The Tumultuous Backdrop of Qing Expansion

In 1648, the newly established Qing Dynasty faced a crisis of legitimacy as anti-Qing uprisings swept across China. Former Ming generals Jiang Xiang, Jin Shengheng, and Li Chengdong led rebellions that exposed the limitations of Manchu military reach. This vulnerability forced the Qing court to make a strategic decision: they would deploy three former Ming commanders—Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, and Shang Kexi—to conquer the southern provinces of Guangxi and Guangdong.

These men were no ordinary generals. All three had defected from the Ming Dynasty during its collapse, earning the Qing’s trust through years of service. Their 1649 southern expedition would become a pivotal chapter in the Qing consolidation of power, demonstrating how former Ming officers became indispensable to the new regime.

The Three Princes and Their March South

In April 1649, after being summoned from Liaodong, the trio arrived in Beijing. On May 19, the Qing court formally redesignated them with new princely titles:

– Kong Youde became the “Prince Who Pacifies the South” (定南王)
– Geng Zhongming the “Prince Who Stabilizes the South” (靖南王)
– Shang Kexi the “Prince Who Calms the South” (平南王)

Their military assignments were equally grand:

– Kong would lead 20,000 troops to subdue Guangxi
– Geng and Shang would jointly command 20,000 soldiers to take Guangdong

Originally, the Qing envisioned separate campaigns—Kong attacking Fujian, Geng targeting Guangdong, and Shang focusing on Guangxi. But Shang, recognizing the impracticality of conquering entire provinces with limited forces, advocated for consolidation. Kong, ever the braggart, dismissed Shang’s caution and boasted he could take Guangxi alone. The court ultimately compromised: Geng and Shang would combine forces for Guangdong while Kong tackled Guangxi independently.

The Campaign Unfolds: Triumph and Tragedy

By late 1649, the armies mobilized. Kong advanced from Hunan toward Guangxi, while Geng and Shang prepared to march through Jiangxi into Guangdong. But disaster struck before the campaign truly began.

In November 1649, Qing nobles accused Geng and Shang of harboring over 1,000 fugitives—a serious violation of the dynasty’s strict “escapee laws.” Fearing brutal punishment, Geng Zhongming committed suicide in Ji’an on November 27. The Qing court, needing military leadership, spared Shang Kexi but fined him heavily. Command of both forces fell to Shang, with Geng’s son, Geng Jimao, assisting as a subordinate.

Meanwhile, Kong Youde’s army pressed into Guangxi with characteristic arrogance. His 1650 siege of Guilin became legendary for its brutality. Contemporary accounts describe how Kong’s forces slaughtered defenders and civilians alike, cementing his reputation as both effective and merciless.

Cultural Shockwaves: The Southern Ming Resistance

The Three Princes’ campaign occurred against the backdrop of the Southern Ming resistance. Remnant Ming loyalists, including the Yongli Emperor, still held parts of southern China. Kong’s assault on Guangxi directly targeted these holdouts.

Local populations faced impossible choices: collaborate with the Qing or resist and face annihilation. Many Han Chinese scholars viewed the Three Princes—especially Kong—as traitors to Confucian ideals. Yet their success demonstrated the Qing’s ability to co-opt former Ming elites, a strategy critical to stabilizing their rule.

Legacy: From Conquest to Governance

The campaign’s success had lasting implications:

1. Military Governance: The Three Princes established semi-autonomous fiefdoms in the south, precursors to the infamous “Three Feudatories” that would later rebel against the Qing.
2. Manchu-Han Dynamics: It proved that Han defectors could be effective enforcers of Manchu rule, setting a template for Qing military policy.
3. Regional Transformation: Guangxi and Guangdong’s incorporation into the Qing system reshaped southern China’s economic and cultural landscape.

Kong Youde’s eventual death in 1652—during a disastrous defeat by Ming loyalists—became a cautionary tale about overconfidence. Yet the broader campaign succeeded in its goal: by 1650, the Qing controlled critical southern territories, thanks largely to these three ambitious defectors.

Modern Reflections: History’s Contradictions

Today, historians debate the Three Princes’ legacy. Were they pragmatic collaborators or opportunistic traitors? Their story encapsulates the messy transition from Ming to Qing—a period where loyalty was fluid, and survival often dictated choices.

The 1649 southern campaign remains a case study in military strategy, colonial administration, and the complex interplay between conquerors and conquered. For better or worse, Kong, Geng, and Shang helped shape the map of imperial China, proving that sometimes, history is written by those willing to switch sides.