China knows everything for 5000 years

Chapter 59

Xu Xiake has made outstanding contributions to karstology, and also made great achievements in hydrological research.Xu Xiake wrote "Jiangyuan Kao", which questioned the claim that the Yangtze River originated from Minshan Mountain in Sichuan since ancient times, and argued that the source of the Yangtze River comes from the Jinsha River, and its flow will not be shorter than the Yellow River.It is basically consistent with the data of the contemporary scientific investigation of the Yangtze River.

Xu Xiake is also the author of "Panjiang Kao", and has also conducted surveys on other water systems, correcting every mistake in the ancient books.Many of his accounts are still irrefutable scientific conclusions.

The book "Xu Xiake's Travel Notes" is a scientific work of Chinese geomorphology and karstology, and it is also a talented literary masterpiece.At the same time, it records a large number of precious materials related to biology, mineralogy, folklore, and local history.

##No.20 Seventh Series The Declining Royal Court——Qing Dynasty

After Nurhachi was founded
Political corruption in the late Ming Dynasty, a branch of Jurchen in Northeast my country—Jianzhou Jurchen took the opportunity to expand its power and gradually became stronger. Its leader was Aixinjueluo Nurhachi.Nurhaci was born in a noble family of Jianzhou Jurchen. His grandfather Jue Changan and father Ta Keshi were both Jianzhou Jurchen nobles. They were named Jianzhou Zuowei officials by the Ming Dynasty.Nurhachi has practiced horseback riding and archery since he was a child, and he has developed a good martial arts.He likes to read novels such as "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Water Margin", and he is very envious of those heroes who are all-powerful.When Nurhachi was 25 years old, Nikan Wailan, the lord of Toulon City in the Jurchen Ministry of Jianzhou, colluded with and led the Ming army to attack Atai, the lord of Gulezhai.Atai's wife is Jue Chang'an's granddaughter. Jue Chang'an was worried when he heard the news, so he took Takeshi to Gule Village to visit his granddaughter. Tu Keshi was killed by the Ming army in the melee.After burying his grandfather and father, Nurhachi started his army in 1583 with his father and ancestor's Yijia 13 deputy, and gradually unified the various ministries in Jianzhou. On the surface, he was extremely respectful to the Ming Dynasty, but in fact he secretly expanded his power.

Later, Nurhachi defeated the 3 coalition forces of the nine Haixi Jurchen Yehe and Hada, and unified the Hulun four Haixi Jurchen and most of the East China Sea Jurchen.In terms of cultural construction, Nurhachi ordered Erdeni and Gagai to use Mongolian letters to annotate Manchu phonetics and create Manchu.In 1601 A.D., Nurhaci created the Eight Banners system, which was expanded from the Jurchen's cattle record. 1 Niulu is 300 people, 25 Niulu is Yigushan, and the leader is called "Gushan Ezhen" (Chinese translation "Dutong").Each Gushan has a flag of its own color. At that time, the Manchurian Army had a total of 4 Gushans, which were divided into four colors: red, yellow, blue, and white.In 4 A.D., the Manchurian army was expanded, and four Gushan Mountains, Xianghuang, Xiangbai, Xianghong, and Xianglan were added. There are 1615 Gushans in total, with 4 people. "Gushan" means "banner" in the Manchu language. Gushan was established in August, also known as the "Eight Banners System".Nurhachi is the leader of the Eight Banners.

In 1608 AD, Nurhaci stopped paying tribute to the Ming government.In 1616 AD, he believed that the time was ripe. With the support of the nobles of the Eight Banners, he proclaimed Khan in Hetuala, the country was named Dajin, and he changed Yuan Tianming, openly rebelling against the Ming Dynasty.In order to distinguish it from the Jin Dynasty, it was called "Later Jin" in history.

●Nurha Chining lost far
After the Sarhu War, Nurhachi successively captured more than 70 cities east of the Liaohe River, and approached Shanhaiguan, which greatly threatened the security of Beijing.

Xi Zongzhu called the ministers to discuss the situation.Yuan Chonghuan, the head of the Ministry of War in charge of maps and records, studied the situation inside and outside the pass in detail, and reported to Sun Chengzong, Shangshu of the Ministry of War: "As long as you give me the soldiers and horses, I can defend Liaodong." 20 salary, and he was asked to command the Ming army outside the pass.

