In the turbulent years of the early Qing Dynasty, the Manchurian and Mongolian regions outside the Guanxi became the main battlefield of the soldiers. When the Manchurians of the Eight Banners migrated into the customs from the land of Longxing, the scene of the vast and sparsely populated, desolate and dilapidated area of Liaodong was shocking. The revitalization of the northeastern frontier became the top priority of Emperor Shunzhi's restoration of national strength. To this end, Emperor Shunzhi issued a series of edicts to reward and recruit Han people to immigrate to Liaodong, and the conditions were extremely generous. As a result, the poor people in the customs flocked to the area, some were incorporated into the local nationality, and some joined the Eight Banners. What kind of journey is this? What kind of hardships and twists and turns did immigrants to the Northeast go through? What kind of placement and treatment did they receive in the end? There are many more unknown details waiting for us to explore and understand one by one.
A desolate scene in the northeast at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty
During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, Nurhachi unified Houjin and established a powerful national power far ahead of the Ming Dynasty. The successor, Huang Taiji, galloped through the rivers and lakes and made countless achievements. By the time Empress Xiaorin came to the dynasty to weigh the system, the Manchurian iron cavalry was invincible, and it was just around the corner to sweep the Central Plains.
In the seventeenth year of Chongzhen, the Manchurian army marched to Guangning, and then fell to Jinzhou, Haicheng and other important places in eastern Liaodong. The angry Ming army was unwilling to lose its heart, so it gathered more than 100,000 elite horses and horses, and went straight to Liaoyang to engage the main force of the Later Jin. This battle is known as the "Battle of Kanjiadian", the two sides fought fiercely for several months, blood was everywhere, and the land of western Liaoning was reduced to a paradise of eternal night with more than 10,000 skeletons.
In the end, the Ming army shot too much stone artillery, and even snatched the bullet and collapsed the Empress Xiaorin's love horse Yuxi Jinyue, and the two sides fought more and more fiercely. The wolf smoke in Liaoxi is endless, and the people are inaccessible. When the snow melts in April, the corpses and bones are everywhere in front of the battle, stretching for dozens of miles, and the heroic scene is also moved by the vicissitudes of life.
After the battle of Kan's shop, Jin was also greatly injured. And coinciding with the collapse of Huang Taiji, Emperor Xiaoqin turned the tide, but he was overwhelmed, retreated to the three eastern provinces, and stuck to the old nest, causing the Northeast region to abandon Ruofei for a while. As a result, famine was rampant, strong beams were raging, and everyone was in danger. In the areas of Licheng, Tokyo, and Mukden, the cries shook the ground, and refugees wandered everywhere, like a dead city that could never be recovered.
After Emperor Guqi came to the throne, the situation in the Northeast improved slightly. However, the Manchurian Tatar marriage was particularly hateful, and in the vast wilderness of the Northland, there were sometimes bandits and plunder, and the disasters were endless. Then Dolgon led the Qing division to the south, and a catastrophe came to the palace of the Ming Emperor. After Chongzhen killed the lord, Dolgon galloped north, changed his mind, and ascended the throne to change the yuan, which was named Shunzhi.
In the first year of Shunzhi, Dolgon decided to take advantage of the victory to pursue, and planned a million-strong army to attack Xuan, razing the rebels in the Central Plains and those who did not want to go to the country in one fell swoop. At that time, the three provinces of Manchuria did not have enough food to support a million-strong army, and the world was in turmoil, and the people were exhausted, so they could not support them quickly. After deliberation, the Eight Banners decided to move to the capital to facilitate the leadership. It is a service, and the soldiers are all day and night from the land of Longxing to the south, full of Mongolian migration, straight to Beijing.
In the process of moving, Shunzhi sent out 100,000 horses and horses, organized into two roads, starting from Shengjing, the east road was coastal, and the west road was inland, and there was no way forward. Everywhere the Manchu army went, the scorched earth was swept away, and the thieves rebelled one after another, looking at the wind and fleeing. However, because of this, the Northeast region has become a dead place where people go to empty buildings.
