Chen Yucheng
Chen Yucheng Editorial Team
Shanghai People’s Publishing House
February 1972
Quotations from Chairman Mao
The process of combining imperialism and Chinese feudalism, transforming China into a semi-colony and colony, is also the process of the Chinese people resisting imperialism and its running dogs.
Throughout the thousands of years of Chinese history, many national heroes and revolutionary leaders have emerged.
The Chinese people, for over a hundred years, have fought heroically without yielding, continuously striving, so that imperialism cannot and will never be able to destroy China. **
Preface
Chen Yucheng was an outstanding general of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom revolutionary movement. To overthrow the reactionary rule of the Qing Dynasty and oppose imperialist oppression, he fought bravely, was not afraid of sacrifice, and dedicated his life with a heroic spirit that inspires praise and tears. He made great contributions to China’s nearly century-long revolutionary cause against imperialism and feudalism.
Chen Yucheng was trained and grew during the Taiping revolutionary wars. Lenin once said: “Great revolutionary struggles produce great men.”① The large-scale revolution movement of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom created a batch of brave and steadfast heroes, among whom Chen Yucheng was a prominent figure. This young general led the Taiping Army with fearless revolutionary spirit, fighting fiercely against the enemy, capturing cities occupied by Qing troops, smashing hundreds of enemy camps, killing tens of thousands of enemies, and achieving significant victories. These victories repeatedly turned the tide of the revolution and created a new favorable situation.
Chen Yucheng’s resolute and fierce struggle against the enemy made them tremble with fear, hated and feared him, and earned the unwavering loyalty of the revolutionary cause, winning enthusiastic support and praise from the working people. When he was finally captured by the enemy’s treacherous hands, he still persisted in fighting and remained unyielding. Facing the enemy’s butcher’s knife, he faced death bravely, calmly sacrificing himself, demonstrating the noble qualities of a head that can be cut off, blood that can be shed, and revolutionary integrity that cannot be lost.
① “In Memory of Y.M. Sverdlov” (March 18, 1919), Selected Works of Lenin, Vol. 29, p. 71.
Chairman Mao taught us: “All dark forces harmful to the people must be exposed, and all revolutionary struggles of the people must be praised.”① However, over the years, liars like Liu Shaoqi, driven by their counterrevolutionary needs, have tried to beautify traitors who sell out revolutionary interests and viciously slander revolutionary heroes. They distort history, desperately flattering traitor Li Xiucheng, calling him “the soul of national survival,” “the master of leading the historical movement,” and the “pillar of support” in the later period of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and making every effort to defend his treacherous acts; meanwhile, the revolutionary achievements and immortal contributions of heroes like Chen Yucheng have been erased. This inversion of history must be corrected to restore the true face of history. Traitors like Li Xiucheng should be thoroughly exposed and criticized; revolutionary heroes like Chen Yucheng must be affirmed and praised.
Chen Yucheng’s heroic sacrifice was over a hundred years ago, but his heroic image and revolutionary spirit are forever worthy of admiration and learning by future generations.
① “Speech at the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art” (May 1942), Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Vol. 3, p. 828.
1. Rapid Growth in Battle
Participating in the Revolution
Chen Yucheng was born in Xunxian Village, Guiping County, Guangxi, in 1837. His original name was Picheng; Yucheng was given to him by the Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan after he joined the Taiping Revolution. Chen Yucheng lost his parents early and was raised by his uncle Chen Chengrong. Later, he worked in Xinwang Village, Teng County.
In the third year after his birth, 1840, the Opium War broke out. Since then, the claws of imperialist powers like Britain, America, and France have reached into China. They used gunboat diplomacy to force the Qing government to sign a series of unequal treaties, including the Treaty of Nanjing with Britain, the Treaty of Wangxia with the U.S., and the Treaty of Huangpu with France. Besides occupying Hong Kong and demanding huge indemnities, they also gained privileges such as opening five ports (Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai) for trade, seizing tariff rights and extraterritorial jurisdiction, and allowing foreign ships to navigate Chinese coastal waters, conduct missionary activities at will, and enjoy most-favored-nation treatment.
Using these privileges, imperialists intensified their military, political, economic, and cultural invasions, damaging China’s territorial sovereignty and oppressing and exploiting the Chinese people. They smuggled large quantities of opium, plundered Chinese agricultural and industrial raw materials at low prices, and dumped goods like cotton yarn and cloth, engaging in various aggressive activities.
At this time, the Qing government became even more corrupt and reactionary. It not only desperately maintained feudal exploitation and served as a tool for landlord oppression but also served imperialism, becoming its running dog. To pay the huge indemnities to Britain, it extorted from the people. Many officials were addicted to opium, and corruption was rampant. They used various despicable means to extort money, often doubling or tripling taxes after the war. The masses hated these corrupt officials, calling them “locusts.”
The landlord class also transferred the increased taxes from the Qing government to peasants through rent, intensifying exploitation. Farmers couldn’t pay rent and had to borrow money. Landlords, merchants, and usurers extorted and engaged in land grabbing. Over 80% of land in southeastern Guangxi, including Guiping, Guixian, and Pingnan, was owned by landlords. Under their brutal exploitation, many farmers went bankrupt, selling their oxen, tools, and even their children. They were in dire straits, unable to survive.
“The process of combining imperialism and Chinese feudalism, transforming China into a semi-colony and colony, is also the process of the Chinese people resisting imperialism and its running dogs.”① After the Opium War, under the dual oppression of imperialism and feudalism, China’s poverty and suffering worsened dramatically, forcing the people to rise in rebellion. From 1841 to 1850, within ten years, there were over a hundred uprisings each year. The struggles of various ethnic groups and regions grew in scale, revealing an unprecedented intensification of class contradictions within China.
① “Chinese Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party” (December 1939), Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Vol. 2, p. 595.
At that time, class struggles in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hunan were particularly fierce. Repeated peasant rebellions broke out in Guangxi due to the people’s suffering from hunger and cold. When the insurgent forces from Hunan and Guangdong moved into Guangxi, revolutionary forces gradually united, and the struggles became more intense. They raised slogans like “Officials forced the people to rebel” and “Rob the rich to help the poor,” capturing cities, killing officials, and gaining momentum. The insurgent armies numbered dozens, with hundreds or thousands of fighters each. The peasant revolutionary fire burned continuously, spreading everywhere across Guangxi, forming a great situation for revolutionary struggle.
Chen Yucheng’s childhood was spent amid such sharp and complex social contradictions and class struggles. He had worked as a small laborer, helping to build walls and houses. The pain of oppression and exploitation deepened his hatred for landlords and corrupt officials. The continuous resistance of Guangxi peasants also ignited his revolutionary enthusiasm. So, when the revolutionary group “Bai Shangdi Hui,” led by Hong Xiuquan, expanded to Teng County, Chen Yucheng, still a 12- or 13-year-old rural youth, resolutely joined the organization together with local revolutionary farmers.
On January 11, 1851, under Hong Xiuquan’s leadership, a large number of impoverished peasants raised banners and weapons, launched an armed uprising in Jintian Village, Guiping County, Guangxi, and solemnly declared the establishment of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Marx soon pointed out: “China’s continuous uprisings have lasted for ten years and have now merged into a powerful revolution.”① This revolution was the peasant movement against the Qing reactionary feudal rule and national oppression—the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement.
At that time, Chen Yucheng was only 14 years old. He killed landlords who oppressed him and, without hesitation, followed his uncle Chen Chengrong to join the uprising. Chen Yucheng and other children were incorporated into the “Tongzi Army” (child soldiers). Although young, they made many contributions on the battlefield of war and fire. They fought alongside the main army, fearless of sacrifice, and bravely killed enemies. The child soldiers were very clever, climbing high and crossing dangerous terrain as if walking on flat ground. They often appeared suddenly in front of the enemy, striking unexpectedly, then retreating quickly, making it hard for the enemy to catch them. Their swift actions and ambush tactics often led to victories. Chen Yucheng was an outstanding child soldier at that time.
In June 1852, the Taiping Army left Guangxi, entered Hunan, and in December, advanced to Hubei, quickly capturing Hanyang and Hankou, and besieging Wuchang. Under Wuchang’s walls, Chen Yucheng and a few soldiers followed a general to scout the terrain and were discovered by Qing troops. The enemy sent troops to encircle them, and they fought desperately. Chen Yucheng rode a horse, wielded his sword, and shouted: “Who dares to stop me!” He charged back and forth like a whirlwind among the enemy ranks, cutting down Qing soldiers who tried to stop him. When he broke through the encirclement, his robes were stained with enemy blood.
