Civil Engineering Change - Doboku no Hen

This is an incident in which Emperor Zhengtong of the Ming Dynasty in China fought against Esen, the chief of the Oirats, at Tumu (Hebei Province) in 1449 and was captured. Around 1440, Esen became chief of the Oirats and called himself Grand Master Huai King. He had Tokhta Buha, a descendant of the Yuan Dynasty, as his khan, and ruled over all of Mongolia, suppressed the Jurchen people, and plundered Datong (Shanxi Province) in 1449 due to a trade dispute. Emperor Zhengtong personally led an expedition to Datong, but on his way back, seeing the situation as unfavorable, he was defeated by the Oirats at Tumu and was taken prisoner. Esen tried to send them back under favorable conditions, but the Ming Dynasty established Emperor Jingtai and made Emperor Zhengtong the retired emperor, which made Esen angry and he advanced and besieged Beijing. However, the Ming refused to give in, so Esen retreated and returned Emperor Zhengtong unconditionally the following year.

[Aoki Tomitaro]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、明(みん)の正統(せいとう)帝がオイラート部長エセンと1449年土木（河北省）で戦い、捕虜となった事件。1440年ごろオイラート部長となったエセンは太師淮王(たいしわいおう)と称し、元(げん)の後裔(こうえい)トクタ・ブハをハンにいただき、全モンゴルを支配し、女直(じょちょく)を抑え、貿易上の紛争から1449年、大同（山西省）を略奪した。正統帝は親征し、大同に至ったが、形勢不利とみて引き返す途中、土木でオイラート軍と戦って大敗し、帝は捕虜となった。エセンは有利な条件で送還しようとしたが、明では景泰帝をたて、正統帝を上皇としたので、エセンは怒り、進んで北京(ペキン)を包囲した。しかし明は譲らなかったのでエセンは退却し、翌年正統帝を無条件で送還した。

［青木富太郎］

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