Wu Daching on the Four Types of Jin Wen

Author: Wu Dachen (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Wu Dachen (1835-1902), styled Qingqing, was a native of Wuxian, Jiangsu. In 1867, he passed the imperial examination and was appointed as a compiler. He later served as the academic inspector of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. In 1877, he went to Shanxi and Shaanxi to assist in disaster relief efforts, enduring hardships and personally inspecting the affected areas. He was recommended by Zuo Zongtang and Zeng Guofan and was appointed as the Vice Commissioner of Hebei the following year. In 1880, he was granted the rank of a third-rank court official and accompanied General Ming'an of Jilin in handling border affairs in Ningguta, Sanxing, and Hunchun. The next year, he was appointed as the Minister of the Imperial Stables. In 1883, France expanded its influence from Vietnam into China, and Wu Dachen was appointed as the co-director of Northern military affairs. In 1884, he was promoted to Vice Commissioner of the Left. He was ordered to Korea to handle the Jaishen Incident and resist Japan's aggression against Korea. The following year, he went to Jilin to inspect the border with Russia alongside Vice Commissioner Eiktang'a and the Russian envoy. In 1886, he served as China's chief representative in the border demarcation talks at Yanjucheng-Hunchun with Russia. He argued logically with the Russian representatives, recovered over 100 miles of territory illegally occupied by Russia, corrected the "tu" boundary marker, and secured navigation rights for Chinese ships in the Tumen River estuary. In 1887, he was transferred to Guangdong as the Governor, where he resisted Portugal's occupation of Macau and the seven villages of Xiangshan. In 1888, the Yellow River burst its banks in Zhengzhou, and Wu Dachen participated in the flood control efforts. After successfully managing the river, he was formally appointed as the River Commissioner and awarded a first-rank official hat. In 1894, the First Sino-Japanese War broke out. Wu Dachen, then serving as the Governor of Hunan, requested to join the military. On August 15 and 17, he sent telegrams urging the dispatch of Hunan troops to Korea to oversee the battle. Soon after, the Qing court granted his request, and he led his troops north. He was appointed as the Deputy Director of Eastern Expeditionary Military Affairs. In January 1895, Wu Dachen led over twenty camps of old and new Hunan troops across the border and arrived at Tianzhuangtai on February 11. Starting from February 21, he joined forces with the Black Dragon River General Eiktang'a, the Jilin General Changshun, and Song Qing to launch the fourth counterattack against Haicheng. At that time, over 100 camps with more than 60,000 Qing troops were concentrated near Haicheng. Despite their large numbers, the troops were divided into different factions—Hunan, Chu, Huai, and Northeast forces—with no unified command. Officially, Wu Dachen was the Deputy Director of Military Affairs but lacked authority to command the entire army. Many generals "held onto their troops, hesitated at key points, retreated and advanced intermittently, and failed to fight with full commitment." The only troops under Wu Dachen's direct control numbered only twenty camps, while the Hunan troops he led were led by incompetent and cowardly officers. When summoned, they "delayed their response." After crossing the border, they remained and timid. The personal guard commander Liu Shuyuan "feigned cowardice and refused to advance," and the artillery commander Wu Yuankai "retreated at the sound of battle." Adding to this, Wu Dachen, though "volunteering for military service," was "unfamiliar with military affairs" and suffered from the flaws of "exaggerating his words" and "arrogant self-assessment." He overestimated himself and underestimated the enemy, failing to make a serious strategic plan for the war. Just as Wu Dachen and his forces were concentrating their efforts to attack Haicheng, the Japanese took advantage of the Qing army's weaknesses and employed a feint attack on Liaoyang while actually targeting Niuzhuang. On March 3, the Japanese 3rd and 5th divisions invaded Niuzhuang. Wu Dachen and his forces failed to recognize the Japanese plot and ignored Niuzhuang, focusing instead on Haicheng. Due to the weak defenses in Niuzhuang, it fell to the Japanese within a single day. On the day Niuzhuang fell, Wu Dachen hastily retreated to Shishanzhan, "with retreating troops arriving one after another, and the situation had already collapsed." After retreating to Shishanzhan, Song Qing also withdrew the main force from Yingkou to Tianzhuangtai, leaving Yingkou vulnerable. On March 7, the Japanese easily captured Yingkou, and Tianzhuangtai followed soon after. With Tianzhuangtai lost, the Hunan troops fought bravely but were defeated with heavy casualties, and morale plummeted. Enraged by the complete annihilation of his troops, Wu Dachen drew his sword to commit suicide but was stopped by his subordinates. He sighed and said, "I am truly incompetent in military affairs and should be severely criticized." The Qing court, blaming Wu Dachen for "making empty promises and failing in coordination," ordered his dismissal as the Deputy Director of Military Affairs on March 17 and handed him over to the Ministry for disciplinary action. He was later reinstated with a leave of absence but soon dismissed again. In 1898, he was further dismissed and barred from future official appointments. After his dismissal, Wu Dachen became impoverished and sold calligraphy, painting, and ancient bronze wares to sustain himself. He died in 1902.