In January 1853, the Taiping Army occupied Wuchang, and in February, they set out from Wuhan, heading down the Yangtze River. Chen Yucheng followed the vanguard, marching toward Nanjing. When the Taiping Army captured Nanjing, Chen Yucheng was only 17. This young hero had already demonstrated his fearless fighting spirit during the first two years of the Taiping uprising, and when the capital was moved to Tianjing (modern Nanjing), he was promoted to the rank of Left Fourth Army’s main officer, responsible for military supplies and supervising military affairs.①
① “Left Fourth Army” was a designation of the Taiping Army; “Main Officer for Military Supplies” and “Supervising Military Affairs” were official titles. The early Qing government’s official ranks included Prime Minister, General, Commander, Inspector, and Premier. Below Premier, there were ranks like “Supervisor” and “Rewarded Supervisor.” All miscellaneous and official positions with the same level as the main official rank were called “Equal to,” with rewards being honorary titles. The “Supervisor” rank also had “Equal to Supervisor” and “Rewarded Supervisor.” Above the Premier, there were titles like Marquis and King.
Cleverly Seizing Wuchang, Holding Jiujang
After establishing Tianjing as the capital, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom sent two armies: one headed north to directly attack the Qing reactionary regime’s center; the other along the Jiangxi border to advance into the middle and lower Yangtze regions.
The western expedition of the Taiping Army was of great strategic importance. Due to a lack of a solid base, the Taiping Army abandoned territories they had previously occupied during their march to Nanjing. Key strategic locations like Wuhan, Jiujiang, and Anqing were gradually lost to the enemy. These areas falling into enemy hands not only prevented further victories but also left Tianjing unprotected and under threat.
In May 1853, the western expedition set out. It was warmly welcomed by impoverished farmers along the way and quickly advanced, occupying Anqing, the first strategic location west of Tianjing, in early June. In September, they captured Jiujang and turned it into a barrier to defend Tianjing and a forward base for advancing into Jiangxi and Hubei. In October, they seized Hankou and Hanyang, greatly boosting their momentum. The enemy was forced to retreat to Wuchang. To strengthen the battlefronts in northern Jiangsu and Anhui, the western expedition troops soon withdrew from Hankou and Hanyang. After winning battles in northern Jiangsu and northern Anhui in early 1854, they launched another attack on Hubei, capturing Hankou, Hanyang, and besieging Wuchang in mid-February.
The attack on Wuchang faced difficulties; despite several months of effort, it could not be taken. At this critical moment, Chen Yucheng was ordered to lead troops to reinforce Wuchang. Previously, he had been fighting in Anhui, Jiangxi, and Hubei. When he set out for the western expedition, he told his uncle Chen Chengrong: “I am just a kid, with no achievements yet, but the Heavenly King values me so much and has entrusted me with this force. Even if I die, I will make a contribution to the Heavenly Dynasty.” With this firm resolve, he participated in the battle to attack Wuchang.
Once, Chen Yucheng and other generals analyzed the reasons for previous failed assaults on the city. Then he personally led more than ten cavalry to scout the enemy situation in Wuchang. Qing gunfire rained down on them repeatedly, and Chen Yucheng’s horses were hit several times, but he remained calm, carefully observing the enemy. After returning, he told the commanding general: “Wuchang’s food supplies are exhausted, the Qing defenders are hungry and exhausted, and look pale. Outside the city, reinforcements are also demoralized; they carry many supplies but are already preparing to flee. If we learn from past failures and change our tactics, Wuchang can be captured.” The commander, seeing his confidence, appointed him as the front-line leader for the assault.
On June 26, 1854, the Taiping Army launched a fierce attack on Wuchang.
That night, Chen Yucheng took 500 elite soldiers, circled around the east of Wuchang. He arranged 300 men to attack the city head-on, attracting the Qing defenders’ attention, while he led the remaining 200 to ambush in a quiet spot. When the enemy was unprepared, they threw ropes onto the city walls, caught the battlements, and everyone climbed up along the ropes. As Chen Yucheng and his soldiers reached the top, they raised flags and shouted: “Heavenly soldiers are on the city! Heavenly soldiers are on the city!” Thousands of Qing soldiers were terrified and panicked, rushing to escape and opening the city gates. After months of siege, Wuchang was finally captured.
The victory in the battle to capture Wuchang showed that Chen Yucheng not only possessed a fearless revolutionary spirit but also excellent military talent in analyzing enemy and friendly forces and making correct judgments. Because of his great contribution, he was promoted to the rank of Eighteenth Commander of the Palace. One or two months later, he was further promoted to the rank of Thirtieth Inspector of the Palace, commanding the Thirteenth Army and the Fourth Navy Army. At this time, he was only 18 years old.
① “Thirtieth Inspector of the Palace” was a rank in the early Taiping government; “Commander of Military Supplies” and “Supervising Military Affairs” were official titles.
Later, Chen Yucheng led troops to fight in Yuezhou (now Yueyang), Hunan, against the Qing army at Chenglingji, but was defeated and retreated to Hanyang. In October 1854, due to the superior forces of the enemy, Wuhan was occupied by Zeng Guofan’s Xiang Army and others.
Zeng Guofan came from a landlord family in Xiangxiang, Hunan, and was an extremely brutal counterrevolutionary executioner. When the Taiping Army advanced into Hunan in 1852, he was a Qing Ministry of Rites official in Xiangxiang. He received orders from the Qing government and organized landlord militia. Later, this reactionary army expanded into the fierce Xiang Army, armed with foreign guns and cannons supplied by imperialists, becoming the deadly enemy of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Facing this formidable enemy, Chen Yucheng was fearless, leading his troops to fight in Huangzhou (Huanggang), Qizhou, Guangji (Meichuan), and Huangmei, fighting bravely every time. Once, in Huangmei, he engaged in battle with Qing General Taqibu. Taqibu charged the city, and Chen Yucheng wounded him in the face with a spear, blood splattering his clothes. Later, at Konglongyi near Huangmei, he fought seven battles against the superior Qing forces, killing many enemies. However, due to the defeat of the water navy, Chen Yucheng’s troops could not get reinforcements and had to abandon Konglongyi, retreating to Jiujang, where he and the commander of the Twelfth Inspector of the Palace, Lin Qirong, defended this strategic location.
Jiujang’s strategic importance was immense. It guarded the Yangtze River to the north and Poyang Lake to the south, making it a crucial water and land transportation hub for Jiangxi, Hubei, and Anhui provinces—an essential gateway to the south. Holding Jiujang could strengthen the defenses of Anqing and Tianjing, and also seize Wuhan. Therefore, after occupying Wuhan, Zeng Guofan launched an attack from both land and water routes. In January 1855, he advanced outside Jiujang, bringing key generals like Taqibu, Hulin, Luo Zenan, and Li Xubin. Zeng Guofan also boasted that after capturing Jiujang, he would “march straight to Nanjing,” showing his arrogance.
The situation was extremely serious. The Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan and the East King Yang Xiuqing fully recognized Jiujang’s strategic importance and continued to mobilize troops around Jiujang to prepare for a decisive battle against the Xiang Army.
Chen Yucheng and Lin Qirong understood their mission was even more critical. Out of loyalty to the revolutionary cause and hatred for the class enemies, they and all the defenders fought desperately. Despite food shortages, they remained confident, united, and fought tenaciously, repeatedly repelling the enemy’s attacks, and ensuring Jiujang’s steadfastness against the fierce enemies. The enemy’s attempt to seize Jiujang ended in shameful failure.
The victory at Jiujang not only preserved this strategic location along the Yangtze River but also contained the main force of the enemy’s army, giving the Taiping Army valuable time to prepare for an amphibious assault. In late January and mid-February 1855, the Taiping Army defeated the Xiang navy at Hukou and Jiujang, destroying the enemy’s supplies and preventing their formation.
The victories at Hukou and Jiujang marked a turning point in the western expedition. The western expedition forces shifted from disadvantage to advantage and continued their westward advance. Chen Yucheng also led troops to recover Huangmei, Guangji, Qizhou, and Huangzhou, fighting again to retake Wuhan, quickly capturing Hankou, Hanyang, and Wuchang, and taking De’an (Anlu), Yunmeng, and Suizhou, killing Qing General Zala Fen in Xi’an. In August, he defeated Qing forces at Anlu and Yingshan, breaking forty Qing camps. Then he led troops to rescue Luzhou (Hefei) and later lifted the siege at Wuhu.
The victory of the Taiping Army’s western expedition controlled Anqing, Jiujang, and Wuhan, three strategic locations, and also gained large territories in eastern Anhui, Jiangxi, and Hubei, which was of great significance for the long-term revolutionary war of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Chen Yucheng performed outstandingly in this western expedition, repeatedly making military achievements.
Chen Yucheng was not only brave in combat but also skilled in command. In continuous battles on the Hubei battlefield, he quickly developed an excellent tactical system. He often used the “counterattack” tactic near dusk, turning passive into active, defeating the enemy. This tactic involved first luring the enemy with one troop, making them tired, then retreating to lure the enemy into pursuit, and finally ambushing with well-hidden elite troops for a surprise attack. The Qing army was very afraid of his tactics. Zeng Guofan, a leader of the Xiang Army, once warned his subordinates to “stand firm and not fight,” and “be patient and not rush out.” The reputation of “Thirty Inspectors’ Counterattack” spread throughout Hubei.
