Li Chengliang
Encyclopedia
Li Chengliang (1526 - 1618) was a Chinese general of Korean descent in the reign of the Wanli Emperor
during the Ming Dynasty
who was in charge of maintaining peace and relations with the Jurchen
tribes. He was from Tielin and was from a military family.
He never had a very prosperous childhood and early life, so he was age 40 before he received an official appointment. He slowly rose up the ranks to eventually become Liaodong Regional Commander (Chinese:遼東總兵) with the backing of the Chief Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng
. Li Chengliang was twice appointed Liaodong Regional Commander. The first commission lasted 22 years, the second 8 years.
In the battle, Li was in command of Giocangga and Taksi's forces, and Li had also intended to side with the Jurchen chieftain Nikan Wailan (Chinese:尼堪外蘭). When Giocangga
and Taksi
(Chinese:塔克世) abandoned Li to side with chieftain Atai who was their relative, Li thought they had mutinied and so left them behind in the midst of battle. When Atai was later defeated by Nikan Wailan, both Giocangga and Taksi were killed by Nikan Wailan in the aftermath.
The Ming policy on the Jurchen tribes during that period was to side with different tribes during each conflict to maintain a balance and not allow one tribe to dominate and eventually unite the Jurchen tribes. Spurred by the actions of Li, Nurhaci was eventually able to unite all the Jurchen tribes, creating the Manchu
. Nurhaci then blamed Li Chengliang for the death of his father, which formed part of the Seven Grievances.
Of his nine sons, five Li Rusong
, Li Ruzhen, Li Rubai
, Li Ruzhang and Li Rumei would rise to become full generals (Chinese:總兵) and four Li Ruzi, Li Ruwu, Li Rugui, and Li Runan would become accompanying generals (Chinese:參將) for the Ming Dynasty.
Wanli Emperor
The Wanli Emperor was emperor of China between 1572 and 1620. His era name means "Ten thousand calendars". Born Zhu Yijun, he was the Longqing Emperor's third son...
during the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
who was in charge of maintaining peace and relations with the Jurchen
Jurchens
The Jurchens were a Tungusic people who inhabited the region of Manchuria until the 17th century, when they adopted the name Manchu...
tribes. He was from Tielin and was from a military family.
He never had a very prosperous childhood and early life, so he was age 40 before he received an official appointment. He slowly rose up the ranks to eventually become Liaodong Regional Commander (Chinese:遼東總兵) with the backing of the Chief Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng
Zhang Juzheng
Zhang Juzheng , courtesy name: Shuda , pseudonym: Taiyue , was a powerful Grand Secretary in the Ming Dynasty under the Longqing and Wanli emperors. Zhang was born in Jiangling, Hubei province, China and died in Beijing....
. Li Chengliang was twice appointed Liaodong Regional Commander. The first commission lasted 22 years, the second 8 years.
Military career against the Mongols
During the Longqing era, the Tuman Mongols migrated east and often harassed the Liaotung region. These Mongols are very powerful. Their forces totalled several hundred thousand strong. the situation was very serious. this was Li Chengliang's first tenure as Liaodong Regional General scored five major victories against the Tuman Mongols.- 1575 Wanli 3 (萬歷三年)Tuman KhanTümen Jasagtu KhanTümen Jasagtu Khan was a 16th century Mongol khan of the Northern Yuan Dynasty in Mongolia who reigned from 1558 to 1592. He was the successor of Darayisung Gödeng Khan and had direct rule over the Chahar. It was during his rule that the Mongols conquered Daur and Evenks...
commanded over a hundred thousand cavalry troops to attack and pillage the YizhouYizhouYizhou , formerly Yishan County , is a county-level city located in Hechi Prefecture, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in the southern part of the People's Republic of China....
, JinzhouJinzhouJinzhou , is a prefecture-level city of Liaoning province, China. It is a geographically strategic city located in the "Liaoxi Corridor" , which connects land transportation between North China and Northeast China. Jinzhou is China's northernmost seaport and the coastal economic center of West...
