After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, many Han people were not willing to be ruled by the Manchu government, so they also raised the banner of "opposing the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty" and resolutely fought against the Manchu rulers to the end.
It was also during that period that Zhang Jiexu was unwilling to surrender with 300 remnants. They even traveled overseas with their families and established an independent kingdom in the Natuna Islands.
Now, hundreds of years later, Zhang Jiexu's descendants still live here. Not only are they rich, but they are also very stable in society, as if they were in a paradise.
So, how did Zhang Jiexu come here with the remnants of the army, and what hardships and dangers did they go through?
Zhang Jiexu and his 300 remnants
In the last years of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court was extremely corrupt, making the common people miserable. In order to find a way to live, many people rose up.
It was also against this background that the peasant rebel army led by Li Zicheng was overwhelmed, and they soon attacked the city of Beijing.
Seeing that the general trend had gone, Emperor Chongzhen had no choice but to flee to Meishan, and on a crooked-necked tree, he ended his life and announced the end of the Ming Dynasty.
Although Li Zicheng entered Beijing, he did not sit firmly in his country. In the face of the attack of the Manchu Dynasty, the peasant rebel army led by Li Zicheng soon had only the ability to parry, and had no power to fight back.
As you can imagine, Li Zicheng was eventually driven out of Beijing and brutally murdered by his own men. After the Qing army entered the customs, it quickly unified the Central Plains and established the Manchu government.
At this time, although the Ming Dynasty had completely perished, there were still many Han people who were unwilling to fail, and they raised the banner of "opposing the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty" and decided to confront the Manchu government to the end.
It was against this background that many anti-Qing organizations sprung up, leading the Han Chinese in a fierce struggle against the Manchu government.
Among these anti-Qing organizations, the 300 remnants of the army led by Zhang Jiexu are also the most typical representatives. But in the process of fighting the Qing army, they also suffered a crushing defeat.
But even so, Zhang Jiexu was still unwilling to surrender to the Qing government, and he fled all the way to the coastal areas in the south with the remaining more than 300 soldiers.
In order to prevent being cut down by the Qing government, Zhang Jiexu decided to take them and flee overseas. In this way, after several months of preparation, Zhang Jiexu and three hundred remnants of soldiers set off with grain and grass.
They sailed all the way across the ocean to the Natuna Islands. Seeing that there are abundant products here, Zhang Jiexu decided to take everyone to settle here.
Because it is far away from the mainland, the Qing Dynasty is also beyond the reach of the dust, although they have the intention to exterminate the old and young of the Ming Dynasty, but they have never been able to do so.
Even in the Kangxi period, there were still many anti-Qing organizations, and they still did not give up their inner obsessions.
However, at this time, the rulers of the Qing Dynasty had firmly grasped the power, so it was not easy for them to overthrow the rule of the Qing Dynasty.
Stationed in the Natuna Islands
After coming to the Natuna Islands, although Zhang Jiexu did not have to worry about being hunted down by the Qing government, he still had to face harassment from the Dutch colonists.
Because before Zhang Jiexu's arrival, the Dutch colonists had already established power in the Natuna Islands, and their influence had spread all over the Natuna Islands.
At this time, Zhang Jiexu is also facing a difficult choice, and if he continues to sail to find a place to survive, he may encounter more difficulties and obstacles.
In the event of a strong storm at sea, the consequences are unimaginable. After thinking about this, Zhang Jiexu decided to lead everyone to fight against the Dutch colonists.
After making full preparations, Zhang Jiexu took 300 remnants of the army and launched a frantic attack on the Dutch colonists.
At this time, the Dutch colonists, because they had been pampered for a long time, did not expect that Zhang Jiexu would dare to take the initiative to start a war against them.
The result can be imagined, the Dutch colonists who rushed to the war were not Zhang Jiexu's opponents at all, and they were also defeated.
In order to save their lives, the Dutch colonists hurriedly fled by boat. In the decades that followed, they never dared to set foot in the Natuna Islands again, allowing Zhang Jiexu and his men to live a long period of peace.
Seeing that the Natuna Islands are not only fertile, but also extremely rich in products, Zhang Jiexu decided to take the big guy to open up the wasteland and farm the land in order to multiply.
Under the leadership of Zhang Jiexu, the soldiers were disarmed and returned to the field, and with their industrious hands, they soon achieved self-sufficiency.
Seeing that after the hard work, the big guy finally stayed away from the war and lived a peaceful life, Zhang Jiexu also felt very gratified.
But even so, Zhang Jiexu still did not forget to be prepared for danger in times of peace. In order to prevent sudden attacks by the Dutch colonists, he also built a lot of defenses on the island.
At the same time, Zhang Jiexu did not forget to train the army during the slack season, the purpose of which was to be prepared. It is also against this background that a new country emerges.
In order to let the people live and work in peace and contentment, Zhang Jiexu also deliberately formulated a lot of rules and regulations, and required all the people to abide by them.
It was also under Zhang Jiexu's rule that the Natuna Islands presented unprecedented prosperity. The people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and they no longer had to worry about harassment from the Qing government.
Once again, they were caught up in strife
In order to allow future generations to receive a good education, Zhang Jiexu also deliberately set up a school on the island and let the children go to school for free.
After decades of development, the Natuna Islands are no longer the wild land. The inhabitants of the island respect and love each other, they farm together during the busy farming season, and when the farming season is off, they go out to sea to fish, not to mention how comfortable their lives are.
However, the quiet life lasted only a few decades before it was once again mired in strife. Because Zhang Jiexu died of illness, his sons fought for power, which also made the Natuna Islands turbulent.
After hearing about this, the Dutch colonists, who had originally coveted the Natuna Islands, once again drove their ships and guns to this rich land.
At this time, the Natuna Islands had just gone through civil strife and had been greatly damaged, so they were beaten by the other side and abandoned their armor as soon as the war with the Dutch colonists began.
In desperation, Zhang Jiexu's descendants had no choice but to negotiate peace with the Dutch colonists. According to the agreement, they can live together in the Natuna Islands.
It was also from that time that the children and grandchildren of the Dutch colonists and the 300 remnants of the army continued to multiply in the Natuna Islands, and they also lived a peaceful life.
After more than 200 years of development, the Natuna Islands are still very rich. The Chinese living here also make up 10% of the residents of the Natuna Islands.
In their daily lives, they not only retain the Xi habits of the Han people, but also communicate with Chinese, just like the Chinese living on the mainland.
epilogue
In the last years of the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Jiexu came to the Natuna Islands with 300 remnants. He didn't expect that future generations would thrive here.
After more than 200 years of development, the Natuna Islands have become a land of abundance. Because it contains abundant natural resources, it is not surprising that Zhang Jiexu's descendants are rich.
Nowadays, many domestic tourists also like to go to the Natuna Islands to take a walk and have a look, on the one hand, to feel their own customs, and on the other hand, to follow Zhang Jiexu's footsteps to understand the cultural history of the Natuna Islands.