Dorgon

Dorgon

Dorgon (17 November 1612 – 31 December 1650) was a Manchu prince and regent during the early years of the Qing dynasty. He was born into the important House of Aisin-Gioro as the 14th son of Nurhaci, the founder of the Later Jin dynasty, which later became the Qing dynasty.

Dorgon began his career fighting in battles against the Mongols, the Koreans, and the Ming dynasty when his brother Hong Taiji was ruler.

After Hong Taiji died in 1643, Dorgon helped make sure the young Shunzhi Emperor became the new ruler. Dorgon served as Prince-Regent from 1643 to 1650, guiding the young emperor. During this time, Qing forces took control of Beijing and worked to defeat the remaining forces of the Ming dynasty. Dorgon also introduced a new rule for Han Chinese men, requiring them to wear their hair in special braided styles called queues, similar to the Manchus.

Dorgon died in 1650 while on a hunting trip. Even though he was never emperor himself, he was honored after his death. However, a year later, the Shunzhi Emperor accused him of wrongdoings and took away his honors. Much later, in 1778, the Qianlong Emperor restored Dorgon’s honors, recognizing his earlier service.

Early career

Dorgon was born into the Manchu Aisin-Gioro clan, the 14th son of Nurhaci, the ruler of the Later Jin dynasty, which later became the Qing dynasty. His mother was Nurhaci’s main wife, Lady Abahai. Dorgon became an important leader. He helped the Qing take over Beijing, the capital of the fallen Ming dynasty. Dorgon fought in battles against groups known as the Chahar Mongols in 1628 and 1635.

After the death of Hong Taiji, Dorgon competed with Hong Taiji’s oldest son, Hooge, for control of the government. They agreed that Hong Taiji’s ninth son, Fulin, would become the new ruler, known as the Shunzhi Emperor. Because the Shunzhi Emperor was only six years old, Dorgon and his cousin Jirgalang were named co-regents to help rule.

Dorgon took part in many military campaigns during Hong Taiji’s time, including attacks on areas controlled by Mongolia and Korea. In February 1644, Jirgalang let Dorgon handle all official matters. After learning about a plan by Hooge to challenge Dorgon’s leadership in May 1644, Hooge lost his title, and some of his supporters were removed. By June 1644, Dorgon had firm control over the Qing government and its military.

Conquest of the Ming

Main articles: Qing conquest of the Ming and Southern Ming

When Dorgon and his advisors were planning how to attack the Ming Empire, rebellions were happening in Beijing. On April 24, 1644, rebel forces led by Li Zicheng broke into the Ming capital. The last Ming emperor, the Chongzhen Emperor, died. Dorgon’s advisors suggested using this moment to claim leadership for the Qing. The main challenge was a former Ming general named Wu Sangui, who guarded a key pass in the Great Wall.

Wu Sangui asked Dorgon for help against the rebels. Dorgon asked Wu to join the Qing instead, and Wu agreed. With Wu’s soldiers and Dorgon’s cavalry, the Qing defeated Li Zicheng at the Battle of Shanhai Pass on May 27. Li Zicheng’s forces left Beijing after a few days.

Dorgon welcomed the Shunzhi Emperor to Beijing on October 19, 1644. On October 30, the young emperor performed a special ceremony. A formal ceremony to celebrate the emperor’s rule happened on November 8. During this event, Dorgon’s title was raised to show his important role.

Dorgon gave a Manchu woman as a wife to a former Ming official named Feng Quan. Feng chose to adopt the Manchu queue hairstyle before it was required for everyone else and learned the Manchu language.

Settling in the capital

Six weeks after rebels left Beijing, local leaders greeted Dorgon. He announced that officials could stay in their jobs if people in the area surrendered. However, all men were required to shave part of their heads and wear their hair in queues. This rule was later changed after protests.

Dorgon ordered that part of Beijing be set aside for Banner troops, including some Han Chinese soldiers. This caused tension between different groups. Land outside the city was also divided, leading to difficulties for many people.