Yuan Chonghuan, courtesy name Element Element and nickname Ziru, was born in Dongguan, Guangdong.He is courageous, resourceful, far-sighted, loyal and patriotic.He has always been very concerned about the situation in Liaodong. When he meets veterans who have returned from Liaodong, he always asks about the situation outside the Great Wall in detail. He has long been confident about the situation in Liaodong.

After Yuan Chonghuan left the customs, he was not afraid of the difficult environment outside the customs, and built fortifications while taking in refugees.He built a two-foot-high and two-foot-wide city wall in Ningyuan (now Xingcheng, Liaoning), and equipped it with various firearms and artillery.The critical situation in Liaodong was quickly reversed.Soon, Ningyuan became an important military town outside the pass for the Ming Dynasty.With the support of Sun Chengzong, he sent troops to recover several cities and maintained the peace of Liaodong for 4 years.

Later, Sun Chengzong, who supported Ai Chonghuan, was squeezed out by Wei Zongxian and dismissed as an official. Wei Zongxian's minion Gao Di was in charge of the Liaodong military.Gaodi didn't understand military affairs, so he withdrew all the troops and food, making Ningyuan become an isolated city again.Seeing this situation, Nurhachi personally led an army of 1626 to attack Ningyuan City in 13 AD, and surrounded Ningyuan tightly.Yuan Chonghuan, who guards the city, has only more than 1 people, and he is isolated and very dangerous.But Yuan Chonghuan was not discouraged.He bit his finger, and wrote a blood letter for the soldiers to read to the soldiers.The soldiers were all moved by Yuan Chonghuan, and they expressed that they would stick to Ningyuan with General Yuan.

Then, Yuan Chonghuan ordered all the people outside the city to evacuate into the city, burn down the houses outside the city, and not leave a grain of food for the Hou Jin army.He assigned tasks to the officials in the city, some in charge of the army's food supply, and some in charge of tracking down the traitors.He also sent a letter to the guards of the Ming army in Shanhaiguan, ordering them to kill the officers and soldiers who fled back to the pass from Ningyuan.Here is an order, and Ning Yuan's heart has settled down.After 20 days, Nurhachi led the Houjin Army to the city of Ningyuan.With shields on their heads, the Houjin soldiers braved the Ming army's arrows, stones and artillery fire to attack the city violently.Yuan Chonghuan ordered to use the cannons that had been prepared long ago. The Houjin soldiers who rushed to the front were blasted to pieces, and those who were not dead were forced to retreat.

The next day, Nurhachi personally supervised the battle and concentrated a large force to attack the city.Yuan Chonghuan boarded the watchtower of the tower and calmly monitored the actions of the Jin army.He didn't order the gunners to aim at the place where the enemy was densely populated until the Jin army rushed to the place approaching the city wall.This burst of shelling caused greater casualties to the Jin army, and Nurhachi, who was supervising the battle behind, was also seriously injured.

The two armies fought fiercely for 3 days in a row, and the Jin army lost 3 games in 3 battles. Finally, due to heavy casualties, they had to escape from the siege.Nurhachi said angrily to people: "I have been invincible since I was 25 years old. Why can't the isolated city of Ningyuan be captured!" Died within a few days.

●Huang Taiji ascended the throne and established the Qing Dynasty
Nurhachi died shortly after being injured in the Battle of Ningyuan.After Nurhachi's death, the Eight Banners stood side by side, each with its own strength.Nurhachi's eighth son, Huang Taiji, was the most powerful, and was supported as Khan and changed to Yuan Tiancong.The regime followed the original primitive military democracy, with Huang Taiji and his brothers Daishan, Amin, and Manggurtai four Baylors co-chairing major military and political affairs.Huang Taiji changed the name of the Yi family to Manchuria, and carried out a series of reforms: weakening Baylor's power; establishing a literary museum and the three inner courts; reusing Han officials, Han generals and Han literati; establishing the Eight Banners of the Han Army and the Eight Banners of Mongolia, with the same organization as the Eight Banners of Manchuria , directly obeying Khan's orders, expanded the source of troops, enhanced combat effectiveness; reorganized the village; strengthened the legal system.