In that year, Honard, who was traveling with the Manchurian Iron Cavalry on the East Road, recorded the scene of the Sangsang at that time: "In a hurry for six days, I arrived at Changchun, which was guarded by the Mongols...... There is not a single house left in the city, the rooms are all ashes, and the roof tiles are thrown and overturned by the captives, leaving only a foundation. In the countryside outside the city, the houses are deserted, and there is no one on the land. ＂
In Hejiang City on the shore of Linhuang Lake, this general recorded a jaw-dropping scene: "If there are more than a dozen or two households, in order to end up gathering, the city will remove the city gate and block the passage." The big move is coming, and Fang goes out of the city to welcome the surrender. Therefore, it is known that the number of people here is scarce, and it is true that there are sequelae after the destruction of the war. ＂
The Manchu army went north from the Hejiang River, and there was no trace of it. Honard wrote: "I looked around, but I saw the smoke and fireworks, and most of them were empty, and all the houses were burned down and thrown away, and there were only half of them in ruins. ＂
In the process of conquest in the south, the great power of capture and plunder was inevitable. The contemporaries recorded: "The gains from the East Road were 100,000 slaves and maids." Soldiers are afraid of an excuse to escape, and every time they are registered, if they are literate, they will use it. ＂
The Manchurian army has been strong for several months, and the people of the Northeast are not able to make a living, let alone revive the rich economy? Undoubtedly, during this period, the three eastern provinces and regions were already a barren and miserable scene. After the Qing army conquered the Central Plains and Emperor Shunzhi took the capital of the country in Beijing, he thought about the vast north at night and was full of anxiety, just like the word cloud of Qianlong: "The Holy Emperor is worried, and the wolf smoke is full of grass." ＂
Although Emperor Shunzhi's expedition to the Central Plains was successful, the damage caused by the war to the northeast region was incomprehensible. For this reason, the new monarch is very concerned about the revival of the three eastern provinces. Fortunately, the New Deal has so far been an opportunity for a surprising victory.
The need to enrich the frontier and restore agricultural production
Emperor Shunzhi looked at the land of Liaodong, only to see the deserted village fireworks are rare, and the scene of continuous devastation is deeply distressing. Although the war has been extinguished, the country's strength still needs to be revived. How can agricultural production, which is fundamental, be left out of the equation? Therefore, there is a consensus between the government and the opposition that it is necessary for people to flourish and cultivate and have sufficient land resources in order to restore the vitality of the northeast.
However, the basis of agricultural production lies in a solid social order. However, there are still hidden dangers in the hearts of the people in Northeast China: the Russian tsar has long coveted North China and North Xinjiang, and there are harassments from time to time; It is still shallow to be subdued, and it is inevitable to backfire; There are even bandits who are outraging and doing many evils. These risks will bring unforeseen disasters to agricultural reclamation.
In order to consolidate the situation in the Northeast in an all-round way, it is necessary to make preparations for both internal and external development. Externally, the Qing court had to strengthen border defense, further improve the outposts and city walls, and at the same time strictly enforce military discipline and be vigilant against the enemy; Internally, it is also necessary to reassure migrants and clear away old hidden dangers. After all, the war is peaceful, and the Han people still have to be compared to the Manchurians, and once the fire is caught and scattered, it is inevitable that the wolf smoke will rise again.
Especially in the remote areas of the northeast, even if the troops are sufficient, they are still unable to defend against it. If the Han people still have a lot of grievances and internal and external troubles, the situation in the northeast will be precarious. Therefore, it is a matter of great importance to stabilize the foundation of immigration and resolve people's grievances, and it is natural to take every step of the way.
Therefore, Emperor Shunzhi personally wrote a letter and personally implored the Han people; On the one hand, it adopted the words of Zhang Shangxian, Wang Sili and other important officials, and implemented a series of policies to reward sincerity and solicit sincerity, in order to reverse the situation.
