The Turbulent Rise of a Ming Loyalist Turned Qing General

Li Chengdong’s life mirrored the chaos of 17th-century China. Beginning as a peasant rebel under the notorious “Li Huzi” moniker during the late Ming dynasty, he later followed his commander Gao Jie (“Fanshan Yao”) in surrendering to the Ming government. By 1645, Li had risen to become Regional Commander of Xuzhou under the Hongguang Emperor’s regime.

The political landscape shifted dramatically when Qing forces swept southward after the fall of Beijing. Following Gao Jie’s assassination and his widow Lady Xing’s decision to submit to the Qing, Li Chengdong found himself serving the new Manchu rulers. His military talents soon became apparent as he spearheaded campaigns through Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and ultimately Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, becoming instrumental in the Qing conquest of southern China.

The Seeds of Rebellion: Discrimination and Discontent

Despite his battlefield successes, Li Chengdong grew increasingly resentful of Qing policies favoring “Liaodong men” – Han Chinese who had defected earlier from Ming border garrisons. This discrimination became personal when Tong Yangjia, a member of the prominent Tong family from Liaoyang with far less military achievement, was appointed Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi over Li’s head.

The Qing court’s preferential treatment of earlier defectors created a powder keg of resentment. Li, who expected to receive the governor-generalship for his conquests, was instead made Provincial Military Commander, subordinate to Tong Yangjia in both civil administration and military affairs. This humiliating demotion from equal colleague to inferior officer festered in the ambitious general’s mind throughout 1647.

The Spark of Revolt: Multiple Motivations Converge

Several factors coalesced to push Li toward rebellion in early 1648:

1. Ethnic Discrimination: The Qing’s preferential policies for Liaodong defectors like Tong Yangjia rankled deeply with southern Chinese commanders like Li.

2. Ming Loyalist Influence: The heroic resistance and martyrdom of Ming loyalists Zhang Jiaju, Chen Zizhuang, and Chen Bangyan – whom Li had personally suppressed – weighed on his conscience.

3. Secret Persuasion: Former Ming officials like Grand Secretary He Wuzou and Surveillance Commissioner Yuan Pengnian quietly encouraged Li’s defection, exploiting his tensions with Tong.

4. Personal Catalyst: The dramatic suicide of Li’s concubine Zhao, who killed herself to spur his rebellion after he initially dismissed her suggestions, became legendary in Ming loyalist lore.

The Dramatic Defection: April 15, 1648

When news arrived in early 1648 that Jiangxi commanders Jin Shengheng and Wang Deren had rebelled against the Qing, Li Chengdong saw his opportunity. On April 15, he launched his coup in Guangzhou:

– Soldiers cut their Manchu-style queues and resumed Ming hairstyles
– Official proclamations adopted the Yongli Emperor’s reign era
– A reluctant Tong Yangjia was forced to comply at swordpoint
– Within days, all Guangdong and parts of Guangxi had rejoined the Ming cause

The sudden reversal stunned both sides. For the beleaguered Yongli court, then fleeing Qing forces in Guangxi, Li’s defection seemed miraculous – suddenly delivering two wealthy southern provinces back to Ming control.

Aftermath and Political Maneuvering

The Yongli Emperor rewarded Li Chengdong with the title Duke of Hui, while Tong Yangjia received the empty honor of Earl of Xiangping. However, tensions quickly emerged:

– Court Politics: Veteran Ming officials feared being overshadowed by the Guangdong defectors
– Military Rivalries: Other Ming commanders demanded equal honors despite lesser contributions
– Hidden Loyalties: Tong Yangjia secretly maintained contact with the Qing before being executed

Li initially maintained proper deference to the Yongli court, even recommending that all Guangdong officials submit to imperial appointment rather than his personal selection. However, he soon grew disillusioned with the corruption and factionalism plaguing the Ming resistance.

The Legacy of a Contradictory Figure

Li Chengdong’s defection represents one of the most dramatic moments in the Southern Ming resistance:

1. Military Impact: Temporarily reversed Qing momentum in southern China, buying the Yongli court precious time
2. Symbolic Importance: Demonstrated continued Han Chinese resistance to Manchu rule
3. Historical Irony: A former peasant rebel turned Ming general turned Qing commander ultimately returning to the Ming cause
4. Cultural Memory: The story of Concubine Zhao’s sacrifice became a powerful loyalist legend

Ultimately, Li’s rebellion proved short-lived. He died in battle against Qing forces in 1649, and the Southern Ming continued its gradual collapse. Yet his dramatic defection remains a fascinating case study of personal ambition, ethnic tensions, and the complex loyalties during China’s dynastic transition.

The episode also reveals much about Qing consolidation policies – their calculated use of ethnic hierarchies among Han collaborators, and the unintended consequences such discrimination could provoke. For modern historians, Li Chengdong’s story offers rich material on the interplay between personal motives and larger historical forces during one of China’s most turbulent periods.