Forgotten War: A Study of the Great Clashes Between Local and Migrant Populations in Guangdong During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi Reigns: A Study of the Great Clashes Between Local and Migrant Populations in Guangdong During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi Reigns

Author: Liu Ping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-04-01
Features: During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi reigns, a prolonged large-scale armed conflict broke out between the Tusi and Hakka in Guangdong. The scale of this conflict, the number of casualties, and its profound impact were unparalleled in Chinese history. However, it was dismissed by the government at the time and later scholars as a mere "private feud," leading to its gradual marginalization. Amidst events like the Taiping Rebellion, Hong armies, and the Second Opium War, which were considered more critical to the nation's fate, this armed conflict faded into the background, becoming a neglected disturbance in the political landscape and later scholarly attention. In the popular field of modern Chinese history, this conflict has become a forgotten corner of collective memory. This book uses a wealth of archival records, official documents, and local gazettes to provide a detailed account and critique of this folk war. It reconstructs the conditions of most battlefields during that era, offering readers a new perspective on the frequent folk wars that occurred in Guangdong in the 19th century. The fortified villages, high walls, earthen dams, watchtowers, and semi-professional warriors, the millions of casualties, the blood-soaked battlefields, and the government's overwhelmed efforts to resolve the disputes—all stemmed from conflicts over land or water resources, cultural differences, and ethnic tensions. These wars were not so distant from us.
The first part explores the distant and immediate causes of this conflict. Since the Hakka migration and the social issues it generated were the primary reasons for this strife, this section provides a meticulous analysis of the origins of the Hakka and their relationship with the Tusi. Chapter 1 discusses the origins, customs, and character traits of the Hakka. I believe that through long-term defense and adversity, the Hakka developed a strong sense of agency (which could manifest as proactive initiative in positive directions or as a tendency to provoke conflicts in negative directions). Chapter 2 specifically addresses the friction and conflicts that arose between the Hakka, who migrated south from Huizhou, Chaozhou, and Jiaying to the central and western regions of Guangdong during the early Qing dynasty, and the local Guangfu people (generally referred to as Tusi in this paper). Chapter 3 narrates how the government relied on Hakka militia ("disarming bandits") during the Guangdong Hong army uprising, while the Hakka took the opportunity to retaliate against the Tusi, escalating the conflict.
The second part outlines the basic circumstances of this conflict. Chapter 4 examines the temporal and spatial distribution of the conflict, clarifying inaccuracies in previous records. Chapters 5, 6, and 7 describe and analyze the main battlefields, such as Heishan, Enping, Kaiping, Xinning, Gaoming, and Yangchun counties, presenting the fundamental situation of this conflict to readers.
The third part primarily focuses on the measures taken by the Qing government to address this conflict and its eventual suppression. Chapter 8 analyzes the difficulties the Qing court faced in dealing with this conflict. Chapter 9 first reviews the Qing dynasty's laws regarding armed feuds, then discusses the initial responses and countermeasures of local officials and the emperor to the conflict. Chapter 10 describes how the authorities ultimately resolved the conflict and touches on its aftermath, particularly the Tusi-Hakka armed conflict in Danzhou, Hainan, during the early years of the Guangxu reign.
This research not only recounts a forgotten historical event but also fills a gap in the study of modern and contemporary Hakka distribution, making it significant for both historical and Hakka studies.