After carrying out a series of reforms, Houjin achieved successive military victories, its economy gradually prospered, and its politics became increasingly stable.Huang Taiji's status was respected day by day, so he proclaimed himself emperor in Shengjing in 1636 AD, changed the name of the country to "Qing", and changed the Yuan to Chongde.

●Dorgon moved the capital to Beijing
In 1644 AD, after the traitor Wu Sangui surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, he led the Qing army led by Dorgon into Shanhaiguan.Li Zicheng knew that the disparity in strength between the enemy and ourselves was not good for the peasant army, so he decided to withdraw from Beijing and prepare for a long-term resistance to the Qing Dynasty.On April 29, Li Zicheng ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor in the Wuying Hall, the imperial palace of the Ming Dynasty, and led the army to withdraw to Shaanxi the next morning.Two days later, the Qing army marched to the foot of Beijing.When the civil servants and generals of the Ming Dynasty in Beijing heard the news, they rushed out of the city to meet him.They walked out five miles away from the city gate, knelt on both sides of the avenue, and kept knocking their heads regardless of the dust raised by thousands of troops.Dorgon ordered the officials of the Ming Dynasty to lead the way and enter the palace from Chaoyang Gate through Zhengyang Gate.Dorgon fulfilled the long-cherished wish of Nurhachi and Huang Taiji for many years and occupied Beijing.He decided to move the capital to Beijing immediately.A few days later, the envoy who was ordered to go back to pick up the little emperor Shunzhi took Dorgon's personal letter and set off on the road.

In October of this year, Shunzhi came to Beijing from Shengjing.Dorgon issued an edict in the name of the little emperor, and Yibu took Beijing as its capital.Since then, the Qing Dynasty has grown from a small court located in the northeast to a Qing Empire ruling the whole country.The Empress Dowager, the mother of Emperor Shunzhi, married Dorgon in order to please Dorgon and consolidate her son's throne.As a result, Dorgon was named the emperor's father and regent.

● Zheng Chenggong regained Taiwan
In 1624 AD, the Dutch colonists forcibly occupied Taiwan, our territory.They built two aggressive strongholds, Chixian City and Taiwan City, in the area of ​​Anping Bay on the southwest coast of Taiwan.They exploited the people of our country, imposed heavy taxes, plundered livestock and people, and trafficked people into slavery.The various atrocities committed by the colonists aroused the anger of the people of Taiwan. They rose up to resist, but due to the lack of necessary coordination, command and corresponding weapons, they failed to drive away the group of invaders.

In 1661 AD, in order to fight against the Qing army for a long time, Zheng Chenggong decided to lead the navy to recover Taiwan, establish a base area, and continue his great cause of fighting against the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty.Zheng Chenggong was born in Hirado, Japan. His father, Zheng Zhilong, was a merchant in Japan.In 1630 AD, 6-year-old Zheng Chenggong returned to China from Japan.He has practiced literature and martial arts since he was a child, and gradually knows the art of war.In 1645 A.D., Zheng Chenggong was trusted by Zhu Yujian, Emperor Longwu of the Southern Ming Dynasty. He was given the surname Zhu and changed his name to Chenggong.In 1646 AD, the Qing army attacked the Nanming Longwu regime. Zheng Chenggong opposed his father Zheng Zhilong's surrender without a fight. He raised troops in Nan'ao (in today's Guangdong) to fight against the Qing army, and continued to fight against the Qing army in the coastal areas of Fujian.The Qing Dynasty knew that Zheng Chenggong was a general capable of commanding troops and fighting, so he sent people to lure him to surrender several times, but Zheng Chenggong refused.The Qing Dynasty sent his younger brother to bring a letter from Zheng Zhilong to persuade him to surrender. His younger brother said: "If you don't surrender again, I'm afraid my father's life will be lost."

In June 1659 AD, in order to contain the Qing army's three-way siege of the Yongli small court in the Southern Ming Dynasty, Zheng Chenggong cooperated with Zhang Huangyan and led 6 battalions of 3 land and water troops into the Yangtze River through Chongming, breaking the Qing army's Rolling River Dragon (Hengjiang Chain), Wooden Floating camp (Muzha on the river with soldiers and guns), Ke Guazhou, took Zhenjiang, and encircled Nanjing.The Qing court was terrified, and Emperor Shunzhi was terrified and ordered a personal conquest. After being rebuked, he ordered Dasu, the minister of the interior, to be General Annan, and to lead troops to reinforce Jiangnan.

