User:Lds/Sandbox/Test

Hidden text
<!--

Sengge Rinchen (Sengerinchen, ;, 1811 – 18 May 1865) was a Mongol prince and general who served under the Qing dynasty during the reigns of the Daoguang, Xianfeng and Tongzhi Emperors. He is best known for his role at the Battle of Baliqiao during the Second Opium War and his contributions in helping the Qing Empire suppress the Taiping and Nian rebellions.

Background
Sengge Rinchen was from the Mongol Horqin Left Back Banner and was a member of the Borjigin clan. He was a 26th generation descendant of Qasar, a brother of Genghis Khan. His name is made up of two Tibetan words, "Sengge" (Tibetan: སེང་གེ་) and "Rinchen" (Tibetan: རིན་ཆེན་), which mean "lion" and "treasure" respectively. His father, Biqi (畢啟), was a taiji of the fourth grade, but was posthumously awarded the title of a beile.

Suotenamuduobuji (索特納木多布齋), a distant uncle of Sengge Rinchen, married a daughter of the Jiaqing Emperor, but they did not have any children. Suotenamuduobuji was also the jasagh of the Horqin Left Back Banner and a duoluo junwang under the Qing Empire. When the Daoguang Emperor was helping Suotenamuduobuji choose a successor from among his younger male relatives, he was very impressed by Sengge Rinchen's appearance so he designated him as Suotenamuduobuji's adoptive son and heir apparent. Sengge Rinchen inherited Suotenamuduobuji's titles in 1825.

In 1834, Sengge Rinchen was appointed to a number of positions by the Qing imperial court: yuqian dachen (御前大臣), ling shiwei nei dachen (領侍衛內大臣) of the Plain White Banner, and Mongol dutong (都統) of the Plain Blue Banner. He was later reassigned to be the Manchu dutong of the Bordered White Banner. He was also highly favoured by the Daoguang Emperor, who gave him permission to enter the inner palace.

Battles against the Taiping rebels
In 1853, when Taiping rebels led by Lin Fengxiang (林鳳祥) and Li Kaifang (李開芳) approached the areas south of Beijing, the Xianfeng Emperor placed Sengge Rinchen, Huashana (花沙納) and others in charge of managing the defences around the capital. In the eighth month, after the rebels defeated Qing forces led by Na'erjing'e (訥爾經額) at Luo Pass (洺關; around present-day Yongnian County, Handan, Hebei), the emperor became alarmed so he summoned Mianyu (綿愉) and Sengge Rinchen to meet him in Qianqing Palace. He appointed Mianyu as fengming da jiangjun (奉命大將軍), with Sengge Rinchen as a canzan dachen (參贊大臣) to assist Mianyu, gave them a precious sword, and ordered them to lead imperial forces to garrison in Zhuozhou.

In the tenth month of 1853, the rebels conquered Jinghai and set their sights on Tianjin. Sengge Rinchen led his forces to Yongqing and then to Wangjiakou (王家口; in present-day Qing County, Cangzhou, Hebei); the rebels were unable to advance further so they remained in Duliu Town (獨流鎮; in Jinghai County, Tianjin).

In the first month of 1854, Sengge Rinchen and Shengbao (勝保) led Qing forces to attack one of the rebel strongholds at night and burnt it down. The rebels attempted to retreat southwest, but Sengge Rinchen and Shengbao pursued them to Ziya Town (子牙鎮; in Jinghai County, Tianjin), and defeated and captured most of them. Sengge Rinchen was given the honorary title tuanduo batulu (湍多巴圖魯) for his achievement. Sengge Rinchen defeated the rebels again in subsequent battles at Shucheng Village (束城村) in Hejian, Shanjiaqiao (單家橋) in Xian County, and Fuzhuangyi (富莊驛; west of present-day Botou, Cangzhou, Hebei). The rebels retreated to their strongholds in the villages in Fucheng County. Sengge Rinchen, along with Dahong'e (達洪阿), Ruilin (瑞麟), Shanlu (善祿) and others, attacked and destroyed many rebel strongholds, and killed a rebel commander Ji Wenyuan (吉文元) with cannon fire. However, they were unable to overcome the remaining rebels, who put up fierce resistance over the following months.

