Ancient City of Ningyuan

Ancient City of Ningyuan

The Ancient City of Ningyuan is a cultural tourism attraction.

According to the Xingcheng County Annals, the earliest historical record of the name "Xingcheng" dates back to the Liao Dynasty. In the eighth year of the Tonghe era (990 AD) during the reign of Emperor Shengzong of Liao, Xingcheng County was established (with its administrative center at Taohua Island Commandery, now Haikou in Diaoyutai Subdistrict). This marks the earliest origin of the name Xingcheng. At that time, like many other small towns with similar fates, it remained obscure—until the arrival of that fellow Zhu from Fengyang. It was then that the famous large-scale city and fortress construction campaign of "Han tombs, Tang pagodas, and Zhu’s enclosures" began, aimed at defense. In the third year of the Xuande era of the Ming Dynasty, General Wu Kai and Censor Bao Huaide submitted a proposal to construct the Ningyuan Guard. They allocated lands from Jinzhou and Ruzhou, establishing the Ningyuan Guard north of Caozhuang and Tangdi, where the Ningyuan Guard City was built—this being the earliest origin of the name "Ningyuan." (Later, in 1915, due to naming conflicts with other places like Ningyuan in Hunan and Shanxi, it was renamed back to Xingcheng.) The proposal was approved in the same year, and construction commenced immediately. By the fifth year of the Xuande era (1430 AD), the Ningyuan City, divided into inner and outer sections, was completed. The outer city was roughly one li outside each inner city gate, aligning with the description of the inner city’s perimeter being five li and the outer city’s nine li. The outer city had four gates: An Yuan (Peaceful Distance) to the east, Yong Qing (Eternal Clarity) to the south, Ying En (Welcoming Grace) to the west, and Da Ding (Great Stability) to the north. The inner city also had four gates: Chun He (Spring Harmony) to the east, Yan Hui (Extended Brilliance) to the south, Yong Ning (Eternal Peace) to the west, and Wei Yuan (Mighty Distance) to the north. Commander Jiao Li later built streets within the city and constructed the Bell and Drum Towers. However, this was not the Ningyuan Guard of the military supervisors—it was completely destroyed by a massive earthquake both inside and out on March 28 of the second year of the Longqing era (1568), a hundred years later.

In the forty-fifth year of the Wanli era (1618 AD), Nurhaci of the Jurchen people, citing the Seven Grievances, rebelled against the Ming Dynasty. By March of the forty-seventh year, the Ming forces were nearly annihilated at the Battle of Sarhu. In March of the first year of the Tianqi era, Shenyang and Liaoyang both fell to the Later Jin, which then gained control of all lands east of the Liao River, shocking the Ming court.

Yuan Chonghuan, as recorded in the History of Ming compiled by the Qing (chief editor none other than Zhang Tingyu, the iconic Qing Dynasty drama figure with the signature queue): "Yuan Chonghuan, style name Yuansu, was from Dongguan... A man of generosity and bold strategy, he loved discussing military affairs. Whenever he met veteran officers or retired soldiers, he would discuss borderland matters, understanding the strategic terrain and priding himself on his border defense skills. In the first month of the second year of the Tianqi era... when the Guangning army collapsed, the court debated defending Shanhaiguan. Yuan Chonghuan personally rode out to inspect the passes. His colleagues were puzzled by the disappearance of Magistrate Yuan, and even his family didn’t know his whereabouts. Later, upon returning to the capital, he detailed the situation at the passes, declaring, 'Give me troops, horses, money, and provisions, and I alone can defend this place.' The court officials praised his talent even more, and he was swiftly promoted to Supervisory Commissioner, overseeing the armies beyond the passes. Twenty thousand taels of silver were allocated for troop recruitment."

