Yangtze River History from Song Dynasty to Qing Dynasty

From Song Dynasty to Qing Dynasty, there were many battles happened in Yangtze River Three Gorges area, including Battle of Anti-Yuan in Song Dynasty, Ming Yuzhen occupied Shu area, Zhang Xianzhong came into Sichuan Province, White Lotus Sect uprising and so on.These events in Yangtze River history add more fun to Yangtze Cruises tourist.

Yangtze River History – Battle of Anti-Yuan

In 1231, the Mongolian Army came to Sichuan Province from Shanxi Province. In 1251, the Meng Ge inherited the Khan. In 1258, he leaded his army to attack Sichuan Province. In the next year, he attacked Diaoyu (Fishing) City again. The guardian of Song Kingdom leaded army to resist. In 21st July, Meng Ge died in the battle, and the Mongolian Army had to retreat back. But the Song Army also heavily defeated. In 1279, South Song Kingdom lost Chongqing, Luzhou, Hechuan. The Yuan Army continually had fights with South Song Kingdom, until it was destroyed.

Yangtze River History – Ming Yuanzhen Occupied Shu Area

In the late of Yuan Dynasty, Ming Yuanzhen participated the Red Scarves Uprising, and been an important general in the uprising army. In 1355, Yuan Mingzhen leaded ten thousands soldiers, taking 5000 ships to Kweizhou by Three Gorges to raise foods. In 1357, he leaded his army to Chongqing and regarded Chongqing as his military strongpoint. Later, he took Sichuan Province and set up Great Xia regime, which lasted for nine years. During the regime of Ming Yuzhen, he devoted to develop culture and education, decrease tax burden. So the economy got development in this period and the social was stable.

Yangtze River History – Zhang Xianzhong Came into Sichuan Province

In 1644, Zhan Xianzhong leaded 300,000 soldiers and thousands ships to Sichuan Province. On his way, he broken through Kweizhou, Yunyang, Wanxian, and took Chongqing directly. Later, he divided his army into several parts to Chengdu by the Yangtze River, Ming River and Tuo River. In November, he declared himself as emperor in Chengdu, built the Great Xi Kingdom and renamed Chengdu as Xijing.

Yangtze River History – White Lotus Sect Uprising

White Lotus Sect was also named White Lotus Club, which was a secret and widely spread folk sect since Yuan Dynasty. During Qianlong Period in Qing Dynasty, head of the White Lotus Sect proposed out the slogan that "the government is so strict that people should resist" and he raised uprising in the conjunction areas of Sichuan, Hubei and Shanxi. This action got the response of poor farmers and unemployed workers. In Jiaqing Period, there formed several uprising army in east of Sichuan Province and west of Hubei Province. But in 1799, as the encirclement and suppression of Qing Army, the White Lotus Sect uprising which with religious color was suppressed.