Qianlong Kofi Annan In The Battle And The Change Of The Relationship Between Zongfan

The diplomatic relations established between ancient china and surroundingcountries are generally called suzerain-vassal relations by Chinese and overseasscholars. Normally, China dynasties only used the suzerain-vassal relations as themeasures to conciliate and control surrounding countries to show emperors’ authorityof the whole country, but didn’t intervene domestic affairs of vassal nations. However,the war between Qing dynasty and Annam in the reign of Qianlong emperor wasobviously contrary to above-mentioned traditional policy.After established the regime, Qing dynasty set up suzerain-vassal relations withAnnam Li regime and Mo regime. At that time, Li regime and Mo regime dispatchedtroops to fight and blame each other before Qing emperor, Qing emperor, as thesuzerain, ordered them to return invaded land and stayed at their own territory. LaterQing government was busy exterminating Wu Sangui, Geng Jingzhong, and ShangKexi and had no energy to put down the fight between Li regime and Mo regime,namely, Qing dynasty defaulted the fact that Li regime annexed Mo regime.Thereafter, as Li regime didn’t report constantly wars on the territory of Annam, Qinggovernment didn’t ask about it until Li’s people entered and asked for help. At thattime Xishan Ruan regime captured Licheng, Li regime may fall at any moment,therefore Qing government had to restore a fallen state. When Qing government senttroops to help Li, the war between Qing dynasty and Annam started. Governor ofGuangdong and Guangxi, Sun Shiyi led army to suppress Ruan regime, firstly wonthen defeated by Ruan. In this case Qing army went back, but Li people asked Qinggovernment to help again. Considering the facts that incompetent and incapable Liking, coming rainy season in Annam, prevalent malaria emperor Gaozong thought itwas unwise and unworthy sending troops again, as a result, Qing government decidedto abandon Li regime. Meanwhile, Xishan leader Ruan Hui constantly sendambassadors beg to surrender and appoint, Qing government accepted his surrenderand conferred him as Annam king on the condition that sending out army first, killingthe person who slay Qing army officer and Ruan Hui personally went to Beijingsurrender. Consequently, Qing government and Ruan regime establishedsuzerain-vassal relations. Ruan Hui’s trip to Beijing made him the first person whohad audience with china emperor as the king of Annam since Song dynasty. In view ofthe suzerain-vassal relations with Xishan regime, Qing emperor saved the face ofmilitary defeat, resolved properly Annam problem, and made him as the eternal andenlighten sample to conciliate and control surrounding countries. For Li people whoare friendly to Qing government, if they agreed to surrender to Ruan Hui, they wereshaved their hairs, changed wearing style and distributed to different places in Annam.Four old officers of Li who refused to shave hair and change clothes and consisted tofight with Ruan, were imprisoned in the prison of Qing government, besides, Liemperor was also imprisoned while he wanted back to Li. Later Xishan died, and thenQing dynasty established suzerain-vassal relations with Ruan Fuyin. Finally, Liofficers were set free and allowed to back with Li king’s bones. Throughout the war between Qing dynasty and Annam, it can be clearly to seethat Qing government had different attitude to Li regime and Xishan, that is, Qinggovernment sometimes had to help vassals out of moral responsibility, nevertheless,when moral responsibility conflicts reality, even as the suzerain, Qing governmentwould compromise to reality.