Zhang turned the land of abundance into purgatory on earth. Why did he slaughter Sichuan?

At the end of the Ming dynasty, Miao emperors appeared one after another, and the people scuffled.

According to conservative estimates, the population of China decreased by at least 20 million at that time, especially in Sichuan, where many areas were massacred. What happened behind this?

1644, Zhang Xi invaded Sichuan and established the Daxi regime. However, the constant struggle between Ming and power in various places is a headache. In A.D. 1645, the proposal of killing Shu was approved.

As a result, many places in Sichuan ushered in a hell on earth.

Zhang uprising map

Zhang believes that the rebellion was mainly provoked by scholars. Therefore, he issued an imperial examination order, requiring Sichuan Jinshi to take the exam. Therefore, this road of imperial examination is not a shortcut to being an official in the DPRK, but the gate of hell.

South Gate Bridge blood shed, most scholars died by the sword. The poor ten-year window period ended like this.

Zhang Ruins Tiger Buckle Gold Seal

The killing of the scholar is not over yet, but Zhang has slaughtered in many places. For example, in Chengdu, Zhang closed the city gate and rushed into the city with a large group of people, knocking on doors. Whenever he sees a living person, he goes straight up and cuts it.

At that time, people in the city began to cry loudly. In the face of terror, Zhang was not only indifferent, but also ordered that any soldier who dared to kill should be skinned.

The soldiers knew Zhang's ferocity and were afraid of being killed, so they worked very hard. Don't let go of any corner of the city. As soon as I killed the people in the city, I rushed out of the city to continue killing people.

Chengdu house map

Killing people is not enough. Zhang sent troops to suppress thirty-two counties in Chengdu. Kill a person, cut off two palms, two ears, a nose for examination, do a job, be the hands of four women, and be six children. This is the rule.

After being slaughtered, plague and tiger disaster broke out in the town soon. The chronicle says that Zhang slaughtered "no fewer than four or five million people".

This is not over. Zhang also brutally killed Sichuan soldiers in the Great Western Army. Many veterans who fought alongside Zhang for many years died by the sword of the same robe.

No one can kill Zhang, but he committed suicide. Every day1.20 thousand people kill Shu soldiers at first, then Chu soldiers and Chu soldiers, and then kill the Qin soldiers who set out together. (preface to southern Sichuan)

In unofficial history, there is even a record that soldiers' bodies are made into bacon as food rations.

Kangxi emperor

In addition to the people and soldiers, Zhang did not let go of the officials who maintained his rule:

Zhang is bullying and killing people every day. Daxi has 900 officials. Zhang left Chengdu with 700 people. There were only 25 people when he died. (the story of the holy religion entering Sichuan)

Later, Sichuan experienced many wars and the population dropped sharply. The rich land of abundance has become a purgatory on earth. Finally, in 1647, the killer was killed by pro-Qin people in Qinghe County, Xichong.

When the Qing army arrived in Chengdu, there were less than 20 families left in the city.

15 years later, Dedi Zhang, the magistrate of Shuntian County, was appointed as the governor of Sichuan. He was surprised at the sight of Chengdu. This is not a land of abundance!

He told Kangxi that "there is no soil in Sichuan, which is not the line of sight of people at all" and suggested:

There seems to be no other best way to attract immigrants to reclaim land and rebuild their homes. (The Complete Book of Historical Materials of Ming and Qing Dynasties)

Therefore, in order to develop Shu and restore the population economy, the Qing court launched the largest population migration in history of qing dynasty: Huguang filled in all the people who wanted to enter Sichuan and gave them acres of land.

Although the entire immigrant population exceeds 1 10,000, after decades of development, it has not recovered to the original level of the land of abundance.