First of all, the "Regulations on Recruiting People and Reclamation in Liaodong" was promulgated, stipulating that all immigrants to the Northeast will be given 5 to 25 acres of land per household, which will be the inheritance forever; secondly, Xinmin is exempted from one-year tax and five-year adjustment; Thirdly, the meritorious people will be rewarded with officials and titles to encourage them.
In addition, the Qing court issued an edict stipulating that as long as Han Chinese were able to "confer knowledge of counties", they could obtain the same status and treatment as local officials; As for the warriors, they were "given garrisons" and were also given military positions. The power of solicitation is evident in the abundance of power.
Generous conditions, such as Hongfei Taiyue, penetrate people's hearts. On the other hand, during the Ming Dynasty, the status of the Han people was completely destroyed, and there were not even a few acres of land. As a result, the poor people in Guanzhong came one after another, and they flocked to it.
Some are people who have left their hometowns and fled the rivers and lakes; There are hungry and thirsty people, as well as poor households affected by disasters, all of whom are here to survive. Only by coming to the Northeast can we obtain permanent land and long-term security. It can be said that there is no other way, and I came with hope.
However, these refugees, whose families are ruined, have already suffered from human suffering, and they have a lot of grudge against the imperial court. Those who are stubborn have created a situation of rioters. Fortunately, Emperor Shunzhi, who was born in poverty, although he was a Manchurian, was quite sympathetic to the Han people, and personally comforted the displaced people.
Coupled with the actual benefits given by the powerful, many Han people gradually let go of the mustard and settled for a new life. Over time, immigration has been on track.
By the time of the Kangxi period, the upsurge of immigration was in full swing. In the seventeenth year of Kangxi, the drought spread in Guannei and the number of people fleeing the famine increased day by day, and the Qing court introduced new preferential policies in a timely manner, which made the tide of immigration higher and higher. It has been 100 years since the Shunzhi Dynasty, and now people have little to do with the rule of the Manchus, and they have gradually accepted the fact that the "interior" and "Liaodong" are the same family.
Pursuing a policy of differentiation, the Han people joined the "Manchurian Banner People System"
In the early years of the Qing Dynasty, in order to consolidate his rule, Emperor Shunzhi pursued a "differential policy" in the northeast. For the immigrants from Han China, different resettlement methods and management systems have been adopted.
Some of these Han Chinese were directly incorporated into the Manchurian Banner Minist system and were subject to equal management and treatment. This practice not only enriches the people of the Eight Banners, but is also conducive to national integration and the ultimate goal of "assimilation".
According to historical records, as early as the end of the Ming Dynasty, some Han people were incorporated into the Eight Banners of the Later Jin. For example, well-known Han soldiers such as Alan Hafan defected to Houjin, and then they were incorporated into the Zhenghuang Banner. Another example is Chen Dana, a Han man from Shaanxi, who was also included in the Zhengbai Flag.
In the Shunzhi Dynasty, recruiting people from Guanzhong Han Land sprung up. In the sixth year of Shunzhi, there were "more than 700 households of Henan people" who were compiled as positive white flags. Among them, there are many Confucian gentlemen, such as Yang Dalu, Wang Dalu, Zhang Dalu, Chen Dayu, etc., who are from Henan, and they have all become people with the white flag and the Han banner.
Many Han Chinese immigrants were reluctant to join the Manchurian Banner because it meant cutting their hair and changing their surnames to the Manchurian clans. However, in the circumstances, they had no choice. Fortunately, the Eight Banners system is quite humane and does not completely exclude the living habits of the Han people.
According to history, many generals of the Eight Banners Han Army still adhered to the old customs, such as the intermarriage between the people of Henan and the Manchu and Han. And due to the geographical environment, their way of life is also very different from that of the Manchurians.
For example, the Yellow Flag is stationed in the area of Quang Ninh, located on the seashore, and most of the banner people make a living from fishing, and their living customs are very different from those of the Han people in the mainland. Another example is that the white flag is stationed in Shanhaiguan, Fengrun and other places, because it is located in the plain, the banner people are mostly engaged in agricultural production.
