(Dehingga in Manchu; 1818–1875), also known as Dexinga, with the courtesy name of Zhifu, was a Daur from the Guobei clan and a member of the Manchu Plain White Banner.
Biography
Family Background
Duhinga was the grandson of A'nabao, a Qing dynasty inner minister. His father, Boduohuan, served as the Mongol Commander of the Plain Yellow Banner. Duhinga was born in 1818 during the reign of Emperor Daoguang. In 1829 (the ninth year of Daoguang), he received a hereditary title as Third-Class Attendant due to his family's status. In 1837, he was promoted to Second-Class Attendant.
Campaign Against the Taiping Army
In 1853 (the second year of Emperor Xianfeng), Duhinga joined Senggelinqin in Tianjin to block the advance of the Taiping forces but was defeated at Dujiakou. Later, he followed the Viceroy of Huguang, Guangwen, and entered Wuhan. In 1859, Guangwen dispatched troops to attack Anhui. The Hunan Army under Li Xubin attacked Luzhou, while General of Jiangning, Duhinga, laid siege to Anqing. During the Battle of Sanyi, Li Xubin was killed, and Duhinga abandoned his encirclement of Anqing and retreated to Susong and Taihu.
Impeachment of Shengbao
In the first year of Emperor Tongzhi, Duhinga held the position of Deputy Commander in Xi'an. The Light Attendant Temple Minister, Pan Zuyin, the Capital Prefect of Shuntian, Bian Baodi, the Censor, Ding Shaogou, and Hua Zhushan successively impeached Shengbao for embezzlement and bribery, as well as for harboring rebels. Subsequently, Duhinga and the Governor of Shanxi, Yinggui, also submitted a memorial to impeach Shengbao. Upon receiving these memorials, Empress Dowager Cixi ordered Prince Khol沁 (Senggelinqin) of科尔沁 to investigate the allegations and report back. After confirming the charges, Shengbao's property was confiscated, and he was sentenced to death.
Exile to Shaanxi and Gansu
In 1864 (the third year of Tongzhi), a rebellion broke out in Shaanxi and Gansu. Duhinga was appointed as the Commander of Xi'an to oversee military affairs in Gansu and served as acting Viceroy of Shaanxi and Gansu, leading campaigns in various regions, but with limited success. After the recovery of Jiangning (Nanjing), the court granted him the hereditary title of Cavalry Commander for his contributions. In 1868, he was transferred to the position of Commander of Jingzhou but became known for his unruly behavior, leading to an impeachment by the Viceroy of Liangjiang, Zeng Guofan. He was recalled to Beijing and reassigned as a garrison commander. His behavior improved under Empress Dowager Cixi's trust but later fell out of favor.
Defending the Capital
When the Western Nian Army, led by Zhang Zongyu, threatened Beijing, Duhinga was appointed as a special envoy to replace Prince Gong in leading the Shenji Camp, which included cavalry units from Jilin and Heilongjiang. He had disagreements with two other special envoys, Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang. Li and Zuo favored a strategy of encirclement, while Duhinga and Deputy Commander Chunshou advocated for active pursuit. Frustrated by their lack of cooperation, Duhinga submitted multiple memorials to the court demanding punishment for Li and Zuo, but these were suppressed by the Grand Secretariat. Determined to act alone, Duhinga pursued the Nian Army but suffered a major defeat when he was ambushed. The court sent Zhang Yao and Song Qing to rescue him, allowing him to break out of the encirclement. Due to significant losses, he changed his strategy to garrisoning key locations to prevent the Nian Army from retreating. After Li and Zuo successfully suppressed the Nian Army, Duhinga fell ill due to not being credited for his efforts. Empress Dowager Cixi relieved him of all his positions and ordered him to rest at home. He was later reappointed to various positions, including Commander of Shengjing, where he was known for his integrity and fairness.
Death
In the first year of Emperor Guangxu (1875), Duhinga died in office. He received posthumous honors, including the title of Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent and the posthumous name Qingmin. His works include Collected Memorials of Duhinga.
Further Reading
References
• 都興阿 (Chinese)
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Duhinga (Dehingga in Manchu; 1818–1875), also known as Dexinga, with the courtesy name of Zhifu, was a Daur from the Guobei clan and a member of the Manchu Plain White Banner.