In 1645, Dorgon received a higher title. Rumors said he may have had a special relationship with the Shunzhi Emperor’s mother, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, but this is debated by historians.

Under Dorgon’s leadership, the Qing took control of most of China, pushing back groups that still supported the Ming. After dealing with rebellions near Beijing, Dorgon’s forces moved south. They captured important cities and faced resistance.

Dorgon ordered that all Han Chinese men cut their hair in a specific way to show loyalty to the Qing. Those who refused faced serious consequences. This rule caused anger and resistance. Some cities resisted for months before being taken.

After Nanjing fell, two more Ming supporters set up new governments in Fujian and Zhejiang. However, they did not work together well. Qing forces captured and killed one leader in Fujian in 1646. The other leader fled to Taiwan.

In late 1646, new Ming leaders appeared in Guangzhou. They fought among themselves until Qing forces captured and killed one in 1647. The other fled to Nanning. In 1648, a former Ming general turned against the Qing, helping the remaining Ming leader regain control of parts of southern China. However, Qing forces eventually recaptured these areas. In November 1650, Qing troops captured Guangzhou.

In 1646, Dorgon restored exams to choose government officials, held every three years. In 1648, a rule allowed some Han Chinese men to marry Manchu women with permission.

The exams under Shunzhi’s rule aimed to bring Manchus and Han Chinese together. The number of graduates was high until lower limits were set in 1660.

Death

Dorgon died on 31 December 1650 during a hunting trip in Kharahotun (now Chengde, Hebei). Even with imperial doctors, he could not recover from his injuries. After his death, he was given the title "Emperor Yi" and the temple name "Chengzong," even though he had never been emperor. This was unusual in Chinese history.

Some people thought Dorgon might have been harmed by political rivals, but the official story was that he was hurt while riding a horse. His death happened when Emperor Shunzhi was about 13 years old, a time when the young emperor could start ruling without a regent like Dorgon.

Posthumous demotion and restoration

After Dorgon died in 1650, his enemies said he had done many bad things. They said he took things that belonged to the emperor and tried to take the throne. It was hard to prove these claims because later emperors destroyed all records about Dorgon.

Because of this, the emperor removed Dorgon’s titles. They even dug up his body and punished it publicly. This was to make sure no one in Dorgon’s family could become emperor.

Many years later, during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, Dorgon was cleared of these charges. The emperor gave Dorgon a new title to show he had been loyal, undoing the earlier punishment. But the records about Dorgon’s family were destroyed, so the full story remains unclear.

Evaluation

Dorgon worked hard to bring peace after leading troops into Beijing in 1644. He made sure order was restored and stopped unfair actions by officials. He also planned to bring back the civil service system to find talented people.

Though many saw Dorgon as a devoted leader, some criticized his policies. These policies aimed to strengthen Qing rule but caused trouble for many people. One policy required Chinese men to cut their hair in a certain way and wear Manchu-style clothes. Others involved taking land for military use and forcing people into service.

According to Japanese travelers, Dorgon was tall, slim, and had a sharp, handsome appearance with dark skin and a neat beard.

Family

Primary Consort

Dorgon had several main wives from different families. These families included the Khorchin Borjigit, Tunggiya, and Zha'ermang Borjigit clans.

Secondary Consort

He also had a secondary wife from the Yi clan of Jeonju. They had a daughter named Donggo, who was born in 1638.

Ancestry

In popular culture

Dorgon has appeared in several TV shows and movies. In 1981, he was played by Yoo Jong-keun in the KBS1 TV series Daemyeong. In 2011, Park Ki-woong played him in the film War of the Arrows. Though he does not appear in the 2024 tvN TV series Captivating the King, he is often mentioned as Prince Rui. In 2017, Qu Chuxiao played Dorgon in the Chinese TV series Rule the World. He was also portrayed by Geng Le in the Chinese TV series The Legend of Xiao Zhuang.