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What Is The Primary Source Of The Massacre Of Yangzhou

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The Massacre of Yangzhou The Massacre of Yangzhou within the “Horrid beyond Description” passage tells the story of the Yangzhou massacre, which was one of the most devastating events that occurred during the Ming dynasty. This primary source serves as a valuable source because it reveals the deteriorating state of the Ming dynasty as well as the beginning of a new era with the Qing dynasty through the story of the invasion. In addition, this primary source is meaningful because it allows the reader to grasp an understanding of the massacre through the eyes of two distinct men, two individuals of very different backgrounds. Therefore, the primary source is a vital historical source because it sheds light into the Ming-Qing transition. Moreover, …show more content…

The Manchu, an ethnic group that lived in Manchuria around the Ming era, invaded China and killed many citizens. The purpose of the invasion was to obliterate the Ming dynasty and start a new era. The Manchu leader (Prince Dado) gave orders to attack the Lower Yangzi region to suppress any opposition towards the Qing. One of the primary characters of this account is Shi Kefa. Shi Kefa was a Chinese government official who was overseeing the Ming forces. The Honguang Court had appointed him as grand secretary and he was responsible for the four major military defenses around Jiangnan. Ultimately, Shi Kefa and his forces were defeated by the Qing. At one point, Shi Kefa was called away, responding to a mutiny. By the time he returned, his forces had sustained low morale. The Manchu forces were able to enter the city, seizing territory in China. After the fall of Yangzhou, the Qing forces started searching people’s homes to rob them of their goods. In five days, thievery, rape, and slaughter were the recurrent themes. As mentioned before, this account informs the reader of how weak the Ming military was. A mutiny occurred within the Ming forces, which seems to lead to the idea that there was disorganization within the Ming dynasty. Even the soldiers appeared to have lost hope in the cause if they had low morale. Disorganization and lack of motivation could have been contributing factors to the fall of the Ming

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