Wedge: During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, King Shangkexi, one of the "Three Domains", was happy to guard Guangdong. One day, Shang Kexi came to Haiyun Temple with heavy gold, hoping to get the help of the natural monk. The next day, after Shang Kexi descended the mountain, the natural monk said:
"Ping Clan has Buddha nature and is indetermined, wandering and forbearing, the calamity of Xiao Wall, not turning around, let alone other Ya?"
This means that King Pingnan is still happy to have Buddha nature, but he has no concentration. If you hesitate to do things, you will definitely cause trouble in the future!
Unexpectedly, the natural monk became a rumor, and a few years later, Shang Kexi was imprisoned by his son Shang Zhixin, which really caused Xiao Wall.
Shang Kexi was one of the "Three Domains" of the Qing Dynasty, and after the outbreak of the San Francisco Rebellion, Wu Sangui and Geng Jingzhong were losers, and only Shang Kexi was still respected by the Kangxi Emperor.
In this article, the author will tell you about the highly controversial figure of the Qing Dynasty - Shang Xi.
First, abandon the hatred of the family and the country, and lead the crowd to vote for the money
According to the Qing History Manuscript, Volume 234, Shang Kexi Biography, it is recorded:
Shang Kexi, Liaodong people. Father Xueli, Ming Dongjiang guerrilla, killed in battle Lou Zishan.
Shang Kexi, character Yuanji, known as Zhenyang, was a native of Haizhou, Liaodong (present-day Haicheng, Liaoning), and his ancestral home was Hongdong, Shanxi. Shang Kexi has five brothers, he ranks fourth, and his father's name is Shang Xueli.
In the first year of the Ming Dynasty's Apocalypse (1621), Nurhachi attacked Liaoshen. Shang Xueli took his family to Liaoxi to take refuge, during which Shang Xueli's wife died in the war, Shang Xueli was very sad and hated Houjin. Later, Shang Xueli joined the Ming army and followed Mao Wenlong to Phi Island.
Two years later, at the beginning of the third year of the Ming Dynasty's apocalypse, 19-year-old Shang Kexi landed on Phi Island to find his father, and he also joined the Ming army. Mao Wenlong admired Shang Kexi very much, and he accepted Shang Kexi as his adopted grandson and gave him the name Yongxi.
In March of that year, when Shang Xueli was patrolling the city, he encountered Houjin's army, and Shang Xueli was outnumbered, preferring to die rather than surrender, and fought and was martyred.
I have to say that Shang Kexi's father Shang Xueli is a loyal and brave person!
After Shang Xueli's death, Shang Kexi took over his father's post as a guerrilla general. At that time, the Ming Dynasty's power in the northeast had gradually declined, and in the second year of Chongzhen, Mao Wenlong was killed, and it was still happy to return to the jurisdiction of Huanglong, the commander-in-chief of the Dongjiang River. At that time, Shen Shikui, a general under Huang Long, seized power and planned to control Huanglong through mutiny, and after Shang Kexi got the news, he led troops to help Huanglong quell the rebellion on Pip Island.
In the sixth year of Chongzhen, Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming led the Jin soldiers and horses to attack Lushun, and Huanglong was killed. Shang Kexi was stationed on Hiroshima at the time, but his wives and concubines and family slaves totaled more than 100 people, all of whom died in Lushun.
From the above message, three points can be summarized:
First, Shang Kexi and Houjin have a vendetta against their father.
Second, the Ming general Mao Wenlong was kind to Shang Ke.
Third, Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming killed Shang Kexi's family.
However, seven months later, Shang Kexi abandoned the "hatred of the country and the family", defected to Houjin, and became "comrades-in-arms" with Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming.
The reason why Shang Kexi abandoned Ming and surrendered to Qing, the key person was Shen Shikui. After Huang Long's death, Shen Shikui took over as the commander-in-chief of Dongjiang, because Shang Kexi had suppressed Shen Shikui during the Pizza Island Mutiny before, and now, Shen Shikui has become Shang Kexi's boss, and he wants to wait for an opportunity to take revenge on Shang Kexi.
Therefore, later generations said that an important reason why the Ming Dynasty lost successively in the northeast was discord.
In October of the sixth year of Chongzhen, Shen Shikui tricked Shang Kexi to Phi Dao, intending to falsely accuse him of murder. Unexpectedly, he was given news in advance by Shang Kexi. Shang Kexi felt discouraged and planned to defect to the Qing Dynasty.
In February of the seventh year of Chongzhen, Shang Kexi took his generals and military equipment from the five islands under his jurisdiction, as well as more than 10,000 people plundered from Hiroshima Island and other places, and fled to Emperor Taiji.
