The Rebellion in Ush Turpan 1765

The rebellion of the city of Ush Turpan (Učturpan, Ch. Wushi 烏什, Ma. Uš) in 1765 was directed against a local potentate that had been installed by the Qing dynasty 清 (1644-1911).

After the conquest of Eastern Turkestan by the Qing, the bey (beg, bek) of Hami, ‘Abd Allah, was made Ačim Beg, and ordered to reside in Ush Turpan, sharing administrative responsibilities with the Qing Grand Minister Superintendent (banshi dachen 辦事大臣), Vice Commander-in-Chief (fudutong 副都統) Suceng (Ch. Sucheng 素誠, d. 1765). ‘Abd Allah was an extremely cruel ruler, and Suceng did nothing to stop him. The local population therefore joined Rahmetullah who had decided to rebel against the Qing-backed regime. He and his followers killed the local administrators, burnt down the local Yamen administration, and then also killed ‘Abd Allah. Suceng, fearing the charge of incompetence and corruption, committed suicide.

The Qing court thereupon ordered the Grand Minister Superintendent of Aksu, Biyantaha (Ch. Biantaha 弁塔哈), to suppress the rebellion with 500 troops. The rebels first opened the city gate of Ush Turpan to welcome Biyantaha, but when the Qing troops attacked them, they closed the gate again. The imperial troops failed to take the town, and were even forced to withdraw after the rebels made an excursion with 2,000 troops. The emperor decided to give the highest command into the hands of Mingšui (Ch. Mingrui 明瑞, 1730-1768). A night attack by the rebels was successfully warded off. During the fights Rahmetullah was killed. His father Osemtullah took over their lead. A nightly attack, this time by the imperial army on the city, with the help of scaling ladders, failed. Through the whole summer the Qing army was unable to take Ush Turpan. Mingšui therefore decided to prolong the siege and to cut off the water supply of the city. After half a year, the besieged began starving, and internal quarrels ended in the capture and handing over of Osemtullah to the Qing by his own subordinates. No more than 42 people surrendered to Mingšui, while the rest had died during the fights and in cause of the blockade of the city.