Kingdom of Tungning facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kingdom of Tungning
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| 1662–1683 | |||||||||
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Motto: "Oppose the Qing, restore the Ming"
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Kingdom of Tungning on Taiwan
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| Capital | Tungtu | ||||||||
| Common languages | Hoklo | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| King of Tungning | |||||||||
| Zheng Jing | |||||||||
| Zheng Ke-Shuang | |||||||||
| Historical era | Qing Dynasty | ||||||||
| February 1, 1662 1662 | |||||||||
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• Battle of Penghu
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1683 1683 | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
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• 1664
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140,000 | ||||||||
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• 1683
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200,000 | ||||||||
| Currency | Copper Coin and Silver tael issued by the kingdom | ||||||||
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The Kingdom of Tungning was the first Han Chinese government to rule Taiwan. It existed from 1661 to 1683. This kingdom supported the Ming Dynasty. It was started by Koxinga. He created it after the Manchu people destroyed the Ming government. Koxinga was the son of a pirate who also supported the Ming Dynasty. He hoped to gather his soldiers on Taiwan. His plan was to use Taiwan as a base to take back mainland China for the Ming Dynasty.
Contents
A New Kingdom in Taiwan
In 1661, Koxinga landed his forces at Luerhmen, Taiwan. In less than a year, he captured Fort Zeelandia. He then made an agreement with Frederick Coyett, the Dutch governor. The Dutch gave him the fort. They left behind all the goods and property of the Dutch East India Company. All Dutch people, officials, and soldiers were allowed to take their personal belongings. They could safely return to Batavia.
This event ended 38 years of Dutch colonial rule on Taiwan. Koxinga worked hard to make Taiwan a strong base. It was for people who wanted to fight the Qing Dynasty. They hoped to bring the Ming Dynasty back to power. In 1662, Koxinga died from malaria at age 39. His son, Zheng Jing, became the new ruler of Taiwan. He was known as the Prince of Yanping.
Zheng Jing's Rule
For the next 19 years, Zheng Jing tried to lead the country. He also worked to rebuild his army in Taiwan. He often communicated with the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty in China. Zheng Jing fought the Qing to protect Xiamen, Quemoy, and the Pescadores islands. However, he eventually lost these islands over the years. His small army was not large enough to defend them from the Qing forces. During the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, Zheng Jing launched an attack in the Fujian area.
At the end of the revolt, Zheng's army was defeated. After this loss, Zheng went back to Taiwan. He spent his time with wine and women. He died soon after from an illness. After his death, his generals and ministers disagreed. They split into two groups, each supporting a different son to take over. After some fighting, Zheng Keshuang, his 12-year-old son, became the new king.
The End of the Kingdom
In 1683, after the Battle of Penghu, Zheng Keshuang surrendered to the Qing Dynasty. His kingdom became part of the Qing Dynasty. It was added as part of the Fujian Province.
Why This Kingdom Still Matters Today
The Kingdom of Tungning lasted for just over 20 years. Its history is very similar to modern Taiwan's story. Because of this, it has great symbolic meaning. After losing the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the Republic of China (ROC) moved to Taiwan. The Kuomintang party led them. They left mainland China to the Communist Party, who then started the People's Republic of China (PRC).
The Kuomintang of the ROC has often talked about Koxinga's goals. They planned to use Taiwan as a base to return their government to Mainland China. They see themselves as the protectors of the ROC. They view Taiwan as a place from which the ROC will regain control of the mainland. The PRC talks about Koxinga freeing Taiwan from Dutch rule for the good of the country. They do not mention that Koxinga was trying to remove the mainland government to bring back an older dynasty.
Images for kids
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Koxinga receiving the Dutch surrender on 1 February 1662
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Fort Zeelandia
See also
In Spanish: Reino de Tungning para niños