Breaking the Siege of Zhenjiang, Defeating the Northern and Southern Camps
As the western expedition army fought in Hubei, Anhui, and Jiangxi, the situation around Tianjing became increasingly dire. After establishing Tianjing as the capital in 1853, the Qing government was extremely alarmed. To encircle Tianjing from the south and prevent the Taiping Army from expanding southeastward, they set up the Jiangnan Camp outside Xiaolingwei; soon afterward, to besiege Tianjing from the north along the Yangtze River and block its expansion northward, they established the Jiangbei Camp near Yangzhou. These two camps were the main Qing forces against the Taiping Army, frequently harassing Tianjing, and fierce battles occurred around Tianjing’s periphery.
In 1855, after suppressing the Shanghai Knife Society uprising, Jiangsu Governor Jilhang’a led troops to station at JiuHua Mountain and other locations, surrounding Zhenjiang. Meanwhile, the Jiangbei Camp applied great pressure on the Taiping forces at Guaozhou, and the Jiangnan Camp intensified their attacks on Tianjing. In early 1855 and 1856, the battles around Tianjing were very tense. Especially Zhenjiang, a crucial point east of Tianjing, was under increasing siege. Although the defenders, including Wu Ruxiao of the Fifth Inspector of the Palace, fought bravely and repelled several enemy attacks, their weak numbers could not break the siege. The city outside was occupied by Qing troops, and the Yangtze River was filled with enemy gunboats. The city’s food supplies were scarce, and the situation was extremely urgent.
Under these circumstances, Hong Xiuquan ordered the army to Tianjing to break the siege of the Jiangnan and Jiangbei Camps. In February 1856, Chen Yucheng was promoted to the position of Dongguan Zheng Chancellor①, and his troops were dispatched to participate in the rescue of Zhenjiang. The army advanced from Tianjing through Qixia Mountain, Shibu Bridge, and Longtan, but was blocked by the Qing general Zhang Guoliang of the Jiangnan Camp, fighting for over ten days. Jilhang’a also sent troops to attack from JiuHua Mountain. The Qing army camped for over thirty miles in the regions of Longtan, Xia Shuo, and Gaozi. The two armies fought continuously at Cangtou, Xia Shuo, and Gaozi, with no clear victor. Then, the Taiping Army decided to send troops into Zhenjiang to establish contact and attack from inside and outside.
At that time, Zhenjiang was besieged so tightly that it was very difficult to break in, and it required risking lives. Chen Yucheng, a hero willing to risk everything for the revolution, volunteered for this difficult task. He selected a few brave warriors, drove a small boat, and quickly headed toward Zhenjiang’s water gate. The enemy’s gunboats, densely packed on the river, immediately surrounded Chen Yucheng’s boat.
① The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom’s Prime Minister was divided into six ranks: Tian Guan (Heavenly Official), Di Guan (Earthly Official), Chun Guan (Spring Official), Xia Guan (Summer Official), Qiu Guan (Autumn Official), and Dong Guan (Winter Official). Each had four levels: Zheng (Main), You Zheng (Secondary), You (Vice), and You You (Deputy). The ranks from Tian Guan Prime Minister down to the lowest officials were called “Zheng,” “You Zheng,” “You,” and “You You,” with some ranks being honorary titles. The Prime Minister ranks included titles like Marquis and King.Bullets rained down like rain drops. However, Chen Yucheng was fearless, breaking through the enemy’s blockade and entering Zhenjiang City, contacting Wu Ruxiao, and conveying the plan for internal and external encirclement. The good news spread, and the defenders’ morale soared. There was a small river at Cangtou, called Cangtou Forked River, where Qing soldiers besieging Zhenjiang camped. When the Taiping army outside the city moved to Tangshuishan, only about ten miles from the Forked River, the Qing army came from the Forked River to block them. The Taiping army outside the city then sent a detachment to the Forked River at night, cutting off the enemy’s rear. On the morning of April 1st, the Taiping army at Tangshuishan launched an attack on the Qing soldiers. By noon, the Qing army realized their rear was under attack and hurriedly turned around, attempting to resist stubbornly, but their formation was already in chaos. At this moment, Chen Yucheng and Wu Ruxiao led the Taiping army inside Zhenjiang to charge out together, like fierce tigers pouncing on the enemy. The Taiping troops inside and outside the city united, their momentum was mighty, and the Qing soldiers caught in the middle were frightened and fled in all directions. On April 2nd, the Taiping army defeated the enemy’s sixteen camps, lifting the siege of Zhenjiang. After the battle, news of Chen Yucheng’s daring feat of rushing into Zhenjiang in a light boat reached Tianjing, and Hong Xiuquan praised him as “a man full of courage, a good general.”
On the day Zhenjiang was lifted, Chen Yucheng and his troops, still in full armor and on horseback, continued their pursuit to Jiuhua Mountain, where Gilhang A resisted desperately. Then, Chen Yucheng and others took advantage of the situation, crossed the river overnight from Jinshan, and advanced to threaten the northern camp besieging Guazhou. At dawn on the third day, they defeated the Qing inspector-general Jiangning General Tuoming’a at Yanziji, destroying the camps at Hongqiao, Pushu Bay, Feijia Bridge, and Osmanthus Village. The Qing army scattered in defeat, abandoning their weapons and banners, and Tuoming’a fled to Sancha River. On the fourth day, the Taiping army defeated the Qing army again at Sancha River. In this way, more than 120 Qing camps were captured, and Tuoming’a, with only a few remnants, fled in disgrace. On the fifth day, Chen Yucheng and his troops, taking advantage of their victory, captured Yangzhou and then occupied Pukou, advancing to Liuhe and capturing Yizheng. The Qing army, which had spent over three years establishing the northern camp, was completely defeated and broken. This was a heavy blow to the Qing government.
After breaking the northern camp, Chen Yucheng and his troops immediately returned, crossing from Guazhou to Jinshan at the end of May, and attacking Gaozi. Gilhang A led troops from Jiuhua Mountain to rescue but was ambushed and besieged from all sides, suffering a crushing defeat, and was chased all the way to Gaizi Mountain by the Taiping army. On June 1st, this counter-revolutionary leader, seeing the situation was hopeless, committed suicide with a pistol. Chen Yucheng and his troops continued their offensive, defeating the Qing army at Jiuhua Mountain more than seventy camps.
Meanwhile, the Taiping army was deploying to decisively defeat the Jiangnan camp. The Qing inspector-general Xiang Rong, who commanded the Jiangnan camp, was a reactionary figure from Guangxi, constantly pursuing the Taiping army to Tianjing. For three years, he centered around the Jiangnan camp outside Xiaolingwei, starting from Shibuqiao on the south bank of the Yangtze River, along the east and south of Nanjing, reaching Lishui and Dongba near Gucheng Lake, forming a defensive line to besiege Tianjing. Xiang Rong, driven by his class nature, harbored intense hatred for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty once told him: if you can quickly capture Nanjing, you will earn the greatest credit; if your operations fail and you suffer defeat, you will be executed. Therefore, Xiang Rong desperately pushed to attack Tianjing.
After eliminating Gilhang A’s forces, Chen Yucheng advanced to the outskirts of Tianjing at Yanziji on June 14, following orders from the Eastern King Yang Xiuqing, and, together with the Taiping forces inside Tianjing, encircled the Jiangnan camp. On the 17th, Chen Yucheng’s troops reached Yaohua Gate, and the Taiping army in Tianjing also built fortifications at Dashui and Xiaoshui Pass, with Xiang Rong sending troops to Xianhe Gate to oppose them. The next day, the Taiping army repelled three Qing attack routes. Xiang Rong, anxious, hurriedly recalled his most fierce general, Zhang Guoliang, from Lishui overnight. On the 19th, all routes of the Taiping army attacked and besieged the Qing camp at Xianhe Gate. Although Zhang Guoliang arrived on the 19th, he saw the high morale of the Taiping army and dared not engage immediately. On the 20th, the Taiping army launched a fierce multi-route assault, fighting bravely. Inside the city, the Taiping army attacked from the south gate and Tongji gate directly, encircling the enemy. In the afternoon, they broke through the horse troop camp, and the Taiping army inside the city launched attacks from Chaoyang Gate and other places, capturing more than twenty Qing camps. The Taiping army pursued from all sides, immediately defeating the Jiangnan camp at Xiaolingwei. Zhang Guoliang’s left foot was also injured. The Taiping army then divided troops to attack Gaoqiao Gate, encircling the Jiangnan camp from the rear to annihilate the enemy completely. Xiang Rong and Zhang Guoliang, fearing being attacked from both front and back, hurriedly led the remnants to Chunhua Town to escape. The Jiangnan camp and the defenses from Shibuqiao to Dongba all collapsed. Chen Yucheng immediately led his troops in pursuit. On June 27, they captured Jurong, and on July 3, they pursued further to Danyang, besieging Xiang Rong, Zhang Guoliang, and their troops inside the city. On August 9, Xiang Rong, the old executioner, died in a fit of rage.
