Qi Jiguang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Qi Jiguang
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| 戚繼光 | |
Portrait of Qi Jiguang
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| Born | November 12, 1528 |
| Died | January 17, 1588 (aged 59) Penglai, Shandong
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| Occupation | General |
Qi Jiguang (Chinese: 戚繼光; pinyin: Qī Jìguāng; Wade–Giles: Ch'i1 Chi4-Kuang1, November 12, 1528 – January 17, 1588) was a famous Chinese military general. His courtesy name was Yuanjing. He lived during the Ming dynasty.
Qi Jiguang is best known for two big things. First, he led the defense of China's coast against pirate attacks in the 1500s. These pirates were called wokou. Second, he helped make the Great Wall of China stronger. He also wrote important books about military strategies. These books were called Jixiao Xinshu and Record of Military Training. People in China see him as a great hero.
Contents
Who Was Qi Jiguang?
Early Life and Family
Qi Jiguang was born in 1528 in a town called Luqiao. This town is in Shandong province. His family had a long history of serving in the military. His great-grandfather was a military leader who died in battle.
When the Ming dynasty started, the emperor gave the Qi family a special job. They were made the commanders of the Dengzhou Garrison. This was a military base in what is now Penglai.
Qi Jiguang's father, Qi Jingtong, was a skilled fighter. He was also a very honest and dedicated general. Because of his family, Qi Jiguang became interested in military life early on. As a child, he loved playing war games. He would build small forts from clay and make flags from bamboo sticks. He pretended to be the commander of his friends.
When his father passed away, Qi Jiguang took over the command of Dengzhou Garrison. He was only 17 years old. He worked to improve the navy at the garrison. He also led his troops to defend against Mongol raiders. This happened near Beijing between 1548 and 1552.
At age 22, Qi Jiguang went to Beijing for a special military exam. While he was there, Mongol troops attacked Beijing. Qi Jiguang helped defend the city. He showed great bravery and smart military tactics. He even wrote defense plans for the emperor. His actions helped defeat the invaders.
Fighting the Wokou Pirates
In 1553, Qi Jiguang got a new job. He became an Assistant Military Commissioner in Shandong. His main task was to defend the coast from wokou pirates. These pirates were a big problem on China's eastern coast. They built bases on land and attacked cities. They were not just Japanese; many Chinese people also joined them. However, the Japanese pirates were the main fighters. They brought military skills and equipment from Japan.
When Qi Jiguang took command, his army was not in good shape. He had fewer than 10,000 soldiers, even though records showed 30,000. Many strong, young soldiers had left to find other work. Only the old and weak remained. The troops were not well-trained or disciplined. Also, the defense structures were falling apart.
In 1555, Qi was sent to Zhejiang province. The pirate problem there was very bad. He worked with two other generals, Yu Dayou and Tan Lun. Together, they won a big victory at Cen Harbor in 1558. After this, his troops kept defeating pirates in other areas. Even after the victory at Cen Harbor, some people tried to spread rumors about him. They said he was working with the pirates.
After getting the situation in Zhejiang under control, Qi focused on training his soldiers. He chose mostly miners and farmers from Yiwu county. He believed these people were honest and hardworking. He also built 44 new naval ships. These ships were different sizes and were used to fight pirates at sea.
Qi's new army had its first big test in 1559. After a month of fighting pirates in Taizhou, the pirates lost over 5,000 men. Qi's army became famous for its strength. Because of Qi's success, many pirates moved to Fujian province. More than 10,000 pirates set up bases along the Fujian coast.
In July 1562, Qi Jiguang led 6,000 of his best troops to Fujian. In just two months, his army destroyed three major pirate hideouts. However, his own army also lost nearly a hundred men from fighting and sickness.
When the pirates in Fujian seemed defeated, Qi went back to Zhejiang to rest his troops. The pirates then took the chance to invade Fujian again. This time, they captured a city called Xinghua.
In April 1563, Qi Jiguang returned to Fujian with 10,000 troops. He quickly took back Xinghua. Over the next year, Qi Jiguang's army won many more battles. Finally, the pirate problem in Fujian was solved.
In September 1565, a major battle happened on Nan'ao island. This island is between Fujian and Guangdong provinces. Qi joined forces with his old friend Yu Dayou again. They defeated the last of the combined Japanese and Chinese pirate groups.
Years on the Northern Frontier
After dealing with the pirates, Qi Jiguang was called to Beijing in 1567. His new job was to train the imperial guards.
The Ming dynasty had driven the Mongols north beyond the Great Wall in the 1300s. But the Mongols still caused problems on the northern border for 200 years. In 1550, a Mongol leader named Altan Khan broke through the defenses. He almost destroyed Beijing. In 1571, the Ming dynasty made a peace deal with Altan Khan. They started trading with the Mongols. Altan Khan then stopped his people from attacking Chinese towns. However, other Mongol groups still tried to test Qi's defenses, but they didn't succeed much.
The next year, Qi was put in charge of troops in Jizhou. His job was to defend against the Mongols. Qi oversaw the repair of the Great Wall in his area. He also built watchtowers along the wall. After two years, over 1,000 new watchtowers were finished. This greatly improved the northern defenses.
In 1572, Qi also led a month-long military exercise. More than 100,000 troops took part. Based on this experience, he wrote his book Records of Military Training. This book became very important for future military leaders.
In the 1570s, a Mongol army led by Dong Huli kept invading Ming land. Qi Jiguang's troops defeated them many times. They even captured Dong Huli's younger brother. Dong Huli came with his nephew and 300 family members to beg for mercy. Qi Jiguang accepted their surrender. Dong released his prisoners and promised never to invade Jizhou again.
Later Life and Death
Qi Jiguang was friends with a powerful official named Zhang Juzheng. After Zhang died, Qi lost favor with the emperor. In 1583, Qi was removed from his duty. His wife also left him. He spent his last years in poverty and poor health.
He passed away on January 17, 1588.
Legacy
Books by Qi Jiguang
Qi Jiguang wrote down his ideas and experiences in two military books. These were the Ji Xiao Xin Shu and the Record of Military Training. He also wrote many poems and stories. He collected them in a book called Collection of Zhizhi Hall.
Guangbing Pancakes
A type of hard pancake called guangbing was named after Qi Jiguang. These pancakes are also known as kompyang in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Ships Named in His Honor
Two ships have been named after Qi Jiguang. The Republic of China Navy has a frigate called Chi Kuang. The People's Liberation Army Navy has a training ship called Qi Jiguang.
Images for kids
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The Great Wall of China at Badaling, which Qi Jiguang reinforced.
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Statue of Qi Jiguang in Badaling
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Bust of Qi Jiguang in Fuzhou.
See also
In Spanish: Qi Jiguang para niños