Battle of Lian Town
Another Taiping rebel force attacked Shandong from Feng County and intruded into Zhili with the aim of distracting the Qing army away from Hebei. Shengbao (勝保) and Shanlu (善祿) led separate forces to attack the rebels. Sengge Rinchen received orders to retake Fucheng County quickly, so he ordered his troops to form a perimeter around the rebels and besiege them. In the fourth month of 1854, the rebels broke out of the siege, crossed the Grand Canal, and retreated to Lian Town (連鎮; in Jing County, Hengshui, Hebei), where they managed to seize control of some small towns and villages. Sengge Rinchen ordered Tuoming'e (托明阿) to make camp at the west of the Grand Canal while he and Xiling'e (西凌阿) set up another camp on the east side. He also sent a cavalry force to guard Sangyuan (桑園; in Wuqiao County, Cangzhou, Hebei). Around the time, Shengbao had defeated the rebels so he returned to join Sengge Rinchen's main force.

In the fifth month of 1854, Li Kaifang (李開芳) and about 2,000 horsemen escaped from Lian Town and headed towards Shandong. When Shengbao led a cavalry force to pursue them, they retreated to Gaotangzhou (高唐州; present-day Gaotang County, Liaocheng, Shandong) and occupied the city. The Xianfeng Emperor issued a decree to reprimand Sengge Rinchen for his failure to stop Li Kaifang from escaping, and ordered him to quickly recapture Lian Town from the rebels to make up for his mistake. Over the next months, heavy rain caused the Grand Canal to overflow and flood the surrounding areas. The rebels were not affected because they were on high ground, while the Qing forces had made camp in low-lying areas. Sengge Rinchen thought of digging ditches and building a dam to redirect the water from the Grand Canal to flood the rebel base. His plan succeeded; the rebels were trapped and tried to fight their way out but were driven back.

In the ninth month of 1854, a few thousands of rebel soldiers attempted to fight their way out of the siege but their attacks were repelled by Qing forces. By then, Qing forces had recaptured all the small towns and villages around Lian Town from the rebels and repeatedly pressed on their attacks on the rebel base. In the 12th month, a jiandian (檢點; a type of senior official in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom) was killed in action against Qing forces. Zhan Qilun (詹啟綸), a rebel commander, surrendered to Qing forces and burnt down the west rebel camp in Lian Town. Qing forces bombarded the remaining rebels, numbering about 2,000 men, with cannon fire. In the first month of 1855, Qing forces broke through the rebels' defences and captured the east rebel camp in Lian Town. The remaining rebels, who put up fierce resistance, were mostly killed. Lin Fengxiang was taken prisoner and sent to Beijing, where he was executed.

In recognition of Sengge Rinchen's achievements in defeating the Taiping rebels, the Xianfeng Emperor made him a boduolegetai qinwang (博多勒噶台親王; a Mongol princely title equivalent to a heshuo qinwang) and granted permission to Sengge Rinchen's son, Boyannamohu (伯彥訥謨祜), to enter the inner imperial court. Sengge Rinchen was reassigned to Gaotangzhou (高唐州; present-day Gaotang County, Liaocheng, Shandong) to supervise military affairs there.

Battle of Fengguan Garrison
Sengge Rinchen had received a secret order from the Xianfeng Emperor to investigate Shengbao (勝保), who had been leading Qing forces to attack the Taiping rebels at Gaotangzhou (高唐州; present-day Gaotang County, Liaocheng, Shandong) for some time but had been unable to recapture the city from the rebels. Upon arriving in Gaotangzhou, Sengge Rinchen removed Shengbao from command and replaced him. The rebels became demoralised when they heard of their comrades being defeated at Lian Town.