The major victory in the battle outside Tianjing not only shattered the Qing government’s encirclement of Tianjing but also controlled most of southwestern Jiangsu, greatly improving the revolutionary situation. Chen Yucheng, with his remarkable intelligence, bravery, and military command skills, established an indelible credit in this battle.In October 1859, because the Qing army had already occupied Pukou and was advancing towards Liuhe, besieging Tianjing from the north, the situation was urgent. Chen Yucheng executed the orders of Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan, leading troops from Anhui to return and rescue, in order to lift the enemy’s encirclement of Tianjing. To repel the enemy’s advance, he adopted the tactic of feigning east while attacking west, confusing the enemy forces, causing them to disperse their troops, and then concentrating his forces for annihilation. He dispatched a unit to flank the edge of Yangzhou city, attracting Qing troops. The Qing governor of Fujian, Li Ruozhu, who was besieging Liuhe, received the urgent news from Yangzhou and indeed sent part of his forces to assist. Chen Yucheng saw the foolish enemy fall into the trap and launched a fierce attack on the Qing soldiers near Hongshanyao in Liuhe. The Qing army, coming to rescue from Jiangnan, was struck head-on by Chen Yucheng’s troops and was defeated and retreated. Later, the Qing army besieging Hongshanyao launched another fierce assault on the Qing camp, and on November 1st, broke through the enemy camp, killing more than 3,000 Qing soldiers. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Li Ruozhu hurriedly fled to Yangzhou. After the relief of Liuhe, Chen Yucheng immediately led his troops to Pukou. On November 16th, the Taiping army besieged Pukou. After five days of fierce fighting, they broke through more than fifty enemy camps, recaptured Pukou, and eased the tense situation north of Tianjing. While Chen Yucheng was fighting in Liuhe and Pukou, Zeng Guofan and Hu Linyi decided to invade Anhui along four routes, aiming to seize Anqing and Luzhou: the first route was commanded by Zeng Guofan, attacking Anqing from Susong and Shipai; the second route was led by Du Long’a and Bao Chao, attacking Tongcheng from Taihu and Qianshan; the third route was commanded by Hu Linyi, attacking Shucheng from Yingshan and Huo Shan; the fourth route was led by Li Xuyi, attacking Luzhou from Shangcheng and Gushi in Henan. They had already begun new offensives into Anhui. Chen Yucheng learned of this situation and immediately rushed to aid, uniting with the Nian army, totaling over 100,000 troops, building more than a hundred fortifications around Qianshan. He knew Bao Chao’s reactionary forces were one of the main forces of the Xiang army, always tasked with mobile combat, and were a trump card of the Qing government. Defeating them would make it easier to defeat other Qing troops. Therefore, Chen Yucheng decided to first attack Bao Chao’s army to break the enemy’s vanguard. On January 13, 1860, under Chen Yucheng’s command, the Taiping and Nian armies coordinated operations, first cutting off Bao Chao and Du Long’a’s contact, isolating Bao Chao, and surrounding his forces. After two days and nights of fierce fighting, they burned enemy tents and grain stores, killing over a thousand Qing soldiers. Subsequently, Chen Yucheng led his troops in a six-day and night bloody battle against Bao Chao. Zeng Guofan received this news and immediately dispatched troops from all directions to rescue Bao Chao, preventing his complete annihilation. From then until February, Chen Yucheng’s forces continued to fight fiercely with Qing troops led by Du Long’a and Bao Chao around Taihu and Qianshan, but due to continuous fighting over several years without rest, they could not achieve victory. By mid-February, Taihu and Qianshan fell. At this critical moment, the situation in Tianjing became even more urgent. After surrounding Tianjing, the Qing army’s Jiangnan camp built high fortresses on the west, south, and east sides of Tianjing, digging wide and long moats. By December 1859, these moats were completed, and the enemy boasted of calling it the “Ten Thousand Miles Long Moat,” intensifying the siege of Tianjing. Clearly, this posed a great threat to Tianjing. To lift the siege, the Taiping army decided to destroy the Jiangnan camp. In late January 1860, the King of Gan, Hong Rengan, studied the situation and believed that it was difficult to break through the Qing encirclement directly; they should first attack the weakly defended places like Huzhou and Hangzhou, forcing the Jiangnan camp to withdraw troops for rescue, then quickly return to counterattack to win. Thus, they adopted the strategy of besieging Huzhou and Hangzhou to save Tianjing, known in military science as “Besieging Wei to Rescue Zhao.” This plan was approved by Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan. To ensure the smooth implementation of the plan, Hong Xiuquan decided to transfer Chen Yucheng from Anhui to aid. Therefore, Chen Yucheng left the forces stationed in Anqing under Ye Yun from Tian’an, leading his army eastward. In March, Chen Yucheng led the main generals Wu Ruxiao and Liu Lin, moving from Anhui’s western region through Luzhou and Quanjiao to attack Chuzhou, aiming to avoid rearward worries when rescuing Tianjing, but they failed. In late April, Chen Yucheng’s forces moved south from Quanjiao, crossing the Dong and Xi Liang mountains, with tens of thousands of troops advancing with great momentum from Jiangning Zhen towards Banqiao, Touguan, and Shanqiao. Before this, other Taiping forces had also entered Zhejiang from southern Anhui, attacking Huzhou and Hangzhou, and on March 19th, they entered Hangzhou, forcing the Jiangnan camp to send troops to Zhejiang for rescue. Seeing the enemy fall into the trap, the Taiping forces withdrew from Hangzhou and quickly returned to the outskirts of Tianjing. By the end of April, all forces had gathered outside Tianjing, surrounding the Jiangnan camp. Inside the city, the Taiping army built three fortresses in front of the Wengying at Qiqiao, attacking the Qing walls. On May 1st, they launched attacks from Shangfangmen and Ande Gate. On May 2nd, the Taiping army coordinated and advanced shoulder to shoulder, engaging in a major battle with the enemy. On the 4th, amidst wind and rain, Chen Yucheng led his troops to build several floating bridges at Jiangning, Hehe, and Maogong crossings, fiercely attacking the enemy. The Taiping inside the city also charged out. The next day, Chen Yucheng’s forces first broke through the long moat built by the Qing army southwest of Tianjing. Around 8 or 9 a.m., the weather worsened with hail, but the Taiping troops inside the city continued to throw fire pots into the enemy camp, causing chaos outside. The Taiping forces seized the opportunity, launching a rapid assault, and within moments, captured over fifty Qing camps from Victory Gate to the river, destroying tens of thousands of enemy soldiers. Zhang Guoliang sent troops to rescue but was blocked by the Taiping, unable to enter, and had to stay at the camp outside Tianjing’s east water pass. That night, the Taiping launched a fire attack, and by the morning of the 6th, they had taken the camps near the east and south of the water pass. The enemy was completely defeated, and generals like Sheng and Zhang Guoliang fled in disarray. The second encirclement of Tianjing by the Jiangnan camp, lasting nearly two years and four months, was annihilated. The Qing artillery ships assisting the Jiangnan camp also fled. The victory in the Tianjing relief battle was complete. This was another heavy blow to the Qing government, which could no longer restore the Jiangnan camp. It also greatly boosted the morale of the Taiping army, creating favorable conditions for future campaigns into southern Jiangsu and Zhejiang. — ### March into Jiangsu and Zhejiang On May 11, 1860, five days after the victory at Jiangnan camp, Tianjing held a celebration meeting. The senior generals discussed the next military strategy. At that time, Chen Yucheng proposed that the main force must be immediately transferred to the Anhui battlefield to break the Qing siege of Anqing and other places. Like before, he believed that Anqing was the gateway to Tianjing, and holding it was key to defending Tianjing. Moreover, due to this campaign to relieve Tianjing, Zeng Guofan’s army had already advanced further towards Anqing, and the situation there was quite critical, so he thought it was necessary to first rescue Anqing. Urgently saving Anqing was undoubtedly necessary and would have a positive impact on the overall situation. However, to seize the opportunity to take Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the final decision of the meeting was to first march east to Jiangsu and Hangzhou, then return westward, dividing