耿繼茂

KÊNG Chi-mao 耿繼茂, d. 1671, was the eldest son of Kêng Chung-ming [q.v.] and a member of the Chinese Plain Yellow Banner. Like his father who fought vigorously against the Mings after he joined the Manchus, he was throughout his life a bitter opponent of the defunct dynasty. In 1649 Kêng Chi-mao set out with his father, Prince Ching-nan 靖南王, on an expedition to Kwangtung. As the father died during the journey the son was placed in command, but the hereditary rights to his title were cancelled. After his arrival in Kwangtung, Kêng Chi-mao was closely associated with Shang K'o-hsi [q.v.] in the campaigns against the Ming Prince of Kuei (see under Chu Yu-lang). He and Shang K'o-hsi captured Canton and other cities in Kwangtung, drove the Ming troops into Kwangsi, and garrisoned Kwangtung with headquarters at Canton. In 1651, in recognition of his victories, an imperial edict restored to Kêng his hereditary title, Ching-nan wang. In 1652 Li Ting-kuo [q.v.] invaded Kwangsi (at the command of the Prince of Kuei) and overwhelmingly defeated the Ch'ing forces. Both Kêng and Shang came to the relief of Wuchow and other cites of Kwangsi. A year later Kêng suppressed the rebellion of a general in Ch'ao-chou, Kwangtung. With the aid of the Manchu general, Jumara 朱瑪喇, he defeated Li Ting-kuo who, as late as 1654, was still stubbornly resisting the Ch'ing forces. Li attacked Nan-ning, Kwangsi, but was pursued by Kêng who outwitted him and mercilessly butchered his men, whereupon Li escaped to Yunnan. Following the siege of Canton in 1650, accusations of ruthlessness were brought against Kêng and Shang. Taking the city from the Ming forces after a nine months' siege, they slaughtered all adults in retaliation for their prolonged resistence. A complaint about such unnecessary slaughter was filed with the emperor but was quashed after Kêng explained that it was justifiable. In 1656 Kêng's annual allowance was augmented by 1,000 ounces of silver in recognition of his meritorious services. But complaints charging him with commandeering labor and levying illegal taxes took effect and the emperor ordered Kêng transferred to Szechwan. Later the appointment was changed to Kwangsi, but both these orders Kêng ignored.

In 1660 Kêng was transferred to Fukien and there joined the governor-general, Li Shuai-t'ai, in his attacks on the forces under Chêng Ch'êng-kung [qq.v.]. Again he proved courageous and unconquerable as a military leader. On learning in 1662 that Chêng Ch'êng-kung had died and that there was dissension within the Chêng clan he promptly called upon the dissenters to surrender, with the result that "officials by the hundreds and soldiers by the thousands" joined the Ch'ing ranks. In November 1663, Kêng, Shih Lang [q.v.] and Li Shuai-t'ai went down the coast by sea and captured Amoy and Chin-mên (Quemoy). With the aid of Huang Wu [q.v.] they defeated Chêng Ching [q.v.] at T'ung-shan, forcing him to flee with the remnants of his fleet to Formosa. Again the slaughter was enormous and the old tallying of heads for soldier's points of merit was resorted to. Kêng was consistently successful in battle and in strategy. His character appealed to the Manchus, and after the victory at Amoy his yearly allowance was again augmented by 1,000 ounces of silver. Worn out by his campaigns, he asked the Emperor for permission to hand over his offices and title to his eldest son, Kêng Ching-chung [q.v.]. He died in June 1671 and was posthumously honored with the title Chung-min 忠敏. Two younger sons, Kêng Chao-chung 耿昭忠 (d. 1686) and Kêng Chü-chung 耿聚忠 (d. 1687), both married daughters of princes of the Imperial Family.

[1/240/7a; 11/7/56a; 2/5/31b; 9/1/16b.]

E. S. Larsen

《清史稿》卷234

子繼茂，順治初授世職昂邦章京。仲明死，繼茂在軍中，代領其眾，請襲爵，睿親王方攝政，持不可。繼茂從可喜俱南，定廣東諸郡縣。語見可喜傳。八年，世祖親政，繼茂嗣為王。九年，李定國陷桂林，孔有德死事。上聞報，命定遠大將軍敬謹親王尼堪自湖南移師赴之，敕可喜、繼茂俟尼堪至，合軍進攻，而繼茂先已與可喜遣兵赴援，復梧州及旁近諸郡。十年，潮州總兵郝尚久據城叛，繼茂與靖南將軍喀喀木、總兵吳六奇合軍討之，圍城逾月，城將王立功為內應，樹雲梯以登，尚久入井死，餘賊盡殲。潮州及饒平、揭陽、澄海、普寧諸縣悉平。十一年二月，命內翰林秘書院學士郎廷佐齎敕慰勞，賜白金三千，分賚將士。是歲李定國徇高、雷、廉三府，進犯新會。繼茂、可喜與靖南將軍珠瑪喇合軍進擊，再戰皆捷。定國還據南寧，復出攻橫州，繼茂自梧州帥師赴之，解橫州圍。進攻南寧，定國走安隆，獲明將李先芳，斬裨將杜紀等。十三年，賜敕紀功，增藩俸歲千金。

初，繼茂與可喜攻下廣州，怒其民力守，盡殲其丁壯。即城中駐兵牧馬。營靖南、平南二藩府，東西相望，繼茂尤汰侈，廣徵材木，採石高要七星巖，工役無藝；復創設市井私稅：民咸苦之。廣東左布政使胡章自山東赴官，途中上疏，言：「臣聞靖南王耿繼茂、平南王尚可喜所部將士，掠辱士紳婦女，占居布政使官廨，並擅署置官吏。臣思古封建之制，天子使吏治其國而納其貢稅焉，不得暴彼民也。二王以功受封，宜仰體聖明憂民至意，以安百姓，乃所為如是，臣安敢畏威緘默？乞敕二王還官廨，釋俘虜。」繼茂奏辯，可喜亦有疏自白，章坐誣論絞，上命貸死奪官。逾年，高要知縣楊雍建內遷給事中，疏陳廣東濫役、私稅諸大害，謂：「一省不堪兩藩，請量移他省。」朝議令繼茂移鎮桂林，未行。十六年三月，上命移四川。十七年七月，改命移福建。

時明將鄭成功據金門，窺伺閩、浙，繼茂既移鎮，與總督李率泰協謀征剿。康熙元年，成功死，子錦代領其軍。上命繼茂相機剿撫，繼茂疏報：「自順治十八年訖元年，招降將吏二百九十、兵四千三百三十四、家口四百六十七。」其後成功弟世襲、兄子纘緒及所置都督鄭賡先後出降，復得將吏七百有奇、兵七千六百有奇。二年十月，繼茂與率泰督兵渡海克厦門，水師提督施琅以荷蘭夾板船來會，乘勝取浯嶼、金門二島。錦與其將周全斌等走銅山，復入犯雲霄、陸鼇諸衛，總兵王進功與戰，大破之。三年三月，繼茂復與率泰及海澄公黃梧合軍，自八尺門出海克銅山，錦以數十舟走臺灣。捷聞，上嘉其功，復增歲俸千金。十年正月，疏陳疾劇，乞以長子精忠代治藩政，上允其請。五月，卒，諡忠敏。精忠嗣為王，別有傳。