Li Chengliang

Also known as Zi Ruqi

Li Chengliang, courtesy name Ruqi, belonged to the Tieling garrison in Liaodong; his great-great-grandfather had come over from Korea. Too poor to claim his hereditary rank, he was still a student at forty. In 1570 he replaced the slain Wang Zhidao as regional commander of Liaodong, and over the next years he repeatedly struck beyond the wall at the Tumen Khan, Subahai and the Jianzhou chief Wang Gao, earning the title Earl of Ningyuan. In 1583 he burned the Gure stockade and shot Wang Gao's son Atai; Qing official records say Nurhaci's grandfather Giocangga and father Taksi also died in that attack. In twenty-two years he reported ten great victories, but in old age his extravagance and false claims of merit drew repeated impeachment, and he was relieved in 1591. Sent back to Liaodong in 1601 at seventy-six, he held the post for eight more years and abandoned the newly settled Kuandian lands. He died at ninety; his sons Li Rusong, Li Rubai and Li Ruzhen all became regional commanders.