Before Qing reinforcements arrived, Sengge Rinchen deliberately relaxed the siege on Gaotangzhou to induce the rebels into evacuating the city. As he expected, the rebels abandoned Gaotangzhou at night and fled, and then he personally led 500 horsemen to pursue the enemy. The rebels retreated to Fengguan Garrison (馮官屯) in Chiping and occupied it. Sengge Rinchen then regrouped his troops to attack the garrison and bombarded it with cannon fire. When the rebels dug underground to take cover, he also ordered his forces to dig underground tunnels to attack the rebels, but they sustained heavy losses. Sengge Rinchen then instructed his troops to build a dam and redirect the Tuhai River (徒駭河) to flood the garrison. The trapped rebels attempted to break out of the encirclement but were driven back.

By the fourth month of 1855, the rebels' base had been completely flooded so they had no choice but to come out and surrender. Li Kaifang (李開芳), Huang Yiduan (黃懿端) and eight other rebel commanders were captured and sent to Beijing, where they were executed. The Qing victory at Fengguan Garrison marked the failure and end of the Taiping rebels' campaign in northern China. The Xianfeng Emperor was so pleased that he made Sengge Rinchen's princely title hereditary. Sengge Rinchen returned to Beijing in the fifth month and was received by the emperor in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. The emperor awarded him a new set of court attire with four dragon patterns sewn on the robe and a strand of beads, and hosted a banquet in his honour in Qinzheng Hall (勤政殿). Sengge Rinchen also became famous throughout China for his multiple victories – both major and minor ones – against the Taiping rebels in a short span of two years from 1884–85.

Second Opium War
Around the time, the British were planning to take advantage of the internal conflict within China to make further gains on Chinese territory. After the Taiping rebels were driven out from the areas surrounding Beijing, the Xianfeng Emperor ordered Xiling'e (西凌阿) to garrison in Hubei and Sengge Rinchen to remain behind in the capital. In 1856, Sengge Rinchen's mother died so Sengge Rinchen took leave for 100 days to carry out filial mourning. He was reassigned to be the ling shiwei nei dachen (領侍衛內大臣) of the Plain Yellow Banner.

In the fourth month of 1857, when British warships approached Tianjin, the Xianfeng Emperor appointed Sengge Renchen as an Imperial Commissioner and ordered him to garrison at Tongzhou to supervise military affairs, while Tuoming'e (托明阿) was put in charge of another garrison at Yangcun (楊村; in present-day Wuqing District, Tianjin). While Sengge Rinchen was hastily recruiting and assembling an army, the British had already captured the artillery batteries along Tianjin's coast and advanced further inland. He then thought of redirecting the Grand Canal to flood the main road and obstruct the British forces. At the same time, he also sent Guiliang (桂良) and Huashana (花沙納) to negotiate for peace with the British. The British retreated in the fifth month after a draft of the peace treaty was written. Guiliang, Huashana and others went to Shanghai to further discuss the treaty terms.

In the meantime, Sengge Rinchen was ordered to travel to Tianjin to reinforce the defences there by setting up artillery batteries at the Dagu Forts and strengthening the navy. Ruilin (瑞麟) was appointed as the Viceroy of Zhili to manage the defences. Sengge Rinchen wrote a memorial to the Qing imperial court, suggesting that the Viceroy of Zhili be stationed at the Dagu Forts every year from the second to the tenth month. He also proposed to the Qing government to rebuild and upgrade the artillery batteries along the coast from Tianjin to Shanhai Pass, Beitang, Lutai, Jianhekou (澗河口), Puhekou (蒲河口), Qinhuangdao and Shihekou (石河口).

Second Battle of the Dagu Forts
In 1859, Guiliang (桂良) and the other Qing representatives failed to secure a peace treaty. In the fifth month, British and French forces attacked Tianjin and destroyed the Qing coastal defences and artillery batteries. Shi Rongchun (史榮椿), the tidu of Zhili, was killed by cannon fire. When the British and French made a landing on the coast, Sengge Rinchen led Qing forces to attack the enemy, drove them back, and destroyed about 13 enemy boats. The British and French forces retreated some days later.

