Xinjiang is located in the northwest of China. As early as the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), the central government began to establish an administrative system in these far western regions. During the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties, the central government implemented effective management over the regions. In the 1860s, the people of various ethnic groups in Xinjiang, influenced by Muslim uprisings in northwest China, rebelled against the rule of the Qing Dynasty. Xinjiang was rocked by successive waves of rebellion. Some even colluded with the forces of Tsarist Russia, with a view to separating from China completely.
At that time, Xinjiang was carved up into a number of separate regimes each ruled by rival warlords. Jin Xiangyin, the feudal lord of Kashgar in south Xinjiang, threw his lot in with the Khanate of Kokand. In 1865, the Khanate of Kokand sent Yaqub Beg to invade Xinjiang and occupy Kashgar. Two years later, Yaqub Beg brazenly declared the establishment of the “Khanate of Yatta Shahar” (meaning seven cities) and claimed himself Khan. In 1870, Yaqub Beg controlled all of the south of Xinjiang and part of the north of Xinjiang. In the meantime, Tsarist Russia also invaded and occupied Ili, making the situation in Xinjiang even more precarious.
With regard to the crisis in Xinjiang, there was dissension in the Qing court. Some officials wanted to focus on coastal defence and some wanted to focus on frontier defence. Those in favor of coastal defence suggested abandoning northwest Xinjiang and stressed how vital it was to protect southeast Xinjiang. But those who wanted to focus on frontier defence were fearful that the Russians wanted to swallow up Xinjiang and that they needed to be confronted. The Governor-General of Shaanxi and Gansu Zuo Zongtang (1812-1885) said, “Xinjiang is the doorway to China. If it is abandoned, there will be trouble for Gansu and Shaanxi and Shanxi and Inner Mongolia will inevitably become embroiled. Even Beijing will not be safe.”
In 1875, the sickly Zuo Zongtang, who was over 60 years old, was appointed as the minister in charge of Military affairs in Xinjiang.
In 1876, Zuo led an army divided into three parts into Xinjiang via three separate routes. His strategy was to occupy the north of Xinjiang first and then advance slowly while winning quickfire battles. The army of Zuo Zongtang first reoccupied Urumqi and its surrounding areas and then attacked Turpan. In 1877, Yaqub Beg was defeated at Korla by the Uygur people and the Qing army; he was shot down by his subordinate. The Qing army thus reoccupied Kashgar. In 1878, except for Ili, all of Xinjiang was back under Chinese control.
At the beginning of 1880, the Qing government sent Zeng Jize to Russia to negotiate about the issue of Ili. To strengthen Zeng Jize’s position for his diplomatic mission, Zuo Zongtang marched his army to Hami and established an anti-Russian headquarters at Hami. On the way to Hami, Zuo Zongtang ordered his soldiers to carry a coffin before them, a clear signal that they were not afraid to die in the fight against Russia in order to retake Ili.
Zuo Zongtang had no regard for his own safety. His support for Zeng Jize’s diplomatic mission finally compelled Russia to return Ili to China.
Since the Opium War (1840-1842), Zuo Zongtang was undoubtedly the person who made the largest contribution to the Chinese nation.
