Dudu

Dudu, Manchu name ᡩ᠋ᡠ᠋ᡩᡠ᠋, born in 1597, died on July 3, 1642, was the eldest son of Nurhaci, the founding emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and the eldest son of Guanglue Beile Chu Ying. During the Qing Dynasty, he was titled Daro Anping Beile. In his early years, he was appointed Taiji. In the ninth year of the Tianming era (1624), after the Khalkha Bayuhet tribe’s Taiji Enggedeer submitted to the Later Jin, Dudu followed Beile Dai Shan to welcome their surrender and was granted the title Beile.

In the first year of the Tiansong era (1626), he accompanied Amin and Yeto to campaign against Joseon; Emperor Nurhaci sought peace, which was established through negotiations. Dudu agreed with other Beile to first pursue peace and then retreat. In the third year of Tiansong (1628) in November, he followed Emperor Taizu to attack the Ming Dynasty, invading Beijing, defeating Ming reinforcements, and retreating north to Jizhou. When Ming troops came to aid, Dudu and Dai Shan engaged in battle, sustaining injuries; they then stationed their army in Zunhua.

In the first month of the fourth year of Tiansong (1629), the Ming armies counterattacked, and Dudu achieved a major victory, killing the deputy general and capturing over a thousand camels and horses.

In the seventh year of Tiansong (1632), after Ming generals surrendered to the Later Jin, Dudu participated in welcoming their surrender and in military negotiations. In the eighth year of Tiansong, he was awarded the title Anping Beile. During the Battle of Haizhou, they defeated Ming ships. In winter, he followed Emperor Taizu to campaign against Joseon, capturing Pidu and other territories.

In the second month of Chongde (1637), after a thaw and a heavy snowstorm, Dudu and Dorgon captured Jianghua Island, where the navy was defeated. From the third year of Chongde (1638) onwards, Dudu served as deputy to Yue Tuo, leading armies in numerous battles, achieving ten victories, killing over a hundred officials below the level of governor, and capturing more than two hundred thousand prisoners. After returning from campaigns, he reclaimed fortifications. In the fourth year of Chongde (1639), he returned to the Later Jin, which rewarded him with fine horses, camels, and silver, and he was entrusted with affairs of the Ministry of Rites. He continued to seize Jinzhou and Ningyuan.

In the fifth year of Chongde (1640), he succeeded Jierhulang in Yizhou to oversee territory farming, repeatedly defeating Ming troops, capturing Jinzhou’s Jiutai and the western tower of Xiaoling River, maintaining a siege on Jinzhou, and achieving numerous military successes. In the sixth year of Chongde (1641), he attacked Guangning, repelled reinforcements from Songshan and Jinzhou; due to unauthorized troop movements, Emperor Taizu issued a decree ordering a penalty of 2,000 taels of silver. He then renewed the siege of Jinzhou, where Ming forces failed at Songshan.

In June of the seventh year of Chongde (1642), Dudu passed away due to illness. Emperor Taizu ordered a mourning procession and burial. In the second year of the Yongzheng era (1724), a stone stele was erected in his honor.

He had seven children, five of whom received noble titles: Duru Hu, Muru Hu, T'e Hu, Dunun Wen, and Sapiba. His fourth daughter married A Yuxi in December of the fourth year of Chongde (1639); A Yuxi was from the Mongol Borjigin clan.