CHU YU-LANG

born November 1623, Peking died June 1662, Ynnanf Pinyin Zhu Youlang, reign title (Wade-Giles romanization) Yung-li, also called Prince of Kuei claimant to the Ming throne after the Manchu forces of Manchuria captured the Ming capital at Peking and established the Ch'ing dynasty (1644-1911/12). A grandson of the 13th Ming emperor, Wan-li (reigned 1573-1620), Chu was given the title of the prince of Kuei. After the prince of T'ang (1602-46), another claimant to the throne, was captured and executed by the Manchus in 1646, Chu fled to Chao-ch'ing, in South China, and was proclaimed the new Ming emperor with the reign title of Yung-li. Chu's forces make a stand at the city of Kuci-lin in Kwangsi Province; his armies, using Western cannon, were at first successful, and by 1648 seven provinces were under his nominal control. But in 1649 the Manchus recouped their losses, and Chu was driven by a series of military defeats into southwest China and in 1659 was forced to flee into Burma. Ch'ing forces pursued him into that country, and he was captured, taken back to China, and executed. All the members of Chu's household were Christian converts. During the fighting, the empress dowager, baptized Helena, sent a letter to Pope Innocent X asking for his prayers for the Ming cause. By the time the Vatican's reply arrived several years later, Chu and Helena were dead.