Immigrant grave

In the history of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, famous soldiers came forth in large numbers. Although Wu Sangui later betrayed the Ming Dynasty, he was once a brave young general, and his family was full of stars, such as his father Wu Xiang and Wu Sangui's uncle Zu Dashou.

Zu Dashou, a native of Ningyuan, is now a native of Xingcheng, Liaoning. It was a livable town, but it was a very important military town in the late Ming Dynasty. Yuan Chonghuan became famous in the battle of sticking to Ningyuan.

Zu Dashou has been a military household in Ningyuan for generations. His father and grandfather followed a generation of famous Liaodong company commander Li, and was promoted to Liaodong company commander because of his outstanding military exploits.

Zu Dashou also started as a junior officer and was promoted by the meritorious military service. In the first year of the apocalypse, as a subordinate of Wang Huazhen, the governor of Quang Ninh, he served as a guerrilla in Zhong Jun. After Wang Huazhen's defeat, the Ming army was scattered. Only when Zu Dashou led his men to break through and stick to the island did military talents and courage begin to be valued by the imperial court.

Soon, Yuan Chonghuan, the most important confidant in his life, came to the Commissioner. Yuan Chonghuan trusted Zu Dashou very much and sent him to guard Ningyuan City. On the one hand, he trusts his military talents. On the other hand, because Zu Dashou himself is from Ningyuan, he is duty-bound to defend his hometown.

Zu Dashou has not failed Yuan Chonghuan's trust. He helped Yuan Chonghuan repel Huang Taiji's attack twice and defend Ningyuan City. Later, he was sent to Jinzhou, a more important city-guarding mission, and his performance was also excellent.

Unfortunately, it was later besieged by Huang Taiji in the Battle of Daling River. After months of persistence, he had no food and had to surrender. In order to show the sincerity of surrender, he also killed the lieutenant who refused to surrender. Huang taiji was overjoyed and met Zu Dashou with the most precious girdle gift from Nuzhen.

Zu Dashou also hinted to Huang Taiji that he was willing to surrender to the Ming army in Jinzhou. With the consent of Huang taiji, Zu Dashou once went to Jinzhou, but he erected the anti-Qing flag and defended the city for the Ming Dynasty again. I really don't know what he is thinking. If the original surrender was a fake surrender, then why kill the loyal and unyielding He? This has become a historical mystery.

In a word, Zu Dashou returned to the camp of the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Chongzhen was very happy, and specially sent someone to Ningyuan to build a merit archway for four generations of ancestors guarding Liaodong.

It was not until he was betrayed by Mongols in Jinzhou that he surrendered to the Qing Dynasty again.

This time, Zu Dashou was no longer willful, but also wrote to his nephew Wu Sangui to guard Shanhaiguan.

Zu Dashou still got a happy ending, which is rare among famous soldiers in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

Later, his tomb was also very luxurious, with exquisite stone tablets, stone workshops and stone statues. Even after his nephew Wu Sangui rebelled, Zu Dashou's tomb was not affected.

Until the end of Qing Dynasty, in 19 19, an English fur merchant bought his tomb and moved to Canada as a whole. The stone of the mausoleum weighs more than 100 tons and is completely preserved in the Ontario Museum in Canada.

Some historians have also verified that this Canadian tomb may also belong to Zu Dashou's son or nephew. The evidence is that a tablet suspected of Zu Dashou was also found in Xingcheng, Liaoning.

This is another historical mystery left by Zu Dashou.