Tuanlian
Encyclopedia
Tuanlian Localised militia begun in Zhou Dynasty
, offered self-defense for the civilians. In May 1645, Ming rebel leader Li Zicheng (Chinese:李自成) was killed by tuanlian of local land owners in Hubei
province.
In Qing Jiaqing Emperor
reign, the corrupted Eight Banners
and Green Standard Army
were incapable of curbing the White Lotus Rebellion
, Qing court began to order the local gentry and land owners of all the ten provinces to organize Tuanlian for self-defense, both the funding and control were in the hands of local gentry and land owners.
, tuanlian militia was expanded by Zeng Guofan
into an army force of thirteen battalions consisted of 6500 men, a navy of ten battalions consised of 5000 men, of a total of 17,000 men, was given the name of Xiang Army
, with Zeng Guofan
as the Commander-in-chief
, accepting orders from Zeng alone. The new rule was termed "Soldiers followed the general, soldiers belonged to the general"(Chinese:兵隨將轉，兵為將有), contrary to the old military rule before the Northern Song Dynasty's "Soldiers had no fixed commander, commander had no fixed soldiers" (Chinese:兵無常帥，帥無常兵). This new military rule was the direct cause of the Warlord era
.
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
, offered self-defense for the civilians. In May 1645, Ming rebel leader Li Zicheng (Chinese:李自成) was killed by tuanlian of local land owners in Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
province.
In Qing Jiaqing Emperor
Jiaqing Emperor
The Jiaqing Emperor was the seventh emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the fifth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1796 to 1820....
reign, the corrupted Eight Banners
Eight Banners
The Eight Banners were administrative divisions into which all Manchu families were placed. They provided the basic framework for the Manchu military organization...
and Green Standard Army
Green Standard Army
Green Standard Army is the name of a category of military units under the control of the Qing Dynasty in China. It was made up mostly of ethnic Han soldiers and operated concurrently with the Manchu-Mongol-Han Eight Banner armies...
were incapable of curbing the White Lotus Rebellion
White Lotus Rebellion
The White Lotus Rebellion was a rebellion that occurred during the Qing Dynasty of China. It broke out in 1796 among impoverished settlers in the mountainous region that separates Sichuan province from Hubei and Shaanxi provinces...
, Qing court began to order the local gentry and land owners of all the ten provinces to organize Tuanlian for self-defense, both the funding and control were in the hands of local gentry and land owners.
Yong
Yong(Chinese:勇), literary "Braves", were the official name of the member of the militia, which were recruited from the local civilian. Yong(Chinese:勇) was not regarded as the official Imperial Army, the funding and the logistic was provided by civilian society, not by the Imperial Court.Zeng Guofan
During 1845's Taiping RebellionTaiping 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...
, tuanlian militia was expanded by Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guofan was an eminent Han Chinese official, military general, and devout Confucian scholar of the late Qing Dynasty in China....
into an army force of thirteen battalions consisted of 6500 men, a navy of ten battalions consised of 5000 men, of a total of 17,000 men, was given the name of Xiang Army
Xiang Army
The Xiang Army was a standing army organized by Zeng Guofan from existing regional and village militia forces tuanlian to contain the Taiping rebellion in China . The name is taken from the Hunan region where the Army was raised. The Army was financed through local nobles and gentry, as opposed...
, with Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guofan was an eminent Han Chinese official, military general, and devout Confucian scholar of the late Qing Dynasty in China....
as the Commander-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
, accepting orders from Zeng alone. The new rule was termed "Soldiers followed the general, soldiers belonged to the general"(Chinese:兵隨將轉，兵為將有), contrary to the old military rule before the Northern Song Dynasty's "Soldiers had no fixed commander, commander had no fixed soldiers" (Chinese:兵無常帥，帥無常兵). This new military rule was the direct cause of the Warlord era
Warlord era
The Chinese Warlord Era was the period in the history of the Republic of China, from 1916 to 1928, when the country was divided among military cliques, a division that continued until the fall of the Nationalist government in the mainland China regions of Sichuan, Shanxi, Qinghai, Ningxia,...
.