Second Manchu expedition to Korea

The Manchu Qing Empire made the second expedition to Korea in 1637 and brought her into submission. In Korea, this event is called Byeongja-Horan (丙子胡亂; 병자호란), which is insulting to the Manchus.

Table of contents

1 Background 2 War 3 Passage Afterwards

Background

After the first Manchu expedition to Korea, the Joseon Dynasty remained unfaithful to the Manchus. Trade was in bad condition and Korea did not return fugitives from Later Jin, and on the top of that Korea took a defiant attitude when Hong Taiji declared the new dynasty of Qing. Korean delegates refused to kowtow to Hong Taiji at the ceremony and threw away the diplomatic correspondence where Hong Taiji was referred to as the emperor. The Manchu delegates Inggūldai and Mafuta got a cold reception in Hanseong (Seoul) where Korean soldiers stood in the shadow. The delegates was shocked and fled back to Qing.

The Korean court was dominated by the pro-war party. They were, however, so quixotic that they did not enhance military power. In addition, a warlike message to Pyong'ando was carelessly seized by Inggūldai.

War

In the winter, Hong Taiji himself led Manchu, Mongol and Chinese Banners and Mongol army to Korea. Dodo rushed to Hanseong to prevent King Injo from fleeing to Ganghwa Island as Korean kings traditionally did. Failing to escape to the island, the king took refuge in the Namhansan fortress, which was immediately besieged by the Manchu army. Korean army in the fortress suffered from scarcity of food and ammunition. While Korean officials had unrealistic debates, Dorgon occupied Ganghwa Island in a day and captured the second son and concubines of King Injo, which made him offer his submission. King Injo yielded up three pro-war officers to Qing.

The following was the conditions of peace:

1. Korea becomes a dependency of the Qing Dynasty.
2. Korea breaks away with the suzerain Ming.
3. Korea offers the first and second sons of King Injo, and sons or brothers of ministers as hostages.
4. Korea pays tribute to Qing as she has done to Ming.
5. Korea will serve in the war against Ming.
6. Korea offers army and ships to attack an island.
7. Qing does not allow Korea to build castles without restraint.
8. Qing allows Korea to trade with Japan.

Hong Taiji set up a platform in Samjeondo the upper reach of the Han River. At the top of the platform he accepted King Injo's surrender. King Injo kowtowed to him and begged his forgiveness.

Passage Afterwards

Northern and middle Korea was devastated by war. Although the Manchu army was strict in discipline, the Mongol soldiers plundered cities. Maybe Koreans took part in the looting as was commonly done in China.

In accordance with the terms of surrender, Korea sent troops to attack Pi Island at the mouth of the Yalu River. The Koreans are said to have massacred Chinese there more brutally than the Manchus.

Hong Taiji ordered Korea to put up a monument in honor of the excellent virtues of the Manchu Emperor. In 1639 the was erected at Samjeondo, where the ceremony of surrender had been conducted.

Korea continued to take a defiant attitude, although privately, to the Qing Dynasty while she officially yielded obedience. Korean scholars secretly used Ming's era name even after her collapse. They thought that Korea was the legitimate successor of Chinese civilization instead of "barbaric" Qing. King Hyojong, who lived as a hostage for seven years in Mukden, planed an unrealistic expedition to Qing called Bukbeol (北伐).