Shi Lang (1621-1696), Zi Zunhou, Hao Zhuo Gong, was born in Jinjiang, Quanzhou, Fujian. He grew up by the sea when he was a child. He could not learn literature in his youth, so he abandoned to learn sword. Shi Lang followed his teacher to learn the art of warfare. He was proficient in all kinds of warfare, and he was both wise and brave.
Shi Lang joined the army when he was seventeen, and was a general of the Ming general Zheng Zhilong (father of Zheng Chenggong). Whenever it comes to combat, he always takes the lead and has repeatedly won battle exploits. Later, Shi Lang served as a left vanguard under Zheng Chenggong's army and followed Zheng Chenggong in the struggle against the Qing Dynasty.
However, Shi Lang, who has made outstanding military exploits, angered Zheng Chenggong. As a result, the father and son were all detained by Zheng Chenggong. Later, Shi Lang escaped, but his father and younger brother were both killed by Zheng Chenggong. In 1652, Shi Lang surrendered to the Qing Dynasty and determined to defeat Zheng Chenggong and recover Taiwan, the island, in order to avenge his family.
Then, people of future generations often ask a question: Is Shi Lang a traitor who betrayed the Ming Dynasty? Or did he become a patriotic hero in history because he finally regained Taiwan?
It should be pointed out that we have to judge Shi Lang, a historical figure in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty. First of all, we must not stand on the position of the Ming Dynasty, but objectively realize that the Qing Dynasty is an orthodox dynasty in our history. The Manchu is also an important member of the Chinese nation. Therefore, under this premise, we will be able to objectively analyze whether things are right or wrong.
First of all, let's take a look at how Shi Lang rebelled against Zheng Chenggong. Shi Lang had a stronger personality when he was young, and he often clashed with Zheng Chenggong, who had a similar temper.
In the eighth year of Shunzhi (1651), Shi Lang had a sharp conflict with Zheng Chenggong because of his opposition to Zheng Chenggong's strategy of "giving up water and land" and the practice of forcibly enlisting people's food and payment.
In April of the following year, Shi Lang killed an old general of Zheng Chenggong, Zeng De, who originally had a higher status in the Zheng army, regardless of guilt or not. Shi Lang also had no right to slay him without authorization, especially Zheng Chenggong "do not kill if you order it," but Shi Lang brazenly ignored it and "prompted to kill it" ("Nan Ming History").
So Zheng Chenggong was furious and threw Shi Lang, his father Shi Daxuan, and his brother Shi Xian into prison. After Shi Lang was arrested, he fled to the mainland with the help of some trusted officials and local residents.
After Zheng Chenggong learned that Shi Lang had fled into the jurisdiction of the Qing, he was furious and executed all Shi Lang's father and brother in July. After receiving the news of the killing of his father and younger brother, Shi Lang hated Zheng Chenggong, so he resigned himself to the Qing Dynasty and became an enemy of the Zheng family.
After Shi Lang surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, he also made unremitting efforts to achieve the recovery of Taiwan. His patriotic thoughts and actions can be evaluated from the following three aspects:
First After the Qing Dynasty put down the "San Francisco Rebellion," the Zheng regime at that time had no chance of resuming the Ming Dynasty. They only wanted to keep Taiwan's separatist regime.
Therefore, in the negotiations with the Qing Dynasty, the Zheng family repeatedly asked for "don’t shave their hair and stick to the case of North Korea", "claim the tribute to the vassal", "save Taiwan for the world", and "claim the vassal according to foreign laws such as Ryukyu and Korea. Tribute".
Zheng's idea, subjectively, they may not be aware of splitting China, but objectively, the consequences are unimaginable.
If the Qing court agrees to Zheng's request, then Taiwan, a territory that has been China since ancient times, may be split from then on.
