introduction
The "Zhu Yigui Uprising" was the first ordinary workers' and peasants' uprising in Taiwan's history in the early 19th century, the purpose of which was to oppose the exploitation of the people by the Qing Dynasty and try to establish an egalitarian society.
However, the evaluation of this "workers' and peasants' uprising" has been controversial in academic circles, and some scholars regard Zhu Yigui as a hero of rebellion, representing the resistance of the vast number of peasants to oppression.
On the other hand, some people believe that this uprising was a "senseless" peasant uprising, and its impact and results were relatively limited.
In this article, the author will take you back to the early 19th century, discuss the incident in depth from the aspects of social class and exploitation of rich and poor, and have a comprehensive and more intuitive understanding of the "Zhu Yigui Uprising" from an objective perspective.
Evaluate the eventual failure of the peasant uprising, whether it influenced the policies of the Qing government and the improvement of the status of the peasants to some extent, as well as the political measures after the uprising, the response to the peasant resistance, and the impact of subsequent historical developments.
Social injustice and the motivation for the uprising
Zhu Yigui's uprising did not come out of nowhere, and during the Qing Dynasty, peasants suffered a heavy tax burden and exorbitant taxes, not only to pay land rent and farmland taxes.
Faced with expropriation by the government and exploitation by landlords, this economic oppression seriously damaged the livelihood of the peasants and plunged the civilian workers and peasants into poverty and despair.
The deprivation of its social status and rights was also one of the deep-seated reasons for the uprising, and in the feudal society of the Qing Dynasty, social status was determined according to origin and status.
Most of the peasants come from the rural underclass. They lack cultural education and social honor and are seen as members of the social hierarchy.
This low status makes it difficult for farmers to obtain equal treatment and fair treatment in society, and limits their development and protection of rights.
Over time, the landlord class and bureaucracy deprived the peasants of their social rights by taking control of land, wealth and power. Through the land circulation system and high land rent, landlords have caused peasants to lose control and interests over the land.
The bureaucracy extracts huge wealth from the peasants through taxes, conscription, and exorbitant taxes, and this deprivation leaves the peasants in a situation of poverty and helplessness, unable to enjoy the social rights and benefits they deserve.
1.1 An in-depth discussion of social injustice and the motives of the uprising
Social injustice was reflected in the various difficulties faced by peasants during the Qing Dynasty, and the aggravation of taxes and exorbitant taxes made the peasants heavy burden.
The exploitation of the landlord class made life difficult for the peasants, and this unfair social structure led to peasant dissatisfaction and indignation over the status quo, inspiring them to seek change.
The deep significance of the uprising is also reflected in the pursuit of dignity and freedom, and the peasants have long been oppressed and humiliated by landlords and officials, and have lost their dignity and rights.
The rebel army hoped to restore the dignity of the peasants through resistance, fight for a free life and the protection of rights and interests, and make them think that they have the right to fight for their fate and life rights.
Although the uprising was eventually defeated by the Qing government, it aroused the awakening and resistance consciousness of the vast number of peasants, and the spark of the uprising spread, laying the foundation for the later peasant uprisings and promoting the reform and development of Chinese society.
The strategy and tactics of Zhu Yigui's uprising
In the face of the Qing government's strong military power and ruling system, Zhu Yigui, as the leader of the uprising, must have the wisdom of decision-making and the ability to organize, he needs to formulate the goals and strategies of the uprising, recruit and train the rebel army, and ensure the organization and coordination of the uprising.
Through alliances with other local forces, Zhu Yigui established the military strength and organizational structure of the rebel army, adopted guerrilla tactics based on cities, and used terrain and popular support to counter the Qing army.
The rebel army used a variety of tactical means such as raids, sieges and defenses to continuously harass and attack the Qing army, weakening its strength and striving for strategic superiority.
Guerrilla tactics based on cities, using terrain and popular support to counter the Qing army, the rebel army resorted to a variety of tactical means such as raiding, besieging and defending.
Continuous harassment and attacks against the Qing army weakened its strength and sought strategic superiority.
Through propaganda and mobilization strategies, Zhu Yigui disseminated the meaning and goals of the uprising to the peasants and oppressed strata, and he called on the peasants to join the uprising and fight for the protection of their rights and dignity.
It also cooperated with other local powers to build alliances against the rule of the Qing government.
The core of Zhu Yigui's uprising was to represent the exploited and oppressed peasant class, seeking to improve the situation of peasants and fight for the protection of land and property.
Through propaganda and mobilization strategies, the insurrectionary army disseminated the meaning and goals of the uprising to the peasants and realized the liberation and rights of the peasants.
