The Collapse of the Southern Ming and the Rise of Li Dingguo

By 1659, the Southern Ming dynasty was in its death throes. The Qing forces, having consolidated power in northern China, pushed relentlessly southward. Among the Ming loyalists, Li Dingguo emerged as a brilliant military strategist. A former peasant rebel turned Ming general, Li had already scored several victories against the Qing, earning a reputation as their most formidable opponent in the southwest.

The strategic region of Yunnan became the final stronghold of Ming resistance. Here, the terrain was unforgiving—mountainous, thickly forested, and crisscrossed by narrow paths. Li Dingguo understood that the Qing, emboldened by recent victories, might grow overconfident. He planned to exploit this arrogance in a decisive ambush.

The Ambush at Mopan Mountain

On February 21, 1659 (or the 21st day of the intercalary first month in the Ming calendar), Qing forces under Wu Sangui crossed the Nu River, advancing toward Tengyue (modern-day Tengchong, Yunnan). Li Dingguo had meticulously prepared a three-stage ambush along the treacherous Mopan Mountain pass.

– First Wave: Led by Bo Tai’an, Dou Mingwang, troops hid in dense foliage, ready to strike once the Qing army fully entered the kill zone.
– Second Wave: Under Marquis Guangchang, Gao Wengui, soldiers lay further along the path, set to attack after the initial ambush.
– Third Wave: Commanded by Marquis Wujing, Wang Guoxi, this group would seal the trap, ensuring no escape.

Li’s plan was near-perfect. His troops carried dry rations to avoid detection by cooking smoke. As expected, the Qing army, believing the Ming forces had fled, marched carelessly into the narrow valley.

Betrayal and Bloodshed

At the critical moment, disaster struck. Lu Guisheng, a Ming official, defected to the Qing, revealing Li’s trap to Wu Sangui. Reacting swiftly, Wu ordered his vanguard to retreat and scour the hills for hidden Ming troops.

The Ming soldiers, bound by strict orders to wait for the signal, were caught unprepared. Dou Mingwang, realizing the plan was compromised, fired his cannon prematurely. The second and third waves, hearing the disordered signals, charged into battle anyway. What followed was a brutal melee.

– Qing Losses: High-ranking officers, including Gushan Ezhen Shalibu, were killed.
– Ming Sacrifices: Dou Mingwang fell in battle, along with many others.

Though Li Dingguo managed to rally his forces and repel Wu Sangui’s troops, the damage was done. The Ming army, severely depleted, withdrew toward Mengding (modern-day Gengma).

The Aftermath: Punishments and Retreat

The Qing court, furious at their losses, punished their own commanders in June 1660:
– Prince Dorgon’s nephew, Prince Dodo, was fined 5,000 taels of silver.
– General Zhao Batai was stripped of his rank.

Despite the Ming’s eventual retreat, the battle proved Li Dingguo’s tactical genius. Even in decline, he had delivered one of the last major blows to the Qing conquest.

The Fragmented Ming Resistance

After the battle, surviving Ming forces scattered across Yunnan’s borderlands. Reports from Qing officials noted multiple Ming factions—led by figures like Bai Wenxuan and Mu Tianbo—operating independently but without coordination. The lack of a unified command doomed any chance of a counteroffensive.

Legacy of Mopan Mountain

The Battle of Mopan Mountain marked the end of large-scale Ming resistance in the southwest. For the Qing, it was a costly reminder that victory was not yet complete. For Li Dingguo, it was a final testament to his military brilliance—a commander who, against overwhelming odds, nearly turned the tide.

Today, the battle is remembered as a dramatic last stand, a moment where strategy, betrayal, and heroism collided in the rugged mountains of Yunnan.