forces to capture Hubei and seize the middle Yangtze River to consolidate the Tianjing revolutionary regime. After the meeting, on May 15, the Taiping army set out from Tianjing heading southeast. On May 19, Li Shixian, Yang Fuqing, Liu Lin, and others led their troops to capture Danyang. Zhang Guoliang, who had retreated from Jiangnan camp, attempted to resist here but was defeated and drowned, with over ten thousand Qing soldiers killed. He Chun fled to Changzhou, later learned of Zhang Guoliang’s death, and committed suicide at Hushu Pass. On the 26th, the Taiping army occupied Changzhou and continued eastward. Chen Yucheng’s forces also departed from Tianjing, passing through Yixing in Jiangsu into Zhejiang, occupying Changxing, Xiaofeng, Anji, and Yuqian (now Qianyang) in late July, and in early August, taking Lin’an, then dividing forces to capture Yuhang, advancing to Maoyuqiao, and approaching Hangzhou. In mid-August, they also captured Guangde in Anhui from Xiaofeng. Along the way, local people responded enthusiastically, assisting the Taiping army in attacking enemies. The military progress was relatively smooth. At this time, Jiaxing in Zhejiang was fiercely fighting. Since Li Shixian occupied Jiaxing in mid-June, Qing commander Zhang Yuliang led troops to besiege for two months. In early September, Chen Yucheng’s forces arrived at Jiaxing, joining other Taiping forces, fighting the Qing army for five days and nights, injuring Zhang Yuliang, and defeating the Qing army, lifting the siege of Jiaxing. The Taiping army then pursued the victory, recapturing Shimen (now Chongde), and the Qing army suffered a complete defeat. The victories of the Taiping army in Jiangsu and Zhejiang expanded the territory of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and delivered a heavy blow to the reactionary rule of the Qing government. During this period, Chen Yucheng took on the heavy responsibility of supporting the crisis and became the actual main military leader of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He was loyal to the revolutionary cause, led his troops bravely, and achieved a series of major victories. The reason why Chen Yucheng and his troops could achieve such results, greatly improve the revolutionary situation, and develop rapidly was multifaceted. For example, the formation of a new leadership core led by Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan, the hard struggle of other Taiping troops, the enthusiastic support of the masses, and the strong cooperation of insurgent forces from other regions were all crucial factors. However, Chen Yucheng’s role should also be fully recognized. These victories played a very significant role in the development of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom revolution. The military situation in the middle Yangtze River was stabilized for a period, and the threat of enemy encirclement of Tianjing for many years was lifted, turning the tide for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Chen Yucheng’s revolutionary spirit was fearless, and he paid attention to uniting the Nian army for joint combat, which also dealt a heavy blow to the landowning class. He cared for the masses, focused on developing production, and thus gained popular support. He was also skilled in leading troops, with outstanding military command ability, well-organized troops, good discipline, and trained soldiers—“every squadron trains daily, none are unskilled or unfit.” Such troops naturally became the strongest force among the Taiping army. Not only was he brave and good at fighting, but he also possessed strategic and tactical skills, such as “killing with a counterattack,” rapid and flexible maneuvers, encirclement, avoiding the strong and attacking the weak, feinting east while attacking west, and striving for initiative. The class enemies also had to admit that he was “young, brave, and skilled in battle,” rarely seen in recent times. He accumulated rich experience in struggle, becoming a mature and excellent young military commander. — ## Three, fighting to the end for the revolution ### Second Western Expedition to Wuhan Hubei’s Wuhan, a key city in the middle Yangtze River, held a very important strategic position at that time. Hong Rengan believed that if the Yangtze River was seen as a long snake as before, then Hubei was the snake’s head, Anqing was the middle, and the downstream was the tail. Now, Hubei was not secured, and if Anhui was lost, the long snake would be broken in the middle. Although the tail still existed, it would not last long. Therefore, he attached great importance to capturing Wuhan. The anti-revolutionary Xiang army leader Zeng Guofan also saw that Hubei was a crucial hub for military operations, and all military activities across the Yangtze had to strive to control the middle Yangtze. It was obvious that both sides recognized the extreme importance of Wuhan in military terms and formulated their strategies accordingly. For the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, with its capital in Tianjing at the lower Yangtze, in the urgent situation of losing Jiujiang and besieged Anqing, whether fundamentally consolidating Tianjing or urgently rescuing Anqing, it was necessary to seize Wuhan first. From the current military situation, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had very favorable conditions for advancing into Hubei: on one hand, the long-standing Qing camp in Jiangnan had been shattered, and the Taiping army could now march westward without worries; on the other hand, the Qing main forces were concentrated around Anqing and nearby areas, with very few troops west of Huangzhou in Hubei to Wuhan, leaving the rear very vulnerable. The Taiping army could exploit this weakness for a surprise attack. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom’s strategic decision to return and seize Hubei and rescue Anqing was correct, but it was opposed by Li Xiucheng. He did not advocate rescuing Anqing, believing that controlling Jiangsu and Zhejiang alone was enough to ensure peace. In September 1860, when the Taiping generals gathered in Tianjing, Hong Rengan and Chen Yucheng rejected Li Xiucheng’s mistaken proposal and reaffirmed the plan to unite at Wuhan in Hubei, adding two more armies, Prince of Servants Li Shixian and Prince of Support Yang Fuqing, to cooperate on the south bank of the Yangtze. The specific deployment was: Chen Yucheng led his forces on the north bank of the Yangtze, advancing from Anhui into Hubei, attacking north of Wuchang; Li Xiucheng led his forces on the south bank, coming from Jiangxi via Hunan Yuezhou, attacking west of Wuchang; Li Shixian led his forces crossing Poyang Lake from Nanchang in Jiangxi into Hubei, attacking south of Wuchang; Yang Fuqing led his forces from Hukou and Jiujiang in Jiangxi to Hubei, attacking east of Wuchang. It was also decided that they would meet at Wuchang in April 1861. Chen Yucheng resolutely carried out the Tianjing meeting’s decision. Due to the Qing army’s advance toward Anqing and the urgent situation, he immediately withdrew his forces from Zhejiang. On September 30, he crossed the Yangtze River from Tianjing and led his army northward. Soon after, he captured Dingyuan and Luqiao in Anhui. Once in northern Anhui, he allied with the Nian army, rapidly expanding their forces to about 100,000. On November 26, the army reached the southwest of Tongcheng at Guachehe. In early December, they fought a battle there against Du Long’a and Li Xuyi’s armies. Chen Yucheng initially intended to use this route to relieve Anqing, but due to long marches, cut-off supply lines, and difficulties in resupplying, the campaign failed, and he had to retreat to Tongcheng. In January 1861, he led his army to attack the vital gateway of Anqing—Congyang, but again failed. On March 6, he led the main force to continue westward from Tongcheng, marching day and night, with the local populace actively supporting, quickly breaking through the western gate—Huoshan. Then, the army crossed the Dabie Mountains, sweeping everything in their path, and advanced into Hubei, recapturing Qishui. On the 18th, they occupied Huangzhou, which the enemy considered “absolutely不可失” (absolutely unmissable), only 160 miles from Hankou. The Taiping forces advanced with unstoppable momentum, defeating the enemy repeatedly, and gained the heartfelt support of the masses. They enthusiastically praised the hero King Chen Yucheng and his troops: "Not afraid of the Qing army’s strength, the hero king arrives and they are doomed;
"The hero king fights like a roaring tiger, Qing soldiers face death upon encounter;
"I have the hero king as the Great Wall, even a million Qing soldiers;
"The Heavenly Kingdom has generals like the hero king, ensuring the livelihood of the common people;
“Kill ten thousand Qing soldiers, then directly enter Shangwuchang.”
