Xu Songnian (許松年)

Overview

Xu Songnian was a Naval Officer and Commander-in-Chief.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Rongjun	蓉俊	Rongjun

Life and dates

Death

At at home 家
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 186

Attested activity

AD 1797 to AD 1803 列傳題名與李長庚等同卷
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 3
AD 1806 十一年二月
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 36
AD 1806 十一年正月
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 35
AD 1808 十三年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 150
AD 1806 嘉慶十一年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 174
AD 1806 嘉慶十一年春
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 107

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AD 1808 嘉慶十三年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 178
AD 1814 嘉慶十九年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 183
AD 1807 嘉慶十二年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 177
AD 1810 嘉慶十五年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 182
AD 1805 嘉慶十年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 136
AD 1805 嘉慶十年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 170
AD 1825 to AD 1827 道光五年至七年台灣匪亂
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 380, passages 76, 78
AD 1821 道光元年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 184
AD 1826 道光六年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 185
AD 1826 to AD 1850 道光六年後卒於家
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 185-186

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Mother of Xu Songnian (許松年母)
mother 母
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 182
Parent of Xu Xilin (許錫麟)
son 子
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 187

Key source chapters

Career and standing

naval officer 水師
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 169
acting regional commander of Jinmen 護理金門鎮總兵
AD 1805 嘉慶十年 · Acted as
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 170
regional commander of Xining, Gansu 甘肅西寧鎮總兵
AD 1814 嘉慶十九年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 183
regional commander 總兵
AD 1808 十三年 · Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 150
naval commander 水師提督
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 380, passage 78
Regional Commander 總兵
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 35

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brigade colonel on the provincial commander's staff 提標參將
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 169
regional commander of Jieshi 碣石鎮總兵
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 183
regional commander of Tianjin 天津鎮總兵
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 183
regional commander of Yan-sui 延綏鎮總兵
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 183
regional commander of Zhangzhou 漳州鎮總兵
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 183
Guangdong land-force commander-in-chief 廣東陸路提督
AD 1821 道光元年 · Promoted
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 184
Fujian naval commander-in-chief 福建水師提督
AD 1821 道光元年 · Transferred
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 184
peacock feather 花翎
AD 1808 嘉慶十三年 · Awarded
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 178, 180
special commendation 優敘
AD 1807 嘉慶十二年 · Received
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 177
special commendation 優敘
Received
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 181
hereditary Cloud Cavalry Captain 雲騎尉世職
AD 1808 嘉慶十三年 · Granted to heirs
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 178, 180
Entered
AD 1810 嘉慶十五年 · Mourning
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 182
Ordered
AD 1826 道光六年 · Retained on duty · At Taiwan 台
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 185
Requested leave
Illness
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 186
Wounds reopened
AD 1810 嘉慶十五年 · Wounded
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 182
stripped of office for lax governance 治理輕縱，被議褫職
AD 1826 道光六年 · Stripped of office · Dismissed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 185

Places and affiliations

Polity Qing 清 · Relation Active under
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 35
Polity Qing 清 · Relation Associated with
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 3
Polity Qing 清 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 107, 169, 184; Draft History of Qing 380, passage 78
Polity Qing 清 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 136
At Ruian, Zhejiang 浙江瑞安
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 168
AD 1808 嘉慶十三年
At Guangdong 粵 · Relation Campaigned in
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 178

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AD 1810 嘉慶十五年
At native place (Ruian) 籍 · Relation Returned to
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 182

Learning and skills

Held
Credential military licentiate 武舉
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 169

Events and relationships

Attacked repeatedly
AD 1805 嘉慶十年 · Military · Commander · With Cai Qian (蔡牽) · At Qinglong Harbor and Doumiyang 青龍港、斗米洋
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 170, 173
Attacked
AD 1806 十一年正月 · Military · Commander · At Zhouzaiwei 洲仔尾
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 35-36
Attacked
AD 1805 嘉慶十年 · Military · Commander · With Cai Qian (蔡牽) · At Little Ryukyu 小琉球
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 170-171
Attacked
AD 1805 嘉慶十年 · Military · Commander · With Zhu Fen (硃濆) · At Gongzai Sea 宮仔洋
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 170, 172
Attacked
AD 1805 嘉慶十年 · Military · Commander · With Wu Shier (烏石二) · At Gongzai Sea 宮仔洋
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 170, 172
Boarded and captured ship
AD 1807 嘉慶十二年 · Military · Commander · With Cai Qian (蔡牽) · At Daxing Island and Fuying Sea 大星嶼、浮鷹洋
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 177

