Li Tingsheng's A Record of Hardship: A Recently Discovered Manuscript Reflecting Literati Life in North Henan at the End of the Ming, 1642-44

LI TINGSHENG'S A RECORD OF HARDSHIP: A RECENTLY DISCOVERED MANUSCRIPT REFLECTING LITERATI LIFE IN NORTH HENAN AT THE END OF THE MING, 1642-44* Li Xiaosheng, Wei Qianzhi, and Roger Des Forges In 1644 Li Tingsheng, a stipendiary student from Qi County in Kaifeng Prefecture, wrote an account of his travels in north Henan during the last two years of the Ming Dynasty. The manuscript was preserved by the author 's descendants for over three centuries. In 1987 a copy was given to Li Xiaosheng, from another Li lineage of Qi County, who was then majoring in History at Henan University. Li Xiaosheng consulted with Professor Wei Qianzhi of the Henan University History Department and punctuated, annotated , and published the original text in 1991.1 Soon thereafter, Professor Wei published two articles outlining the text's provenance and contributions.2 The present essay synthesizes these three articles to provide a brief history of the manuscript, a full translation of the text into English, and a preliminary discussion of its historical significance. Despite the ravages of time, warfare, and revolution, the Chinese countryside still harbors valuable historical materials that shed light on longstanding historical questions. In this case, we are given clues to several puzzles that have arisen in the study of northeast Henan province in the Ming-Qing transition . Why did the local elite of Qi County encourage the last Ming magistrate to leave the town and "unite with Kaifeng" in 1642? When did Li Zicheng's *The authors would like to thank Mi Chu Wiens for her careful checking of the translation and Barbara Calli for her general editorial assistance. The authors, of course, are responsible for any remaining errors. 1Li Tingsheng, "Jinantu" (Record of Hardship) [Li Xiaosheng, editor and annotator], Zhongzhou xuekan (Journal of the Central Province), 1991, no. 6, pp. 107-112. 2Wei Qianzhi, "Jinantu de shiliao jiazhi" (The Value of the Record of Hardship as Historical Material) Zhongzhou xuekan (Journal of the Central Province), 1991, no. 6, pp. 113-16; Wei Qianzhi, "Cong Jinanlu kan Mingmo jige wenti" (Several Questions Regarding the End of the Ming as Seen from the Record of Hardship), Dierjie Ming-Qing shi guoji xueshu taotun hui iunuien ji (Collected Essays from the Second International Conference on Ming-Qing History) (Tianjin: Tianjin renmin chuban she, 1993), pp. 176-88. Late Imperial China Vol. 15, No. 2 (December 1994): 85-122 85 86Li Xiaosheng, Wei Qianzhi, and Roger Des Forges rebel army take over Qi County? Why were the troops of the local rebel Yuan Shizhong, who emerged as a major rival to Li Zicheng in this region, nicknamed "Little Yuan's Battalion?" How did the local elite who fled their homes in the face of the rebel advance survive their exile north of the Yellow River? What were the circumstances surrounding the last Ming provincial examination for Henan that was supposed to be held in 1642 but was postponed to 1643? What role did study societies play in this area during the last years of the Ming? Finally, how did the local elite draw on the resources of their culture and history to deal with the challenges of the era? Li Tingsheng's A Record of Hardship provides data to answer these questions. It also offers support for fresh interpretations of the Ming-Qing transition in this region. History of the Manuscript The author of the manuscript, Li Tingsheng, courtesy name Runie, was from Cuizhuang, a village in Qi County, southeast of Kaifeng City, the capital of Henan Province. He passed the county examinations and became a stipendiary student, thus receiving monthy grain allowances from the county magistrate's office (yibin shanyuan).3 In April 1642, as Li Zicheng's rebel army approached the town, Li Tingsheng left home. For almost two years, until February 1644, he travelled back and forth through eleven counties of north Henan and southern Jingshi (Beizhili). (See Map, Appendix I.) He then compiled his reminiscences and wrote an introduction dated August 1644. Li Tingsheng's manuscript was carefully preserved by his descendants in Qi County, including Li Rubi, of Xiaohepu Village, who had it in his possession at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. Fearing that...