Zheng Chenggong

Zheng Chenggong

Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga 郑成功) was a native of Nan'an, Fujian Province. After the Manchu took control over northern China, he rose to fight against the Qing Dynasty. With a powerful fleet at sea, he maintained control of the southeastern provinces of Fujian, Guangdong and Zhejiang for over 20 years, once even advancing into the Yangtze River regions. It was not until 1660 that the Qing armies turned the tide and forced Zheng to Xiamen. In 1662, Zheng Chenggong retreated to Dutch-occupied Taiwan with some 20,000 soldiers on several hundred ships. After first capturing Zeelandia (present-day Tainan), Zheng's troops advanced to besiege "Taiwan City" (now Anping). Zheng also defeated the Dutch reinforcements, and established a new regime in Taiwan. In 1683, Emperor Kangxi of Qing resumed authority over Taiwan, and made it a formal prefecture of China.