The Powder Keg of Late Ming China

By the winter of 1634, the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) had entered its twilight years. Emperor Chongzhen, the dynasty’s last ruler, faced a perfect storm of crises: widespread famine, rampant corruption, and escalating peasant uprisings. The rebel forces, having gained momentum in Shaanxi and Henan, now surged into southeastern Henan and northern Anhui—regions where decades of excessive taxation and natural disasters had turned the populace against the imperial government.

Fengyang County held unique significance as the “Cradle of the Ming.” Here lay the imperial ancestral tombs and Longxing Temple, where founder Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang had once been a monk. Despite its symbolic status, Fengyang’s peasants suffered under crushing corvée labor and taxes—a bitter irony given Zhu Yuanzhang’s early decree exempting locals from such burdens. By the 1630s, the area had become, as one official reported, a landscape of abandoned farms and fleeing families, with surviving residents forced to pay taxes for their vanished neighbors.

The Rebel Advance and the Siege of Yingzhou

In early January 1635, rebel armies under leaders like “Sweeping the Land King” (扫地王) and “Great Peace King” (太平王) crossed from Henan into Anhui. Their capture of Yingzhou on January 11 sent shockwaves through the region. The execution of former Minister of War Zhang Heming demonstrated the rebels’ growing confidence against Ming elites.

Crucially, Fengyang’s desperate populace began actively collaborating with the rebels. As recorded in contemporary accounts, local peasants traveled hundreds of li (Chinese miles) to provide intelligence—identifying wealthy households and undefended areas. This grassroots support proved decisive when, on the foggy morning of January 15 (the Lantern Festival), rebel forces launched their surprise attack.

The Sack of the Imperial Ancestral Capital

Fengyang’s lack of city walls—a result of imperial feng shui beliefs—left it vulnerable. Ming officials, initially dismissing warnings, were caught unprepared. The rebels:
– Annihilated 4,000 defending troops under Commander Zhu Guoxiang
– Captured and executed Prefect Yan Rongxuan, who had disguised himself as a prisoner
– Torched the sacred Longxing Temple and imperial mausoleum complex
– Released imprisoned imperial clansmen (“crime-tainted lineages”)
– Raised banners proclaiming “The Ancient True Dragon Emperor”—a direct challenge to Ming legitimacy

For three days, Fengyang became a stage for symbolic revolution. Peasants who had long suffered under the Ming’s “dragon veins” cosmology now watched flames consume the physical embodiments of that power.

Political Earthquake and Imperial Panic

News of Fengyang’s fall paralyzed the Ming court. The psychological impact was catastrophic:
– Emperor Chongzhen donned mourning robes, suspended court sessions, and performed penitential rites at the ancestral temple
– His tearful “Edict of Self-Reproach” acknowledged governmental failures but offered no substantive reforms
– Minister of War Zhang Fengyi reportedly collapsed in shock
– Conservative factions blocked tax relief proposals, fearing provincial rebellions would multiply

Contemporary scholar-official Qian Shisheng’s earlier warnings about Fengyang’s decline now rang prophetic. His plea for tax reductions—dismissed as “a grain in the imperial granary”—highlighted the regime’s fatal disconnect from its suffering populace.

The Rebellion’s Enduring Legacy

The Fengyang uprising marked a turning point in peasant rebellions:
1. Military Strategy: Demonstrated rebels’ ability to coordinate large-scale operations across provinces
2. Political Consciousness: The “True Dragon Emperor” banner signaled revolutionary intent beyond mere banditry
3. Social Dynamics: Revealed how local grievances could fuel wider insurrections

Though the rebels withdrew on January 18 ahead of reinforcements, the damage was irreversible. The Ming never recovered from this spiritual and political blow, collapsing nine years later. Modern historians view the event as:
– A precursor to Li Zicheng’s eventual overthrow of Beijing
– A case study in how neglect of rural welfare destabilizes regimes
– An early example of intelligence-led guerrilla warfare

Today, Fengyang’s ruins stand as silent witnesses to a pivotal moment when starving peasants dared to burn the “dragon’s lair”—and nearly toppled an empire.