The Turbulent Backdrop of Southern Ming Resistance

The mid-17th century witnessed one of China’s most dramatic dynastic transitions as the Qing forces steadily dismantled the crumbling Ming Empire. By 1649, the Southern Ming court under the Yongli Emperor had become a shadow government, clinging to survival in Guangxi and Yunnan provinces. This fragile regime faced relentless pressure from Qing commanders like Kong Youde, a former Ming turncoat whose military campaigns would prove decisive in the region’s fate.

Kong’s strategic positioning in Hunan during the summer of 1649 set the stage for a coordinated Qing offensive. The court bolstered his efforts by transferring Shen Yongzhong’s forces from Shandong to Baoqing, creating a pincer movement targeting Guangxi. This maneuver reflected the Qing’s systematic approach to eliminating Ming holdouts—isolating resistance strongholds before delivering crushing blows.

The Collapse of Dragon-Tiger Pass and Its Aftermath

Autumn 1650 marked a critical turning point when Kong’s forces assaulted Longhu Pass (Dragon-Tiger Pass), the vital gateway between Hunan and Guangxi. The Ming defender, Duke Cao Zhijian, suffered a catastrophic defeat, losing over 10,000 soldiers. The battle’s aftermath revealed the desperation of Ming loyalists—Cao’s makeshift wooden replacement for his lost ducal seal symbolized the regime’s dwindling legitimacy.

Qing troops capitalized on this victory by seizing Gongcheng County, uncovering stockpiles of weapons and exposing Guilin’s southeastern flank. Meanwhile, another Qing column advanced from Quanzhou and Xing’an toward Yan Pass, threatening the Ming stronghold from multiple directions. The stage was set for the climactic siege of Guilin, the Southern Ming’s last major administrative center.

The Siege of Guilin: Betrayal and Heroism

As Qing forces closed in, Ming officials convened emergency councils. Grand Secretary Qu Shisi, despite recognizing the dire situation, believed Guilin’s defenses could withstand the assault. His optimism proved tragically misplaced. The Ming military leadership—including decorated commanders like Zhao Yinxuan and Hu Yiqing—abandoned their posts en masse, fleeing westward with their families on November 5, 1650.

This mass desertion created chaos within Guilin’s walls. Officials like Yu Yanye fell victim to mob violence, while Qu Shisi and his comrade Zhang Tongchang made the fateful decision to remain. Their exchange before capture—preserved in historical records—epitomizes Confucian loyalty: “If the city stands, we stand with it; if it falls, we fall with it.”

The Captivity and Martyrdom of Ming Loyalists

After their capture, Qu and Zhang were imprisoned in the former Prince of Jingjiang’s palace. Their month-long captivity became legendary through the Haoqi Yin (Songs of Noble Spirit), a collection of over 100 defiant poems. Lines like “Laugh not at my readiness to die, for history will remember my name” (Qu) and “My robes remain as in life, my name survives through these verses” (Zhang) crystallized their resolve.

Kong Youde, despite initial attempts to recruit these scholars, ultimately ordered their execution on December 30, 1650 (per the Ming calendar), after intercepting Qu’s secret plea for reinforcements. Their deaths at Xianhe Rock marked not just a military victory for the Qing, but a symbolic triumph—the elimination of Ming intellectual resistance.

Cultural Reverberations and Historical Legacy

The Guilin campaign’s aftermath revealed profound cultural schisms. While many Ming officials chose survival through collaboration or retreat, Qu and Zhang’s martyrdom became a touchstone for Confucian ideals of loyalty. Their actions contrasted sharply with:
– The pragmatism of turncoat generals like Kong Youde
– The self-preservation instinct of fleeing Ming nobles
– The passive resistance of later Ming “remnants” who withdrew from public life

Modern assessments often critique their “futile” sacrifice, yet their symbolic importance endured. The Haoqi Yin entered the literary canon, while their steadfastness provided moral counterpoints to Qing narratives of inevitable conquest.

Echoes in Modern Memory

Today, sites like Guilin’s Diecai Hill and reconstructed Ming prince’s palace serve as physical reminders of this pivotal conflict. The episode resonates in contemporary discussions about:
– The ethics of resistance versus survival
– The role of individual agency in historical transitions
– How societies memorialize “lost cause” narratives

Archaeological discoveries—including period weapons and administrative seals—continue to enrich our understanding of this campaign. Meanwhile, Qu and Zhang’s poetry remains studied not just as historical artifacts, but as enduring meditations on moral courage in the face of overwhelming force.

The 1650 Guilin campaign thus represents more than a military conquest; it encapsulates the tragic beauty of a dynasty’s final act, where philosophical ideals collided with geopolitical realities, leaving indelible marks on China’s historical consciousness.