Hong Chengchou - Military Career - Service To Qing

Service To Qing

After his surrender, Hong was made an official only after the Qing occupied Beijing. In 1645, Hong was sent to Nanjing with the title Pacificator of Jiangnan. His real role in the military was to ship supplies, nonetheless he suppressed many Ming officials and members of the Southern Ming imperial family.

Hong was several times accused of having secret relations with the Ming. He was in 1651 chastised for sending his mother back to Fujian and in 1652 was not allowed to return to his native Fujian to mourn his mother death. Although appointed governor-general of 5 provinces of Huguang, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and Guizhou, his real task again was to provide for the army.

In 1659, he was recalled to Beijing after he declined to press the war in Yunnan to capture Yongli Emperor from Southern Ming Dynasty who had fled to Burma. Wu Sangui, which previous was the Ningyuan garrison commander and one of Hong Chengchou's eight subordinate generals, replaced him.

Hong Chengchou was given a minor hereditary rank perhaps due to distrust by some quarters of the Court, who suspected him of sympathesing with the Ming.