Chai Daji 柴大紀

Ch'ai Ta-chi 柴大紀 (T. 肇修 H. 東山, d. Aug. 1788), general, was a native of Chiang-shan, Chekiang. A military chin-shih of 1763, he was sent to Fukien as an expectant second captain, but had to wait eight years before he obtained appointment to a vacancy. In 1775 he became a major, and two years later was transferred to the Pescadores. In 1778 he was promoted to be a lieutenant-colonel but in the same year was sent to Hunan as a colonel in command of the naval forces on Tungting Lake. In 1781 he was made a brigade-general and was placed in command of the troops on the island of Hai-t'an. Late in 1783 he was transferred to Formosa which was then under the jurisdiction of the province of Fukien. Late in 1785 he was about to be sent back to the mainland when a local uprising of aborigines took place. But he was retained on the island and in 1786 was ordered to remain there as brigade-general.

At this time the Chinese settlers in Formosa, mostly Fukienese, were divided into two main camps—those who came from Ch'üan-chou and those who came from Chang-chou. In 1782 the authorities had executed a Chang-chou gambler and murderer, and thereby antagonized his fellow-townsmen. The Ch'üan-chou men, who opposed the Chang-chou men, lent their support to the authorities. As most of the Chang-chou men were members of the secret society known as T'ien-ti hui 天地會, they used this organization to oppose the local officials. The leader of the society in the northern part of Formosa, Lin Shuang-wên 林爽文 (d. 1788), a resident of Chang-hua, made preparations to rebel when an opportunity came. In 1786 some of the members of the society in Chu-lo were arrested but were soon freed by their armed followers. Ch'ai Ta-chi hastened to the scene and, after executing several ring-leaders, returned to the capital of the island, T'ai-wan-fu (Tainan). But Lin Shuang-wên, angered at the oppression suffered by the society, rallied his followers in Chang-hua and revolted late in December, taking that city on January 16, 1787, and Chu-lo eight days later. Meanwhile Chuang Ta-t'ien 莊大田 (d. 1788), the leader of the society in the southern part of the island, led his men in an attack on T'ai-wan-fu, but was repulsed by Ch'ai who was aided by city-dwellers, chiefly from Ch'üan-chou, Fukien, who were hostile to the natives of Chang-chou. After this setback, Chuang Ta-t'ien was satisfied with the capture, on January 31, 1787, of the city of Fêng-shan. Thus, except for T'ai-wan-fu in the south and Tan-shui (Taipeh) in the extreme north, rebellion was rampant throughout the island and Lin Shuang-wên was proclaimed ruler at Chang-hua with the reign-title, Shun-t'ien 順天.

The provincial forces of Fukien who were detailed to suppress the rebels were now placed under the command of Ch'ang-ch'ing (see under Li Shih-yao) whose post as governor-general of Fukien was entrusted to Li Shih-yao [q.v.]. With the assistance of forces from the mainland, Ch'ai Ta-chi drove northward and recaptured Chu-lo (March 1787). After repulsing rebel attacks for three months he was promoted to the rank of provincial commander-in-chief of the land forces of Fukien, but remained in Formosa as brigade general. Meanwhile the campaign elsewhere on the island came to a stalemate, and the rebels were permitted to consolidate their gains. Early in August Fu-k'ang-an [q.v.] was ordered to replace Ch'ang-ch'ing as commander-in-chief but did not arrive on the island until December 8, 1787. From the preceding September onward Ch'ai and his men had been besieged in the city of Chu-lo. When ordered to abandon the city, Ch'ai replied that he could not endure to leave tens of thousands of civilians to be slaughtered by the rebels. For this stand he was given the hereditary rank of a first class earl with the designation, I-yung (義勇伯). The city of Chu-lo had its name changed to Chia-i 嘉義, "Commendable Loyalty", out of respect to the civilians of that city who assisted in the defense. The siege was raised by Fu-k'ang-an on December 16, 1787. After the capture of Lin Shuang-wên on February 10, 1788, and of Chuang Ta-t'ien on March 12, the rebellion came to an end. The rebel leaders were taken to Peking and executed.

As for Ch'ai Ta-chi, he was not only forbidden to take any credit for the campaign but was disgraced and tried. It seems that he did not pay Fu-k'ang-an due respect when the two met at Chu-lo. As soon as Fu-k'ang-an entered that city he reported that Ch'ai was untrustworthy. His henchmen, apparently in co-operation with Ho-shên [q.v.], lodged a number of charges against Ch'ai, among them his alleged mistakes in dealing with the rebels and his alleged corrupt practices. The task of obtaining testimony and evidence against Ch'ai was entrusted, perhaps purposely, to Fu-k'ang-an who also conducted the trial. At the same time men like Li Shih-yao and Ch'ang-ch'ing were urged to bring testimony against Ch'ai. Ch'ai's successful defense of Chu-lo was discredited and was attributed to the bravery of the civilians. The whole case was clearly a conspiracy, but no one dared to defend the victim. Ch'ai was forced to sign a confession and on this ground he was slated for execution. In August he was delivered to Peking for re-examination, but he refused to admit his "crimes", asserting that his confession was obtained by force. When questioned by the emperor he denounced the injustice done him and even argued with the emperor. For this breach of etiquette he was beheaded on or about August 22, 1788. Later his son was banished to Ili as a slave.

According to Chao-lien [q.v.], the rebellion in Formosa might easily have been suppressed if the command had not been entrusted to Ch'ang-ch'ing who was already in his seventies and knew nothing about the conduct of war. Chao-lien praised Ch'ai for his courage and perseverance in defending T'ai-wan-fu and Chu-lo and remarked that a number of famous commanders in the following decades owed their rise to the training and encouragement they received from Ch'ai.

