Li Shixian
Encyclopedia
Li Shixian (183423 August 1865) was a pre-eminent military leader of the late Taiping Rebellion
. He was the cousin of military leader Li Xiucheng
and was known for being very tall (200 cm tall) for a native of Guangxi
province. During his military tenure, he was given the title of King of Shi (侍王) (meaning "Servant Prince"). In the latter part of the Taiping rebellion, he led Taiping forces to many military victories, though he was eventually assassinated by a traitor in Guangdong
. Later in his life, he invited an aging Wei Yuan
to live in his home and was known to hold counsel with the famous scholar.
twice, laying siege in an attempt to end the war. The second siege consisted of nearly 200,000 Qing soldiers by March 1858, but they were routed when Li Shixian's Taiping force broke out of the capital in May 1860. With the Qing routing, Li Shixian was able to occupy all of the rich Zhejiang Province.
to attack Li Shixian in Zhejiang province. The Qing were successful, and after a number of hard-fought battles they recaptured all of Zhejiang
. Li Shixian's rebel forces were reduced from about 350,000 at the outset of the campaign to around 200,000 in 1864, when the Taiping capital of Nanjing
fell. When the capital fell, Li Shixian again successfully broke out with his remaining army and escaped along the coast to Fujian
Province.
, the Guangdong was many Taiping forces of the first generation (The Old brothers) homeland left from 1850, Zuo Zongtang ordered six major general
s lead 70,000 Qing army sieged them in Jiaoling County May 1, 1865, 20,000 Taiping forces surrender. Li made up a monk and escaped, on May 23 he came back to Taiping forces he had led and blamed his subordinate and want to retake this army; they betrayed and killed him.
These Qing generals and 20,000 Taiping forces surrender attended the Sino-French War
in 1883.
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who, having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty...
. He was the cousin of military leader Li Xiucheng
Li Xiucheng
Li Xiucheng was an eminent military leader of the Taiping Rebellion, and known during his military tenure as the Loyal King . This title was given because a Qing general attempted to bribe him to kill Hong Xiuquan, but he refused and told Hong Xiuquan. His many victories also made Hong very happy...
and was known for being very tall (200 cm tall) for a native of Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
province. During his military tenure, he was given the title of King of Shi (侍王) (meaning "Servant Prince"). In the latter part of the Taiping rebellion, he led Taiping forces to many military victories, though he was eventually assassinated by a traitor in Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
. Later in his life, he invited an aging Wei Yuan
Wei Yuan
Wei Yuan , born Wei Yuanda , courtesy names Moshen and Hanshi , was a Chinese scholar from Shaoyang, Hunan. He moved to Yangzhou in 1831, where he remained for the rest of his life. Wei obtained the provincial degree in the Imperial examinations and subsequently worked in the secretariat of...
to live in his home and was known to hold counsel with the famous scholar.
Army Group Jiangnan
Army Group Jiangnan (江南大營) of the Qing empire had encircled the Taiping capital of NanjingNanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
twice, laying siege in an attempt to end the war. The second siege consisted of nearly 200,000 Qing soldiers by March 1858, but they were routed when Li Shixian's Taiping force broke out of the capital in May 1860. With the Qing routing, Li Shixian was able to occupy all of the rich Zhejiang Province.
Versus Zuo Zongtang
In 1862, the Qing ordered Zuo ZongtangZuo Zongtang
Zuo Zongtang , spelled Tso Tsung-t'ang in Wade-Giles and known simply as General Tso in the West, was a Chinese statesman and military leader in the late Qing Dynasty....
to attack Li Shixian in Zhejiang province. The Qing were successful, and after a number of hard-fought battles they recaptured all of Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
. Li Shixian's rebel forces were reduced from about 350,000 at the outset of the campaign to around 200,000 in 1864, when the Taiping capital of Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
fell. When the capital fell, Li Shixian again successfully broke out with his remaining army and escaped along the coast to Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
Province.
The last Taiping forces
At last, Li remained 40,000 came back to eastern GuangdongGuangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, the Guangdong was many Taiping forces of the first generation (The Old brothers) homeland left from 1850, Zuo Zongtang ordered six major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
s lead 70,000 Qing army sieged them in Jiaoling County May 1, 1865, 20,000 Taiping forces surrender. Li made up a monk and escaped, on May 23 he came back to Taiping forces he had led and blamed his subordinate and want to retake this army; they betrayed and killed him.
These Qing generals and 20,000 Taiping forces surrender attended the Sino-French War
Sino-French War
The Sino–French War was a limited conflict fought between August 1884 and April 1885 to decide whether France should replace China in control of Tonkin . As the French achieved their war aims, they are usually considered to have won the war...
in 1883.
See also
- Battle of ChangzhouBattle of ChangzhouBattle of Changzhou occurred during the Taiping Rebellion. It was won by the Qing Dynasty, who regained control over all of Jiangsu....
- Fujian PocketFujian PocketFujian Pocket was a battle....
- Black Flag ArmyBlack Flag ArmyThe Black Flag Army was a splinter remnant of a bandit group recruited largely from soldiers of ethnic Zhuang background, who crossed the border from Guangxi province of China into Upper Tonkin, in the Empire of Annam in 1865. They became known mainly for their fights against French forces in...
:almost came from Li Shixian‘s troops from 1865