Battle of Shanhai Pass

Battle of Shanhai Pass
	Part of the Ming–Qing transition
	; Battle of Shanhai Pass
Date	May 27, 1644
Location	Shanhai Pass, China39°58′44″N 119°46′32″E / 39.97889°N 119.77556°E
Result	Qing victory
Belligerents
Qing dynasty ; Ming defenders of Shanhai Pass	Shun dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Dorgon ; Wu Sangui	Li Zicheng
Strength
Qing: 60,000 men; Wu Sangui: about 100,000 men, including tens of thousands from local militia;	Disputed: between 60,000 and 100,000 men
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

The Battle of Shanhai Pass, fought on May 27, 1644 at Shanhai Pass at the eastern end of the Great Wall, was a decisive battle leading to the beginning of the Qing dynasty rule in China proper. There, the Qing prince-regent Dorgon allied with former Ming general Wu Sangui to defeat rebel leader Li Zicheng of the Shun dynasty, allowing Dorgon and the Qing army to rapidly conquer Beijing.

^ C. Cao, 1644: Showdown At Shanhaiguan, 10. Archived May 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^ Frederic Wakeman claims that Wu's army counted about 50,000, and that he mustered about 50,000 militia troops in addition (Wakeman 1985, p. 296, note 213). Frederick Mote states instead that Wu's garrison in Ningyuan numbered up to 80,000 men, who were later joined by 20,000 to 30,000 local braves (Mote 1999, pp. 808 [Ningyuan troops] and 817 [militia]).
^ 60,000: Wakeman 1985, p. 296. 100,000: Mote 1999, p. 816.

[Cao10-1] C. Cao, 1644: Showdown At Shanhaiguan, 10. Archived May 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine

[2] Frederic Wakeman claims that Wu's army counted about 50,000, and that he mustered about 50,000 militia troops in addition (Wakeman 1985, p. 296, note 213). Frederick Mote states instead that Wu's garrison in Ningyuan numbered up to 80,000 men, who were later joined by 20,000 to 30,000 local braves (Mote 1999, pp. 808 [Ningyuan troops] and 817 [militia]).

[3] 60,000: Wakeman 1985, p. 296. 100,000: Mote 1999, p. 816.

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