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Captured
AD 1806 嘉慶十一年夏 · Military · Captor · With Cai Sanlai (蔡三來) · At Shui'ao 水澳
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 175
Defeated and captured ships
AD 1808 to AD 1810 嘉慶十三年至十五年 · Military · Commander · With Zhang Baozi (張保仔) · At Jinmen and Xiamen waters 金門、廈門
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 178, 181
Defeated
AD 1806 嘉慶十一年 · Military · Commander · With Cai Qian (蔡牽) · At Zhouzaiwei, Taiwan 台灣洲仔尾 · With Person Id Wang Delu (王得祿)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 174
Held waters and captured ships
AD 1806 嘉慶十一年夏 · Military · Blockader · At Zhangkeng and Fancheng 張坑、返埕
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 175
Hunted down
AD 1808 嘉慶十三年 · Military · Commander · With Zhu Fen (硃濆) · At Dongyong outer sea 東涌外洋
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 178
Joint campaign
AD 1805 嘉慶十年 · Military · Commander · With Cai Qian (蔡牽) · At Little Ryukyu 小琉球
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 136
Killed
AD 1808 十三年 · Military · Commander · With Zhu Fen (硃濆) · At Fujian waters 閩洋
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 150
Mortally wounded and killed
AD 1808 嘉慶十三年 · Military · Commander · With Zhu Fen (硃濆) · At Changshanwei 長山尾
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 178-179
Ordered to suppress Zhanghua bandits
Military · Commander · At Zhanghua 彰化
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 380, passage 78
Pursued and defeated
AD 1805 嘉慶十年 · Military · Commander · With Zhu Fen (硃濆) · At Jiazi Sea 甲子洋
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 170, 172
Reconnoitered Anping with Wang Delu; burned pirate fleet; camped at Chaitou Harbor
AD 1806 嘉慶十一年春 · Military · Officer · With Wang Delu (王得祿)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 107
Suppressed factional fighting
AD 1826 道光六年 · Military · Commander · At Taiwan 台灣
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 185
Relation Colleague of · Person Wang Delu (王得祿)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 107
Relation Subordinate of · Person Li Changgeng (李長庚)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 35, 107, 169, 172, 177
Relation Colleague of · Person Qiu Lianggong (邱良功)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 136
Relation At odds with · Person Sun Erzhun (孫爾準)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 185

Assessments and attributes

Assessment capable of independent naval command · Mode named-source-report Source Person Id Li Changgeng (李長庚)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 176
Assessment valor in destroying the pirate ringleader · Mode edict
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 180

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 3; Draft History of Qing 359, passage 150

References in the histories

Search passages

History

15 passages

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 350Volume 350 Biographies 137: Li Changgeng Son: Ting Yu, Hu Zhensheng, Wang Delu, Qiu Lianggong, Chen Buyun, Xu Songnian, Huang Biao, Lin Guoliang, Xu Tinggui · 13 passages

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許松年黃標林國良許廷桂 Xu Songnian, Huang Biao, Lin Guoliang, and Xu Tinggui

長庚至，不得入，諜知南汕、北汕、大港門可通小舟，遣總兵許松年、副將王得祿繞道入，攻洲仔尾，連敗之。 When Changgeng arrived he could not force an entrance, but intelligence showed that small boats could pass through Nanshan, Beishan, and Dagangmen. He sent Regional Commander Xu Songnian and Deputy Commander Wang Delu around by those routes to strike Zhouzaiwei and won a series of victories.

二月，松年登洲仔尾，焚其藔，牽反救，長庚遣兵出南汕，與松年夾擊，大敗之。 In the second month Xu Songnian landed at Zhouzaiwei and burned the pirate camps. When Qian turned back to relieve them, Changgeng sent forces out from Nanshan to join Songnian in a pincer attack and routed the pirates completely.