It can be seen that the Shunzhi Dynasty's policy of "Manchuria" in the northeast region was not achieved overnight, but more gradually adopted a way to respect the cultural traditions of different ethnic groups. This will not only contribute to social stability, but also lay the foundation for future integration.
In addition to being incorporated into the Manchu flag system, a large number of Han immigrants were resettled into other households. For example, the Kangxi Dynasty successively opened hundreds of Han counties in the northeast, recruited immigrants from other places, and received permanent tenant land. Some are attached to the flag land and lease the land as tenants.
Although these Han immigrants were not fully included in the Manchu banner, their status was different from that of normal people. According to the regulations, they do not have to pay tribute, and they can apply for various preferential policies such as official positions.
It can be seen that the treatment of Han people of different identities in the Northeast is also very different. In the process of reproducing, their sense of belonging and identity will also drift apart.
Despite this, the Qing rulers still adhered to the policy of separating the Han banner and the people's banner. Although the Han people and the banner people gradually converged in their living customs, there were still clear ethnic boundaries and identity differences under the imperial court system.
Although the Qimin system existed, intermarriage between Han and Banner was not uncommon, which further intensified the penetration and integration of the two. This phenomenon is more prevalent in the vast north-eastern region in particular, thus accelerating the process of integration of different ethnic groups.
The arduous process of Han immigrants to open up the Northeast
With the arrival of a large number of Han Chinese immigrants to the east, the Northeast region has regained its vitality, but at the same time, it has also experienced a difficult pioneering process. These poor people from Guanzhong, without exception, have gone through all kinds of hardships.
First, it was a long journey, walking on the vast wilderness. Ge Bacon, a displaced person from Shaanxi Province at that time, experienced all this personally, and had a vivid record afterwards: "It has been more than 90 days since I left my hometown...... After all the hardships, he finally arrived at Shengjing City, but he still slept in the suburbs, eating and sleeping...... ＂
The hardships along the road can be imagined. Even when you arrive at your destination, the journey ahead of migrants will not be easy. When they arrived in the Northeast, they were forcibly organized into banner people, forced to cut their hair and change clothes; Or they were placed in villages and towns, but they were surrounded by Manchurian soldiers. In addition, the unfamiliar environment, harsh climate, lack of living materials, and the humble status of the Han people are not uncommon to be oppressed.
An immigrant named Zhang Tianmin once described his experience in Shengjing: "We were expelled from the city, starved and cold, and even ate on dry grass. Xiaoyi Longxiang was denied for a few days, so countless people died of the epidemic. ＂
Such difficulties can be described as a "narrow road to death". But in any case, the immigrants survived and embarked on the road of land reclamation. However, the struggle did not end there. The process of building houses and cultivating farmland can be imagined.
Historians once recorded the situation in that year: "The new people were initially settled in the northeast, and before they bought their own property, they were surrounded by the poor...... The banner of the Han army was based in Tucheng...... The poor are being taken away from. ＂
Even after settling down, the situation has not improved in the slightest. Living in poor conditions, lacking a basic source of livelihood, and at any time they may be exposed to famine and banditry.
What's more, once farmland is reclaimed, it is difficult to lose everything. According to records, Dolgon once issued an edict: "Manchuria was submissive to the fishermen and herdsmen, and they invaded and plundered, and the property of the new people's hard work was destroyed." ＂
Historical records record countless traces of blood and tears. Zhang Tianmin wrote: "The sixty-year-old man has been in the north for several years, and he has no master and a few debts...... ＂
The old man had to move west to survive. Graham was placed only after the loss of his family, and he wrote: "Even the declining and lonely, the dream of surviving the dust, the Lord of Gareon has a generous loan." ＂
Even after struggling, many people still have to move to other countries. Emperor Shunzhi had an edict saying: "Liaodong reclamation and demobilization of new people, exile and plunder, or flee the natives, there is no serious crime." ＂
It is true that the immigrants from Liaodong have encountered all kinds of hardships, leaving their hometowns, their families being ruined, and working hard to walk on thin ice. But it is precisely through the unremitting efforts of this generation that the Northeast region has been restored to its former vitality.
