The Kangxi Emperor’s Calculated Mercy

In a strategic display of imperial magnanimity, the Kangxi Emperor allowed the disgraced warlord Geng Jingzhong to retain his princely title, offering him a chance to redeem himself by leading troops against the rebel Zheng Chenggong . This calculated act of clemency proved astute—Geng, desperate to prove his loyalty, not only crushed Zheng’s forces but also opportunistically attacked fellow rebel Shang Zhixin in Chaozhou.

Shang Zhixin’s bewildered reaction—”Weren’t we all in this together?”—epitomized the unraveling alliance. As defections spread like wildfire among the rebels, Kangxi’s psychological warfare began paying dividends.

The Domino Effect of Desertions

The next domino to fall was Sun Yanling, whose rebellion had initially flourished in Guangxi. Reveling in his self-proclaimed title “Prince of Anyuan,” Sun indulged in hedonistic excess while neglecting military affairs—a fatal miscalculation noted by contemporaries as “the eight-character warning of impending doom.” When his unpaid troops mutinied, the terrified warlord relied on his formidable wife Kong Sizhen to quell dissent.

Kong’s subsequent secret negotiations with the Qing court came too late. Wu Sangui’s nephew Wu Shicong arrived under false pretenses of peace talks, only to behead Sun during their meeting. Kong’s valiant defense of Guilin—including her dramatic personal command of city walls—ended in tragedy: her only son executed, herself imprisoned in Kunming until the rebellion’s end in 1682.

Shang Zhixin’s Epiphany

Sun’s brutal demise shocked Shang Zhixin into realizing Wu Sangui’s unreliability compared to Kangxi’s tempered justice. The emperor again demonstrated strategic patience, accepting Shang’s surrender while preserving his nominal rank—a temporary measure while focusing on the greater threat in the northwest.

The Northwestern Wildcard: Wang Fuchen

While Wu Sangui stalled at the Yangtze, the real crisis brewed in Shaanxi-Gansu where Wang Fuchen’s forces captured Lanzhou. Kangxi deployed his signature blend of emotional appeals and military might—first releasing Wang’s son Wang Jizhen with a poignant message recalling their past bond , then dispatching overwhelming force.

The Appointment of Tuhai: A Turning Point

In February 1676, Kangxi made a historic decision—appointing Tuhai as “Great General Who Pacifies Distant Lands” . This extraordinary military commission granted supreme authority over all civil and military officials in the theater, including the power to execute disobedient viceroys.

### Tuhai’s Unconventional Background

Unlike most Qing generals, Tuhai rose through civil administration—beginning as a scribe , then serving as historian and Chief Minister of Justice before his military appointment. His scholarly background proved invaluable in executing Kangxi’s sophisticated strategy of combining psychological operations with overwhelming force.

The Art of Qing Counterinsurgency

Kangxi’s campaign against the Three Feudatories demonstrated masterful insurgency warfare principles:

1. Strategic Patience: Allowing rebels to exhaust themselves through infighting
2. Targeted Mercy: Offering honorable surrender to secondary players
3. Concentrated Force: Focusing resources against main threats
4. Psychological Operations: Leveraging personal relationships and honor codes

The emperor’s handling of these rebellions solidified Qing control, eliminating the last major challenge to centralized authority after the Ming-Qing transition. Tuhai’s northwestern campaign would ultimately break Wang Fuchen’s resistance, paving the way for the complete pacification of the empire by 1681—a testament to Kangxi’s blend of Confucian statecraft and Machiavellian realpolitik.

Legacy of the Pacification

The suppression of the Three Feudatories marked a watershed in Qing history:
– Established Kangxi’s reputation as military strategist
– Cemented Manchu dominance over Han warlords
– Created template for handling regional rebellions
– Demonstrated the effectiveness of combined civil-military leadership

Through alternating displays of mercy and overwhelming force, Kangxi transformed a multi-front crisis into an opportunity to consolidate one of history’s most enduring empires. The campaign remains studied as a classic example of counterinsurgency warfare and political consolidation.