Researching for this week’s article was frustrating, to say the least. Type Qin Liangyu’s name into any search engine, and half (if not most) of the results will be about, not the Ming Dynasty general and heroine, but about a character in a video game. Not that I believe her appearance in video games is necessarily a bad thing, but, judging from my relatively brief look into the real woman, I think this does a disservice to her.
In ancient China, the position of women was very low, and they were forced into specific roles which were decided at their birth. Girls didn’t receive a comprehensive education and were expected to be wives and mothers when they grew up.
Qin Liangyu was different.
Or, more accurately, her father was different. Qin Kui (秦葵) believed in equal education for both girls and boys, so he ensured that his daughter studied history, Confucian classics, martial arts, archery, and horse-riding alongside his sons. In fact, Qin Liangyu showed a greater aptitude for martial arts than her brothers, and she was an excellent strategist. All this paved the way for her to become a formidable general—an almost impossible feat for women in China at the time.
Qin Liangyu was brought up with patriotic ideals and was always fiercely loyal to the Ming Dynasty. She believed that the ruling class represented the entire Dynasty, and so she played a significant role in putting down several peasant rebellions. As a result, she has received somewhat lukewarm treatment in Communist China; however, she remains one of the most well-known female warriors in China.
In 1595, at the age of 24, Qin Liangyu married Ma Qiangcheng (馬千乘), the military commander of Shizhu County. Theirs was a loving and respectful marriage, and Ma Qiangcheng often went to her for advice. Together, they built a strong, skilled local army called the White Staff Soldiers. They had one son, Ma Xianglin (馬祥麟), who outlived both of his parents.
Four years after their marriage, in 1599, a rebellion began in Bozhou—Ma Qiangcheng took 3000 riders to suppress the revolt, accompanied by Qin Liangyu and an additional 500 elite soldiers under her personal command. This was her first recorded experience of combat, and their success in quelling the rebellion led to Qin Liangyu receiving a commendation for bravery from her superiors.
Sadly, in 1613, Ma Qiangcheng offended an influential court eunuch and ended up being arrested and imprisoned. He died shortly after, so Qin Liangyu succeeded her husband as commander of Shizhu County. She also took command of the White Staff Soldiers, and soon had control of the entire region.
Threats continued to come in, and in 1620, Qin Liangyu sent two of her brothers with 3000 White Staff Soldiers to Liaodong, which was being attacked by the Manchus. They suffered a huge defeat, with one of Qin Liangyu’s brothers being killed in action, and the other being seriously injured. Her son was also partially blinded after taking an arrow to the eye. After the defeat, Qin Liangyu personally traveled to the battle, contributing her own financial resources, and managing to hold the Shanhai Pass against the enemy.
She then returned to her home of Sichuan, defeating rebels at Chengdu and retaking Chongqing after attacks by local bandits. For this string of victories, Qin Liangyu was given the title of ‘Lady’, the position of ‘Overall Administrator of Military Affairs’, and the rank of ‘Commander-in-Chief’ for Sichuan province. She was the only woman to ever reach these high posts in the military command system of the Ming Dynasty.
By 1630, Qin Liangyu was in her mid-50s; anyone could forgive her for taking a step back. But she continued to put up an impressive defence against the rebels. Beijing came under threat that year after several nearby cities had been taken by the Manchus, so Qin Liangyu was summoned by the emperor to reinforce the capital. Once the enemy retreated, the emperor showered Qin Liangyu in praise, presenting her with four poems written in her honour as she passed through Beijing.
She, along with her son, went on to defeat rebels in Sichuan in 1634 and 1640. In recognition of her service, the Chongzhen Emperor named her ‘Protector of the Crown Prince – Duchess of Loyalty and Honour’, the highest honour an official could get in imperial China. She was also given the honorary title of ‘Marquis of Zhongzhen’.
The Ming Dynasty was overthrown in 1644 and, by 1646, the last Ming Emperor had abandoned the north for refuge in the southern city of Fuzhou. Qin Liangyu was commanded to lead her troops against the invading Qing Dynasty, and, despite being 73 years of age at the time, she accepted.
She was able to protect Shizhou from total devastation, but was unable to stop the Ming Dynasty from collapsing. Qin Liangyu died just two years later in 1648 after a military career of over forty years. Posthumously, she was given the name ‘Zhongzhen’ (忠貞), literally meaning ‘Loyal and Chaste’.
Sources: