Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/14

Rh tribute expected of him, large sums in gold and silver. Though the negotiations were fruitless they served to restrain the Chinese from attacking Abahai's rear while he invaded Korea. In his father's time the Manchus got their currency from Peking in exchange for the tribute they sent to the Ming Court. Ever since Nurhaci had ceased to send tribute to Peking the Manchus had suffered from shortage of money. One motive for Abahai's invasion of Korea was to force that country to send annual tribute of silver and cloth which he needed. He did not subdue Korea at this time, but agreed to correspond with the king of that country, Li Tsung 李倧 (temple name 仁祖, 1595–1649, reigned 1623–1649), on a basis of equality as a "brother." After thus silencing Korea he again attacked Yüan's forts (late in 1627), but was repulsed. Yüan was forced by his government to retire for several months, but was reinstated at Ning-yüan in 1628 with wider powers which permitted him to strengthen his defenses west of the Liao River. Abahai then negotiated with the Chinese general,, for the surrender of the island, P'i-tao, near the mouth of the Yalu River. But the plot was discovered and Mao was executed. In order to replenish his coffers Abahai led an army, in 1629, through the territories of the friendly Tumed and Kharachin Mongols, invading China by the passes near Hsi-fêng k'ou 喜峯口. Finally he attacked Peking. Yüan Ch'ung-huan hurried to the rescue but was imprisoned in Peking on the false charge of seditious relations with the Manchus. According to Ch'ing official accounts the evidence against Yüan was furnished by spies of Abahai who regarded Yüan as the main obstacle to the successful invasion of China.

Shortly after Abahai returned to Mukden with his booty the cities west of Shanhaikuan which he had taken were lost (see under ). In 1631 he surrounded Ta-ling-ho and took that city (see under ). In the following year he again went to Inner Mongolia, advancing farther west than he had three years previously. There he encountered the Chahar Mongols and, after pillaging several cities near Kalgan, he signed a truce with the local general, making that city a trading post. However, in 1634, he again attacked the northern cities of Shansi and Chihli and subdued the Chahar Mongols, the strongest of the Inner Mongolian tribes. Meanwhile, with the surrender of and  in 1633, and  in 1634, Abahai greatly increased the number of his Chinese troops and of his councilors who had literary training. His territory now extended south to Lu-shun (Port Arthur). He named his capital, Shêng-ching (Mukden), and his ancestral city (Hetu Ala), Hsing-ching 興京. By 1635 the last of the Chahars were subjugated by Dorgon and a seal said to have been used by the Mongol emperors during the Yüan dynasty was taken from them. The Inner Mongolians, being organized into companies and banners, remained loyal to the Ch'ing house (except for minor disturbances) throughout the dynasty. In the same year (1635) Abahai sent an expedition to conquer the Hurkas of the Amur region, bringing back more than seven thousand captives.

In 1635, doubtless on the advice of his Chinese councilors, Abahai forbade the use of the names, Ju-chên or Chien-chou (see under ), in reference to his people, decreeing that the name Man-chou 滿洲 (Manchu) should be used instead. This change was made to obscure the fact that his ancestors had been under Chinese rule and that they are referred to in Chinese records as Ju-chên or Chien-chou. On May 14, 1636, he proclaimed himself emperor, changed the name of his dynasty to Ch'ing 清 and his reign-title to Ch'ung-tê. Representatives from many Mongolian tribes came to felicitate him. Later in 1636, he sent two armies to invade China, which pillaged Pao-ting and other cities and returned with many captives and much booty. Meanwhile Korea had stubbornly refused to recognize Abahai as emperor and perhaps was not very generous with her annual tribute to him. On December 28, 1638 Abahai personally commanded an army to invade Korea which he subdued in a month. The king of Korea was forced to recognize the suzerainty of the court at Mukden, relinquished his sons as hostages, and agreed to send annual tribute. Koreans who affirmed their loyalty to China were executed. Abahai also annexed the island, P'i-tao. In 1638 he established the Li-fan yüan 理藩院, a board in charge of affairs relating to Koreans and Mongols. Later in that year he sent two armies to invade China (see under and ) which returned in 1639 after pillaging many cities in Chihli and Shantung. In a final effort to stem these invasions the Ming emperor, I-tsung (see under ), made commander of the forces in Liaotung. With and other generals Hung made a stubborn defense at Chin-chou, but soon Tsu was besieged in that city and Hung likewise, in the neighboring city of Sung-shan. In 1642 2