Liu Buchan (劉步蟾) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Liu Buchan as a military officer and scholar. This record brings together 9 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Liu Buchan	劉步蟾	Liu Buchan
Given	Buchan	步蟾	Buchan
Title	Gehong'e	格洪額	Gehong'e
Surname	Liu	劉	Liu
Title	Qiangyong Batulu	強勇巴圖魯	Qiangyong Batulu

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0084

Roles

Military Officer
Scholar

Life and dates

Death

Manner: killed-in-battle · Cause: shell · Place: Weihai / 威海 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 光緒二十一年 · Western Year: AD 1895
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0099

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 光緒二十一年 · Western Year: AD 1895
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0099
Source Date: Text: 光緒二十年 · Western Year: AD 1894
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0096
Source Date: Text: 光緒十一年 · Western Year: AD 1885
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0092
Source Date: Text: 光緒十四年 · Western Year: AD 1888
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0095
Source Date: Text: 光緒改元 · Western Year: AD 1875
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0090
Source Date: Text: 同治十一年 · Western Year: AD 1872
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0087

Career and standing

Label: garrison commander / 守備 · Action: appointed
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0090
Label: guerrilla officer / 游擊 · Action: promoted-to
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0091
Label: registered nominal provincial commander / 記名提督 · Action: promoted-to
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0098
Label: right-wing commander / 右翼總兵 · Action: promoted-to
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0095

Places and affiliations

Place: Houguan / 侯官
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0084

Learning and skills

Institution: Fujian Naval Academy / 福建船政學堂 · Credential: graduated first
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0085
Credential: first in Fujian-Guangdong navigation joint exam / 會考閩、廣駕駛生，复冠其曹 · Action: earned
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0087
Skill: Western surveying / 西法測量 · Level: practiced
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0088
Skill: artillery and mines / 槍砲、水雷 · Level: studied-in-Europe
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0090

Works and attributed material

Work: navy regulations / 海軍規制 · Relation: drafted
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0100

Events and relationships

Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: fought · Place: Dadonggou / 大東溝
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0097
Relation: recommended-by · Person Id: Ding Baozhen (丁寶楨)
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0091
Relation: recommended-by · Person Id: Li Hongzhang (李鴻章)
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0091
Relation: subordinate-of · Person Id: Ding Ruchang (丁汝昌)
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0101

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: foremost among Chinese who understood naval tactics; blamed for not cooperating with Ding Ruchang · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0101, qingshigao:460:s0102

Source notes

From: Qiangyong Batulu / 強勇巴圖魯 · To: Gehong'e / 格洪額
Explicit · qingshigao:460:s0098

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 460Volume 460 Biographies 247: Zuo Baogui Younger Brother: Bao Xian, Yong Shan, Deng Shichang, Liu Buchan, Lin Taiceng, Dai Zongqian · 9 passages

Open chapter

左寶貴弟寶賢等永山鄧世昌劉步蟾林泰曾等戴宗騫 Zuo Baogui (and his younger brother Bao Xian and others), Yong Shan, Deng Shichang, Liu Buchan, Lin Taiceng and others, and Dai Zongqian

時定海軍經制，借補中軍副將，而以汝昌為提督，其左右翼總兵則閩人林泰曾、劉步蟾也。 When the navy's permanent organization was fixed, he was made acting central vice commander under Admiral Ding Ruchang; the left and right wing commanders were the Fujian men Lin Taiceng and Liu Buchan.

劉步蟾，侯官人。 Liu Buchan was a native of Houguan.

維時海軍初立，借才異地，西人實為管帶，步蟾副之。 The navy was still new and had to rely on foreign expertise; Westerners actually commanded the ships, with Buchan as their deputy.

十四年，以參將赴歐領四快船歸，遷副將，賜號強勇巴圖魯，擢右翼總兵。 In the fourteenth year, as a major, he went to Europe and brought back four fast cruisers; he was promoted to vice commander, granted the title Qiangyong Batulu, and made right-wing commander.

論功，晉記名提督，易其勇號曰格洪額。 For this service he was advanced to registered nominal provincial commander and his brave-title was changed to Gehong'e.

步蟾通西學，海軍規制多出其手。 Buchan was thoroughly versed in Western learning, and much of the navy's regulations were of his drafting.

然華人明海戰術，步蟾為最先，雖敗挫，殺敵甚眾。 Yet among Chinese who truly understood naval warfare, Buchan was the first; though the fleet was beaten, he killed a great many of the enemy.

旅、大既失，威海勢孤，步蟾、宗騫皆先後誓死。 After Lüshun and Dalian fell, Weihai was cut off; Buchan and Zongqian each in turn swore to die for the cause.