When Huang Taiji heard that Shang Kexi had returned with everyone, he said with great joy, "God help me", and then personally went to the suburbs 30 miles to welcome Shang Kexi. At this point, Shang Kexi, like Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming, became the guest of Emperor Taiji.
The author believes that although Shang Kexi had a reason for the Jin incident after his surrender, Shang Kexi forgot the "hatred of the country and family" for the sake of saving his life, which doomed him to never be able to justify himself in terms of "great righteousness".
The Tang Dynasty poet Wang Changling had a poem: the general surrendered the Xiongnu, and the national envoy did not have Sangqian. When I went, I was 300,000 and returned to Chang'an alone.
Here, Shang Kexi is not the warrior who returned alone, he is the "general" who surrendered the Huns
Second, with the Qing army into customs, Pingnan Town Guangdong
In the ninth year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Taiji changed the Khan's throne to the imperial throne and established the Great Qing Dynasty. In this year, Emperor Taiji made Shang Kexi the King of Zhishun, and gave Haizhou to Shang Kexi as a fief. At that time, Shang Kexi and Kong Youde (King Gongshun) and Geng Zhongming (King Huaishun) were known as the "Three Shun Kings of the Early Qing Dynasty".
At the end of that year, Shang Kexi followed Emperor Taiji to conquer Korea, and the Korean king Yi Yong was forced to sign an alliance with the Great Qing. The next year, in the famous Battle of Songjin, Shang Kexi made great achievements, and later Emperor Taiji set up the Han military banner, and Shang Kexi was incorporated into the Han army with the blue flag.
As we all know, the Qing Dynasty had "San Francisco". In fact, the Qing Dynasty originally established the "Four Domains", the above-mentioned "King of Sanshun" plus a Wu Sangui. It was precisely because of Wu Sangui's joining that the Qing army was able to enter the customs.
In the first year of the Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty (1644), after Li Zicheng captured Beijing, Wu Sangui, who was guarding Shanhaiguan, surrendered to Dolgon and sacrificed Shanhaiguan, and the Qing army entered the customs. Shang Kexi followed Prince Azige along the Great Wall to the west, chasing Li Zicheng's army all the way to Shaanxi, then turned around and headed south, linking Yunyang, Jingzhou, and Xiangyang, and then attacked Jiujiang. Hearing that Li Zicheng was killed in Jiugong Mountain, Shang Kecai returned to the dynasty.
In the third year of Shunzhi, Shang Kexi was appointed as a general of Pingnan, and together with Kong Youde, he entered Hunan and other places to attack the Southern Ming forces, and they first defeated the Southern Ming army totaling more than 150,000 people at Xiangtan and Guiyang. After returning victorious, the Shunzhi Emperor gave him crown clothes, gold coins, and pommel horses.
In the sixth year of Shunzhi, the Shunzhi Emperor made the "Four Domains", and Wu Sangui was the king of Pingxi, and the town was Yunnan; Shang Kexi is the king of Pingnan, the town of Guangdong; Geng Zhongming was the king of Jingnan, the town of Fujian; Kong Youde was the king of Dingnan, the town of Guangxi. This year, Shang Ke Xi held his Pingnan King Golden Seal and crown uniform, took his soldiers and horses and family members all the way south, and came to Guangdong after more than 3 months.
In the seventh year of Shunzhi, Shang Kexi finally arrived in Guangzhou. At that time, the Yongli Emperor controlled the Southern Ming regime in Wuzhou, Guangxi, and Guangzhou was still under the control of the Southern Ming. Shang Kexi led the Qing army to besiege Guangzhou for 10 months, and finally broke through Guangzhou. The History of Ming records:
Keguang, captured Cheng En and others, beheaded more than 6,000 people, drove the rest of the people to the seashore, and drowned many people.
This means that after Shang Kexi captured Guangzhou, he captured Fan Chengen and beheaded more than 6,000 people. He drove the rest of his captives to the seashore and drowned many.
This battle was later called the "Calamity of Gengyin". Youye Shi believes that Shang Kexi slaughtered the city in Guangzhou for more than 20 days, and the death toll in Guangzhou City was as high as 700,000. However, this figure is controversial historiographically.
Shang Kexi's most "amazing" performance in the south is that he defeated the famous Southern Ming general Li Dingguo.
Li Dingguo was known as "victory" in the Southern Ming Dynasty, and in the ninth year of Shunzhi, Li Dingguo besieged Kong Youde, one of the "Four Domains", in Guilin, and the city of Guilin was broken, forcing Kong Youde to kill himself. Because Kong Youde's son was also killed in this battle, the Qing dynasty's "Four Domains" became "San Francisco".
