Li Chendian
Encyclopedia
Li Chenden (1838 – 1864), an eminent Han
military general during the late Qing Dynasty
in China. He joined the Xiang Army
and fought effectively against the Taiping Rebellion
restoring the stability of the Qing Dynasty. He was one of nine generals who led the force which occupied Nanjing
in 1864. Commander Zeng Guoquan
identified Li as the most meritorious of the nine generals in the recovery of Nanjing. The Beijing
government praised him and his fellow generals commended him.
During the Qing Dynasty's 267 years, Li was the youngest person elevated to Peerage
.
.
On July 19, at 13：00 in the afternoon, attackers detonated explosives in a tunnel under the Taiping (太平) Gate. This is the first recorded time that men felt a light earthquake from an underground explosion. A second blast occurred about one minute later and then a large section of the wall exploded with pieces flying from 2 to 10 km away.
Li then led 600 soldiers and stormed into the city shouting:[Kill(Sa)! Kill(Sa)!....]. A fierce battle was fought at the broken wall,continuing into the city, and finally occupying Hong Xiuquan's palace.
Li was the second general to arrived at Hong‘s palace on the second day, the first general had not been able to locate Hong‘s body. Li was unable to locate the body either. On 30 July, Li noticed a section of the ground had been tampered with in the pavilion. He ordered his soldiers to dig there and was surprised to find Hong‘s naked body wrapped in white cloth. The body had long white hair, hands placed on the chest, and holding an iron cross. There was no coffin and the body had badly decomposed. Only the shoulders and right buttock were still covered with skin and flesh.
, Zeng Guofan
, and commander Zeng Guoquan
and sot their advice as to the disposition of such an important find.
Zeng Guofan viewed the body and after a few minutes of silence he ordered that the body not to be transported to Beijing as was customary, but would be burned immediately. Based on this action, Zeng is not a traitor (Hanjian
).
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
military general during the late Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
in China. He joined the Xiang Army
Xiang Army
The Xiang Army was a standing army organized by Zeng Guofan from existing regional and village militia forces tuanlian to contain the Taiping rebellion in China . The name is taken from the Hunan region where the Army was raised. The Army was financed through local nobles and gentry, as opposed...
and fought effectively against the Taiping Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who, having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty...
restoring the stability of the Qing Dynasty. He was one of nine generals who led the force which occupied Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
in 1864. Commander Zeng Guoquan
Zeng Guoquan
Zeng Guoquan 1856 follow his old brother Zeng Guofan, was an eminent Han Chinese official, military general, and devout Confucian scholar of the late Qing Dynasty in China...
identified Li as the most meritorious of the nine generals in the recovery of Nanjing. The Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
government praised him and his fellow generals commended him.
During the Qing Dynasty's 267 years, Li was the youngest person elevated to Peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
.
Finding Hong Xiuquan's body
During the final days of the Taiping Rebellion, Li Chendian's main task was to destroy the city wall of NanjingNanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
.
On July 19, at 13：00 in the afternoon, attackers detonated explosives in a tunnel under the Taiping (太平) Gate. This is the first recorded time that men felt a light earthquake from an underground explosion. A second blast occurred about one minute later and then a large section of the wall exploded with pieces flying from 2 to 10 km away.
Li then led 600 soldiers and stormed into the city shouting:[Kill(Sa)! Kill(Sa)!....]. A fierce battle was fought at the broken wall,continuing into the city, and finally occupying Hong Xiuquan's palace.
Li was the second general to arrived at Hong‘s palace on the second day, the first general had not been able to locate Hong‘s body. Li was unable to locate the body either. On 30 July, Li noticed a section of the ground had been tampered with in the pavilion. He ordered his soldiers to dig there and was surprised to find Hong‘s naked body wrapped in white cloth. The body had long white hair, hands placed on the chest, and holding an iron cross. There was no coffin and the body had badly decomposed. Only the shoulders and right buttock were still covered with skin and flesh.
Thunderstorm rain
After the victory in Nanjing, Li reported his finding of Hong's body to Viceroy of LiangjiangViceroy of Liangjiang
The Viceroy of Liangjiang , fully referred to as the Governor General of the two Yangtze Provinces and surrounding areas; Overseeing Military Affairs, Food Production; Manager of Waterways; Director of Civil Affairs , was one of eight regional viceroys in China proper during the Qing Dynasty of China...
, Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guofan was an eminent Han Chinese official, military general, and devout Confucian scholar of the late Qing Dynasty in China....
, and commander Zeng Guoquan
Zeng Guoquan
Zeng Guoquan 1856 follow his old brother Zeng Guofan, was an eminent Han Chinese official, military general, and devout Confucian scholar of the late Qing Dynasty in China...
and sot their advice as to the disposition of such an important find.
Zeng Guofan viewed the body and after a few minutes of silence he ordered that the body not to be transported to Beijing as was customary, but would be burned immediately. Based on this action, Zeng is not a traitor (Hanjian
Hanjian
In Chinese culture, a Hanjian is a derogatory and pejorative term for a race traitor to the Han Chinese nation or state, and to a lesser extent, Han ethnicity. The word Hanjian is distinct from the general word for traitor, which could be used for any race or country...
).