The Collapse of the Hongguang Regime

In the summer of 1645, the Southern Ming dynasty faced imminent collapse. The Hongguang Emperor, Zhu Yousong, had fled Nanjing in disarray as Qing forces advanced. His mother, Empress Dowager Zou, was escorted by Grand Secretary Ma Shiying and 400 Guizhou soldiers toward Zhejiang. When denied entry into Guangde Prefecture by a skeptical magistrate, Ma Shiying stormed the city, executed the official, and looted before continuing to Hangzhou.

By May 22, Ma Shiying and the dowager arrived in Hangzhou, where Prince Lu (Zhu Changfang) and local officials greeted them. Hopes briefly flickered that Hongguang might regroup with loyalist forces under Huang Degong, but news soon arrived of Huang’s defeat and the emperor’s capture. With no alternatives, Ma and Hangzhou’s officials turned to Prince Lu, urging him to assume the regency.

The Reluctant Regent: Prince Lu’s Ill-Fated Leadership

On June 7, 1645, officials petitioned Empress Dowager Zou to appoint Prince Lu as regent. Her edict invoked historical precedent: “You are the imperial uncle, most virtuous among the princes. As in the past when kings governed during campaigns, you must now uphold this duty.” The edict aimed to legitimize his rule, but Prince Lu hesitated, fearing Qing reprisals. Only after tearful pleas did he reluctantly accept.

His regency began on June 8, marked by immediate dysfunction. Scholar-official Huang Daozhou recorded Prince Lu’s indecisiveness and Ma Shiying’s obstructionism. When Huang urged appointing respected officials like Liu Zongzhou, Prince Lu wavered: “Ma Shiying fears factionalism.” Huang retorted: “Factionalism has already shattered our empire!” Power remained with Ma’s clique, including the notorious collaborator Ruan Dacheng.

Missed Opportunities and Betrayal

Huang Daozhou argued that resistance was viable, citing loyalist uprisings in Jiangxi and Zhejiang. He pressed Prince Lu to declare himself emperor within ten days to unify resistance. Instead, on June 9, Prince Lu followed Ma’s advice, sending the traitor Chen Hongfan to negotiate surrender, offering four southern prefectures to the Qing.

Chen, nicknamed “the living Qin Hui” for his earlier betrayals, sailed under a “Envoy to the Qing” banner. Meanwhile, Ma Shiying sabotaged Huang’s appointment as grand secretary, clinging to power even as Qing troops approached.

The Fall of Hangzhou and Its Aftermath

By June 11, Qing forces reached Tangxi. Ma Shiying fled, only to be dragged back by mutinous soldiers. As Qing general Bolo encircled Hangzhou, Prince Lu—instead of resisting—served banquets to Qing troops from the city walls. Outraged, loyalist general Fang Yuanke defected, later joining the rival Lu Prince’s resistance in Fujian.

On June 14, Hangzhou fell without resistance. Prince Lu surrendered, and the Qing deported him and other Ming royals to Beijing. Despite groveling petitions praising Qing “mercy,” he was executed in 1646 alongside other Ming princes under fabricated charges of rebellion.

Why Prince Lu’s Failure Mattered

Prince Lu’s brief regency (June 8–14, 1645) is often dismissed as a footnote, but its consequences were profound:

1. Symbolic Collapse: His surrender shattered morale, proving even “virtuous” Ming princes lacked resolve. As historian Lin Shidui noted, contemporaries initially hoped Prince Lu would differ from Hongguang, but he proved equally feckless.

2. Fragmented Resistance: His abdication created a power vacuum, sparking rival claims by the Prince of Tang (Zhu Yujian) and Prince of Lu (Zhu Yihai), which divided anti-Qing forces.

3. Qing Strategic Advantage: The bloodless takeover of Zhejiang allowed the Qing to consolidate before crushing revolts elsewhere.

Legacy: A Cautionary Tale of Leadership

Prince Lu’s story epitomizes the Southern Ming’s fatal flaws: indecision, factionalism, and misplaced trust in collaborators. His surrender—contrasted with later resisters like Koxinga—underscores how individual choices alter history’s course. Modern parallels resonate in discussions of leadership during crises, where hesitation and betrayal can doom collective survival.

As Huang Daozhou lamented: “A regime that cannot choose between dignity and disgrace will find neither.” Prince Lu’s failure remains a stark lesson in the costs of cowardice and the fleeting nature of legitimacy without courage.

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Key Sources:
– Huang Daozhou’s Records of Prince Lu’s Regency
– Lin Shidui’s Hesuo Miscellany
– Qing archival documents on the Zhejiang campaign