The Fragmented Landscape of 17th-Century China

By 1651, China stood divided between the crumbling Ming dynasty and the ascendant Qing empire. The Southern Ming regime, clinging to legitimacy under the Yongli Emperor, controlled swathes of southern China through warlords like Sun Kewang. His forces dominated Guizhou province while probing into Hunan and Sichuan – territories the Qing desperately needed to secure their southern expansion.

This strategic chessboard saw its most dramatic moves in 1652 when Sun dispatched 40,000-50,000 troops under Liu Wenxiu to reclaim Sichuan from Qing occupiers. The campaign would climax at Baoning (modern Langzhong), where military blunders and desperate heroism would reshape China’s political geography.

The Qing Counteroffensive: Wu Sangui’s Sichuan Campaign

In early 1652, the Qing court deployed two formidable commanders to Sichuan:

– Wu Sangui, the infamous Ming turncoat now serving as Pingxi Prince
– Li Guohan, a trusted Manchu general

Their combined forces swept through Sichuan like a storm:

February-March 1652:
– Feb 22: Captured Chengdu without resistance when Ming commander Lin Shitai surrendered
– Mar 5: Took Hezhou through coordinated land-water assaults
– Mar 14: Secured Chongqing after Ming defenders abandoned the city

By April, Qing reports boasted of controlling Chengdu, Chongqing, Yibin, and other key cities, declaring Sichuan “gradually pacified.” But their celebration proved premature.

Liu Wenxiu’s Southern Ming Resurgence

Sun Kewang, recognizing the Qing threat to Guizhou, launched a brilliant counterstroke:

August 1652:
– Liu’s forces recaptured Yibin, annihilating its Qing garrison
– General Bai Wenxuan retook Chongqing in a pincer movement
– Qing forces suffered catastrophic losses at Tingxi, with hundreds drowned during retreat

Contemporary accounts describe Liu’s army as “soaring in prestige,” with Sichuanese civilians flocking to the Ming banners. By September, only Baoning remained under Qing control – an isolated fortress surrounded by Ming troops.

The Siege of Baoning: Tactical Blunders and Heroic Last Stands

October 1652: Liu Wenxiu made three fatal miscalculations:

1. Overextension: Deployed 50,000 troops across 15-mile frontlines
2. Terrain Neglect: Ignored Baoning’s natural defenses (Jialing River moat)
3. Zero Retreat: Cut escape routes against advisor Wang Fuchen’s warnings

Wu Sangui, though initially planning retreat, seized his opportunity:

October 11 Battle:
– Dawn: Ming forces attacked with elephants, firearms, and layered infantry
– Mid-morning: Wu targeted weak Ming flank under Zhang Xianbi
– Noon: Collapsing Ming lines triggered panicked retreat
– Aftermath: Cut-off Ming troops suffered 50% casualties crossing rivers

The Qing victory came at terrible cost. Wu later admitted: “Never in my life have I faced such fierce enemies – they only lacked one final move.”

Cultural and Political Repercussions

The battle’s aftermath reshaped Southern Ming fortunes:

– Leadership Purges: Liu Wenxiu was stripped of command and exiled to Kunming
– Qing Consolidation: Baoning became a permanent Qing foothold in Sichuan
– Strategic Stalemate: Neither side could deliver a knockout blow in the southwest

Notably, the conflict revealed ethnic complexities:

– Ming forces incorporated Yi tribesmen like Long Mingyang
– Qing armies combined Han turncoats with Manchu banners
– Sichuan’s devastated population became pawns in this proxy war

Legacy: A Turning Point That Never Turned

Baoning’s paradox lies in its inconclusive decisiveness:

1. For the Qing: Proved Wu Sangui’s value, later haunting them during his 1673 rebellion
2. For the Ming: Squandered their last major offensive capability
3. For Sichuan: Extended the province’s devastation for decades

Historian Huang Zongxi’s verdict resonates: “Liu Wenxiu’s defeat at Baoning broke the Southern Ming’s backbone.” Yet the battle also exposed Qing vulnerabilities – their reliance on former Ming commanders and inability to fully pacify the south.

The 1652 campaign remains a masterclass in how tactical victories don’t always translate to strategic gains, a lesson echoing through China’s turbulent transition from Ming to Qing rule.