32 Facts About Nurhaci

Nurhaci, known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Qing, was the founding khan of the Jurchen-led Later Jin dynasty.

Nurhaci is generally credited with ordering the creation of a new written script for the Manchu language based on the Mongolian vertical script.

Nurhaci's name is alternatively spelled Nurgaci, Nurhachi, or Nu-er-ha-chi.

Nurhaci was the last chieftain of the Jianzhou Jurchens and first khan of the Later Jin dynasty.

Nurhaci read the Chinese novels Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin learning all he knew about Chinese military and political strategies from them.

Nurhaci named his clan Aisin Gioro around 1612, when he formally ascended the throne as the Khan of the Later Jin dynasty.

Nurhaci's grandfather Giocangga was a chieftain of the Jurchens in Hetu Ala who enjoyed the patronage of Li.

Nurhaci frequented the Fushun market as official delegation leader, and accompanied Li to Beijing at least once.

Nurhaci rushed into the city, taking Nurhaci's father Taksi with him.

Nurhaci sought revenge against Nikan Wailan for the deaths of his father and grandfather.

Nurhaci therefore started to expand his own power, starting only from thirteen sets of armor inherited from his father.

Nikan Wailan fled away to Erhun, which Nurhaci attacked again in 1587.

Li relented and gave Nikan Wailan over to Nurhaci, who beheaded Nikan Wailan immediately.

Nurhaci gradually grew his strength in the following years and subdued the core Jianzhou Jurchen tribes and towns from 1583 to 1588.

Nurhaci received the title of assistant commissioner-in chief in 1589 and the honor of "dragon-tiger general" in 1595.

Nurhaci consolidated his relationship with the Ming by personally leading multiple tributary missions to Beijing from 1590 onward, and was seen in by the Ming a loyal subject.

From 1599 to 1618, Nurhaci set out on a campaign against the four Hulun tribes.

Nurhaci began by attacking the Hada in 1599 and conquering them in 1603.

In 1599, Nurhaci gave two of his translators, Erdeni Baksi and Dahai Jarguci, the task of creating a Manchu alphabet by adapting the Mongolian script.

In 1616, Nurhaci declared himself Khan and founded the Jin dynasty, often called the Later Jin in reference to the legacy of the earlier Jurchen Jin dynasty of the 12th century.

The "Later Jin" was renamed to "Qing" by his son Hong Taiji after his death in 1626, however Nurhaci is usually referred to as the founder of the Qing dynasty.

Nurhaci chose to variously emphasize either differences or similarities in lifestyles with other peoples like the Mongols for political reasons.

In 1618, Nurhaci commissioned a document titled the Seven Grievances in which he enumerated seven problems with Ming rule and began to rebel against the domination of the Ming dynasty.

Nurhaci led many successful engagements against the Ming dynasty, the Northern Yuan dynasty, the Joseon dynasty, and other Jurchen clans, greatly enlarging the territory under his control.

The first capitals of the Later Jin dynasty established by Nurhaci were Fe Ala and Hetu Ala.

Nurhaci arranged for a marriage between one of his granddaughters and the Ming general Li Yongfang after Li surrendered Fushun in Liaoning to the Manchus in 1618 as the result of the Battle of Fushun.

Nurhaci had treated Han in Liaodong differently according to how much grain they had, those with less than 5 to 7 sin were treated poorly while those with more than that amount were rewarded with property.

In 1626, Nurhaci was defeated by Ming general Yuan Chonghuan at the Battle of Ningyuan, in what was the first serious military defeat of his life.

When he died in late 1626, Nurhaci did not designate an heir; instead he encouraged his sons to rule collegially.

The reason such intrigue was necessary is that Nurhaci had left the two elite Yellow Banners to Dorgon and Dodo, who were the sons of Lady Abahai.

Information concerning Nurhaci can be found in later, propagandistic works such as the Manchu Veritable Records.

For instance, much material concerning Nurhaci's rise is preserved within Korean sources such as the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty, especially the Seonjo Sillok and the Gwanghaegun Ilgi.