The Collapse of the Tang-Lu Rivalry

The Southern Ming dynasty’s fragile resistance against the Qing conquest entered a critical phase in 1646 when Qing forces overran eastern Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. This military success dramatically altered the political landscape that had previously been divided between the Tang (Longwu) and Lu (Luh) regimes – two rival Ming loyalist courts established after the fall of Beijing.

With the Longwu Emperor’s court effectively destroyed following his capture and execution, many scholar-officials who refused to submit to Qing rule transferred their allegiance to the Lu regime led by Prince Zhu Yihai, the Prince of Lu. The Qing authorities mistakenly believed that by controlling Zheng Zhilong, the powerful Fujianese maritime leader, they could command the loyalty of his former subordinates. While some Zheng faction commanders like Shi Fu and Hong Xishan did defect to the Qing, significant resistance remained within the Zheng network.

Zheng Faction Fragmentation

The Zheng organization fractured dramatically after Zheng Zhilong’s deception and forced relocation to Beijing. Without clear leadership, Zheng commanders pursued independent courses. Lin Cha, one of Zheng’s veteran officers, escorted the newly proclaimed Tang Emperor Zhu Yuyue to Guangzhou, becoming the military backbone of the Shaowu regime. Zheng Zhilong’s brother Zheng Hongkui and eldest son Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga), though initially possessing limited resources, began rebuilding naval strength under the banner of the deceased Longwu Emperor. Other Zheng affiliates like Zheng Cai and Yang Geng shifted allegiance to the Lu regime.

Prince of Lu’s Perilous Journey

In June 1646 (third year of Shunzhi, first year of Lu reign), Prince Zhu Yihai, under the protection of Zhang Mingzhen and others, sailed to Zhoushan Island. Huang Binqing, the local commander who had been appointed by the defunct Longwu court, refused to recognize Zhu’s authority, forcing the prince to reside temporarily on outlying islands where Grand Secretary Sun Jiji died months later.

By September, Zheng Cai arrived with 400 ships and, seeing Zhu’s precarious situation, decided to escort him to Fujian. After a month-long voyage, they reached Xiamen in November. Zheng Zhilong, having already surrendered to the Qing, ordered Zheng Cai to hand over the prince – an order Zheng Cai defied by hiding Zhu and using a body double. Fortunately for the Ming loyalists, Zheng Zhilong was soon taken north by Qing forces before he could pursue the matter further.

The Lu Regime’s Resurgence

Beginning in 1647 (fourth year of Shunzhi, first year of Yongli, second year of Lu reign), despite some holdouts like Zheng Chenggong still claiming loyalty to the nonexistent Longwu court, most officials and the populations of Zhejiang and Fujian recognized the Prince of Lu as their legitimate ruler. With Qing Manchurian forces withdrawn to Beijing, the southeast was weakly garrisoned, allowing Lu loyalists to achieve several victories.

In a grand ceremony at Changyuan, Zhu Yihai reorganized his government and military, promoting key commanders and officials. The revitalized regime then launched campaigns to recover lost territory, achieving initial successes at Haikou and Zhangpu before suffering setbacks. By July, Zhu personally led an expedition that inspired widespread uprisings, with rebel forces capturing Jianning prefecture and several counties.

Qing Counteroffensive and Internal Strife

The Qing response came in November 1647 when they dispatched Chen Tai as Pacification General to lead a counteroffensive. Meanwhile, the Lu regime suffered from internal divisions, particularly Zheng Cai’s authoritarian behavior that led to the deaths of senior officials like Xiong Yulin. Despite these challenges, loyalist forces continued operations, with Liu Zhongzao leading successful campaigns in northern Fujian before ultimately being defeated and committing suicide in 1648.

By 1649, with the military situation deteriorating, the Prince of Lu relocated to Shacheng on the Fujian-Zhejiang border before moving to Jiantiao in June. Zheng Cai, having lost Xiamen to Zheng Chenggong, sought the prince’s help but found himself attacked by other Lu loyalists instead, ending his political career.

The Zhoushan Interlude

The final chapter of the Lu regime’s mainland resistance centered on Zhoushan Island, controlled by the uncooperative Huang Binqing. After considerable intrigue and military action, Zhang Mingzhen and others eliminated Huang in September 1649 and established Zhoushan as the regime’s new base. Here, Zhu Yihai reorganized his government with prominent officials like Zhang Kentang and Wu Zhongluan, creating a last redoubt that would resist Qing forces until 1651.

This Zhoushan period represented the Lu regime’s final organized resistance, during which it served as a significant distraction for Qing forces, enabling Zheng Chenggong’s expansion along the Fujian coast. The regime’s eventual collapse in 1651 marked the end of systematic Ming loyalist resistance in the southeast, though individual commanders like Zheng Chenggong would continue the struggle for decades.