In September of the third year of the Tianqi era (1623 AD), Yuan Chonghuan arrived in Ningyuan Guard, forming an unbreakable bond with Xingcheng. By then, the second construction phase of Ningyuan City had already begun, but the responsible commander, Zu Dashou—a renowned general from Xingcheng in western Liaoning—was slacking off. After the military supervisor and the Mongolian general Man Gui arrived in Ningyuan, Zu Dashou transformed as if possessed. Judging the past actions of the supervisor with the biases of lesser men, northerners have never liked southerners, a prejudice that persists even today. Mutual disdain between north and south has been an age-old bias. As later recounted by Yuan Chonghuan’s disciple Cheng Benzhi, who volunteered to die with him when the supervisor was imprisoned: "The world is full of cunning people, but Yuan was a great fool. Because he was foolish, he cared nothing for money—the thing the world loves most. Because he was foolish, he feared nothing—especially death, which the world cherishes most. Thus, he took on burdens no one dared to bear, avoided no risks others shunned, endured hunger and cold no one could tolerate, and broke all formalities to treat his officers with heartfelt sincerity." Since ancient times, men of the northern frontier only respected those with unyielding courage. The officers and soldiers stationed there, even after the supervisor’s imprisonment, would daily plead at the residence of Supervisor Sun Chengzong, weeping and begging to take his place. The righteous He Zhibi even offered his entire family of over forty to take Yuan Chonghuan’s place in prison. From this, one can see the deep trust and loyalty Yuan commanded among the frontier troops—an outcome the emperor feared most. In any case, Zu Dashou became Yuan’s right-hand man, fighting bloodily by his side. Without delving into those battles, when Yuan was imprisoned, Zu Dashou even petitioned to be stripped of his rank and status, offering his hard-earned military honors to save Yuan’s life. For this alone, I hold him in high esteem. To have such a friend is beyond words. Though later generations scorned his eventual surrender to the Qing, it’s easy to judge from the sidelines—far harder to endure the actual trials. And today, the people of Xingcheng still shy away from acknowledging him as one of their own, which is even more lamentable.

After arriving in Ningyuan City, Yuan Chonghuan set construction standards: the city walls were thirty-two feet high, crenellations six feet high, the base width thirty feet, and the top width twenty-four feet. Cannon platforms protruded from the four corners for mounting European-style cannons. The city layout featured a "cross-shaped" road system centered on each gate, with a central Drum Tower used for wartime signals and daily timekeeping. The Yamen and the Commandant’s Office were located southeast, while the Judicial and Defense Offices were in the northwest (north of Yonghe Street). A moat encircled the outer city. Zu Dashou, along with Commanders Gao Jian and He Qian, supervised the construction. With forty thousand workers, the project was completed in a year. Thus, Ningyuan Guard City became a crucial stronghold beyond the passes in the late Ming era. Historical records noted over fifty thousand residents, with farmlands extending fifty li out. Merchants thrived, migrants gathered, and the city was hailed as a land of prosperity.

In October of the fifth year of the Tianqi era, Gao Di, a follower of Wei Zhongxian, replaced Sun Chengzong as the Liaodong Regional Commander. This cowardly man withdrew all defenses beyond the passes, pulling troops from Jinzhou, Youduan, the Greater and Lesser Liao Rivers, Songshan, and Xingshan back into Shanhaiguan, abandoning over a hundred thousand stones of grain. The western Liaoning region suffered immense casualties, with wailing filling the roads. Yuan Chonghuan strongly opposed this but was ignored, declaring angrily, "I am the official of Ningqian—my duty lies here, and I will not leave!" In the first year of the Tiancong era (1626 AD), Nurhaci of the Later Jin led 130,000 troops (claiming 200,000) across the Liao River. On the 23rd, they reached Ningyuan, besieging it on the 24th and 25th. The Xingcheng County Annals recorded: The Ming garrison at the guard city numbered 5,600, but by the forty-fifth year of the Jiajing era (1566 AD), Ningyuan had 1,357 troops under the Vice Commander, 3,423 under the Local Commander, 3,580 cavalry, 2,635 infantry, 225 farming troops, 68 salt troops, and 49 ironworkers. The surrounding forts housed 11,284 troops across 13 strongholds, with 75 soldiers at 26 signal towers. Yuan Chonghuan thus had no more than 20,000 troops. He rallied generals Man Gui, Zuo Fu, Zhu Mei, Commander Zu Dashou, Defender He Kegang, Deputy Defense Commissioner Bi Zisù, and others, swearing in blood to defend Ningyuan. When the Later Jin forces attacked, Yuan ordered fierce resistance. The city walls suffered heavy damage, but Yuan personally led efforts to block breaches. The defenders fought valiantly, inflicting heavy casualties. After three days, the Later Jin forces retreated, marking the "Victory of Ningyuan"—the Ming’s first triumph over the Later Jin. Nurhaci lamented, "Since I took up arms at 25, I’ve never lost—until Ningyuan." He died eight months later, reportedly from his wounds. Historians noted, "Before, our campaigns succeeded effortlessly. But it was Yuan Chonghuan who first taught us to strategize."

