Li Chengliang
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Li Chengliang (Chinese: 李成梁; pinyin: Lǐ Chéngliáng; Korean: 이성량) (1526 - 1618) was a Chinese general of Korean descent in the reign of the Wanli Emperor during the Ming Dynasty who was in charge of maintaining peace and relations with the Jurchen tribes. He was from Tielin and was from a military family.
He never had a very prosperous childhood and early life, so he was age 40 before he received an official appointment. He slowly rose up the ranks to eventually become Liaotung Regional Commander (遼東總兵) with the backing of the Chief Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng. Li Chengliang was twice appointed Liaotung Regional Commander. The first commission lasted 22 years, the second 8 years.
[edit] Military Career against the Mongols
During the Longqing era, the Tuman Mongols migrated east and often harassed the Liaotung region. These Mongols are very powerful. Their forces totalled several hundred thousand strong. the situation was very serious. this was Li Chengliang's first tenure as Liaodong Regional General scored five major victories against the Tuman Mongols.
- 1575 Wanli 3
Tuman Khan commanded over a hundred thousand cavalry troops to attack and pillage the Yizhou, Jinzhou region. Li Chengliang heavily defeated the Tuman Khan and was heavily rewarded.
- 1578 Wanli 6
Tuman Khan once again attacked, this time in Liaoyang, Li Chengliang successfully defeated the Tuman once again.
- 1579 Wanli 7
Tuman Khan again attacked Yizhou, Jinzhou region. and besieged Guangning, Li Chengliang once again scored a major victory.
- 1580 Wanli 8
Tuman Khan gathered 40,000 cavalry each horse tailing a cattle and three sheep. Li Chengliang once again victorious.
- 1581 Wanli 9
Tuman Khan gathered nine tribes totaling a hundred thousand men and horse and attacked Liaodong with the intention of attacking Beijing.
In the battle, Li was in command of Giocangga and Taksi's forces, and Li had also intended to side with the Jurchen chieftain Nikan Wailan. When Giocangga and Taksi abandoned Li to side with chieftain Atai who was their relative, Li thought they had mutinied and so left them behind in the mist of battle. When Atai was later defeated by Nikan Wailan, both Giocangga and Taksi were killed by Nikan Wailan in the aftermath.
The Ming policy on the Jurchen tribes during that period was to side with different tribes during each conflict to maintain a balance and not allow one tribe to dominate and eventually unite the Jurchen tribes. Spurred by the actions of Li, Nurhaci was eventually able to unite all the Jurchen tribes, creating the Manchu.
Of his nine sons, five Li Rusong, Li Ruzhen, Li Rubai, Li Ruzhang and Li Rumei would rise to become full generals (總兵) and four Li Ruzi, Li Ruwu, Li Rugui, and Li Runan would become accompanying generals (參將) for the Ming Dynasty.
