Wu Sangui

Wu Sangui

 or Wu San-kuei

(born 1612, Liaodong, China—died Oct. 2, 1678, Hengzhou, Hunan province) Chinese general who invited the Manchu into Ming China and helped them establish the Qing dynasty. Though he had for many years battled the Manchu on China's northeastern frontier, he turned to them for aid when the Ming-dynasty capital at Beijing fell to rebel leader Li Zicheng. The Manchu forces defeated Li and then set up their own dynasty, in which Wu served many years. Only when he was put in charge of eliminating the remnants of Ming resistance in southwestern China did he break away, creating his own state in the area of Yunnan and Guizhou. Two other commanders had set up similar states in neighbouring southern provinces; in 1673 Wu led the three in rebellion. After Wu's death, his grandson continued the rebellion until 1681, when it was finally crushed. See also Dorgon.