Wu Sangui

Wu Sangui (; 8 June 1612 – 2 October 1678), courtesy name Changbai or Changbo, was a notorious Ming dynasty military officer who played a key role in the fall of the Ming dynasty and the founding of the Qing dynasty in China. In Chinese folklore, Wu Sangui is regarded as a disreputable Han Chinese traitor who played a pivotal role in several historical events, including the Battle of Shanhai Pass, Qing conquest of Ming China, the suppression of Southern Ming resistances and the execution of the Yongli Emperor, and eventually double-crossed both of his masters, the Ming and the Qing dynasties. In 1644, after learning of the death of his father, the Ming general Wu Xiang in Beijing, Wu Sangui turned to the Qing regent Prince Dorgon and offered up the gate of the Shanhai Pass, allowing the Manchus to enter China and establish the Qing rule in Beijing. For his aid, the Qing rulers awarded him a fiefdom consisting of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, and the royal title "Prince Who Pacifies the West". In 1674, Wu decided to rebel against the Qing. In 1678, Wu declared himself the new Emperor of China and the ruler of Zhou (大周), only to die within months. For a time, his grandson Wu Shifan succeeded him. However, the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty eventually quelled the revolt. Early years Wu was born in Suizhong, Liaoxi province, in Northeastern China, to Wu Xiang and Lady Zu. His ancestral home was Gaoyou, Jiangsu. Wu Sangui's father and uncle had fought in many battles. Under this influence, Wu was shaped by war at an early age and took great interest in war and politics.