At that time, Qing forces in Hubei were very weak, with only 2,000 defenders in Wuchang, unable to fight or defend effectively. Officials and landlords fled in panic, and chaos reigned in the city. The Governor of Huguang, Wen Xi, was so frightened he was stunned and helpless. Hu Linyi was anxious in Anhui, furious and coughing blood, almost dying. He regretted not concentrating his troops in Anhui and blamed himself as a “foolish person playing chess, neglecting family and death.” He hurriedly dispatched both water and land troops to aid Wuchang and resist stubbornly. The revolutionary situation was excellent, and Wuhan was about to be recaptured. At this moment, imperialist invaders jumped out eagerly, obstructing the Taiping army from advancing into Wuhan. In early March of that year, British naval admiral Hotham and counselor Bashali arrived with warships at Hankou. Seeing this situation, they were extremely “troubled,” worried that their imperialist interests would be lost, and began plotting secretly. Hotham hurried southward to Tianjing’s Taiping leadership to conduct so-called “negotiations,” openly supporting the Qing rulers, obstructing the Taiping army from attacking Wuhan including Hankou; Bashali arrived at Huangzhou on March 22, seeking to meet with the hero King Chen Yucheng. Using intimidation and deception, he tried to sabotage the strategic plan of the Taiping to seize Wuhan. He “advised” Chen Yucheng not to plan an attack on Hankou, claiming that whether the Taiping army occupied any of the British concessions or commercial ports, it would not “seriously damage” their commercial interests. He also said: “Hanyang is one of the three towns related to Wuhan, forming a huge trading area… If the Taiping army takes any of these cities, it will inevitably damage the entire port’s trade, so I advise you to stay away from this port.” This was utter nonsense! Clearly, it was the claws of imperialism extending into Wuhan to carry out invasion, damaging the interests of the Chinese people, but Bashali inverted right and wrong, confused black and white, and portrayed the revolutionary actions of the Taiping army as “damaging” their “trade” and interests. He was a thief shouting to catch a thief! Bashali not only directly obstructed the Taiping army’s advance into Wuhan but also spread rumors and deceived others. He told Chen Yucheng that there had been no news of the Taiping princes’ army entering Jiangxi, and that “they might not have entered Jiangxi yet. If you now march into Hankou, you will lack support from other routes and have to fight the Qing army defending Wuchang alone, while also dealing with the Anhui army attacking from behind.” Bashali’s lies completely concealed the truth. He fully knew that Qing forces around Wuhan were weak, and the Taiping army was pressing into Wuhan, but he fabricated rumors to protect imperialist interests in China, exposing the ugly face of imperialist invaders. Due to the limited understanding of imperialism at that time, Chen Yucheng and others did not see through its true nature or its evil conspiracy to collude with feudal landlords to oppress the Chinese people and strangle the revolution. They lacked the necessary vigilance. Although the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had fought Qing troops for many years, they had little direct contact with imperialist agents and could not see through their insidious counterrevolutionary tactics. After hearing Bashali’s nonsense, Chen Yucheng hesitated. Meanwhile, Li Xiucheng also sabotaged the campaign, delaying the southern army and failing to arrive in time. Chen Yucheng then stopped the attack on Wuhan, leaving generals Jietianyi and Lai Wenguang to defend Huangzhou, and led his main forces to turn back to D’an and Suizhou to relieve Anqing. In late April, Anqing was in danger, and he led his army back from Hubei to Anhui to lift the siege. Mao Zedong pointed out: “Throughout Chinese revolutionary history, failures have always been caused by imperialist strangulation; countless revolutionary martyrs have borne eternal hatred for this.” This is exactly the case. Bashali’s evil activities are irrefutable evidence of imperialist interference and sabotage of the Taiping revolution, and a major reason for the failure of this western expedition into Wuhan by Chen Yucheng. Another major reason for the failure was the sabotage by Li Xiucheng. He delayed sending troops. In early October 1860, he even went to Tianjing to express his unwillingness to march northward and westward, and was angrily rebuked by Hong Xiuquan, who pointed out that this was a shameful act of cowardice. It was not until late October that Li Xiucheng reluctantly led his forces out of Anhui Taiping (now Dangtu), but continued to adopt a passive resistance attitude. His goal in the western expedition was not to seize Wuhan but to expand his own power. Therefore, after entering Yixian in December, he did not attack the nearby Xiang army camp at Qimen as planned. At that time, Qimen was surrounded on all sides by the Taiping army. Zeng Guofan admitted: “Since moving to Qimen, we have been in constant danger,” and “fighting almost every day, with no way out.” When Li Xiucheng’s forces approached Qimen, Zeng Guofan had already written his will, preparing for death. But Li Xiucheng was afraid that Zeng Guofan had heavy troops there and dared not attack, instead circumventing into Jiangxi, letting Zeng Guofan out of the desperate situation. Later, he also did not attack Nanchang. When Chen Yucheng arrived early at Huangzhou on March 18, 1861, he reached Jianchang (now Nancheng) in Jiangxi, which was far from Huangzhou and could not coordinate with the original plan to attack Wuhan. He also recruited soldiers and expanded his forces, not arriving in Hubei for the meeting until mid-June 1861. He later admitted: “I have Suzhou, but no Hangzhou, like a bird without wings,” and returned to attack Hangzhou. As a result, he only wanted to expand his territory and did not consider the strategic plan of seizing the middle Yangtze and uniting at Wuhan, sabotaging the overall military deployment. This led to the failure of the second western expedition, the inability to lift the siege of Anqing, and serious consequences—Li Xiucheng’s betrayal of the revolutionary cause. As mentioned above, besides Li Xiucheng’s forces, the Taiping army’s southern route also included two armies led by Li Shixian and Yang Fuqing. They all set out early. In late September 1860, they captured Ningguo in southern Anhui (now Xuanzhou), eliminating over 20,000 enemies. In October, Li Shixian’s forces continued to defeat Jixi, Huizhou (now Shexian), and Xiuning. In mid-December, Yang Fuqing’s forces occupied Jiande (now Dongzhi). Soon after, they besieged Zeng Guofan’s camp at Qimen but failed to capture it. Later, Li Shixian, unsupported, returned to Zhejiang, and Yang Fuqing crossed the river to rescue Anqing. — ### Defending Anqing Anhui has always been a strategic barrier to the lower Yangtze River. At that time, Anhui’s political and economic center was Anqing. After Jiujiang fell, this city became even more important. It was Tianjing’s western gate. Militarily, it protected Tianjing’s safety and could further develop into the middle Yangtze; economically, it could continuously transport grain from the Qingyi River basin and Chaohu Plain via Jinzhu Pass (now in Dangtu County) and Yuxikou to Tianjing. The strategic importance of Anqing in both military and economic terms was always valued by Hong Xiuquan, Hong Rengan, and Chen Yucheng. Seizing the middle Yangtze and defending Anqing had always been their strategic idea. Hong Rengan believed: “Anqing is the key to Tianjing; it must be secured. If this city can be held, Tianjing will be safe.” Chen Yucheng also said in 1860: “Since ancient times, the capital Tianjing must defend the upper reaches. If the upper reaches are not defended, the lower reaches cannot be secured. Now, Wuhan and Jiujiang have not yet been recovered, and Tianjing’s barrier depends on Anqing. The gains and losses of Anqing relate to the survival of our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.” They were determined to fight resolutely to defend Anqing. The reactionary side also paid close attention to Anqing. Zeng Guofan once shouted: “The gains and losses of Anqing relate to the safety of the world.” He believed that to seize Tianjing, Anqing must be taken first, and thus stubbornly insisted on the reactionary strategy of capturing Anqing first. In April 1860, taking advantage of the Taiping army’s focus on attacking the Jiangnan camp and neglecting the west, he sent troops along three routes to attack Anqing: his brother Zeng Guoqian attacked the outskirts at Jixian Pass; Du Long’a attacked Tongcheng; Li Xuyi was to support and assist the other two routes. In June, the Qing army occupied Congyang. Anqing was besieged by the enemy. In this critical situation, Chen Yucheng exerted all his strength, leading the Taiping army to fight fiercely to defend Anqing. In December 1860, Chen Yucheng’s forces, during their westward expedition, fought at Tongcheng Guachehe against Qing armies, which was the first rescue attempt for Anqing. At that time, the main goal of the Taiping army was the westward expedition, so they did not continue fighting this enemy. In April 1861, Chen Yucheng returned to Anqing, stationed at Jixian Pass, and built thirteen fortifications on the north bank of Linghu Lake. The city defenders also left the city to set up defenses, building five fortifications on the south bank of Linghu Lake, corresponding to Chen Yucheng’s forces on the north bank. The Taiping army also set up small boats on the lake for communication. Chen Yucheng aimed to strengthen Anqing’s defenses, mobilizing brave generals like Liu Lin and Fu Tian’an, and ordered them to defend Jixian Pass and Chikangling outside the pass. He himself led his main force to Tongcheng.The military meeting was held with Hong Rengan, Lin Shaozhang, Wu Ruxiao, and others, organizing forces to rescue Anqing again. On May 23rd, Hong Rengan, Chen Yucheng, Lin Shaozhang, and others led the Taiping Army to meet with the Nian Army, totaling over 30,000 troops, crossing the Hang River and heading to Qipanling, forming a line of over twenty miles, dividing into three routes heading south. The next day’s battle results were again hindered by Dolong’a and Li Xuyi’s troops, preventing further advance, forcing them to retreat back to Tongcheng.
The situation was extremely difficult. Therefore, Chen Yucheng decided to personally return to Tianjing to request reinforcements. At this time, the enemy launched a desperate attack, and Zeng Guofan took the opportunity to order Bao Chao and others to intensify the siege of Jixian Pass. The Taiping troops defending here were experienced veterans who, despite shortages of food and ammunition, held their fortifications. When the enemy approached the walls, they fought back fiercely, using dense artillery fire to kill the enemy, engaging in continuous fierce battles for twenty days, destroying many Qing soldiers. On June 8th, due to overwhelming numbers, the Taiping Army lost the three fortresses on Chigang Ridge, and the defenders Li Sifu and over three thousand soldiers heroically sacrificed their lives. On the 9th, Liu Luolin and others broke out from the first fortress on Chigang Ridge to Matashi. Due to rising stream waters, they could not cross, and over seven hundred soldiers perished heroically. Jixian Pass and Chigang Ridge outside the pass fell into enemy hands.
During the fierce battles at Jixian Pass and Chigang Ridge, the Taiping Army suffered heavy losses, not only losing an important contact point on the outskirts of Anqing that linked to reinforcements but also severely damaging Liu Luolin, Li Sifu, and about four thousand soldiers led by them. This was a well-trained, highly combat-capable elite force under Chen Yucheng. The loss of this army marked a more arduous phase in the defense of Anqing. Shortly after the fall of Jixian Pass and Chigang Ridge, eighteen fortresses along the north and south banks of Linghu Lake were also captured one by one by the Qing troops. As a result, the enemy advanced directly to the city of Anqing.
