Chen Yucheng

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Chen Yucheng
陳玉成
Heroic Prince (英王)
Heroic Prince of the Heavenly Kingdom
Reign1859–1862
Heavenly KingHong Xiuquan
BornChen Picheng (陳丕成)
1837 (1837)
Teng County, Guangxi, Qing Empire
Died1 May 1862(1862-05-01) (aged 24–25)
near Xinxiang, Henan
Regnal name
英王祿千歲
ReligionGod Worshipping Society
Military career
Nickname(s)Four-eyed dog (四眼狗)
AllegianceQing dynasty Qing Empire (1848–1849)
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1849–1862)
Years of service1848–1862
RankField Marshal
Battles/warsEastern Front
  • First rout the Army Group Jiangnan(1856)
  • Second rout the Army Group Jiangnan(1860)

Western Front

AwardsChen Tian Yi (成天義)
In this Chinese name, the family name is Chen.

Chen Yucheng (simplified Chinese: 陈玉成; traditional Chinese: 陳玉成; pinyin: Chén Yùchéng; Wade–Giles: Ch'en Yü-ch'eng), born Chen Picheng (simplified Chinese: 陈丕成; traditional Chinese: 陳丕成; pinyin: Chén Pīchéng; c. 1837 – May 1862), was a Chinese general during the Taiping Rebellion and later served as the Heroic (Ying) Prince (or Brave King) of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in the later stages of the rebellion, his famous nickname was "Four-eyed Dog" because of two prominent moles below his eyes. His two moles resembled eyes from afar, and it spooked some Qing soldiers.

Born to a peasant family in Guangxi around 1836, Chen Yucheng joined Taiping rebel forces during the in 1851. Although only 15 at the time of his enlistment, Chen would quickly rise through the ranks because of his bravery and demonstrated tactical skills. By 1856, in the aftermath of the Tianjing incident, an internal power struggle within the Taiping leadership, Chen was promoted to a general. He was awarded the E An in 1857.

After commanding a series of successful military operations west of Nanking (Nanjing) between 1856 and 1858, Chen was given the title of Prince Ying by the Taiping Kings in the following year. Together with fellow Taiping General Li Xiucheng, Chen defended and released the capital during the siege of Nanking in 1860.

In February 1861, Chen Yucheng led 100,000 troops in a preparation to attack Wuhan, leading one half of a pincer movement in an offensive against Imperial forces. However, due to the poor coordination among the Taiping forces, Chen was forced to be on the defensive and eventually forced to withdraw. The resulting retreat was a grave strategic mistake, because the Xiang Army was able to subsequently concentrate all their forces to attack Anqing. If Chen's Taiping troops would have captured Wuhan, that would have effectively cut off the Xiang Army's rear.

Following this defeat, Chen was later betrayed and executed by Imperial Qing forces in May 1862.

Chen's considerable military and tactical abilities prompted the Qing authorities to offer him a post. However Chen declined the offer. Before he was executed, he reportedly sighed with emotion saying, "I worried that the Taiping will lose whole areas of northern Yangtze River after I die!" Unluckily for the Taiping rebels, his last words came true.

References[]

  • Hummel, Arthur W. Sr., ed. (1943). "Ch'ên Yü-ch'êng" . Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period. United States Government Printing Office.
  • Michael, Franz. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents (Vol. II/III), Seattle, 1971.
  • Michael, Franz and Chang Chung-li, The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents (Vol. I), Seattle, 1966.
  • Teng, Ssu-yu. New Light on the Taiping Rebellion, Cambridge, Mass., 1950.
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