Cheng Cheng-Kung

(in European sources, Koxinga or Coxinga). Born 1624; died 1662. Chinese general.

The son of a merchant, Cheng Ch’eng-kung in 1646 joined the struggle against the Manchu Ch’ing Dynasty, which at that time controlled nearly all China. Having established his power along the seacoast in Fukien, Kwangtung, and Chekiang provinces, Cheng won back from the Manchus a large part of Southeast China; in 1659, however, he was defeated at Nanking. In 1661 and 1662, Cheng drove the Dutch colonialists from the island of Taiwan and established a base there from which he fought against the Ch’ing Dynasty. Cheng’s son and grandson ruled Taiwan until 1683, when the island was captured by the Ch’ing.