Wu Sangui (Usanqueius): Commander and Rebel in the Pages of Historiae Sinarum Imperii by Tomasz Szpot Dunin
Abstract
In his work on Chinese history, Tomasz Ignatius Szpot Dunin SJ did not miss the attitudes of significant Chinese commanders during the historical watershed period of the fall of the Ming dynasty and its replacement by the Manchurian Qing dynasty. One of them was Wu Sangui, who initially supported the Ming against external and internal enemies, only to contribute to the success of the Manchurian invasion at a crucial moment and, after almost three decades of operating under the new dynasty’s sovereignty, to declare obedience to it and lead the so-called Three Feudatories Rebellion. The affair was well-known in Europe and even became the subject of literary interest in the 18th century. Szpot Dunin does not succumb to extreme tendencies in his description, skilfully considers the circumstances of the decision and presents a nuanced yet incisive picture of Wu Sangui’s character, intentions and failures.
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