Legend of Huang Sangui III

In the meantime, Zhuang Datian (莊大田), the Tryad leader in the southern part of the island, led his men in an attack of Taiwan-fu, but was repulsed by Cai who was aided by city dwellers, chiefly from Quanzhou (泉州) who were hostile to the natives of Zhangzhou (漳州). After this setback, Zhuang was satisfied with the capture of the city of Fengshan (鳳山) on January 31, 1787. Thus, except for Taiwan-fu in the south and Tamsui in the north, which included Banka in Taipei then, the rebellion was rampant throughout the island. Lin Shuangwen was then proclaimed king at Changhua with reign title, Xuntian (順天).

Lin's Tryad followers did try to capture northern Taiwan. Led by Lin Xiaowen (林小文), a ragtag Tryad army took Hobe (滬尾), which is Tamsui today, Pali

(八里) on the west bank of the Tamsui River, and Bazhilan (八芝蘭) which is now called Shilin (士林). The rebels then attacked Xinchuang (新莊) and burned the Office of the Sub-district Director in that city. The sub-district director, Wang Zhengjunat (王增鐏), fled Xinzhuang to nearby Banka to call on Huang Sangui (黃之桂) to help suppress the local putsch.

Sangui raised a militia at Banka for self-defense. The militia launched a surprise attack on Xinzhuang, which was also known as Haishan-kou (海山口), on February 15, killing a rebel leader, Liu Zhangfang (劉長芳). Xinzhuang was recovered. Lin Xiaowen ordered a counterattack, his army laying siege to Banka. Sangui's men defended Banka well until February 25 when the siege was lifted by a regiment sent from the mainland of China under command of Colonel Xu Tingshi (徐鼎士). The militia then joined the Xu regiment in a mop-up campaign at Hesangzhou (和尙洲: Luzhou蘆洲now), Sanqiaoyung (三角湧: Shanxia三峽) and Xikou (錫口: Songshan松山). The regiment was then in full control of the Taipei basin.

Meanwhile the war elsewhere on the island came to a stalemate, and the rebels were permitted to consolidate their gains. Early in August 1787, Fukangan (福康安) was appointed commander-in-chief of all the Qing forces on Taiwan. He did not arrive on the island until December 8, however. From the preceding September onward Cai and his men had been besieged in the city of Chulo. When ordered to abandon the city, Cai replied he could not endure to leave tens of thousands of civilians to be slaughtered by the rebels. Fort his stand he was given the hereditary rank of a first class earl with the designation, Yiyung (義勇伯).

The city had its name changed to Chiayi. Fukangan raised the siege on December 16, 1787. After the capture of Lin Shuangwen on February 10, 1788, and of Zhuang Datian on March 12, the rebellion came to an end. The rebel leaders were taken to Beijing and executed.

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