Yuan Chonghuan: The Lonely Hero with a Loyal Soul

Author: Lin Zhuo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: In the history of the Chinese nation, there is a national hero as renowned as Yue Fei, and he is the celebrated Ming Dynasty scholar Yuan Chonghuan. As a scholar, he joined the frontier defenses, causing the mighty Nurhaci, who had conquered the heavens, to suffer his first defeat and die in sorrow. He repeatedly defeated the ambitious Hong Taiji, and even at the outskirts of Guangqi Gate, with only nine thousand exhausted troops, he routed Hong Taiji's hundred thousand elite cavalry, forcing them to flee in disarray. As a result, Hong Taiji could not help but exclaim, "For fifteen years, I have never encountered such a formidable adversary!" Before him, the Ming Dynasty had suffered repeated defeats in battles against the Manchus. From his time onward, the Ming Dynasty completely reversed the situation, with the small city of Ningyuan resisting the Manchu cavalry for over two decades. He was appointed as the commander-in-chief, controlling all military forces, yet he could not earn the trust of the Ming Emperor Chongzhen. Instead, his outstanding talent, noble demeanor, and the self-sacrificing spirit of a "fugitive" and a "fanatic" earned the respect of his enemies. After using the "betrayer's trick" to incite the Ming Emperor Chongzhen to execute Yuan Chonghuan, the Manchus launched a massive southward invasion, captured the capital, and established the last feudal dynasty in Chinese history—the Great Qing Empire.
Combining historical records with passionate prose, this book presents a panoramic view of those turbulent and fierce years of war, portraying a vivid and deeply moving image of a national hero. A nation without heroes is pitiful, and a nation that forgets or disregards its heroes is even more unforgivable. May more people come to know and understand Yuan Chonghuan, so that the torch of national spirit may pass down through generations, illuminating the path ahead!