Zongshi Zaimu (宗室載穆)

Overview

Zongshi Zaimu was a Royal Family Member and Military Officer.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Jingxiu	敬修	Jìngxiū

Life and dates

Death

AD 1911 宣統三年
Hanged himself · At Zhenjiang 鎮江
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 89

Age

20
Reckoning Source stated
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 58

Attested activity

AD 1911 宣統三年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 470, passages 69, 89

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Mianxiang (綿翔)
grandfather 祖 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 56
Descendant of Yunli (允禵)
fifth-generation ancestor / descendant 五世孫 · 5 generations
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 55
Child of Yiyun (奕雲)
father 父
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 57

Origins and identity

Ethnicity Manchu
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 55
House Qing imperial clan · Generation From Ancestor 5 · Ancestor Person Id Yunli (允禵)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 55

Career and standing

vice commander at Jingkou 京口副都統
AD 1911 宣統三年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 69
garrison commander of Taiyuan 太原城守尉
AD 1906 光緒三十二年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 61

Places and affiliations

Organization Manchu Bordered Blue Banner 滿洲鑲藍旗 · Relation Enrolled in
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 55

Works and attributed material

Farewell letter · Author · Addressee chamber of commerce · Content Summary entrusted seven thousand lives to the chamber
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 87
Final memorial · Author · Carrier Person Id Liang Cai (良才)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 86
Speech · Speaker · Content Summary declared he had failed the dynasty and owed it his death · Mode direct-quotation Speaker Zongshi Zaimu (宗室載穆)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 76
Speech · Speaker · Content Summary ordered the banner people to avoid a futile fight while declaring his own duty to die · Mode direct-quotation Speaker Zongshi Zaimu (宗室載穆)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passages 79-82
Speech · Speaker · Content Summary said the Fen-side villages needed a new gate south of the old gate · Mode direct-quotation Speaker Zongshi Zaimu (宗室載穆)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passage 66

Events and relationships

Organized defenses but ordered the garrison not to sacrifice civilians
Zhenjiang crisis · Loyalist commander
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 470, passages 71, 75, 79-82

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 470Volume 470 Biographies 257: Zhi Rui, With: Liu Congde, Chun Xun, Liang Bi, Zong Shizaimu, Wan Xuan With: De Pei, Tong Yuan, Wen Rui With: Cheng Yan, Ke Meng E, Heng Ling With: De Pei, Pu Shou, Xie Baosheng, Yao Aiyun, Huang Zhonghao, Yang Rang Li Cong Zi Xu : Chen Qi · 11 passages

Open chapter

志銳劉從德春勳良弼宗室載穆萬選德霈同源 Zhi Rui; with Liu Congde, Chun Xun, Liang Bi, Zongshi Zaimu, Wan Xuan; with De Pei and Tong Yuan

宗室載穆，字敬修，隸滿洲鑲藍旗，恂勤郡王允禵五世孫。 Zongshi Zaimu, styled Jingxiu, was enrolled in the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner and a fifth-generation descendant of Prince Xunqin Yunti.

載穆年二十，除三等侍衛，累遷頭等，兼辦事章京。 At twenty Zaimu was appointed a third-class bodyguard, rose to first class, and also served as a clerical secretary.

載穆曰：「此汾西數十村入城孔道也，請於舊門南闢新門。」 Zaimu said, "This is the main route by which dozens of villages west of the Fen enter the city. Open a new gate south of the old one instead."

載穆繕城郭，犒軍士，設練兵處，定營防城守章條，晝夜徼循，旗、漢民雜居者皆安堵。 Zaimu repaired the walls, rewarded the troops, set up a training office, and drew up rules for camp defense and city garrison, patrolling day and night until banner and Han residents alike lived in peace.

載穆知有異，遣使如江寧告急，弗應。 Zaimu sensed trouble and sent messengers to Jiangning to plead for help, but received no answer.

載穆知事不可為，罷會大慟，語左右曰：「吾上負朝廷，所欠止一死耳！」 Zaimu saw that nothing could be done. When the meeting ended he broke down in tears and told his attendants, "I have failed the dynasty; all that remains for me is to die."

翼日，鎮紳楊邦彥詣軍門趣繳械，不許。 The next day the local gentleman Yang Bangyan came to headquarters to press for the surrender of arms; Zaimu refused.

會新軍入據漢城，旗營大譁，乃進旗眾而語之曰：「駐防兵單糧儲竭，吾戰死甘如飴。 The new army then seized the Han quarter of the city and the banner camp erupted. Zaimu went before the banner people and said, "Our garrison is small and our stores are gone. I would gladly die fighting.

載穆嘿不語，乃繕遺疏，手自緘印，遣佐領良才賚至京師。 Zaimu said nothing. He drafted a final memorial, sealed it himself, and sent Assistant Commander Liang Cai to bear it to Beijing.

有李順者，去復返，朝夕侍其側，偶退休，詰朝入寢室，則已自經死矣。 A servant named Li Shun left and came back again, waiting on him day and night. Once when Li stepped away briefly, he entered the bedroom at dawn and found Zaimu had hanged himself.