Chapter 2 wedge

In 1644 AD, the year of Jiashen in the calendar of Chinese stems and branches, the world of China changed drastically, and the country changed hands.The Ming Dynasty in Beijing, the Qing Dynasty in Shenyang, Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong in the Northwest, fought for many years, and the dust finally settled this year. In Jiashen 1644, it was—— The last year of the Ming Dynasty's 276 years of rule over China; The first year of the 268th year when the Qing Dynasty took over the Central Plains; The year when Li Zicheng established the Dashun Dynasty was also the year when it perished;

The year when Zhang Xianzhong established the Daxi Dynasty. Although the politics, military, and economy of the Ming Dynasty have been bad for sixty or seventy years; Although the Jurchens outside the Great Wall have been disturbing the Liaodong area for decades; Although the peasant army has been harassing the vast Central Plains and Northwest China for more than ten years; In the chaos, entangled. However, it was not until this year - 1644 - that the decisive moment came. In March 1644, Li Zicheng's Dashun army captured Beijing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, without bloodshed. Chongzhen, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, hanged himself to death. In April 1644, the Manchu braided army outside Shanhaiguan was invited by Wu Sangui, a heroic general of the Ming Dynasty, to enter the pass and fight Li Zicheng in Shanhaiguan. Then Li Zicheng, the emperor of Dashun Dynasty who had only been enthroned for one day, was driven out of Beijing; Shunzhi Emperor Fulin easily ascended to the Golden Throne in the Forbidden City where twenty-four emperors of the Yuan and Ming dynasties sat. From then on, the Qing Empire that lasted 268 years began. In August 1644, Zhang Xianzhong led troops into Sichuan, captured Chengdu, proclaimed himself emperor in Chengdu, changed Yuan Dashun, and established the Daxi regime.

Taking the calendar as an example, 1644 is the seventeenth year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty, the first year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty, the first year of Yongchang in the Dashun regime, and the first year in the Dashun regime in the Daxi regime.The four chronologies represent four hostile regimes, continuing the struggle to compete in the Central Plains and dominate the world. This is the thrilling Jiashen 1644, an era of sudden changes and earth-shaking changes. It is worth noting that in Jiashen in 1644, several forces competing for the Central Plains all thought of the word "Shun": Li Zicheng called himself "Xin Shun King" and then established the title of "Da Shun"; "Dashun" is the reign name; the first year of Manchu rule in the Central Plains is called "Shunzhi".Those who obey the hearts of the people win the world, and they also raised the banner of obeying the people, flaunting that they should obey the sky and obey the people. "Book of Rites: Li Yun Ninth" said: "The Son of Heaven uses virtue as his chariot and music as his lord, the princes treat each other with rites, the officials order each other according to the law, the scholars test each other according to their trust, and the common people guard each other with harmony, and the world is fat. It's called Dashun." To commemorate Jiashen, there should be some inspiration from the word "Dashun".