[ 1/335/5a; 2/25/41b; Wei Yüan [q.v.], Shêng-wu chi, chüan 8; Chiang-shan hsien chih (1873), 9/27b; Tung-hua lu, Ch'ien-lung 51-3; 淡水廳志 Tan-shui t'ing chih (1871), 11a-18a; Chao-lien [q.v.], Hsiao-t'ing tsa-lu, chüan 6; Davidson, J. W., The Island of Formosa (1903), pp. 78-81.]

FANG CHAO-YING

《清史稿》卷329

柴大紀，浙江江山人。自武進士授福建守備。累擢至海壇鎮總兵，移臺灣鎮。乾隆五十一年十一月，林爽文亂起。爽文漳州人，徙彰化，所居村曰大里杙。時姦民相聚，號天地會，漳州人莊煙為之魁，爽文與相結，謀為變。臺灣知府孫景燧馳詣彰化，督知縣俞峻、副將赫生額、游擊耿世文捕治，焚數小村以怵之。爽文因民怨，夜糾其徒來襲，赫生額等皆戰死。明日，遂破彰化，景燧亦殉焉。傍攻諸羅、鳳山，皆陷。大紀時以總兵守府城，賊分道來攻，大紀出駐鹽埕橋禦之，擊沉賊舟數十，馘千餘。

五十二年春，水師提督黃仕簡、陸路提督任承恩先後赴援。大紀出攻諸羅，克之，即移軍守諸羅。旋以守府城功，賜花翎。上以仕簡、承恩師久無功，授總督常青將軍，渡臺灣視師。爽文攻諸羅，自二月至四月凡十至，大紀督游擊楊起麟、守備邱能成等出戰，殺賊數千。爽文之徒張慎徽偽降，大紀察其詐，置諸法。臺灣諸府縣皆編竹為城，不耐攻，大紀以忠義率兵民誓堅守。上嘉大紀勞，賜荷包、奶餅，下部議敘。六月，授福建陸路提督，仍兼領臺灣總兵。鹽水港者，諸羅通府城糧道也，賊來攻，大紀力禦之。上促常青赴援，予大紀壯健巴圖魯名號，參贊軍務。八月，上以常青衰老不能辦賊，命福康安為將軍，仍令大紀參贊；而常青令總兵魏大斌援諸羅，賊邀諸途，退駐鹿仔草；復令總兵蔡攀龍援諸羅，大紀出戰，迎入城共守。上移大紀水師提督，而以陸路提督授攀龍。十一月，加大紀太子少保。上以諸羅被圍久，縣民困守，奮力向義，更縣名為嘉義。賊攻城益急，上密諭大紀：「不必堅執與城存亡，如遇事急，可率兵力戰，出城再圖進取。」大紀疏言：「諸羅居臺灣南北之中，縣城四周積土植竹，環以深壕，壕上為短垣，置砲，防衛堅固。一旦棄之而去，為賊所得，慮賊勢益張，鹽水港運道亦不能守。且城廂內外居民及各莊避難入城者共四萬餘人，助餉協守，以至於今。不忍將此數萬生靈付逆賊毒手！惟有竭力保守，以待援兵。」上手詔謂：「所奏忠肝義胆，披覽為之墮淚！大紀被圍日久，心志益堅，勉勵兵民，忍飢固守，惟知以國事民生為重。古之名將，何以加之？」因封為一等義勇伯，世襲罔替，並命浙江巡撫琅玕予其家白金萬，促福康安赴援。

十二月，福康安師至，嘉義圍解，大紀出迎，自以功高拜爵賞，又在圍城中，倥傯不具櫜鞬禮，福康安銜之，遂劾大紀詭詐，深染綠營習氣，不可倚任。上諭謂：「大紀駐守嘉義，賊百計攻圍，督率兵民，力為捍衛。朕諭以力不能支，不妨全師而出。大紀堅持定見，竭力固守，不忍以數萬生靈委之於賊。朕閱其疏，為之墮淚。福康安乃不能以朕之心為心乎？大紀嘗奏賊以車載槍砲攻城，今福康安言得賊攻城大車，又委棄槍砲，為我軍所得，足見大紀前奏不虛。大紀又奏縣城食盡，地瓜、花生俱罄，以油籸充食。當時義民助餉，未必遽至於此。但大紀望援心急，以食油籸為詞。普吉保、恆瑞兩軍尚復觀望不進，若云猶有餘粟，則兩路赴援更緩。此時縣城存亡未可知，安怪大紀過甚其詞耶？大紀屢荷褒嘉，在福康安前禮節或有不謹，致為所憎，直揭其短。福康安當體朕心，略短取長，方得公忠體國之道。」侍郎德成自浙江奉使還，受福康安指，訐大紀。上命福康安、李侍堯、徐嗣曾、琅玕按治，福康安臨致書軍機大臣，言：「大紀縱兵激民為變，其守嘉義，皆義民之力。大紀聞命，欲引兵以退，義民不令出城，乃罷。」事聞，上諭謂：「守諸羅一事，朕不忍以為大紀罪，至其他聲名狼藉、縱兵激變諸狀，自當按治。」命奪大紀職，逮問。福康安尋以大紀縱弛貪黷、貽誤軍機，議斬，送京師。上命軍機大臣覆讞，大紀訴冤苦，並言德成有意周內，迫嘉義民證其罪，下廷訊，大紀猶力辯。五十三年七月辛巳，命如福康安議棄市，其子發伊犂為奴。