Chinese intervention in vietanese war of 1789

Repost from old forum:

Chinese intervention in vietanese war of 1789

http://mojtaba.proboards7.com/index.cgi?board=4&action=d isplay&num=1073202938

by YanWang

Chinese intervention in vietanese war of 1789

forgive my english below

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The land of Annan was dominated by two powers in 1770s, one was kingdom of Da Yue(great viet) of Li dynasty, which was controlled by Zheng family of nobles, another was Kingdom of Guang Nan province,found by Ruan(Nguyen in vietnamese) family who was a longtime rival to Zheng family.

In 1778, a group of Ruan family launched a coup ended old royal house(known as Old Ruan family) in Kingdom of Guang Nan, they were called Xi San Dan(Party of West Hill) or New Ruan family,led by Ruan Wen_Yue(9,>B.) and his brother Ruan Guang_Ping(9,<'GE, or Ruan Hui, late known as Vietnamese Emperor Quang Trung).

Ruan Wen_Yue sent Ruan Guang_Ping to strike the kingdom of Da Yue under the excuse of "remove Zheng's family in Li's court" in 1780s, Ruan Guang_Ping captured Dongjing(Toking) and killed all Zheng members

in Chinese records:

"In 1887, Old king(of Annan) died, heir grandson Li Wei_Qi enthroned. Ruan Guan_Ping looted every treasures and used many elephants to convey it back to (his own kingdom of) Guang Nan, He named Gong Zheng who has been a former subject official of Zheng family to guard DongJing. But Gong Zheng was a royalist, he against Ruan and ordered his soldiers to fight and seized 50 elephants in name of King Li Wei_Qi..."

....

In summer of 1788, Ruan Guang_Ping reconquered DongJing. the King Li Wei_Qi fled to LongZhou of Guangxi province of Qing China, Chinese Goveror_General Sun Shi_Yi(then Goveror_General of both GuangXi and GuangDong povince) relocated the king to Nan_ning,Yunnan province. Ruan Guang_Ping knew he cannt stay Dongjing for long, so he ruined the palace of Li Kings and took away some family members of king back to Fu Chun province.Late, The King of Annan(Da Yue) and Goveror_General Sun Shi_Yi wrote a appeal jointly that ask for Emperor Qianlong to grant to aid the king with force.The emperor thought Li family already had been a careful vassal to china and paid every tribute for more than 100 years, its China's duty to aid him and punish the rebels. At same time, Ruan Guang_Ping sent a appeal to China to ask for granting a puppet king from Li family(Qing denied) and King Li Wei_Qi recruited many volunteers in sino_vietnam border.

Emperor Qianlong orderd operation Vietnam. The aggression led by Goveror_General Sun Shi_Yi and Prefect Xu Shi_Heng with two battalion of soldiers(one was sent from GuangXi commanded by Shan Wei_Shen, Another was sent from Guangdong commanded by Zhang Zaolong, each battalion had a army of 8000_10000). When the army entered vietnam, "Then local soldies,volunteers were all joined, all said there is a great army of hundreds of thousand coming, the rebels on its way were all runnaway, (they) only hold natural barriers of the 3 rivers to resist (the great army)."

"On lunar 13,Nov,1788. Shan Wei_Shen led little more than 1,000 soldiers arrived Chang Shou Jiang river, rebels retreated to south shore of the river."...

"On lunar 15,Nov,1788. Advance to the Shi Qiu Jiang river...hided 2000 soldier by using small boats at 20 li away at upriver for assistance"

"On lunar 17,Nov,1788. ..... ..the Rebels did not know where imperial army was come, they have been taken by surprise and unorderly retreated"...

"On lunar 19,Nov,1788. (the army) berthed at Fu Liang Jiang river, the river at outside of the gate of nation(Dongjing/Toking)..... ..captured 30 boats again,ferried 2000 soldiers at night.The rebels didnt know how many soldier we have at night, become a status of sauve qui peut,be captured dozens of battalion commanders, marquis, earles ... At dawn, the great army paralleled and entered the castellar city of DongJing, all royal families of Li and commons bent over on the left side of the road. the palace was ruined and remains nothing. King Li Wei_Qi met Sun Shi_Yi at 2:00 am with the formality of 9 kowtows."

On lunar 22,Nov,1788, Sun Shi_Yi proclaim the imperial edict, booked Li Wei_Qi the King of Vietnam. Li show his thanks and asked to attend celebration of Qianglong emperor 80th brithday in china at 1790 as return. The emperor granted.

from chinese records:"The victory of this war was duo to the assistance of pro_Li commons and volunteers, added general Xu Shi_Heng,Zhang Zaolong who had served in the war of peacing taiwan, therefore a army of more than 10,000 could penetrate so deep and recover its capital in a month. The emperor promoted Sun to No.1 rank duke of strategics&valiant,Xu Shi_Heng to No.1 rank viscount"

Ruan Guang_Ping was hiding, Chinese side thought there is no reason to search him for King Li,its king's own business.Therefore, Sun demobilized the local people and volunteers in his army. Ruan guang_Ping knew this, he went to attack Dongjing but under the name of surrendering himself and his force, Sun believed him with full merry.

Late,in Jan. 1789,lunar new year days, when King Li Wei_Qi and Chinese officials were all enjoying the celebrations, Ruai Guang_Ping attacked DongJing by surprise. King LiWei was runaway with his family, and Chinese side lost 10000 personnel of soldiers, civilian officers, and civilian servants(a half died in battle, a half drowned in crossing the Fu Liang Jiang river). DongJing was lost.

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When Sun Shi_Yi was retreating, he burned several hundreds of thousand pieces of weapons and foodstuffes(which was for king Li and chinese army)

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After the attack, Ruan Hui became the king of vietnam de facto.And he knew Qing will revenge on him, so he changed his name to Ruan Guang_Ping and paid tribute to Qing court immediately and asking for the granting of formal title of the King of Vietnam from the Qing emperor. Qing granted it reluctantly. Former_king Li Wei_Qi and his family were moved to Beijing, and be a subject under the Han Army Flag of Manchu.

In 1790(?), just one year after the attack, new king of vietnam _ Ruan Guang_Ping came to China under "ceremony reason", but it was not himself to come, its his brother under his name. The fake king made several agreements with China. such like vietnam send a tribute in every 2 years, a envoy team in every 4 years.