Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/228

Rh will are not clearly known. He may have designated the youthful Dorgon as heir, the elder son,, to act as regent until Dorgon reached maturity. More probably he ordered the seven or eight princes, each of whom was then in control of a Banner (see under ), to elect one of their number as nominal ruler. At, the same time a Banner was assigned to each of the three sons of Empress Hsiao-lieh, thus creating a powerful combination. The princes then in power—,, , and —fearing that with Empress Hsiao-lieh as a co-ordinating factor the coalition of her three sons would become too strong, forced her to commit suicide. Before her death she pleaded with the princes to look after Dorgon and Dodo who were then both in their teens.

When Abahai began to rule jointly with the other three powerful princes, he made Dorgon and Dodo Hošoi Beile (princes of the highest order) and gave each a Banner—Dorgon's being the Plain White and Dodo's the Bordered White. The elder brother, Ajige, was not given a banner, but received several niru from the two White Banners. As Dorgon and Dodo were both young Abahai treated them well and they in turn gave him their loyal support. Dorgon accompanied the troops in almost every campaign in the T'ien-ts'ung period (1627–36). In 1628 he exhibited bravery in the war against the Chahar Mongols and was given the title of Mergen daicing, or "Wise Warrior". In 1635 he was assisted by and  in subduing the Mongols of Chahar. When Abahai proclaimed himself emperor (1636) he made Dorgon a prince of the first degree with the designation Jui (see above).

In 1638 Dorgon was given the title, Fêng-ming Ta Chiang-chün 奉命大將軍 and was made commander of one of the two armies that invaded China—the other being led by Yoto. These armies raided more than forty cities in Chihli and Shantung (including Tsinan and Tientsin) and returned to Mukden in 1639 with much booty and many captives. A year later Dorgon supervised the cultivation of land at I-chou. Then followed the long siege of Sung-shan and Chin-chou, the fall of which in 1642 extended the Manchu territory almost to the Great Wall. In 1643, when Abahai died, the choice of a successor again became a problem. At first Daišan named Abahai's eldest son, Haoge, but the latter declined and left the conference. Ajige and Dodo wanted Dorgon to take the throne, but Dorgon declined on the ground that acceptance would be an act of disloyalty to the deceased emperor who had brought him up. The issue was finally settled when many generals who had fought under Abahai and loved him as their commander declared that they wanted one of Abahai's sons on the throne. Thus Abahai's ninth son,, then only six sui, was proclaimed emperor, with Dorgon and as co-regents. Yet even after the entire court had taken an oath of allegiance to the throne, two princes—Adali (see under ) and Šoto 碩託, second son of Daišan, conspired to make Dorgon emperor. But Dorgon and Daišan exposed the conspirators and had them executed.

Presently the fall of Peking to became known in Mukden and, on the advice of, Dorgon personally led an army into China. The surrender of gave the Manchus an easy victory over Li Tzŭ-ch'êng, and Dorgon entered Peking on June 6, 1644. He was met by some Ming officials who paid their respects, as they had to the rebel leader, Li Tzŭ-ch'êng. Dorgon lived for a time in the Palace, but later moved southeast of the Palace to a smaller court which in Ming times was known as Nan-ch'êng 南城. Active and farsighted, Dorgon enlisted the help of many Chinese, including and, in the conduct of the government. He sent troops in pursuit of Li Tzŭ-ch'êng, and in other ways laid the foundations of the new dynasty. On October 19 Fu-lin entered the palace in Peking and eleven days later was proclaimed Emperor of China. During the first seven years of Fu-lin's reign the government was directed by Dorgon who had supreme power and was called "Regent Uncle" ( 叔父攝政王, a title altered in 1645 to "Imperial Regent Uncle" 皇叔父攝政王). Under Dorgon's direction the provinces of Shensi, Honan and Shantung were occupied, and in 1645 Kiangnan, Kiangsi, Hupeh, and part of Chekiang were added to the throne (see under and ). In 1646 Szechwan and Fukien were conquered (see under and ). Although the Southern Ming forces succeeded in 1648 in recovering part of their territory, they were soon routed and restricted to the southwestern provinces (see under and ). A rebellion of the Sunid Mongols was suppressed and the antagonistic Khalkas were defeated (see under ). 216