In 1660 A.D., Zheng Chenggong wiped out more than 4 sailors led by the Qing general Dasu in Haimen Port (now Longhaidong) in Fujian, and his army regained its prestige.

At the beginning of 1661 AD, Zheng Chenggong organized a military meeting in Xiamen, determined to take Taiwan as the base, ordered the repair of ships, adjusted deployment, and stepped up preparations for the restoration of Taiwan.At the end of March, Zheng Chenggong led an army of 2.5 people and hundreds of warships. Guided by the former Dutch translator He Tingbin and fishermen familiar with the route, he set off from Liaoluo Bay in Kinmen, crossed the Taiwan Strait, and arrived in Penghu the next day.

At the beginning of April, Zheng Chenggong first seized the North Line Wei Island on the south side of Luermen Port (north of Anping Port, Tainan) with more than 4000 people; he led more than [-] main force through the Great Bay and went straight to the north of Chikan City (in today's Tainan City). Heliao Port immediately landed on the main island of Taiwan.

Zheng Chenggong first commanded the soldiers to surround Chixian City, and cut off the connection between the two defenders of Chixian City and Taiwan City.The governor of the Dutch army, Kui, sent reinforcements several times, but they were all wiped out.Under Qiang Chenggong's poor skills, Kui Yi sent an envoy to Zheng Chenggong's camp to negotiate a peace, and promised to give Zheng Chenggong a large amount of military supplies and silver. Zheng Chenggong sternly refused, and solemnly reiterated: Taiwan has been China's territory since ancient times. You must return it to China unconditionally. Allow for further bargaining.

At the beginning of 1662 AD, under the repeated siege of Zheng Chenggong and the heavy blow to the reinforcements of the Dutch army, Kui Yi's hope of resisting and waiting for help was completely shattered, and he was forced to disarm and sign the surrender document.So far, the island of Taiwan, which has been enslaved for 38 years, has finally returned to the embrace of the motherland.Afterwards, Zheng Chenggong established an administrative agency in Taiwan, changed Chixian to Mingjing, the eastern capital, established Chengtianfu, Tianxing, and Wannian counties, and changed Taiwan City to Anping Town.Issued the Reclamation Order, organized the Ministry to reclaim wasteland and store food, and rectified laws and regulations, which promoted the development of Taiwan's local politics and economy.In June of that year, at the age of 39, Zheng Chenggong, a generation of famous anti-Qing generals, heroes who expelled the Netherlands, and national hero who recovered Taiwan, died of illness in Taiwan.

●Loyal minister Huang Zongxi
Huang Zongxi, courtesy name Taichong, nickname Nanlei, known as Mr. Lizhou in the world, was born in Yuyao, Zhejiang.His father, Huang Zunsu, was a well-known member of the Donglin Party at that time. He had close contacts with Yang Lian and Zuo Guangdou, the core figures of the Donglin Party. Killed in prison.In 1626 AD, Ming Xizong died.In the second year, his younger brother Zhu Youjian came to the throne and changed Yuan Chongzhen.Huang Zongxi took the sharp cone and rushed to Beijing in the starry night, determined to seek revenge on those eunuchs who killed his father.When Huang Zongxi rushed to Beijing, his father's grievance had been cleared. Wei Zhongxian committed suicide in fear of crime, but Wei Zhongxian's party members were still at large.He wrote to Emperor Chongzhen, requesting the beheading of Xu Xianchun, Cui Yingyuan, Li Shi and others who directly killed his father.The first one appeared in court to confront him. With a sharp awl in his hand, Xu Xianchun bled and cried for mercy. Cui Yingyuan was also terrified. After Huang Zongxi argued hard, Xu and Cui were sentenced to death.Li Shi, who fabricated the crime of Huang Zongxi's father back then, immediately sent Huang Zongxi 1627 taels of silver after hearing the news, hoping that Huang Zongxi would not be held accountable for him. Huang Zongxi wrote to Emperor Chongzhen again to expose Li Shi's ugly behavior.In the end, Li Shi was also sent to the army.Huang Zongxi's series of actions caused a sensation in Beijing and won the unanimous praise of the people. Emperor Chongzhen also praised him as a "loyal minister and orphan".