However, no hardship or difficulty could scare away the heroes of the Taiping Army. They raised their battle flags, stepping on the bloodstains of martyrs, and continued to fight bravely. In early August, Chen Yucheng summoned many key generals skilled in battle, organized and mobilized a large force, and once again made efforts to rescue Anqing. This relief force launched a three-pronged counterattack: Chen Yucheng and Yang Fuqing led their troops eastward from Taihu toward Qinghe, Sanqiaotou, Gaolouling, Gaohepu, and Ma’anshan; Lin Shaozhang and Wu Ruxiao led their troops westward from Tongcheng towards Hanghe and Jiangjiashan; Huang Wenjin led his troops from the eastern route via Lutingyi around to Jigongmiao and Maziling. On August 24th, under Chen Yucheng’s command, the Taiping Army, after more than half a month of arduous fighting, broke through the Qing lines, recaptured Jixian Pass, and established over forty fortresses at the pass, Maoling, and Shilipu to defend them, achieving a major victory. The defenders inside Anqing, Wu Dingcai, Ye Yunlai, and others, also lined up at the west gate, responding from afar. At that time, morale was high, fighting spirit was vigorous, and the momentum was overwhelming, with battles almost happening day and night. The heroic deeds of the Taiping soldiers’ bloody struggles were widely praised by the people:
One, two, three, Jixian Pass,
Make the Qing soldiers roll their eyes;
Four, five, six, grass collapses,
Make the Qing soldiers cry and clutch their heads;
Seven, eight, nine, two ditches,
Make the Qing soldiers have nowhere to run;
No way out, no way out,
Old King Yan is waiting.
On August 25th, Chen Yucheng and Yang Fuqing personally led the front line, with the Taiping Army forming more than ten flanking routes from Jixian Pass to counterattack the Qing rear. The enemy stubbornly resisted. On the 27th, Chen Yucheng and Yang Fuqing reorganized the counterattack forces and launched a new fierce offensive. This attack was unprecedentedly heroic. Chen Yucheng and Yang Fuqing again personally led the front, with soldiers carrying grass bundles forward, fighting while filling the ditches with grass, charging and attacking in succession, breaking through the first layer of enemy defenses. Zeng Guoquan was so anxious that he fought shirtless, urging his soldiers to fight desperately, losing old fortresses and building new ones. Ye Yunlai led the city defenders from Yanhe to Shilipu to directly attack the new fortifications in the east. Chen Yucheng also personally led troops from outside the city to support, launching over ten fierce assaults, with close-quarters combat and continuous bayonet fights. In this battle, the soldiers of the Taiping Army demonstrated their brave and tenacious fighting spirit. However, due to the resistance of the fortified enemy and the assistance of the navy, the Taiping Army suffered heavy losses.
Chen Yucheng also built fortifications on the north bank of Linghu Lake to protect small boats transporting grain into Anqing, restoring contact inside and outside the city, but often being blocked by the enemy’s navy, making grain supply increasingly difficult. When soldiers ran out of food, they ate wild grass to fill their stomachs; many fainted from hunger, yet they persisted in fighting unwaveringly.
On September 5th, the cunning Zeng Guoquan took advantage of the Taiping reinforcements outside Anqing suffering setbacks and the city’s grain running out, leading Qing troops both on land and water to madly attack the city. They secretly dug tunnels and buried landmines at the north gate, collapsing the city walls by dozens of zhang. After the city fell, Wu Dingcai led troops to defend the breach, shedding the last drop of blood for the revolution. The enemy rushed into the city, and the heroes of the Taiping Army fought fierce street battles. Ye Yunlai led the starving soldiers bravely to stand up, take up weapons, and fiercely fight the enemies. Over twenty thousand defenders fought to the end and heroically perished.
After occupying Anqing, the enemy burned, looted, and plundered everywhere, committing all kinds of atrocities, and carried out extremely brutal class revenge against the people. The raging Yangtze River’s torrents could not express the people’s boundless anger.
The fall of the heroic city of Anqing was a fatal blow to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom revolutionary cause. Later, Hong Rengan once said: “The greatest loss of our army was Anqing falling into the hands of the Qing army, … once Anqing was lost, the cities along the way to Tianjing fell one after another, and could no longer be defended.”
The Anhui base was thus shaken, and Tianjing was often under threat from the enemy. The failure of this defense battle was heavily blamed on Li Xiucheng. During the battle to defend Anqing, he neither attacked Wuhan to distract the enemy’s forces nor aided Anqing; he merely watched passively, did not act, and even at a critical moment, withdrew his troops to expand his own territory in Zhejiang. His neglect of this crucial battle, which had a major impact, allowed the Qing government to concentrate forces to capture Anqing. Li Xiucheng committed another unforgivable crime.
Heroic Sacrifice
The day after Anqing fell, September 6th, Chen Yucheng and Yang Fuqing looked from afar at the billowing smoke and wind in the city, enduring great grief, and led their troops out of Jixian Pass, turning toward Tongcheng. On the 7th, Tongcheng was occupied by Qing troops. On the 8th, Chen Yucheng and Yang Fuqing retreated to the wax tree hollow near Shipai, but were attacked again. Yang Fuqing and others withdrew to southern Anhui. Chen Yucheng led his army westward toward Taihu and Susong, planning to operate around Dongan and Xiangyang in Hubei to expand forces, but this plan was not realized. In mid-September, after passing through Lu’an, they retreated to Luzhou, facing increasingly difficult circumstances. By the end of 1861, the important Nian stronghold Dingyuan north of Luzhou was betrayed by traitors and fell, turning Luzhou into a city surrounded on all sides, isolated and helpless.
Faced with this urgent situation, Chen Yucheng was as firm as steel, vowing to fight to the end for the revolutionary cause. At that time, his primary task was to stabilize Anhui, defend the northwest gate of Tianjing, and try to gather strength to counterattack and recover Anqing. He and his generals studied strategies; Lai Wenguang proposed a surprise attack to Jingzhou (now Jingling) and Xiangyang in Hubei to expand forces. Although this suggestion was quite correct and practical, it was not accepted. Chen Yucheng said: “Now the Yangtze River is a thousand miles long, all under enemy control. Tianjing is in danger. We must save ourselves and the nation; we must first manage the northwest.” After gaining consensus, he sent generals Chen Dekai and Lai Wenguang to march into Henan and Shaanxi, expanding recruitment and aiming to recover Anqing as soon as possible. Chen Yucheng himself stayed in Luzhou, “advancing troops for grain,” supporting Tianjing, and preparing for a large counterattack.
In January 1862, the Western Expedition Army led by King Fu Chen Dekai and King Zun Lai Wenguang departed from Luzhou, advancing rapidly through Henan into Shaanxi, and threatening Xi’an, shocking the northwest. Shortly after the expedition set out, Chen Yucheng received orders from the Heavenly King to “advance troops to seize grain,” and in mid-February, he wrote to Chen Dekai and Lai Wenguang, urging them to quickly send troops around Zhengyang Pass to support his forces. A few days later, Dolong’a’s troops advanced from the southwest to besiege Luzhou. Chen Yucheng’s forces, having suffered heavy losses in the defense of Anqing and with Chen Dekai and Lai Wenguang taking some elite troops on the expedition, found it difficult to resist the enemy. Therefore, Chen Yucheng wrote separate letters to Chen Dekai, Lai Wenguang, and the Nian leaders, hoping they would quickly allocate forces near Beixiang and Zhengyang Pass to assist in breaking out. However, these letters were intercepted by the enemy and never delivered. In early March, Dolong’a’s troops occupied nearby areas such as Maimai Street, Daxingji, Changning River, and Zhongmiao in Luzhou; at the same time, Qing Imperial Envoy Yuan Jiashan’s troops also joined the attack from the north of Luzhou. With communication cut off and the enemy pressing in, Chen Yucheng commanded the Taiping Army to strengthen defenses in Luzhou, build fortifications, dig trenches, and fought a grueling three-month battle. Ultimately, due to complete loss of external support, severe shortages of food and ammunition inside the city, and thin troop numbers, he decided to abandon Luzhou and break out northward to meet the northwest expedition army. Unfortunately, he was deceived by the enemy’s treachery and ambushed by Miao Peilin.
Miao Peilin was originally a local landlord and bandit leader who had defected to the Qing government, holding the title of North Sichuan Dao and overseeing militia in Anhui. In 1861, he pretended to oppose the Qing and established contact with the Taiping Army, accepting the title of Prince. In March 1862, he also accepted the surrender conditions from Qing Imperial Envoy Shengbao and defected to the Qing. This treacherous and cunning counter-revolutionary double agent, after receiving Shengbao’s secret order to capture Chen Yucheng, sought to flatter his masters and show his “revolutionary heart,” using treacherous means. When Luzhou was under siege, he sent someone disguised as a beggar, holding a bamboo stick with a letter written on yellow satin inside, to see Chen Yucheng. The letter contained flattery and pleaded that he occupy Shouzhou (now Shouxian) with abundant troops and supplies, and help attack Bianjing (Kaifeng, Henan); it also claimed that defending Luzhou alone was a major taboo in warfare, and that the heroic King Ying should not be trapped by this remnant demon. Miao Peilin was a treacherous hypocrite, shamelessly deceiving and confusing Chen Yucheng.
