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Rh the defense collapsed and both generals surrendered, Abahai's territory now extended to the vicinity of Shanhaikuan. In the north his various expeditions (1636–37, 1689–40, 1641, and 1643–44) succeeded in bringing the whole Amur region under Manchu rule. However, his health failed; he died in 1643, and was succeeded by his ninth son,, with Jirgalang and Dorgon as regents. Abahai was given the posthumous name Wên Huang-ti 文皇帝 and the temple name T'ai-tsung 太宗. His tomb was named Chao-ling 昭陵.

During his reign of seventeen years Abahai greatly strengthened the foundations of the Ch'ing dynasty as laid by his father, and paved the way for the conquest of China. Some credit for his success must be given to the Chinese who surrendered to him, as shown in the memorials they submitted during his reign. A number of these memorials, entitled 天聰朝臣工奏議 T'ien-ts'ung ch'ao Ch'ên-kung tsou-i, 3 chüan, were printed in the series, 史料叢刊初編 Shih-liao ts'ung-k'an ch'u-pien (1924). These Chinese were given high rank and were treated respectfully. Such generals as K'ung Yu-tê and Kêng Chung-ming not only brought with them many soldiers but also new weapons which the Chinese had begun to manufacture with the help of Portuguese missionaries from Macao (see under ). Abahai did not underestimate the importance of literary activity. In 1629 he established the Wên Kuan 文館, or Literary Office which was expanded in 1636 to the Three Courts (三院) differentiated by the designations Kuo-shih 國史, Pi-shu 秘書, and Hung-wên 弘文. These courts were later consolidated into the Grand Secretariat. He also ordered to make improvements in the Manchu alphabet. Some documents written in the Manchu language before and after these improvements were made are still extant. The official history of his period, entitled Ch'ing T'ai-tsung Wên Huang-ti shih-lu (實錄), 65 chüan, was first compiled in the years 1652-55, but was revised in the years 1673-82. The final revision in 65 + 3 chüan was made during the years 1734-40. The classified collection of his edicts, entitled Ch'ing T'ai-tsung Wên Huang-ti shêng-hsün, (聖訓) 6 chüan, was printed in 1740.

Abahai had eleven sons, seven of whom reached maturity. The most important politically, aside from Fu-lin, was the eldest,. The sixth son, Gose 高塞, had literary inclinations and was the author of a volume of verse, entitled 恭壽堂集 Kung-shou t'ang chi. Gose held the rank of a prince of the fifth degree and was given the posthumous name, K'o-hou 殼厚. Of Abahai's fourteen daughters, nine married Mongols. The youngest, Princess K'o-ch'un, married Wu Ying-hsiung, the eldest son of Wu San-kuei (for both see under Wu San-kuei). Wu Ying-hsiung was executed in 1674.

[1/2/1a; Huang Ch'ing k'ai-kuo fang-lüeh, translation of the same, with notes, by E. Hauer; Daily records, letters, and memorials published in Shih-liao ts'ung-k'an ch'u-pien; 清皇室四譜 Ch'ing Huang-shih ssŭ-p'u; Howorth, H. H., History of the Mongols (1876), pp. 384–454; 清代帝后像 Ch'ing-tai ti-hou hsiang, vol. 1; 明清史料 Ming Ch'ing shih-liao, vols. 1–10; 燃藜室紀述 Jan-li shih chi-shu, chüan 27, 28; Hsieh Kuo-chên 謝國楨, 清開國史料考 Ch'ing k'ai-kuo shih-liao k'ao; 奉天通志 Fêng-t'ien t'ung-chih (1934); 故宮週刊 Ku-kung chou-k'an, nos. 245–459; Imanishi Shunjū 今西春秋, 淸の太宗の立太子問題 in 史學研究 Shigaku Kenkyū, vol. VII, nos. 1–2 (1935); Mêng Sên 孟森，八旗制度考實 in Bulletin of the Institute of History and Philology (Academia Sinica), vol. VI, pt. 3 (1936).]

2em

ABAHAI (Empress). See under.

 ABATAI, July 27, 1589–1646, May 10, member of the Imperial Family, was the seventh son of T'ai-tsu (Nurhaci). Although he took part in the expedition against the Weji tribe in 1611 and against the Jarut tribe of Mongols in 1623, he was thirty-eight sui before he was made a beile at the accession in 1626 of his younger brother, later known as T'ai-tsung (see under ). Early in 1638 he refused to attend the reception prepared for a Mongol chieftain on the ground that he himself had not been granted appropriate rank. His constant grumbling led others to demand his punishment, but T'ai-tsung contented himself with imposing a fine of four suits of armor and twelve saddled horses. In 1629, while on a campaign into China through Mongolia, he deserted his colleague,, at a critical moment in defiance of an agreement and was sentenced to dismissal, but was again pardoned by T'ai-tsung. He fought actively during the winter of this year and the following spring, but was involved in the retreat which lost Yung-p'ing and other cities to the Chinese (see under ). On the establishment in 1631 of the six ministries, he was put in charge of the 3