1644 (Chinese Dynasty Rises and Falls)

Author: Wu Wei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: The special significance of the Jia Shen Year (1644) to the Chinese, beyond the thrilling changes in the times, reflects the characteristics and weaknesses of China, which have continued to affect China's recent tragic history, even today, and perhaps will continue to affect China's future. In March 1644, Li Zicheng's Shun army conquered the Ming capital—Beijing City without bloodshed, and the last Ming emperor, Chongzhen, committed suicide. In April 1644, Dorgon's army outside Shanhai Pass, invited by the Ming general Wu Sangui, entered the pass and defeated Li Zicheng at Shanhai Pass, forcing the newly crowned emperor of the Shun dynasty, Li Zicheng, out of Beijing City. The six-year-old Shunzhi Emperor of the Manchus, Fulin, easily ascended the Golden Hall throne of the Forbidden City, where 14 emperors of the Yuan and Ming dynasties had sat, marking the beginning of the 268-year rule of the Great Qing Empire. In August 1644, Zhang Xianzhong led his army into Sichuan, captured Chengdu, and declared himself emperor, changing the era to Shun and establishing the Daxi regime. In terms of chronology, 1644 was the 17th year of the Chongzhen era in the Ming dynasty, the first year of the Shunzhi era in the Qing dynasty, the first year of the Yongchang era in the Shun dynasty, and the first year of the Shun era in the Daxi regime. These four eras represent four opposing regimes, continuing the struggle for dominance over the Central Plains, with the mentality of scholar-officials and ordinary people reflected therein even more thought-provoking and heart-wrenching. This is the thrilling 1644, an era of sudden changes and earth-shaking upheavals, where the drama of historical tragedy unfolded in a flash, yet with great intensity. In March 1644, Li Zicheng's Shun army conquered the Ming capital—Beijing City without bloodshed, and the last Ming emperor, Chongzhen, committed suicide. In April 1644, Dorgon's army outside Shanhai Pass, invited by the Ming general Wu Sangui, entered the pass and defeated Li Zicheng at Shanhai Pass, forcing the newly crowned emperor of the Shun dynasty, Li Zicheng, out of Beijing City. The six-year-old Shunzhi Emperor of the Manchus, Fulin, easily ascended the Golden Hall throne of the Forbidden City, where 24 emperors of the Yuan and Ming dynasties had sat, marking the beginning of the 268-year rule of the Great Qing Empire. In August 1644, Zhang Xianzhong led his army into Sichuan, captured Chengdu, and declared himself emperor, changing the era to Shun and establishing the Daxi regime. In terms of chronology, 1644 was the 17th year of the Chongzhen era in the Ming dynasty, the first year of the Shunzhi era in the Qing dynasty, the first year of the Yongchang era in the Shun dynasty, and the first year of the Shun era in the Daxi regime. These four eras represent four opposing regimes, continuing the struggle for dominance over the Central Plains, with the mentality of scholar-officials and ordinary people reflected therein even more thought-provoking and heart-wrenching. This is the thrilling 1644, an era of sudden changes and earth-shaking upheavals.