(Chinese:锦州) region. Li Chengliang soundly defeated the Tuman Khan and was greatly rewarded. - 1578 Wanli 6 (萬歷六年)Tuman Khan once again attacked, this time in LiaoyangLiaoyangLiaoyang is a city in China, Liaoning province, located in the middle of the Liaodong Peninsula. The city is situated on the T'ai-tzu River and forms with Anshan a built up area of 2,057,200 inhabitants in 2010....
(Chinese:遼陽), Li Chengliang successfully defeated the Tuman once again. - 1579 Wanli 7 (萬歷七年)Tuman Khan again attacked Yizhou, JinzhouJinzhouJinzhou , is a prefecture-level city of Liaoning province, China. It is a geographically strategic city located in the "Liaoxi Corridor" , which connects land transportation between North China and Northeast China. Jinzhou is China's northernmost seaport and the coastal economic center of West...
(Chinese:錦州) region. and besieged Guangning (Chinese:廣寧 now 北寧), Li Chengliang once again scored a major victory. - 1580 Wanli 8 (萬歷八年)Tuman Khan gathered 40,000 cavalry, each horse tailing a cattle and three sheep. Li Chengliang once again victorious.
- 1581 Wanli 9 (萬歷九年)Tuman Khan gathered nine tribes totaling a hundred thousand men and horse and attacked Liaodong (Chinese:遼東)with the intention of attacking Beijing.
In the battle, Li was in command of Giocangga and Taksi's forces, and Li had also intended to side with the Jurchen chieftain Nikan Wailan (Chinese:尼堪外蘭). When Giocangga
Giocangga
Giocangga was the grandfather of Nurhaci, the man who was to unify the Jurchen peoples and begin building what later became the Manchu state. Both he and his son Taksi went to the aid of Nurhaci's uncle Atai whose city was being besieged by a rival Jurchen chieftain Nikan Wailan, who promised...
and Taksi
Taksi
Taksi was a Jurchen chieftain and father of Nurhaci, founder of the Qing Dynasty, and the fourth son of Giocangga. A member of the Gioro clan, he was killed in an attack on Gure by a rival Jurchen chieftain Nikan Wailan in 1582. His temple name was Xiǎnzǔ...
(Chinese:塔克世) abandoned Li to side with chieftain Atai who was their relative, Li thought they had mutinied and so left them behind in the midst of battle. When Atai was later defeated by Nikan Wailan, both Giocangga and Taksi were killed by Nikan Wailan in the aftermath.
The Ming policy on the Jurchen tribes during that period was to side with different tribes during each conflict to maintain a balance and not allow one tribe to dominate and eventually unite the Jurchen tribes. Spurred by the actions of Li, Nurhaci was eventually able to unite all the Jurchen tribes, creating the Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
. Nurhaci then blamed Li Chengliang for the death of his father, which formed part of the Seven Grievances.
Of his nine sons, five Li Rusong
Li Rusong
Li Ru-song was a Chinese general of Ming empire who is from the town of Tieling , LiaoDong Li Ru-song (1549–1598) was a Chinese general of Ming empire who is from the town of Tieling (Chinese:鐵嶺衛), LiaoDong Li Ru-song (1549–1598) was a Chinese general of Ming empire who is from the town of...
, Li Ruzhen, Li Rubai
Li Rubai
Li Rubai was a general of the Ming Dynasty. He was the younger brother of Li Rusong and the son of Li Chengliang. He participated in the Imjin War and the campaign against the Later Jin Khan Nurhaci where he committed suicide after the defeat at Battle of Sarhu....
, Li Ruzhang and Li Rumei would rise to become full generals (Chinese:總兵) and four Li Ruzi, Li Ruwu, Li Rugui, and Li Runan would become accompanying generals (Chinese:參將) for the Ming Dynasty.