Mingsioi

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Mingsioi or Mingxu {Manchu: Mingsioi; traditional Chinese: 明緒; simplified Chinese: 明绪; pinyin: Ming Xü; in older transcription systems, Ming-hsü) was a Qing Governor General of Ili in 1864-66, charged with the overall command of the Chinese troops in Xinjiang.

Ming Xu's predecessor, Cangcing (Chinese: 常清, Changqing) was sacked after a defeat of Qing troops at Wusu during the Muslim Rebellion. Ming Xu commanded the defense of the Ili Region against the Dungan and Taranchi rebels for the next two years. Most of Xinjiang and Gansu being controlled by the rebels, he could not expect to receive any aid from China; meanwhile the neighboring Russia would not be interested in seriously helping the Qing against the Muslim rebels either.

Ming Xu's last stand was on March 8, 1866 at his headquarters at Fort Huiyuan. As the rebels were seizing the fort from its starving defendants, Ming Xu assembled his family, staff, treasury, and tea into his palace and set off the gunpowder.

[edit] References

• Kim Hodong, "Holy War in China: The Muslim Rebellion and State in Chinese Central Asia, 1864-1877". Stanford University Press (March 2004). ISBN 0804748845. (Searchable text available on Amazon.com)