2.1 Why the strategy of guerrilla warfare became the first choice
After examining through historical records, the author believes that the rebel army took into account its own military strength and the strength of its opponents when choosing a guerrilla warfare strategy.
The Qing government had a large military force and superior equipment, while the rebel army was relatively small and poorly equipped.
In the face of such unequal military forces, a frontal engagement may lead to the rout and destruction of the rebel army, so choosing a guerrilla strategy can reduce the frontal conflict with the Qing army and maintain its own mobility and survivability.
The guerrilla warfare strategy itself is compatible with the geographical environment and advantages of the rebel army, and the Zhu Yigui uprising is mainly carried out in mountainous areas and woodlands, which have natural advantages for guerrilla warfare, and mountainous areas and woodlands provide good cover and concealment.
Enabling the rebel army to use the terrain for maneuvers and ambushes, increasing the intensity of strikes against the Qing army, the fit of guerrilla warfare strategy with the terrain allowed the rebel army to fight more effectively and improve the possibility of survival.
From an objective point of view, the guerrilla warfare strategy also has a high ability to survive and sustain struggle, and the rebel army avoids overly concentrated and large-scale military operations through scattered guerrilla warfare tactics, reducing the risk of annihilation by the Qing army.
The guerrilla warfare strategy enabled the rebels to quickly move and evade the Qing army's pursuit, maintaining the ability to protract a struggle, which provided the rebel army with a longer chance to resist and provided the basis for subsequent struggles.
Cooperation and conflict between peasant uprisings and local forces
During the period of cooperation with the localities, some local officials and landlords chose to support Zhu Yigui's uprising, providing military support and materials, and this cooperation provided the rebel army with important resources and support, enhancing their ability to resist the Qing government.
But the support of local forces also brings conflicts and contradictions, and local forces often have their own interests, hoping to increase their influence and status by supporting the uprising, not necessarily for the interests of the peasants.
This has led to the control and manipulation of the peasant uprising by local forces, weakening the autonomy and rights of the peasants, which is not completely consistent with the goals and interests pursued by the peasant uprising and the local forces.
The existence of contradictions and conflicts directly led to the difficulty of advancing the uprising, and was also one of the subjective reasons for the failure of this incident.
Until the end, although Zhu Yigui's uprising attracted the support of some peasants and local forces, his rebel army was significantly insufficient in military strength compared with the Qing government.
The Qing government had a large army and powerful weapons and equipment, and it was difficult for the rebels to gain an advantage in battle, and they suffered heavy losses in many battles, resulting in the weakening of the rebels' forces.
The internal division also became the last straw that killed Zhu Yigui, and people from different regions and backgrounds joined, but there was a competition for interests and power between them, and this internal division weakened the unity and combat effectiveness of the rebel army, making it difficult for them to cope with the suppression of the Qing government.
In order to deal with the rebels, the Qing government directly took tough suppression and counterattack measures, mobilizing a huge army to encircle and attack the rebels.
Suppressed by thunder, the Qing government's military and political strength made it difficult for the rebels to resist, which eventually led to the failure of the uprising.
summary
From my point of view, the reasons for the eventual failure of Zhu Yigui's uprising were manifold, when the peasants faced heavy taxes and landlord exploitation and extreme hardship.
As the leader of the uprising, Zhu Yigui successfully mobilized some peasants to participate in the uprising by organizing the peasant rebel army and adopting a series of strategies and tactics, and the rebel army won a certain victory in a certain period of time, posing a threat to the rule of the Qing government.
However, the military strength of the rebel army was relatively weak and could not compete with the huge army of the Qing government. Second, the insurgent army lacked external support and was unable to obtain additional resources and assistance.
There were divisions and contradictions within the rebel army, the conflict of interests of different local forces affected the unity of the uprising, and the most important thing was that the Qing government took tough repressive measures and defeated the rebel forces through military action and political means.
Although the Zhu Yigui uprising failed, it still had important historical significance, and the peasants' sense of resistance to injustice and exploitation laid the foundation for the later peasant uprisings.
In addition, the military strategy and organization of Zhu Yigui's uprising had a certain impact on the later peasant uprising, in addition, the support and participation of some local forces in the uprising also reflected the relationship between local forces and the peasant uprising.
The failure of Zhu Yigui's uprising also provides us with important lessons, it reminds us of the difficulties and challenges faced by the peasant uprising, including the importance of military strength, the need for external support, and the importance of internal unity.
In general, the author feels that the Zhu Yigui Uprising was an important peasant uprising in Chinese history, and although it ended in failure, it produced an important reference for Chinese society and history.
By summarizing the characteristics of the uprising, we can better understand the historical status of the peasant uprising and draw valuable lessons from it.