Wu Weizhong

Wu Weizhong (Chinese: 吳惟忠) was a military commander for the Ming dynasty. He is from the county of Yiwu in Zhejiang province (浙江省 義烏縣), his chosen name is Ruchen and his nickname is Yunfeng (字汝誠，號雲峰) [1] he was one of the Ming generals that fought in the Imjin War.

Early career

Wu was first noted in the campaign of general Qi Jiguang against the Wako pirates in the 40th year of Jiajing Emperor in 1561. as a minor officer who fought valiantly.[2] In 1568 he followed General Qi to his new station in the Northern garrison of Ji, and headed Qi's effort to reconstruct the Great Wall of China, in fact, much of the Great Wall we see today was contributed by Wu and other men under Qi.

In 1571, he was promoted to a low ranking general.[3]

Wu continued Qi Jiguang's method of training soldiers, and his men were often regarded as the most capable fighting force of the Ming dynasty, especially when they were put to the test in 1592 during the Imjin War.[4]

Imjin War

In late 1592, the Ming dynasty decided to aid the Korean Joseon dynasty, who was being overran by the Japanese invasion ordered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

In their official relieve effort, Wu and his men were the first to cross the Yalu river and acted as the Ming army's vanguard along with the young general Qian Shizhen, at Pyongyang, he led his men to attack the northern section of Pyongyang and was wounded by teppō in battle. but still commanded his men to victory.[5][6]

He ran into an incident later in 1593 when his forces apparently attacked a group of Korean bandits who were attempting to raid their food supplies. He was nearly fired for this incident but was saved by the Korean court who put in many good words for his valor.[7][8]

Wu was one of the most active general in the war, being stationed in Korea for extensive periods of time during the peace talks, and also part taking in the second war of 1597–98.

Later life

Wu was already in his late 50s early 60s when in Korea, so he retired soon after the war and returned home.[9]

References

  1. ^ 嘉慶 義烏縣誌 人物誌 吳惟忠傳 (The local records of Yiwu county in the times of Jiajing); 吳惟忠 字汝誠，號雲峰，義烏吳坎頭人
  2. ^ 嘉慶 義烏縣誌 人物誌 吳惟忠傳 (The local records of Yiwu county in the times of Jiajing); 以武舉人任把總，性聰慧，志剛勇，好習史書，精於韜略，累功授海門衛僉事，松門衛指揮。嘉靖四十年隨戚繼光首戰台州，在花街、白水洋、小藤嶺數戰數勝，援閩橫嶼之戰立首功。
  3. ^ 嘉慶 義烏縣誌 人物誌 吳惟忠傳 (The local records of Yiwu county in the times of Jiajing); 隆慶(1568)二年奉調薊鎮。隆慶五年，因修城有功，提升標下右營遊擊將軍，再升沌營標下左營遊擊。萬曆四年(1576)，升山海參將。
  4. ^ 嘉慶 義烏縣誌 人物誌 吳惟忠傳 (The local records of Yiwu county in the times of Jiajing); 萬曆十九年奉旨迎敵，授石匣遊擊，轉海防參將，總督南兵，出國援朝鮮。
  5. ^ 嘉慶 義烏縣誌 人物誌 吳惟忠傳 (The local records of Yiwu county in the times of Jiajing); 在平壤之戰中左脅中彈受傷，論功升海防加銜副總兵。
  6. ^ History of the Ming chapter 238 令遊擊吳惟忠攻迄北牡丹峰。而如松親提大軍直抵城下，攻其東南。倭砲矢如雨，軍少卻。如松斬先退者以徇。募死士，援鉤梯直上。倭方輕南面朝鮮軍，承訓等乃卸裝露明甲。倭大驚，急分兵捍拒，如松已督副將楊元等軍自小西門先登，如柏等亦從大西門入。火器併發，煙焰蔽空。惟忠中砲傷胸，猶奮呼督戰。
  7. ^ Letters by Song Yingchang
  8. ^ entries in the annals of Seonjo
  9. ^ 嘉慶 義烏縣誌 人物誌 吳惟忠傳 (The local records of Yiwu county in the times of Jiajing); 萬曆二十七年三月升任為都督僉事。次年因年老病殘辭職，竟被免職回家。後蒙應天府巡撫辯護，才改任應天軍門標將。他堅持不受，遂隱居夏演裹金岩穀間。

Bibliography

  • 嘉慶 義烏縣誌 人物誌 吳惟忠傳 (The local records of Yiwu county in the times of Jiajing)
  • 明史 (The History of Ming)
  • 宣祖實錄 (The Annals of Seonjo)
  • 經略復國要編 宋應昌 著 (The letter collections of Song Yingchang)