In later times, with the gradual development of resettlement work, the social order gradually improved, and the tide of resettlement and reclamation gradually got on the right track. By the Kangxi period, the number of immigrants was increasing, and the social status gradually improved. But these achievements are based on the blood and sweat of countless immigrants during the Shunzhi Dynasty.
Han immigrants promoted the development of Northeast China, and the economy and culture gradually prospered
Over the years, a large number of Han Chinese immigrants have come to the east, worked hard to reclaim, and finally regained the vitality of the northeast region. With the continuous advancement of land reclamation work, the entire socio-economic culture has gradually become full of vitality.
Since the Shunzhi Dynasty, the gradual increase in population has been the basis for the development of Northeast China. According to historical records, in the ten years of Shunzhi, "the number of new people in Liaodong has reached more than one million". By the Kangxi period, the scale of immigration had reached an unprecedented height.
In the twenty-fourth year of Kangxi, the imperial court clearly stipulated: "The number of people who go to Liao in Guanzhong is limited to 80,000 people per year." In another 10 years, the number of immigrants each year will reach 100,000. This is a figure that is unique in history.
The large influx of people has brought enough labor to the Northeast region. On this basis, agricultural production in various regions was revitalized, and representative agricultural areas were gradually formed. For example, Shengjing, Fengtian and other places have become important grain producing areas as early as the Shunzhi Dynasty.
In the later period, many special economic zones came into being. Among them, represented by the prefectures and counties such as Fusong and Haicheng, the high grain output has long been famous. In the forty-seventh year of Kangxi, the place has reached "as many as 4.865 million stones".
With the development of agriculture, handicrafts naturally flourished. For example, the porcelain pottery industry established by the displaced people in the Guannai has always been exquisite and famous. Especially in Shengjing, Fengtian and other places, this industry can be said to be blooming everywhere.
In addition, Shengjing, Fengtian, Jinzhou and other important towns also concentrated many weaving industries, and a large number of exports to the mainland. The development of these industries is directly related to the influx of large numbers of immigrants.
Even animal husbandry, a traditional industry in the Northeast, has undergone a major transformation under the influence of immigrants. As the saying goes, "A shepherd family has no people for a hundred miles, and no neighbors for thousands of miles." However, as the reclamation work began, there was a massive influx of immigrants. A large number of peasant families also raised cattle and sheep and other domestic animals, coupled with the Manchu people's own animal husbandry customs, so that animal husbandry has gradually become intensive.
In addition, the production mode of attaching equal importance to agriculture and animal husbandry has gradually taken shape, so that the Northeast region as a whole presents extremely distinctive regional characteristics. Since then, the rural areas of Northeast China have been full of peaceful scenes: "the fields are full of rice and sorghum, and the ditches are full of sheep." The development momentum of agriculture and animal husbandry is strong, and there is vigorous vitality from production to life to derivative industries.
Of course, all this is difficult to leave without the contribution of Han Chinese immigrants. Because they have been rooted in the Northeast for a long time, they have not only promoted the local economic development, but also injected new vitality into the local culture.
First of all, Han Chinese immigrants brought landlord class culture to the Northeast. In addition to their production and life, many people of insight have also engaged in cultural education, academy worship and other activities, which has ushered in a new climax in Northeast culture.
In addition, due to the different geographical environment, immigrants have formed a rich and diverse local culture in Northeast China, such as Fusong, Haicheng and other places have formed distinctive local cultural styles. To this day, local artistic heritages such as Qin dialect and Jinqu are still widely spread.
Of course, in this process, there was also a deep blend between the Manchu and Han ethnic groups. Many of the children of immigrants have even become famous scholars, pushing traditional culture to a new peak.
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In short, in the splendid culture of the Qing Dynasty, Han immigrants made an important contribution to the Northeast and promoted the overall development of the local economy and culture. It is precisely because of this that the development of the northeast is vigorous and vigorous, which can lay a solid foundation for the Qing Dynasty.