In August 1630, outside the city of Beijing, a bloody and cruel execution was being staged. Yuan Chonghuan, the dignified Liaodong Economic Strategy, the Inspector of the Three Sides, and the Secretary of the Military Department, was wearing shackles and suffering from the torture of Ling Chi. The executioners cut off pieces of his flesh and skin, and he continued to scream until his last breath. According to historical records, at that time, the people rushed to buy Yuan Chonghuan's meat, just to taste the pleasure of revenge.
However, just three years earlier, this tragic general had been a famous general of the Ming Dynasty who had twice defeated the Qing army in Ningyuan, to the horror of the Jianzhou Jurchens. What was the reason for this tragic tragedy for this highly decorated general? Did Yuan Chonghuan really deserve it, or was he wronged?
Yuan Chonghuan was born in the twentieth year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1592) and was born in a family of hairpins for generations. In his early years, he read military books and was inspired to serve the country, and later relied on his outstanding military talent to make outstanding achievements in the battles of Ningyuan and Ningjin. As the historian Mao Haijian commented, Yuan Chonghuan was a rare general in the context of the withering of military talents in the late Ming Dynasty, and his military command ability was unparalleled. However, it was such a general, but in the end he died. This has to be embarrassing.
In fact, the reason why Yuan Chonghuan was tragically Ling Chi was not only due to the political struggle, but also had a lot to do with his personal character. Yuan Chonghuan is upright and not good at words, and often offends the powerful because of his outspokenness. He once bluntly criticized Emperor Chongzhen's decision-making, and even offended Wen Tiren, the head of the cabinet who leaned towards the government and the opposition. Wen Tiren took the opportunity to impeach Yuan Chonghuan for fornicating with Houjin, which angered the suspicious and fickle Emperor Chongzhen.
In the battle of Huang Taiji's sneak attack on Beijing, Yuan Chonghuan adopted the strategy of luring the enemy into depth, allowing the Qing army to approach the city of Beijing for a time. Although he eventually repelled Huang Taiji, Yuan Chonghuan cast doubt on his loyalty to the Manchu civil and military. Coupled with his unauthorized execution of Mao Wenlong and other behaviors, the court was completely disappointed in him. As historian Huang Renyu has argued, Yuan Chonghuan, despite his military prowess, lacked political wisdom and interpersonal skills, which eventually led to a catastrophe.
In addition, Yuan Chonghuan also has a fatal weakness, that is, he is very happy. He once swore to Emperor Chongzhen in the court that he only needed to give him five years and sufficient military pay to recover all the lost territory in Liaodong. Such a promise to boast about Haikou is not only difficult to fulfill, but also makes Emperor Chongzhen have high hopes for him. And when Yuan Chonghuan finally failed to fulfill his promise, it is not difficult to understand why the disappointed Emperor Chongzhen wanted to put him to death.
Of course, we can't completely deny Yuan Chonghuan's merits. As Xie Guozhen, an expert in Ming history, pointed out, Yuan Chonghuan's great victories in Ningyuan and Ningjin were the turning point of the Ming army on the battlefield of Houjin. His military prowess and loyalty to his country are beyond doubt. However, as Xie Guozhen further pointed out, although Yuan Chonghuan has excellent military talents, he has great problems in employing and treating people. He often acted arbitrarily, causing dissatisfaction among his subordinates and ministers.
In general, Yuan Chonghuan's tragedy, of course, has his personal character and way of dealing with the world, but it is more of a sad epitome of that dark and turbulent era. At that time, the Ming Dynasty was already in the last days, with corrupt officials, declining national strength, and internal and external troubles. In such a context, even a famous general like Yuan Chonghuan cannot escape doom.
As the poet Wang Fuzhi said: "The day is difficult, and the time is obedient." I know the fireworks early, and I see the empty city later". The poem vividly depicts the misfortunes of loyal generals in that turbulent era. And Yuan Chonghuan's tragic life is also a microcosm of many tragedies in the late Ming Dynasty.
Let's re-examine this history and give Yuan Chonghuan an objective and fair evaluation. Our tragic end should not deny his sincerity in serving the country and fighting for the people. At the same time, we should also learn from Yuan Chonghuan's lesson, whether it is for generals or ministers, while upholding integrity, loyalty and patriotism, we should also pay attention to the cultivation of political wisdom and interpersonal skills. Only by having both ability and political integrity can we achieve a great cause and leave a name in history.
We cherish the memory of Yuan Chonghuan, but also reflect on the shortcomings of the late Ming Dynasty. As historian Wang Chunyu has argued, the fundamental cause of the fall of the Ming Dynasty was the decay and decline of the foundation of its rule. To avoid a recurrence of the tragedy, we must draw lessons from history and build a modern government that is clean and efficient, and that is both military and political. Only in this way can we achieve long-term peace and stability in the country and the great rejuvenation of the nation. Let's work together to create a better and brighter future!