Zhang Xianzhong (张献忠) (1606-1647) was a key figure in the tumultuous era of the late Ming Dynasty in China. Born into poverty in the village of Liuqu in Haotan Township, Dingbian County, Shaanxi Province, Zhang rose to prominence as a leader of a peasant uprising and became the founder of the Daxi regime.
In the year 1630, during the reign of Emperor Chongzhen, Zhang Xianzhong responded to the call for rebellion led by Wang Jia-yin in the eighteen stockades of Mizhi, proclaiming himself as the Eighth King and forming his own army. Over the years, Zhang’s forces grew stronger, and by 1634, he led his troops to attack Xinyang and Dengzhou before advancing into Yingshan, which is part of present-day Hubei. In the following year, Zhang, along with the military commander Gao Yingxiang, launched a massive campaign in the eastern regions of Henan, Hubei, and Anhui.
In January of 1638, Zhang suffered a defeat in a battle against Ming generals Zuo Liangyu and Chen Hongfan at Yunxi, which is now in Hubei. Subsequently, he accepted the surrender offered by Xiong Wencan, the Minister of War in the Ming government, and stationed his forces in Gucheng, Hubei. However, Zhang renewed his rebellion the next year. By 1643, he successfully captured Qizhou and Qishui (present-day Qichun and Xishui in Hubei) and declared himself the Western King in Huangzhou (present-day Huanggang, Hubei). In 1644, Zhang extended his influence to Sichuan, where he seized Chengdu and established the Daxi Kingdom, proclaiming an era of Dashun and renaming Chengdu as Xijing (Western Capital). However, faced with the advancing forces of the Qing Dynasty, he eventually retreated from Chengdu.
The turning point in Zhang’s fate came in 1646 when he was shot and killed by Qing forces at Fenghuang Mountain in Xichong. His death marked the end of the Daxi regime and the consolidation of Qing rule in China.
Zhang Xianzhong was known for his military tactics, employing strategies such as rapid maneuvers, long-distance raids, and diversionary tactics to achieve victory. His leadership played a crucial role in the downfall of the Ming Dynasty, contributing to the dynamic and complex political landscape of 17th-century China.