21 Facts About Shi Dakai

Shi Dakai headed the family at a young age after being orphaned, and was known in the local community for his hospitality, martial skills and justice in handling local affairs.

In 1849, at the age of 16, Shi Dakai was sought out by Feng Yunshan and Hong Xiuquan, and joined them in the leadership of the rebellion.

Quickly distinguished by his brilliant tactics, skilled training of the troops and fair administration of the public funds, Shi Dakai was made commander of his own army at the age of nineteen.

At Renyi's watergate, Shi Dakai used stealth strategy to win a decisive victory with three hundred men against the enemies' five thousand.

Shi Dakai later spearheaded the series of battles that won the city Nanjing for the Taiping, where they established their capital, to be known as Tianjing, or Heavenly Capital.

Now legendary and avowed among the Qing army, Shi Dakai was the only Taiping commander who fought through those battles without a single defeat.

In 1854, Shi Dakai arrived in Anqing and undertook military and civil affairs.

Shi Dakai created compassionate decrees that encouraged agriculture, lightened taxes and stimulated commerce, and insinuated local talent to create an efficient and honest bureaucracy.

Shi Dakai restored the badly neglected public security by encouraging civilians to report the misbehaviours of soldiers and handing out fair punishments.

Shi Dakai planned the battle meticulously, laying out airtight defenses and using small boats to continuously harass the enemy camps, then trapping the Qing's ships with secretly built dams and chopping the Xiang forces in half.

Shi Dakai's dwelling was the most modest and he was the only one who refused to tear down civilian homes in its construction.

Shi Dakai had two sons, Dingji and Dingzhong, with her.

Shi Dakai escaped to Anqing and summoned forces against the half-insane Wei Changhui, but upon learning that Qing armies threatened Huannan, he decided to put the Kingdom first and moved the forces to help the defense.

Shi Dakai restored order to the city and rebuilt Taiping's broken morale, and the public support for Shi caused Hong Xiuquan to harbor deeper suspicion against him.

Shi Dakai did not completely give up hopes to return until Hong Xiuquan replaced his authority of command, upon which he began the expedition away from Tianjing.

Shi Dakai fought for six years throughout central China against the much larger armies of the Qing dynasty.

In December 1862, Shi Dakai's army crossed the Jinsha River under heavy fire from the Qing, using a diversion to mislead the enemy.

One of Shi Dakai's officers led a branch of the army across the river without difficulty, but by the time Shi Dakai and his main army arrived, a furious flood suddenly made the river impossible to cross.

Shi Dakai entered Qing camps with three followers, dressed in formal Taiping uniform, and spoke to the Qing fearlessly.

Shi Dakai was questioned and imprisoned, and on the 25th he was sentenced to be executed by slow slicing in the Anshun Court.

Shi Dakai's enemies recorded that through the entire torturous execution Shi did not flinch, and never once cried out in pain.