Succession struggle

Author: Xu Che
Editor-in-Chief: Yu Jinlan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-08-01
Features: Excerpt:
Nurhaci executed his eldest son in the 43rd year of the Wanli reign (1615), August 23rd. At the age of 57, Nurhaci made a painful decision: he ordered the execution of his beloved eldest son, Jirgalang, who was imprisoned in the dungeon. Jirgalang was only 36 years old at the time. Jirgalang was born in the 8th year of the Wanli reign (1580), and his mother was Tunggiya, Nurhaci's beloved consort. Jirgalang was brave in battle and resourceful in strategy. At the age of 18, he led troops to conquer the Anchurakuru Road under his father's command, returned victorious, and was granted the title Hongbatu and enfeoffed as a B?lger. B?lger is the Manchu term for a brave warrior or hero, and the prefix "Hong" was added to emphasize its significance while distinguishing it from others. B?lger was a noble title in the Qing Dynasty. At the age of 27, he served as a deputy general under his uncle Shurhaci in battle. Shurhaci wanted to retreat midway due to superstition about celestial phenomena, but Jirgalang firmly opposed it and launched a surprise attack, defeating the enemy with fewer forces, achieving a great victory. He was granted the title (Alhaturumen), which translates to "Gyala" (meaning "Broad Strategist"), and was known as the "Gyala B?lger" in history. The following year, at the age of 28, he fought alongside B?lger Amin and captured the city of Yihan in the Wula tribe, contributing to the unification of the Jurchen tribes. The young Jirgalang demonstrated outstanding military talent. Jirgalang was a skilled commander, repeatedly achieving military victories, and was highly appreciated by his father, Nurhaci. At this time, Nurhaci's career was flourishing. During periods of national affairs, he intentionally allowed his eldest son, Jirgalang, to handle state affairs on his behalf. This was partly to test his beloved son's abilities and partly to gather feedback from various sides. This implicitly placed Jirgalang in the position of heir apparent. If Jirgalang had a broad vision, humility, and cautious judgment, he would naturally have gained the love and support of his many brothers and important ministers. However, Jirgalang was not a statesman but merely a military talent. He showed short-sightedness, narrow-mindedness, and arrogance toward his brothers and important ministers, considering himself the heir apparent, even declaring: "Once I ascend the throne, I will kill all my brothers and ministers who oppose me." This statement revealed Jirgalang's cruel nature. Naturally, Jirgalang faced strong opposition from the Four B?lgers and the Five Important Ministers.