Chen Yucheng repeatedly convened his subordinates to discuss this issue. Some generals suggested: “I heard Miao Peilin has already surrendered to Sheng Yao; he is a fickle villain and should not be trusted.” Others also thought going to Shouzhou was unwise. However, Chen Yucheng did not thoroughly understand that this traitor had already betrayed and did not see his true revolutionary nature, trusting Miao Peilin’s flattery, believing his plan to seize Bianjing and open a new situation north of the Yangtze and south of the Yellow River was aligned with his own. He failed to listen humbly to his subordinates’ advice. In mid-May, leading four thousand troops, he broke through three Qing camps north of Luzhou and headed north overnight to Shouzhou. Miao Peilin, pretending to be kind, sent his nephew Miao Jingkai to “welcome” him, first opening the city gates to “greet” him, but secretly setting an ambush. After Chen Yucheng and his generals entered the city, Miao Jingkai immediately withdrew the吊桥 (suspension bridge), trapping Chen Yucheng’s Taiping soldiers outside. Chen Yucheng quickly became alert, trying to leave the city, but it was too late. The enemy’s ambushes erupted inside, and he and more than twenty officers were captured, along with other soldiers. The Nian army, upon learning this tragic news, attempted to rescue Chen Yucheng but failed. The common people, furious at Miao Peilin’s treachery and his heinous crime of capturing the King Ying, cursed him:
Little dog Miao Peilin,
Wagging your tail for bones,
Tricked the King Ying into accepting rewards,
Cursing with broken tongue in anger.
After Chen Yucheng was captured, he remained steadfast and heroic. Miao Peilin dared not meet him and only sent Miao Jingkai to persuade him to surrender. Chen Yucheng, full of righteous anger, sternly rebuked: “Your uncle is a rogue and a petty man, a weed on the wall, swayed by the wind on both sides; dragons help dragons, tigers help tigers.” “I can only kill, not humiliate. The situation is like this, how will I be dealt with?” Chen Yucheng faced death with unwavering heroism, his spirit soaring like a rainbow, embodying great heroism.
Later, Miao Peilin delivered Chen Yucheng to Shengbao. Shengbao, full of arrogance, flaunted his power. Chen Yucheng ignored him and strode in confidently. Shengbao, frightened, asked: “Why don’t you kneel?” Chen Yucheng sharply retorted: “I am the noble King Ying of the Heavenly Kingdom, why should I kneel? You are my defeated subordinate, why pretend?” Shengbao shamelessly said: “But how did you fall into my hands?” Chen Yucheng further exposed and mocked Shengbao: “I just failed to see the treacherous face of the traitor and was ambushed. It’s not your skill! Today I die, tomorrow Miao Peilin will perish too. Do you remember? Did any of your cavalry survive that battle at Wuyi in Chuzhou?” Chen Yucheng’s words were like a sharp sword piercing Shengbao’s vital points, leaving him speechless. Shengbao, unwilling to die, sinisterly said: “What I just said was just a joke, no need to be angry. If you surrender, we can fight in Jiangnan together, and there’s no need to worry about glory and riches.” He even tried to untie the ropes and invite him to sit, offering wine and food to persuade him to surrender. Seeing such despicable tricks, Chen Yucheng was even more furious and shouted: “A real man should not fear death; if you want to kill, just do it. Why bother with delay!” Shengbao, helpless and embarrassed, could only watch in despair. Chen Yucheng remained unwavering in the face of enemy’s inducements and threats, upholding revolutionary integrity, displaying indomitable spirit, fearless of death, and shining with heroism.
When the news of Luzhou’s siege reached the Western Expedition Army, Chen Dekai, Lai Wenguang, and others decided to march east overnight to Henan, aiming to open the way through Henan and Shaanxi, and unite with the Nian Army to save the situation. However, Chen Yucheng was already captured, and the Qing government ordered Shengbao to send him to the capital. Chen Dekai and Lai Wenguang’s Western Expedition Army then turned east through Tongguan, quickly entering western Henan, seeking to rescue King Ying. The Qing government, frightened by the Taiping and Nian armies’ efforts to intercept the prisoner convoy and rescue King Ying, hurriedly killed him en route. On June 4, 1862, the heroic Taiping Heavenly King Chen Yucheng heroically died at the West Teaching Field in Yanjin, eastern Henan, sacrificing his young life for the revolution. He was only twenty-six years old.
Chen Yucheng’s tragic death was a heavy loss for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. For years, he led troops across vast battlefields, fighting bravely to defend the Anhui base of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and continuously supplied Tianjing with manpower and resources, ensuring its safety. His sacrifice and the severe losses of his army rapidly worsened the situation in Anhui, leaving Tianjing without a barrier, fully exposed to enemy attacks. The counter-revolutionary Xiang Army quickly advanced eastward, besieging the city, and the situation became extremely critical. As Hong Rengan later painfully pointed out: “If King Ying had not sacrificed himself, the siege of Tianjing would have been very different.”
However, the revolution did not stop; the struggle continued. After Chen Yucheng’s martyrdom, his remaining forces continued to uphold the revolutionary spirit, fighting heroically and refusing to give in. Until July 1864, when Tianjing fell, the Northwestern expeditionary force led by King Zun Lai Wenguang and others, united with the Nian forces, persisted in a grueling four-year battle. This heroic force kept striking the enemy hard, fully demonstrating the indomitable resistance of the Chinese people against imperialism and its running dogs.
① “Chinese Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party” (December 1939), Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Volume 2, page 595.
Epilogue
Chen Yucheng was an outstanding young general of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. His brief life was filled with fierce struggle. At fourteen, he joined the Taiping Revolution, growing rapidly in the fight against imperialism and the reactionary Qing government. At eighteen, he made his first military achievement in Wuchang, Hubei, facing great enemies; at twenty-one, he became the military commander of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Amidst severe internal sabotage by class enemies infiltrating the Taiping, he remained fearless, standing tall like a pine or cypress, resolutely undertaking the arduous task of supporting the crisis, campaigning east and west, killing enemies bravely, and establishing great achievements. His unwavering loyalty to the Taiping revolutionary cause, enduring all hardships and fighting to the end, earned him the deep respect and love of the people, who praised him as: “Chen Yucheng, who faithfully served the country.” He truly was an outstanding representative among the heroes of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Of course, Chen Yucheng also had his shortcomings. Due to the limitations of the historical conditions, his understanding of imperialism was still superficial and emotional, unable to see through its aggressive nature and schemes. As a result, during the second western expedition, he did not attack Wuhan as planned. After losing Anqing, he did not adopt Lai Wenguang’s reasonable advice to march into Jing and Xiang, insisting on a western expedition, which led to a division of forces and delayed rescue efforts for Anhui and Tianjing. He also lacked proper vigilance against Miao Peilin, a counter-revolutionary double agent, and was deceived, causing irreparable losses. These shortcomings, however, were only flaws that emerged in the struggle and were somewhat unavoidable, and did not diminish his glorious life.
To evaluate a historical figure, one must look at the main trend. For a revolutionary, the most fundamental requirement is: firm stance and resolute struggle. Chen Yucheng was exactly that. He was clear about his love and hatred, utterly loyal to the revolutionary cause, and hated class enemies with great intensity. He led the Taiping Army to annihilate many enemies, severely struck the reactionary Qing rule, and in the regions his forces reached, also strongly suppressed landlords and gentry. Therefore, the class enemies hated Chen Yucheng to the bone, cursing him with the most vicious words. Their curses against him, in reverse, proved that Chen Yucheng’s stance was firm, his boundaries clear, and he was irreconcilable with the enemies.
“Strong wind reveals hardy grass, and cold years show pines and cypresses.” On the battlefield, Chen Yucheng was a hero charging into battle; on the execution ground, he was a brave man sacrificing himself heroically. After his capture, he maintained his heroic revolutionary spirit, enduring the severe tests of both soft and hard tactics, and was executed with his head cut off. “Ning断头颅不变心” (宁断头颅不变心) — “Better to cut off the head than change the heart.” He was a hero who faced danger fearlessly, with heroic spirit soaring like a rainbow and ambitions reaching the clouds. His noble revolutionary integrity, contrasted sharply with Li Xiucheng’s shameful surrender after being captured, forming an extremely vivid contrast. One was a towering hero; the other became a contemptible dog’s dung heap.
The anti-imperialist and anti-feudal struggle of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, due to “lack of correct leadership from the proletariat and the Communist Party as in the present”①, could not overcome internal weaknesses and ultimately defeat the powerful enemies. Despite Chen Yucheng’s bravery and outstanding military talent, leading his soldiers to victory time and again, failure was inevitable. However, Chen Yucheng’s life was a glorious one—dedicated entirely to China’s anti-imperialist and anti-feudal revolutionary cause, selfless and relentless until death.
① “Chinese Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party” (December 1939), Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Volume 2, page 588.
After liberation, the Chinese people, standing tall, deeply cherish and commemorate the martyrs. In 1958, the people of Yanjin County, Henan Province, erected the “Tianping Heavenly Kingdom Revolutionary Hero Chen Yucheng Tombstone” at his place of martyrdom and burial, mourning this great peasant revolutionary hero.
The glorious name and extraordinary achievements of the Taiping Heavenly King Chen Yucheng will forever be recorded in the history of China’s anti-imperialist and anti-feudal revolution. His heroic image will be forever engraved in the hearts of the people, and his strong revolutionary spirit will continue to inspire the people forward!