In the twenty-first year of Kangxi (1681), during the negotiation between the Qing Dynasty and the Zheng regime, Zheng Jing died of illness and was trapped internally in a situation of fighting for power. At this time, Fujian Governor Yao Qisheng, who advocated the recovery of Taiwan, believed that the time had come to send troops to recover Taiwan. Therefore, he once again invited Emperor Kangxi to entertain Taiwan and recommended Shi Lang to be the admiral of Fujian Navy. This performance was quickly approved by Kangxi.
From this historical fact, it is not difficult to analyze that the Qing Dynasty's use of Shi Lang to conquer Taiwan is no longer a continuation of the national war, nor is it a confrontation between the Ming and Qing dynasties (the Ming Dynasty has been dead for more than 40 years, even if it is The Nanming regime has already ended one after anotherShu), at this time it was either the Qing Dynasty regaining Taiwan, or it was separating Taiwan from Chinese territory.
Secondly, when the Qing army captured the main island of Penghu, someone suggested to Shi Lang: "The father and the Zheng are the three feuders. Today, the Zheng's axe is in the fish and the cage is in the bird, why not If you are eager to fight, you will be wronged before the snow?”
Shi Lang said: “My journey is for the country and the ears of the people. If he comes back from the wall, he will be forgiven immediately, without suffering my fathers and children! And?”
For this reason, Shi Lang also specially declared to Zheng’s men: “No revenge! The person who killed my father and brother on that day is dead and has nothing to do with others. It is not special that Taiwanese do not kill, that is, Zheng Jiaken Down, I will not kill. Today’s matter is the matter of the king, I dare to report private grievances?”
Shi Lang led the army to attack, and on the other hand, he urged the Zheng group. Zheng Keshuang, the head of the Zheng family, was helpless He obeyed Liu Guoxuan's persuasion and chose to surrender.
When Shi Lang led the Qing army to take the stage, he took the initiative to worship Zheng Chenggong’s temple, and made a high evaluation of the achievements of Zheng’s father and son in operating Taiwan, and said that Zheng’s recovery of Taiwan was an act of dedication for the country and the people. No grudge against Zheng Chenggong.
After the sacrifice was completed, Shi Lang choked up and burst into tears. The Zheng officers and soldiers and the people of Taiwan were also deeply moved. Praise Shi Lang for being broad-minded and able to focus on the overall situation. Calmly handling the relationship between justice and private grievances is far beyond the comparison of Wu Zixu in the Spring and Autumn Period.
Third, after Shi Lang took back Taiwan, a dispute over Taiwan abandonment happened within the Qing court. Many ministers lacked knowledge of Taiwan’s history and geography. They believed that Taiwan’s territory was small, and that it would not increase much of its territory, and that it would not cause much loss if it was lost, so they advocated giving up, even Emperor Kangxi believed so.
Among the many ministers who advocated renunciation, only a few advocated keeping but not giving up, including Shi Lang. Shi Langli rejected the crowd, resolutely opposed to abandoning Taiwan, and asked the Qing court to set up guards.
For this reason, Shi Lang also specially wrote "Gong Chen Taiwan Abandonment" to Kangxi, which repeatedly stated the importance of Taiwan's strategic position and pointed out that Taiwan is the key to Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian. Shou will surely lead to catastrophe.
Shi Lang is even more valuable, he pointed out that if Taiwan is not defended, whether it is a Dutch or a traitor, it may take the opportunity to enter at any time, and if Taiwan is again caught by a foreign country If the aggressor has invaded it, I am afraid it will be too late to regret. In the end, under the efforts of Shi Lang and others, Kangxi finally decided to establish official governance over Taiwan.
In the Shi Lang Memorial Hall, Jinjiang County, Fujian Province, Shi Lang’s hometown, there is a couplet: "Platform through the ages, regaining the ages; Zheng is one person, Shi is one person." This is both a compliment to Zheng Chenggong, but also A perfect portrayal of Shi Lang's achievements.
Specifically, Shi Lang was a traitor from the Ming Dynasty, or a great hero of the Chinese nation. Readers and friends, what do you think?
This article refers to: "Chinese History Quest"