李長庚令得祿與許松年駕小舟自安平港入偵之，帆檣彌望，夜縱火焚賊舟，遂入屯柴頭港。 Li Changgeng ordered Delu and Xu Songnian to take small boats into Anping Harbor on a reconnaissance mission. Pirate sails filled the horizon. That night they set fire to the enemy fleet and then established a camp at Chaitou Harbor.

嘉慶十年，偕許松年會剿蔡牽，追至小琉球，見台灣師船二為賊圍，赴援，松年舉旗招之，未至。 In the tenth year of Jiaqing he joined Xu Songnian in a joint campaign against Cai Qian and pursued him as far as Little Ryukyu. Seeing two Taiwan naval vessels surrounded by pirates, he went to their relief, but though Songnian raised signals summoning him, he did not arrive in time.

許松年，字蓉俊，浙江瑞安人。 Xu Songnian, whose style name was Rongjun, came from Ruian in Zhejiang.

是年夏，李長庚攻牽於鹿耳門，松年扼張坑、返埕洋面，獲賊船一，沉船三，又於水澳擒蔡三來等。 That summer, while Li Changgeng attacked Qian at Lu'ermen, Songnian held the waters off Zhangkeng and Fancheng, captured one pirate ship, sank three, and at Shui'ao captured Cai Sanlai and others.

李長庚論水師將材，舉松年可獨當一面，總督阿林保以疏聞。 Li Changgeng praised Songnian as a naval officer capable of independent command, and Governor-General Alinbao reported this to the throne.

十二年，從長庚擊蔡牽於大星嶼、浮鷹洋，松年躍入賊船獲之，被優敘。 In the twelfth year he fought under Changgeng against Cai Qian at Daxing Island and Fuying Sea. Songnian leaped aboard an enemy ship and captured it, earning special commendation.

十三年，硃濆潛匿東涌外洋，命松年躡剿，遂移師入粵。 In the thirteenth year Zhu Fen was hiding in the outer waters off Dongyong. Songnian was ordered to hunt him down and then moved his forces into Guangdong.

詔嘉松年奮勇，克殲渠魁，賜花翎，予雲騎尉世職。 An edict commended Songnian's valor in destroying the pirate leader, awarded him the peacock feather, and granted his family the hereditary rank of Cloud Cavalry Captain.

粵匪張保仔竄閩洋金門、廈門，松年遣漁船誘之，以舟師圍擊，獲船七，沉船六，被優敘。 When the Guangdong pirate Zhang Baozi fled into Fujian waters off Jinmen and Xiamen, Songnian used fishing boats as bait, surrounded him with the fleet, captured seven ships and sank six, and received special commendation.

六年，台灣械鬥，松年方閱兵，彈壓解散，總督孫爾準與之不協，尋以治理輕縱，被議褫職，留台效力。 In the sixth year armed factions clashed in Taiwan. Songnian was inspecting troops at the time and suppressed the fighting, but Governor-General Sun Erzhun bore him a grudge. He was soon criticized for lax governance, stripped of his post, and ordered to remain in Taiwan on duty.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 359Volume 359 Biographies 146: Yue Qi, Jing Daoqian, Xie Qikun, Li Diantu, Zhang Shicheng, Wang Shaolan, Li Yichou, Qian Kai, He Shunwu · 1 passage

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十三年，硃濆與牽有隙，獨竄閩洋，總兵許松年擊斃之。 In the thirteenth year Zhu Fen broke with Cai Qian, fled alone into Fujian waters, and was killed in action by regional commander Xu Songnian.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 380Volume 380 Biographies 167: Chen Ruolin, Dai Sanxi, Sun Erzhun, Cheng Zuluo, Ma Jisheng, Yu Tai, He Zhangling · 1 passage

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彰化匪徒械鬥焚劫，旁近蜂起，全台震動，檄水師提督許松年剿捕，副將邵永福等趨艋舺，阻其北竄； Ruffians in Zhanghua rioted with arms, burning and looting; neighboring districts erupted and all Taiwan was shaken. Erzhun ordered Naval Commander Xu Songnian to suppress them, while Brigadier Shao Yongfu and others rushed to Mengjia to block their escape north;