The Battle of Shih-feng Fortress and its Military Deployment Map

The Battle of Shih-feng Fortress and its Military Deployment Map

Lee Tien-ming

National Palace Museum Research Quarterly. Volume27, Number1 (Autumn, 2009)

Department of Rare Books and Documents

Abstract

On the 15th day of the 4th month of 49th year of Emperor Ch’ien-lung’s reign （2 June 1784）, T'ien Wu, a Jahriyya Sufi, led the Hui people who followed Ma Ming-hsin’s New Teaching （Naqshbandi-Jahriyya）, to revolt against the Ch’ing government in Kansu. On the 19th day, the rebels attacked Ching-yuen, and in response to the assault, Li Shih-yao, the Governor-general of Shensi-Kansu, ordered the Ch’ing army to suppress the revolt. On the 24th day, Kang T’a led the army to defeat the insurrection troops in Ma-ying-shui, and here T'ien Wu got wounded and then committed suicide. The rest of rebels absconded to Ma-chia Fortress. In the beginning of the 5th month, Kang T’a led the army into the Ma-chia Fortress. On the 4th day, the rebels went over mountains and run to Ma-ying-chieh by moonlight. On the 9th day, Kang T’a attacked Ma-ying-chieh, and the insurrection troops run away again. After failing in capture Fu-ch’iang, insurrection troops withdrew into a defensive posture around the Shih-feng Fortress and Ti-tien.

On the 15th day of the 5th month, Emperor Ch’ien-lung appointed Fu K’ang-an, the Minister of War, to Kansu to suppress the revolt. Furthermore, on the 20th day, the Emperor appointed the Grand Secretary, A-kuei, to be the commander in chief for the suppression. On the 26th day, the Emperor appointed the Fu K’ang-an to be the Governor-general of Shensi-Kansu. The Emperor also successively increased military personnel to more than 10,000 Ch’ing troops in total for the suppression.

On the 11th day of the 6th month, Fu K’ang-an attacked and occupied the Ti-tien, and right after that, Ch’ing troops besieged the Shih-feng Fortress. On the 16th day, Fu K’ang-an led the Ch’ing troops to occupy the cantonment of Hui troops located in the east of Shih-feng Fortress. On the 23rd day, A-kuei arrived the battlefront, then on the 25th day, the Ch’ing troops attacked and occupied the foot of the mountain located in northwest and southeast of the Shih-feng Fortress, and severed the headsprings that Hui troops was using. On the night of the 4th day of the 7th month, Hui troops made a sally, but were routed by the Ch’ing troops. On the 5th day, Fu K’ang-an attacked Shih-feng Fortress just before the dawn and captured Chang Wen-ch’ing, the leader of Hui troops. The Battle of Shih-feng Fortress ended.

There is a military deployment map of Shih-feng Fortress Battle in the collection of the Nation Palace Museum, which was titled as The topography of Shih-feng Fortress. It was an attachment with a Palace Memorial submitted to Emperor Ch’ien-lung written by Fu K’ang-an on the 15th day of the 6th month （15 June 1784）. On the attached map, there was some Emperor’s comments wrote in vermilion ink. Because of this military deployment map, the researchers obtain more information about the Battle of Shih-feng Fortress, the research become easier to do.

Keywords: Ch’ing dynasty, Battle of Shih-feng Fortress, Islam, military deployment map