Koxinga

27 August 1624 – 23 June 1662

Koxinga, born Zheng Chenggong, was a Ming loyalist general who resisted the Qing conquest of China from bases along the southeastern coast. In 1661-1662 he besieged and captured the Dutch colony of Fort Zeelandia on Taiwan, expelling the Dutch East India Company and founding the Kingdom of Tungning. He is celebrated as a national hero in China and Taiwan.

Comparing
Compare

Lived at the same time

Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Koxinga.

Life events

Born in Hirado, Japan
27 August 1624

Zheng Chenggong was born in Hirado to the Chinese merchant-pirate Zheng Zhilong and his Japanese wife Tagawa Matsu.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Moved from Japan to Fujian, China
1630

As a boy, Zheng Chenggong was brought from Hirado to join his father in Quanzhou prefecture, Fujian.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Relocation ✓
Enrolled at the Imperial Academy in Nanjing
1644

Zheng Chenggong studied at the Imperial Nanjing academy (Guozijian) under the scholar Qian Qianyi.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Education ✓
Received the imperial surname from the Longwu Emperor
1645

The Southern Ming Longwu Emperor bestowed the imperial surname Zhu on Zheng Chenggong, the origin of the title Koxinga ('Lord of the Imperial Surname').

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Took command of Ming loyalist resistance against the Qing
1646

After his father defected to the Qing and his mother died, Koxinga assumed leadership of anti-Qing forces along the Fujian coast.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Failed siege of Nanjing
1659

Koxinga led a large expedition up the Yangtze River against Qing-held Nanjing but was decisively repulsed, forcing his retreat to the coast.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Other ✓
Besieged Fort Zeelandia and expelled the Dutch from Taiwan
30 April 1661 – 1 February 1662

Koxinga's forces landed on Taiwan and besieged the Dutch East India Company at Fort Zeelandia, which surrendered on 1 February 1662.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Founded the Kingdom of Tungning on Taiwan
1662

After the Dutch surrender, Koxinga established a Ming loyalist state on Taiwan that his descendants ruled until 1683.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Died on Taiwan
23 June 1662

Koxinga died of illness, possibly malaria, only months after taking Taiwan, and was succeeded by his son Zheng Jing.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Death ✓