Li Dingguo's Yunnan Campaign

Timeline

1. 1654Xinhui (Guangdong) to Guilin, Guangxi · GuangxiLi Dingguo besieged Xinhui in Guangdong in 1653–1654; plague ravaged the area and the offensive stalled. When Qing reinforcements arrived, the Southern Ming besieging force suffered heavy casualties, forcing Li to lift the siege, lead his remnants back to Guangxi, and eventually retreat toward Yunnan.
2. 1654Yunnan · YunnanAfter returning to Yunnan, Li Dingguo, with the support of the Yongli Emperor, set about rebuilding the army, reorganizing the remnants, recruiting local ethnic minority soldiers, repairing camps, and restoring arms supplies. Yunnan became the Southern Ming's last secure base, and Li worked to construct defensive depth.
3. 1654Kunming, Yunnan · YunnanLi Dingguo actively communicated with Zheng Chenggong on a joint counteroffensive strategy; the idea of coordinated northern and southern advances was raised repeatedly between 1654 and 1658. After this round of rebuilding in Yunnan, Li maintained the Southern Ming's most important fighting force in the southwest, preventing the Qing court from swiftly conquering Yunnan and Guizhou.