Nurhaci’s son, Hong Taiji, swore revenge. In May of the seventh year of the Tianqi era (1627 AD), he led 150,000 elite troops to attack Jinzhou, the outer stronghold of Ningyuan. Zhao Shuaijiao defended Jinzhou, while Yuan Chonghuan sent Zu Dashou and You Shilu to flank the Later Jin forces and launched naval distractions. The defenders won multiple battles. Frustrated, Hong Taiji turned to Ningyuan. Though wary of its defenses, his vanguard hesitated. On the 28th, he ordered a final assault. Yuan deployed Man Gui and Zu Dashou south of the city, with artillery lining the walls. Hong Taiji’s feigned retreat failed, and Yuan held firm. The defenders fought brilliantly, damaging the Later Jin’s Eastern Mountain Camp and killing many. The myth of the Later Jin’s invincibility was shattered. This marked the first open-field victory for the Ming, boosting morale. Hong Taiji retreated, suffering further defeats at Jinzhou before withdrawing to Shenyang. This triumph was called the "Victory of Ningjin." The Ming reported heavy Later Jin casualties, including the death of Hong Taiji’s eldest son. The Later Jin records noted severe injuries to key commanders and the deaths of elite officers. The Later Jin’s morale collapsed. Yuan wrote, "For ten years, no Ming force dared face the enemy. Now, we fight with blades, undeterred by their ferocity."

History forbids hypotheticals, but with Ningyuan as his base and the Ningyuan Iron Cavalry, Yuan Chonghuan could have reclaimed lost lands or held the Ningjin line. Alas, history denied him that chance. After the Victory of Ningjin, Wei Zhongxian branded him as "lacking initiative" for not saving Jinzhou and exiled him to Dongguan.

In June of the seventh year of the Tianqi era (1627 AD), after the death of the Chongzhen Emperor’s predecessor, the new ruler executed Wei Zhongxian. In April of the first year of the Chongzhen era (1628 AD), Yuan Chonghuan was reinstated as Minister of War, granted the Imperial Sword, and returned to Ningyuan. But in October of the second year of the Chongzhen era (1629 AD), the Later Jin bypassed the Ningjin defenses, attacking via the Shanhai Pass. When Beijing was besieged, Yuan rushed to its aid, covering 150 li in a day and night—but never returned to Ningyuan. On November 20, he fought fiercely at Guangqu. His actions angered the Beijing elites, who falsely accused him of inaction. In December, he was arrested, tried, and executed in 1630. His family was exiled, and his estate seized. Many Ming generals, including Man Gui and Zhao Shuaijiao, also perished.

The Ming scholar Yang Shicong wrote, "After Yuan’s arrest, Liaodong’s troops collapsed, lamenting, ‘If even the loyal supervisor couldn’t survive, what hope do we have?’ Thereafter, border affairs were doomed." The Qing-era History of Ming concurred: "With Yuan gone, the frontier crumbled, sealing the Ming’s fate."

The Ming chronicler Zhang Dai recorded Yuan’s execution: "Bound and dismembered at the execution grounds, crowds fought for his flesh. His bones were shattered, his head displayed along the borders."

His disciple Cheng Benzhi wrote a plea for justice, offering to die with him: "I seek not personal loyalty but righteousness. Bury my bones beside his, inscribed: ‘Two Fools, Two Brave Hearts.’" The Chongzhen Emperor obliged—by executing them both.

Yuan once wrote of the wrongfully executed general Xiong Tingbi: "A hero’s fate, my mirror—/Brilliance breeds blame, not fame./Tears stain my sword, my heart aflame./Alone, I mourn, my voice a cry./Betrayed, yet sworn to stand by." These lines became his own epitaph. His Ningyuan-based Iron Cavalry defended the frontier for over a decade. As he noted, "Ningyuan’s twenty-li stronghold, flanked by mountain and sea, is our dagger in the enemy’s throat." But in 1644, Wu Sangui abandoned it, and the Qing claimed it. The "Loyal Souls of Liaodong" endured, but fate betrayed them.

An online expert praised the Ningjin defenses: "Centered on Ningyuan and Jinzhou, this line choked the Later Jin’s advance. Though they later found routes through Mongolia, logistics made those paths untenable. As long as Ningjin stood, the Later Jin could not breach the pass. Hong Taiji’s life’s work was breaking it—but even he only took Jinzhou. Ningyuan endured until Li Zicheng’s rise forced Wu Sangui to yield it. Then, by chance, Wu invited the Qing through Shanhai Pass, fulfilling their decades-long ambition. Once past Ningjin, the Qing swept China unopposed. Thus, the defenses’ vital role—and the weight they bore."

Liaoning, Xingcheng