CHAO-HUI (1747)

Famous Ch´ing dynasty (1644-1911) general who played a prominent part in the conquest of Chinese Turkistan, now Sinkiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

A member of the Imperial family, Chao-hui volunteered to lead an expedition against the western Mongols, whose continued history of usurpations, tribal rebellions, wars, invasions, and migrations in Outer Mongolia and eastern Turkistan were a constant source of trouble on China´s northwestern borders.

During 1755-57 Chao-hui led several forays into the area, on the last of which his troops were cut off and surrounded. Relief finally came, and he succeeded in virtually exterminating the Dzungar tribes of the western Mongols. To consolidate his conquest, he put the region under a military governor and established Chinese garrisons and penal colonies.

Meanwhile, Muslim tribes in the southern part of Chinese Turkistan revolted, and Chao-hui was sent to subdue them. Once more his troops were surrounded; the siege lasted so long that the soldiers are said to havebeen reduced to cannabalism. When finally relieved, he completed the conquest of the region. As a result Chinese control in the northwest was extended to the Pamir mountains, which divide East from West Asia.

Althoug Chao-hui was much decorated, he is usually viewed as a "fu-chiang or lucky general" in view of his two "lucky" escapes from desperate sieges.