The Chongzhen Emperor therefore attached great importance to He Kegang.
When Zu Taishou planned to surrender, He Kegang did not agree
Therefore, some of He Kegang's men also followed and opposed Zu Taishou's surrender to the Qing army. But this did not stop Zu Taishou's determination to surrender. According to historical records, because of He Kegang's opposition, Zu Taishou had He Kegang killed late at night. Kill the most powerful generals in order to show the Emperor Taiji's determination to surrender.
After Zu Taishou surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, he led the Qing army to sneak attack Jinzhou. However, due to weather conditions, it did not work out. However, according to common sense, if the weather is bad, it should increase the probability of his sneak attack succeeding, but why did Zu Taishou's sneak attack not succeed this time? From this point of view, posterity said
Zu Taishou was a Qing army pretending to surrender to Emperor Taiji, and it was also well documented
Entering the area of the Ming Dynasty in Jinzhou, Zu Taishou began to serve the Ming Dynasty again, assisting the Ming army against the Qing army. Emperor Taiji was also enraged and led an army to attack Jinzhou City, but it ended in failure. Emperor Taiji's trust in Zu Taishou also plummeted. afterward
Zu Taishou continued to serve the Ming Dynasty, and continued to garrison the city for ten years.
Second, the second surrender to the Qing Dynasty
Emperor Taiji summarized the reasons for the failure of the past attacks on Jinzhou and Ningyuan, carried out internal reforms of the Qing army, and changed the method of warfare, a long and protracted siege. Lengthen the battle and drag down the army on Zu Taishou's side. The Qing army had sufficient manpower and material resources to support the battle, and finally won the Victory of the Battle of Songjin.
The victory in the Battle of Songjin paved the way for the Qing army to attack the Central Plains.
The Battle of Songjin was a very important battle in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Qing army led by Emperor Taiji won, the Ming army ran out of ammunition, lost many excellent generals, and many cities fell, and the Ming army was no longer able to resist the Qing army. In desperation,
Zu Taishou had no choice but to surrender to the Qing army once again
Emperor Taiji also gladly accepted Zu Taishou's surrender and did not embarrass him anymore. Emperor Taiji also told Zu Taishou that the past things would just let him pass, and he would not think about it anymore, and he would do his best to do things for the Qing Dynasty in the future. He also granted the official position of Zu Taishou. After this time,
Zu Taishou also did keep to himself.
After Zu Taishou became an official in the Qing Dynasty, the task of the Ming Dynasty stationing in Ningyuan fell to Wu Sangui. Wu Sangui is zu Taishou's nephew,
Zu Taishou also wrote to Wu Sangui several times to persuade him to surrender to Emperor Taiji.
However, at that time, Wu Sangui did not listen to his uncle's advice and surrendered to the Qing army. However, this also laid the groundwork for Wu Sangui to eventually surrender to the Qing Dynasty. This is also an important reason for the Emperor Taiji to retain Zu Taishou.
In the first year of Shunzhi, Fu Lin led the Qing army into the customs and moved the capital to Beijing. Zu Taishou also entered the customs with the Qing army.
After entering the pass, the Shunzhi Emperor did not give a heavy responsibility to Zu Taishou.
First, because Zu Taishou was older at that time, according to modern times, he could reach the age of retirement; second, Zu Taishou had betrayed the Qing Dynasty and did not want to repeat the same mistakes.
As a result, Zu Taishou lived a leisurely and comfortable life in Beijing, and rarely appeared in the political affairs of the Qing Dynasty, slowly withdrawing from people's vision, no longer paying too much attention, but also comfortable. Zu Taishou's later life was spent in Beijing plainly.
Finally, in the thirteenth year of Shunzhi, Zu Taishou died of illness in his own palace.
3. Summary
Zu Taishou surrendered to the Qing army twice
, these two surrenders, too
Full of helplessness
。 He was loyal to the rulers of the Ming Dynasty, but he was born at the wrong time, it happened to be such a chaotic era at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and in the end he did not protect the ming dynasty rule. There is a warm patriotic heart, but at this time, it seems so faint. Your talents cannot be fully utilized.
After Zu Taishou surrendered to the Qing army twice, Emperor Taiji happily accepted and appointed him to an official position in the Qing Dynasty. There is no shortage of them
Emperor Taiji's appreciation of Zu Taishou
But I can't help but want to come with him
Beckon Wu Sangui
and show the Qing Dynasty's benevolence to the surrendered personnel. Although Wu Sangui's surrender was not because of his uncle Zu Taishou, Zu Taishou's letters persuaded him to surrender still had a certain impact.
After Zu Taishou entered the Qing Dynasty, although the Emperor Taiji accepted it. However, other officials of the Qing Dynasty and later emperors still had mixed opinions and criticisms of him, and there were not a few stereotypes. All the officials felt
Zu Taishou once betrayed the Qing Dynasty, and once it was inevitable that there would be a second time
, can not be given a heavy responsibility, otherwise the consequences are endless. Therefore, after Zu Taishou followed the Qing army into Beijing, he had no military power, but was just an idle official.
Zu Taishou was ignored by his descendants, and because he did not, like his nephew Wu Sangui, he did not settle for duty after surrendering to the Qing Dynasty, swept away the people, and launched a rebellion against the imperial court on various grounds. Posterity is right
Wu Sangui's evaluation is also cruel, despicable, and cunning
wait
Many evil deeds are remembered by future generations.
Later generations' evaluation of Zu Taishou was much better than that of Wu Sangui.
In contrast, Zu Taishou was much more prosaic. After following the Qing army into Beijing, although Zu Taishou was not reused, he was not annoyed by the Qing Dynasty, but went with the flow and lived his life in Beijing plainly. It is precisely because of this that it will slowly fade out of people's vision and disappear and be forgotten by future generations.