Back in his hometown, Huang Zongxi forgot to eat and sleep, studying and copying books desperately.He has carefully reviewed the collections of Shixuelou and Danshengtang in his hometown, Qianqingtang and Jiangyunlou in Nanzhong, which laid a solid academic foundation for him.In 1630 AD, he joined Fushe, the most influential literati group in society at that time.This is a literati joint organization that "emphasizes integrity, despises life and death, strictly conducts itself, and distinguishes right from wrong" and vows to fight treacherous ministers and sycophants to the end.Huang Zongxi and Gu Dai (the grandson of Gu Xiancheng) posted the "Southern Metropolis Disorder Public Exposure" denouncing the second Wei Zhongxian-like figure—Ruan Dacheng.This suddenly caused a sensation in Nanjing again. Ruan Dacheng, who was eager to try, was ruthlessly exposed by Huang Zongxi and others, and his ugly and sinister face was completely exposed, so he had to hide and dared not act in public.

In 1644 AD, Li Zicheng invaded Beijing and Emperor Chongzhen was hanged.Ruan Dacheng's best friend Ma Shiying assisted Zhu Yousong to proclaim himself emperor in Nanjing. Ruan Dacheng served as Minister of the Ministry of War. As soon as he came to power, he threw out a blacklist called "Locust Grass Records" and wanted to kill Donglin Party members and Fushe members.Unfortunately, Huang Zongxi was arrested. Due to the postponement of the interrogation, the Qing army invaded Nanjing in 1645 AD, and Huang Zongxi was lucky to escape.At this time, Zhang Guowei, Zhang Huangyan and others supported Lu Wang Zhu Yihai in Shaoxing to insist on resisting the Qing Dynasty, and Huang Zongxi "gathered hundreds of Huangzhupu children" to respond.He was appointed as the supervisory censor of the Lu Wang regime, and since then embarked on the arduous journey of resisting the Qing Dynasty for eight years.Sun Jiaji, Xiong Rulin and others who were in charge of military affairs in the Lu Wang regime were a group of incompetent scholars who dared not lead troops to regain lost ground. discouraged.In 8 A.D., Qing troops occupied eastern Zhejiang, and King Lu fled south.Huang Zongxi led 1646 remnant soldiers to defend in Siming Mountain to resist the attack of Qing soldiers, but was finally defeated due to weak strength.In order to avoid the rewards offered by the rulers of the Qing Dynasty, Huang Zongxi was placed in the mountains and grass. In the case of very difficult board and lodging, he still created and completed "Spring and Autumn Eclipse Calendar", "Shoushi Calendar" and "Gu Datong Calendar" with tenacious perseverance. ", "Newly Pushing the eclipse method to grant time calendar", "Western calendar if", "Pythagorean illustration", "Foretelling fortune telling", "Eight line solution for cutting circle", "Essence of measuring circle" and other works of astronomy and mathematics, which add to the history of science and technology in our country A glorious page.

In the days of desperation, after learning of the whereabouts of King Lu, he went to King Lu's tent again.But at this time, King Lu was controlled by a group of stupid generals, and he couldn't come up with a strategy to restore the Ming Dynasty. Although the civil servants had high ambitions, they finally had nothing to do.Huang Zongxi wrote in "Sijiulu": "The muscles are still on the back of the whale, and the setting sun is raging, facing each other sadly, but I feel that the rise and fall of ancient times, at this time of intersection, where can the rotten Confucianism be allowed to speak!" Unable to live this mediocre life, he decided to return to his hometown and "devote himself to writing".When the Ming and Qing Dynasties changed, the intellectuals generally had the following performances: one was to submit to the Qing Dynasty obediently and became a "second minister"; the other was to adopt a non-cooperative attitude and become a "hermit". "The other is the path chosen by Huang Zongxi. Out of his deep love for the motherland and the nation, he carefully summed up the historical experience, sorted out the precious cultural heritage, explored the correct thinking of mankind, and cultivated a generation of practical talents.

In 1661 AD, Kangxi came to the throne, and the rule of the Qing Dynasty was basically stable. Huang Zongxi also ended his life of armed struggle against the Qing Dynasty. Since then, he has avoided living in the countryside and devoted himself to writing.

(End of this chapter)