Historical Records of the Qing Dynasty · The Complete Biography of Emperor Taizong of the Qing Dynasty

Author: Sun Wenliang Li Zhiting
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: This is a legendary life record of the second emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the Taizong. He was a visionary with exceptional talents in both literature and martial arts, embodying great wisdom and courage. Leading thousands of soldiers, he roamed across vast territories, creating a series of military miracles, and was undoubtedly a brilliant military strategist. He possessed profound thoughts, and his maxims for living remain relevant to this day. He was deeply emotional, fostering strong bonds with his disciples and relatives, and was devoted in love. This book vividly portrays his extraordinary life with rich and innovative literary techniques, employing expressive language to create a new model for writing biographies of historical figures.
When the Qing army entered the pass (Battle of the Pass), they looted vast amounts of wealth and people, driven by economic reasons, but political motives played a more profound role. This was akin to repeatedly felling the "great tree" of the Ming Dynasty. In the third year of the Tianzhuang era, the Taizong led a massive army to surround Beijing but did not capture it. In the eighth year of the Tianzhuang era, he looted Xuan and Da but did not attack Beijing. In the first year of the Chongde era, the army drew close to Beijing, firing no shots but raiding the surrounding areas. In the third year of the Chongde era, he passed by Beijing without disturbing it but instead launched deep invasions into the heartland, capturing cities and seizing territory. Most official Qing-era historical records state that the Taizong died "without illness." This claim has left later generations with a mystery, leading to various speculations. However, it is certain that the Taizong's death was not due to "natural causes." In fact, he died of illness.