Biography

Chen joined the Imperial Army at a young age, in which he served as a standard bearer. Unlike some of his contemporaries, he rose from the ranks of the army to a command position without taking the customary Wu Keju Imperial Examinations. His early promotions were due to his success in suppressing piracy.

In 1830 Chen was promoted to Admiral of Fujian Province by the Daoguang Emperor. During this time he was stationed in Xiamen. He was promoted again in 1840 when he became a Jiangnan Admiral, the highest rank in the Imperial Navy.

During the First Opium War Chen commanded the Chinese defenses at the mouth of the Yangtze River. He swore to defend the waterway and began to fortify his position against British incursions. On 16 June 1842 a British fleet sailed up the Yangtze and began to bombard Huacheng's position at Wusong. While commanding the Chinese fort there, Chen was killed by either naval artillery or in hand-to-hand combat with the British.

Legacy

Chen was declared a national hero after his death. A tomb and museum are erected in his honor in Shanghai.

生平

陳化成生於福建同安洲，童年移居台灣投靠族親，於淡水廳興直堡頭前莊（今新北市新莊區）成長。新莊民間傳說陳化成早年父母雙亡，自幼跟隨長兄夫婦共同生活，唯化成自幼身長體能過人，食量亦過人，長兄無力供養，遂促其投入軍旅，而其大嫂甚為不捨，臨別時贈與親手縫製布鞋一雙（另說特意赴廟宇求之香火、香包等），陳化成感撫養之恩，行伍間經常把布鞋繫於腰間懷內，不稍離身。陳化成初入軍中，不會使用火槍，亦不曉刀棍，但身高過人，軍官任之為軍旗手，一日，清軍與匪兵交戰失利，苦候援軍不至，只好撤退，此時陳化成的布鞋突然遺失，心急狂奔，欲找尋之。古時鳴金收兵，聞鼓前進，皆以軍旗為指標，士卒見軍旗奔向前線，以為援軍來臨，發動總攻，士氣大振，人人冒死前進，終於打敗敵軍凱旋而歸，陳化成因舉旗有功，順遂昇官。

後因鎮壓亦是同安人的海盜蔡牽，因此由把總一路擢升至金門總兵。清宣宗道光十年（1830年）任福建水師提督，駐守廈門，在閩浙總督鄧廷楨的支持下多次擊退來犯的英國艦隊。清宣宗道光二十年（1840年）七月，調任江南提督。時第一次鴉片戰爭已經爆發，陳化成在兩江總督裕謙支持下，完善了位于長江和黃浦江江口吳淞炮台的防禦措施，誓死保衛長江水道。道光二十一年（1841年）英軍占浙江舟山定海，裕謙、葛雲飛等犧牲。

道光二十二年（1842年）6月，英軍攻打吳淞炮台，陳化成拒絕兩江總督zh-hans:牛鉴;zh-hant:牛鑑的議和主張，率軍堅守六晝夜，擊傷英艦8艘，斃傷英軍士兵500餘人，于6月16日中彈犧牲。屍首於12日後才被尋獲。有子陳廷芳、陳廷棻，孫陳振世。

紀念

清朝揚威將軍、乾隆帝曾孫奕經命貝青喬為陳化成做輓詞

上海人奉其像於當地著名之上海城隍廟，陳化成也與霍光、秦裕伯合稱「上海三大城隍」。在上海，除了黃浦區城隍廟外，寶山區有陳化成紀念館和化成路，松江區有陳化成祠。在福建廈門金榜山，有陳化成墓。

在臺灣，陳化成曾隨伯母蔡氏移居新莊頭前莊，庄內的主要道路被命名為「化成路」。陳化成姪子陳光淵中舉之後，在頭前庄內豎立旗桿紀念，後被移至中平公園，新莊市長蔡家福立有〈民族英雄陳化成紀念碑文〉。

File:民族英雄陳化成紀念碑.JPG|新北市新莊區中平公園民族英雄陳化成紀念碑

File:民族英雄陳化成紀念碑文.JPG|民族英雄陳化成紀念碑文