Preface
In the history of the Qing Dynasty, there were countless heroes and heroes, who sacrificed their lives for the country and revitalized China, leaving an eternal glory. However, behind this glorious history, there is also a forgotten shadow - the traitor.
And among these traitors, there is a little-known name, but he far surpasses Li Hongzhang and other prominent figures in the way of betrayal. This biggest traitor of the Qing Dynasty has been engaged in traitorous activities all his life, and he does not hesitate to betray the interests of the country and the nation for his personal interests.
However, why is the name of this traitor so little known? Is it because his betrayal has been covered up? Today, let us uncover the true face of this traitor hidden in the shadow of history.
Aixin Jueluo Yishan's life experience
Yishan was born into a modest branch of the royal family, and his father Mianbei did not have a title, so Yishan has always been an inconspicuous presence among the royal children. It wasn't until he was 31 years old that he barely became a third-class guard. According to the system of the Qing Dynasty at that time, there were as many as 270 third-class guards, which shows how humble Yishan's status was.
An obscure little guard, who would have expected that he would become one of the biggest traitors of the Qing Dynasty in the future? Yishan's background determined that he was unpopular in the imperial family, and he could not even get the most basic attention.
As a child of the royal family, he deserves to be favored by those in power, and to be well educated and nurtured to serve his country in the future. It's a pity that fate seems to have been cold to him from the beginning, leaving him in obscurity in the royal compound and living a life of no quarrel with the world.
Perhaps it is precisely because of this situation of being left out that Yishan has a sense of unwillingness and restlessness brewing in his heart, eager to one day be able to display his talents and prove his worth. However, the hierarchy of the royal family makes it difficult to overcome many obstacles.
Whether Yishan ever despaired of this, or whether he sincerely hoped to gain the appreciation of those in high places, we do not know. However, judging by what he did later, it seems that personal interests do take precedence over all else.
Yishan has made great achievements
Despite his humble origins, Yishan doesn't seem to be out of nowhere. In the eighteenth year of Daoguang, he served as the counselor of Ili and the commander of the Red Banner Protector Army, and then he was named the general of Ili, with full responsibility for military affairs in Xinjiang.
This is all thanks to his outstanding performance in the battle of Xinjiang in his early years. At that time, the Qing army had only more than 20,000 people, while the enemy Zhang Ge had an army of 100,000. The situation was extremely critical, and the two generals of the Qing army, Changling and Yang Yuchun, also had disagreements, the former advocating the withdrawal of troops, while the latter insisted on attacking.
At this time, the young Yishan stepped forward and took the lead in crossing the Hunhe River and smashing the city of Kashgar. With the cooperation of him and Yang Yuchun, the Qing army finally defeated Zhang Ge's rebels and captured Zhang Ge himself, which was undoubtedly a great victory.
After the war, in order to alleviate the pressure of the imperial court to transport grain, Yishan also personally surveyed the terrain and reclaimed hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile land, which can be said to have made great achievements. It is no wonder that Emperor Daoguang held him in such high esteem that he even appointed him as the general of Jingyi after the outbreak of the First Opium War, with full responsibility for the military affairs of Guangzhou.
The Battle of Xinjiang can be described as the most glorious moment of Yishan's life. As a young general, he not only showed extraordinary courage and determination, but also showed outstanding command skills.
When the two commanders were at odds, he stepped forward, defied public opinion, and personally charged forward, pointing the way for the army. In the end, with the tacit cooperation with Yang Yuchun, they finally reversed the passive situation and defeated the enemy army.
Such a record undoubtedly made Yishan famous among the government and the opposition, and was pinned on high hopes. And his actions after the war further added to his own aura. The reclamation of fertile land not only reduced the logistical burden for the imperial court, but also brought tangible benefits to the local people, which can be described as a benefit for both the military and the people.
No wonder Emperor Daoguang would value him so much, and it is not difficult to understand the heavy responsibility of guarding Guangzhou. It's a pity that what Yishan did later ran counter to his previous heroic image.
Yishan's poor performance in Guangzhou
It's a pity that Yishan has performed too badly in the important task of Guangzhou. In the face of the British attack, he not only did not make any preparations for war, but believed in those absurd "folk tricks", such as placing a toilet on a raft, in an attempt to defeat the enemy by "overcoming evil".
British records say that Yishan had secretly built forts on the Pearl River and had deployed troops to other parts of Guangzhou. However, judging from the end result, whether the UK deliberately exaggerated or not, Yishan's performance in Guangzhou was a mess.
The Qing army was defeated and retreated in front of the British army, and it was miserable. Yang Fangning would rather die than surrender, but Yishan chose to surrender, and even made the conditions for surrender, showing an attitude of seeking peace. At this time, before the imperial court could speak, Yishan made such a traitorous act on his own initiative, which is really an unforgivable crime.
The Battle of Guangzhou was a complete defeat for Yishan. As the commander, he failed to make an accurate assessment of the enemy's strength, but was confused by those absurd "folk tricks" and lost his mind.
What is even more serious is that when the war was tight, he did not make any arrangements and was careless about Guangzhou's defense. This incompetence and absurdity can be said to have doomed the defeat of the Battle of Guangzhou.
Of course, the British force was indeed strong, but it was not completely unstoppable. As long as we are fully prepared and dispatch elite divisions, there may be a glimmer of life in the Battle of Guangzhou. Unfortunately, Yishan turned a blind eye, and eventually caused Guangzhou to fall without a fight, and the Qing army suffered heavy losses there.
What is even more distressing is that Yishan actually chose to surrender at a critical moment and set conditions for surrender, which is undoubtedly a betrayal of the country and the military. How could a once heroic and fearless general be so out of shape at this time? Has there been some change in Yishan's inner world?
Or is it that he didn't have the interests of the country at heart from the very beginning? But what is certain is that the Battle of Guangzhou smeared Yishan with a huge black cauldron, and his reputation has been in ruin ever since.
A series of treaties that humiliate the country
The defeat in the Battle of Guangzhou was also a heavy blow to the Qing Dynasty. However, what was even more terrifying was that it laid the foundation for the future expansion of the war by the British. Seeing the weakness and incompetence of the Qing Dynasty, Britain naturally stepped up its pressure to further exploit China's interests. All this is to blame for Yishan's incompetence and surrender.
However, what is even more distressing is that in the subsequent negotiations, Yishan not only failed to turn the tide, but signed a series of treaties that humiliated the country again and again. The "Ili Tar Bahatai Trade Charter", the "Aihui Treaty", and the "Sino-Russian Beijing Treaty" are all chilling-sounding names, all of which show Yishan's ruthless betrayal of national interests.
Among them, the most terrible is the "Aihui Treaty". Under the threat of Russia, Yishan went so far as to cede nearly a million square kilometers of land without authorization, all without the authorization of the Qing government. It can be said that Yishan completely put his personal selfish interests above the interests of the country and became a veritable traitor.
epilogue
Aixin Jueluo Yishan, a name that you and I may not have heard of, is an abominable existence in the history of the Qing Dynasty. He was originally a royal child from a humble background, and relying on some military exploits in his early years, he was once reused by Emperor Daoguang. However, at the critical moment, he showed a heinous act of betraying the country and seeking glory.
Yishan's story warns us that we must always have a patriotic heart, and we must not be like him, only caring about our own selfish interests in front of us, and ignoring the interests of our family and country. Only in this way can our country and nation maintain their vitality forever in the torrent of history.