Nie Shicheng
General of the Qing Wuwei Corps
"I serve the throne, though the Boxers I despise."
Biography
One of the ablest and most modern-minded generals of the late Qing, Nie Shicheng commanded a well-trained division of the Wuwei Corps and had actually fought the Boxers early on, regarding them as dangerous fanatics. But when the court declared war and threw its lot in with the Boxers, the loyal Nie found himself caught between the movement he despised and the foreign enemy he was ordered to fight. He led the defence of Tientsin against the allied armies with skill and courage, but he was distrusted by the Boxers behind him and the court above him, and he was killed in the fighting there in July 1900 — some said seeking death in despair at his impossible position. His fate captured the tragedy of the many Qing officials trapped between a reckless court and an overwhelming enemy.
Did you know?
He had fought and killed Boxers only weeks before he died fighting the foreigners — a soldier destroyed by a war he had tried to prevent.
Key Battles
Battle of Tientsin
Eight-Nation Alliance victoryJuly 13–14, 1900 · 2,500 total casualties
The capture of Tientsin cleared the way to the capital and assembled the international relief army; it was also marked by widespread looting and violence against Chinese civilians that foreshadowed the sack of Peking.
Life Journey
Timeline
1836
🌅 Birth
Born in Anhui
July 9, 1900
✝️ Death
Killed defending Tientsin