The Tumultuous Backdrop of 17th-Century China

The year 1621 marked a crisis point for the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). As the Manchu forces under Nurhaci scored decisive victories in Manchuria, the empire’s southwestern frontier erupted in the She-An Rebellion—a devastating nine-year uprising led by ethnic Yi chieftains She Chongming and An Bangyan. At the heart of this conflict stood the Siege of Guiyang, a 300-day ordeal that reduced the city’s population from 100,000 households to a mere thousand survivors.

This catastrophe unfolded against the backdrop of the Ming’s Tusi system—a semi-autonomous governance structure for ethnic minority regions. Established during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) and refined by the Ming, the system appointed local chieftains (Tusi) as hereditary rulers. While ensuring nominal loyalty to the throne, it bred warlords like She and An, whose power would ultimately challenge imperial authority.

The Powder Keg Ignites: Causes of the She-An Rebellion

Three factors converged to spark the rebellion:

1. Ming Administrative Overreach
The dynasty’s push for Gaitu Guiliu (replacing hereditary chieftains with appointed officials) threatened Tusi privileges. When Guizhou’s governor Li Xian attempted to implement this policy in 1620, the Yi leadership revolted.

2. Economic Exploitation
Corrupt Ming officials extorted exorbitant “inheritance fees” from Tusi successors. Records show An Bangyan’s nephew was forced to pay 2,000 taels of silver to assume his title—a sum equivalent to 40,000 bushels of rice.

3. Military Provocation
The 1621 Chongqing Mutiny proved decisive. When Ming inspectors dismissed Yi troops as “inferior,” She Chongming’s son-in-law Fan Long executed the regional commander, triggering full-scale war. Within months, 100,000 Yi warriors laid siege to Chengdu and Guiyang.

The Siege: A Chronicle of Suffering and Survival

Guiyang’s defense became a microcosm of Ming resilience and desperation:

– Phase 1 (Feb–April 1622)
An Bangyan’s forces deployed psychological warfare, lighting 40,000 torches nightly to simulate an endless army. Defenders countered with fire arrows and improvised trebuchets.

– Phase 2 (May–July 1622)
A failed relief attempt by General Zhang Yanfang left 8,000 starving soldiers trapped inside, accelerating food shortages. By June, rations dwindled to 5 he (0.5 liters) of grain per soldier daily.

– Phase 3 (Aug–Dec 1622)
The city descended into cannibalism. Governor Li Xian’s reports describe markets selling human flesh at 1 tael of silver per jin (0.5kg). Survivors later testified that “parents consumed children, husbands ate wives.”

Cultural Impact: The Legacy of Resistance

The siege reshaped Southwest China’s social fabric:

– Martial Traditions
Guiyang’s defenders—including Confucian scholars who took up arms—inspired later resistance movements. Their tactics influenced Qing-era militia systems.

– Ethnic Relations
The Ming’s subsequent crackdown displaced 200,000 Yi people, creating lasting tensions between Han settlers and minority groups in Guizhou.

– Literary Echoes
Survivor Liu Xixuan’s Diary of the Besieged City became a foundational text of Ming loyalist literature, quoted extensively in Qing-era histories.

Strategic Consequences: The Ming’s Fatal Overextension

The rebellion’s aftermath weakened the dynasty catastrophically:

1. Resource Drain
Suppression required 120,000 troops and 4.6 million taels of silver—enough to fund the entire Liaodong frontier for two years.

2. Manchu Advantage
As Ming forces battled in Guizhou, Nurhaci consolidated control over Liaoning. By 1626, the Manchus were poised to breach the Great Wall.

3. Administrative Collapse
The 1630 settlement abolished the Yi chieftain system but left a power vacuum. Banditry flourished, paving the way for Zhang Xianzhong’s rebel invasion in 1644.

Modern Relevance: Lessons from a Forgotten Siege

The She-An Rebellion offers timeless insights:

– Governance of Multiethnic Regions
The Ming’s failure to balance autonomy and integration mirrors contemporary challenges in Xinjiang and Tibet.

– Military Overextension
Like the U.S. in Iraq or the USSR in Afghanistan, the Ming’s inability to prioritize threats proved fatal.

– Historical Memory
Recent archaeological work at Guiyang’s Dragon’s Den battlefield (discovered 2018) has revived interest in this overlooked chapter of Chinese history.

As the 400th anniversary approaches, the Siege of Guiyang stands as both warning and testament—to the costs of imperial overreach, and the extraordinary resilience of those caught in its wake.