Qing Conquest of Sichuan

Timeline

1. 1651Northern Sichuan Basin · SichuanAfter Zhang Xianzhong's Great Xi regime collapsed in 1646, Sichuan endured years of war and massacre, with massive population loss and abandoned towns, nearly masterless. Qing forces exploited this power vacuum, entering from Shaanxi and Huguang in several columns, meeting extremely weak resistance and advancing rapidly.
2. 1651Chengdu · SichuanQing forces occupied Chengdu, appointed a governor and general of Sichuan, implemented the baojia system, restored the imperial examinations, and issued orders to recruit vagrants to reclaim wasteland. Sichuan formally became a first-level province of the Qing, marking the basic establishment of Qing rule over the southwestern hinterland.
3. 1651Sichuan · SichuanThe Qing court used Sichuan as a logistics base for advancing into Yunnan and Guizhou, garrisoning heavy Green Standard forces. Sichuan became the strategic springboard for continued attacks on the Southern Ming Yongli regime, providing supplies and manpower for commanders like Wu Sangui who later directed southwestern military affairs.