Third Battle of the Dagu Forts
In the sixth month of 1860, (The source says it was in 1859 (9th year of the Xianfeng era) but this account seems to be referring to the battle in 1860.) a combined Anglo-French force (The source also says Russian and American forces were involved.) attacked Tianjin again, but did not make their landing at the Dagu Forts because they knew the forts were heavily defended. They made their landing at Beitang instead with an army of about 10,000 infantry and cavalry, defeated the Qing forces and occupied Tang'ergu (唐兒沽). Sengge Rinchen and his troops put up a desperate defence at the beaches. The Xianfeng Emperor issued an order to Sengge Rinchen: "The foundation of the Empire lies in the capital. You should defend Tianjin at all costs instead of concentrating all your energy on only the artillery batteries. I will be very disappointed if you choose to focus on only your personal plans and disregard the overall situation." Sengge Rinchen felt inspired and was prepared to sacrifice his life to defend Tianjin. Despite the defences put up by Qing forces, the artillery batteries were still captured by the British and French. Leshan (樂善), the tidu of Zhili, was killed in action.

Fall of Beijing
Sengge Rinchen retreated to Tongzhou (present-day Tongzhou District, Beijing) after Tianjin fell to the British and French. As punishment for his failure, the three-eyed peacock feather (worn on his official hat) previously awarded to him was confiscated from him, and he was removed from his appointments as ling shiwei nei dachen (領侍衛內大臣) and dutong (都統). During the peace negotiations between the Qing and Anglo-French sides at Tongzhou, Sengge Rinchen took the British envoy Harry Smith Parkes and his delegation prisoner and sent them to Beijing. He then led his Mongol cavalry to attack the enemy at Baliqiao, but was defeated and his cavalry was almost completely wiped out. The Anglo-French army defeated Qing forces led by Ruilin (瑞麟) outside Anding Gate and entered Beijing. By then, the Xianfeng Emperor had already abandoned Beijing and fled to Rehe. The British and French burnt down the Old Summer Palace. Sengge Rinchen was stripped off all his appointments and titles of nobility except for his Imperial Commissioner appointment.

Battles against the Nian rebels
When the Qing imperial court received news of the Nian Rebellion, Sengge Rinchen was ordered to lead troops to Shandong, Henan and Anhui to suppress the rebellion. In 1865, during the Battle of Gaolou Fort, he was ambushed in a tavern near Gaolou Fort in Heze, Shandong by Nian rebels led by Lai Wenguang and Song Jingshi (宋景詩). He attempted to escape with some of his horsemen and take shelter in the woods but was killed by a minor rebel leader, Zhang Pigeng (張皮綆).

Legacy
The Qing imperial court sent couriers to retrieve and transport Sengge Rinchen's remains back to Beijing, in addition to not holding any court sessions for three days as a mark of mourning. The Tongzhi Emperor, accompanied by the empress dowagers Ci'an and Cixi, personally attended the funeral and ordered a shrine to be erected to commemorate Sengge Rinchen. The shrine, called "Xianzhongci" (顯忠祠; "Shrine of Displaying Loyalty"), used to stand at the current location of Kuanjie Primary School (寬街小學) in Beijing's Dongcheng District.

Sengge Rinchen's loyalty to the Qing Empire is interpreted in official histories of the People's Republic of China as an expression of Chinese patriotism. In 1995, the local government in Tongliao, Inner Mongolia opened a Sengge Rinchen Memorial Museum.

Family
Sengge Rinchen was survived by his son, Boyannamohu (伯彥訥謨祜; 1836–91), who inherited his princely title. Boyannamohu's eldest son, Na'ersu (那爾蘇; 1855–90), held the title of a beile and married the eldest daughter of Yixuan, Prince Chun. Na'ersu was, in turn, succeeded by his son, Amu'erlinggui (阿穆爾靈圭; 1886–1930). Boyannamohu had five other sons, three of whom became lamas. His sixth son, Bodisu (博迪蘇; 1871–1914), was briefly a senator in the National Assembly at the beginning of the Republican era.