However, Kong Youde is not Li Dingguo's opponent, which does not mean that Shang Ke is not gratifying. In the tenth year of Shunzhi, Shang Kexi defeated Li Dingguo in Zhaoqing, and the following year, he defeated Li Dingguo again in Xinhui. Shang Kexi defeated Li Dingguo twice, severely damaging the last hope of the Southern Ming Dynasty and consolidating the Qing court's rule in Liangguang.
After the fall of the Southern Ming Dynasty, Shang Kexi gradually stabilized in Guangzhou, and he began to recruit wives and concubines. According to records, Shang Kexi had 24 wives and concubines, and as many as 69 children.
In this regard, some people say that Shang Kexi is a womanizer, and some people say that this is Shang Kexi's way of self-preservation. Whatever the possibility, it is a pity that Shang's life in Guangzhou is undeniable.
To be fair, after the demise of the Southern Ming, Shang Kexi also did something beneficial to the people. For example, after he guarded Guangdong, he began to enforce military discipline, restore the social system, re-establish etiquette, culture, and education, and sometimes regularly give porridge to provide food and clothing for the hungry. During the Shunzhi period, the enclosure of the Youjue family was relatively serious, and Shang Ke Xi believed that the wind of enclosure was not conducive to the people, so the enclosure was not carried out.
Moreover, when Shang Kexi was in Guangzhou, he began to believe in Buddhism. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, he went to Haiyun Temple to find a natural monk, which is the case.
The Buddha family has a cloud: put down the butcher knife and become a Buddha on the ground.
At this time, Shang Kexi may have realized the mistakes of his previous life, and he wanted to do something compassionate to make up for the mistakes.
Third, Kangxi withdrew San Francisco and vowed not to betray Qing
Shang Kexi is an authentic northerner, the ancients "Humayi North Wind", his greatest wish is to return to Liaodong. Therefore, in the twelfth year of Shunzhi, Shang Kexi gave a message to the Shunzhi Emperor, hoping that he could return to Liaodong, but the Shunzhi Emperor refused Shang Kexi's request on the grounds that Guangdong was not yet fully stable.
In the spring of the twelfth year of the Kangxi Dynasty, when Shang Kexi was 70 years old and in the year of the hanging chariot, he wrote to the Kangxi Emperor, hoping that Kangxi would allow him to return to Liaodong to retire and pass the title of King of Pingnan to his eldest son Shang Zhixin.
Regarding the "San Francisco", the Kangxi Emperor had long concluded that "withdrawal is also opposition, and if it is not withdrawn, it is also opposed." Therefore, the Kangxi Emperor had long had the intention of withdrawing the domain. Since you are still happy and plan to return to your hometown, then remove your clan and let you enjoy prosperity in Liaodong.
Thus, a long-planned campaign to withdraw the clan began. Not only King Pingnan wanted to withdraw, but also King Pingxi and King Zhennan.
At this time, King Pingxi was still Wu Sangui, but King Zhennan was Geng Jingzhong, Geng Zhongming's grandson. After receiving the Kangxi Emperor's order to withdraw the domain, the "San Francisco" did not express any objection although they all had their own thoughts. Wu Sangui even played to Kangxi, hoping that Kangxi would reward him with some cattle.
The Kangxi Emperor was young at that time, and was deceived by Wu Sangui, the "old fox". In November of the 12th year of the Kangxi Dynasty, Wu Sangui killed Zhu Guozhi, the governor of Yunnan, and raised troops against the Qing Dynasty under the slogan of "Xingming and Seeking Capture".
Because Wu Sangui had been planning for a long time and acted quickly, he quickly occupied Yungui and blocked the news, and it was not until the next year (the thirteenth year of the Kangxi Dynasty), when Wu Sangui attacked Hunan, that the Kangxi Emperor learned that Wu Sangui had rebelled. The Kangxi Emperor was shocked and hastily responded, so in the early period of the San Francisco Rebellion, the Qing court did not have the advantage.
In fact, after Wu Sangui rebelled, he sent people to contact Shang Kexi, Geng Jingzhong, and Sun Yanling (Kong Youde's son-in-law and general of Guangxi), hoping that they would jointly raise the anti-banner. Geng Jingzhong and Sun Yanling responded gladly, but Shang Kexi disagreed.
For Shang Kexi, he was already guilty of abandoning the hatred of the country and slaughtering his compatriots in Lingnan, and he may not be willing to be a traitor again in the ancient years.
Therefore, when Wu Sangui, Geng Jingzhong, Sun Yanling and others rebelled, Shang Kexi remained indifferent. He played to Kangxi and said:
"The prince is more than seventy years old, although he is foolish, how can he ask for wealth from the rebel thief? However, he is determined to donate his life, protect Lingnan, and show his sincerity. ”
This means that I am in my 70s, I am a king, and I have nothing to pursue in life. Although I am stupid, I will not seek any riches from the anti-thieves. For now, I can only use my old body to hold on to Lingnan for Your Majesty, which can be regarded as an expression of my loyalty.
The Kangxi Emperor was very moved at that time, and he made Shang Kexi the Prince of Pingnan (previously the three domains were all county kings). Of course, Kangxi also has the intention of enveloping is still gratifying.
It must be admitted that in the process of Kangxi quelling the San Francisco Rebellion, Shang Kexi's credit was indeed very large, and he was like a nail in Guangdong, containing more than 100,000 surrounding rebels who could not go north wholeheartedly, creating conditions for Kangxi to quell the chaos.
At that time, the ten counties of Guangdong had lost four of them, and the city of Guangzhou was almost broken by the rebels, and Shang Kexi even piled firewood in the courtyard for the last "dignity", preparing to set himself on fire at the last moment.
Although Shang Kexi vowed allegiance to the Qing dynasty, his son was unwilling to lose the opportunity. In February of the fifteenth year of the Kangxi Dynasty, Shang Kexi's eldest son, Shang Zhixin, persuaded his father to rebel, but Shang Kexi disagreed. Shang Zhixin took advantage of the night to launch a mutiny, besieging his father's mansion and seizing the supreme command of Guangdong. Then he announced his response to Wu Sangui and raised troops to rebel.
Therefore, the reason why the "San Francisco Rebellion" is called the "San Francisco" Rebellion is because of the addition of Shang Zhixin at the last moment.
Hearing that his son was going to rebel, Shang Kexi was simply furious, and he wanted to rush out several times, but was blocked by Shang Zhixin's people. Shang Kexi shouted that there was no way to do so, and planned to commit suicide by hanging a beam, but was rescued again.
Shang Kexi was placed under house arrest by his son for more than 8 months, and his "heroic name" was ruined. On October 29, the fifteenth year of the Kangxi Dynasty, Shang Kexi was exhausted physically and mentally, and died depressed. On the day before his death, he also wrapped the crown dress given to him by Emperor Taiji around his body and kowtowed to the north.
Fourth, Kangxi was loyal, and Qianlong despised
Shang Kexi died, and the San Francisco Rebellion gradually entered a climax. However, the Qing army gradually gained the upper hand, and later Geng Jingzhong surrendered and Wu Sangui died. Shang Zhixin saw that the big thing was not good, and in turn attacked the Wu army.
After the San Francisco Rebellion was settled, Shang Zhixin was given death, but Shang Kexin's other sons were not affected. Shang Kexi's descendants had 14 male dings who married into the Qing imperial family, and more than 150 people successively served as "high-ranking officials" in the Qing Dynasty.
In the twentieth year of the Kangxi Dynasty, five years after Shang Kexi's death, the war in the south had calmed down, and the Kangxi Emperor ordered a thick burial that was still gratifying, and he was nicknamed "Jing". At that time, the Kangxi Emperor sent his minister Jue Rotada to pay homage to Shang Kexi, and read the Kangxi Emperor's holy decree:
"Wang Suya is loyal, if everyone can be like a king, will the world be safe? Every thought of Wang Huaicheng to the Lord, to the old Midu, is very mourning! ”
This means that if every courtier can be as happy as Shang Kexi, how can there be war in the world?
Therefore, although Shang Kexi died in captivity by his son, Kangxi did not deny his loyalty. Among "San Francisco", Shang Kexi is the one with the best ending.
However, time passed, and in the Qianlong period, the imperial court decreed the compilation of the "Biography of the Second Minister", and the Qianlong Emperor was very contemptuous of Shang Kexi, and included Shang Kexi in the "Biography of the Second Minister", together with Hong Chengzhuo. From the "loyalty" in the mouth of the Kangxi Emperor to the courtier in the heart of the Qianlong Emperor, it was only a few decades.
The question of how to evaluate the good is actually a very complex issue. The author believes that:
First of all, Shang Kexi's surrender to the Qing Dynasty was forced helpless, but in the face of righteousness, his "forced helplessness" was relatively small, and Qianlong said that he was a "courtier", in fact, there was nothing wrong.
Secondly, Shang Kexi had slaughtered a large number of compatriots when he was in Guangzhou, and any of his arguments in front of the bloody corpses was pale.
In the end, although Shang Kexi was a second minister, he chose not to be a second minister, and in the San Francisco Rebellion, he chose to be loyal to the Qing Dynasty. If viewed from a macro historical perspective, Shang Kexi has made a certain contribution to safeguarding the unity of the Chinese nation. However, this contribution is not enough to whitewash his previous crimes.
The Fu Lei Family Book says: Some sins can only be atoned for, not washed away.
When we look at the gratifying dialectically, we should also cherish peace and practice more benevolence and righteousness.