"The Biography of Zheng Chenggong" is a biographical historical work that details the life and deeds of the national hero Zheng Chenggong (also known as Guo Xingye) in the late Ming Dynasty. The author is Zheng Yizou, a Jinshi historian in the Qing Dynasty, whose courtesy name is Juzhong and a native of Haicheng, Fujian. The book was written in the 45th year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (about 1706). The author was secretary of the cabinet at that time and wrote this biography after retreating to Baiyundong. The time was only more than 20 years after Zheng Chenggong's death. The historical materials are relatively recent and have a close geographical perspective. The historical records of the Zheng family are particularly detailed. The whole book is usually divided into two volumes. It is an important record of the early systematic arrangement of historical materials on Zheng Chenggong's life.
"The Biography of Zheng Chenggong" details Zheng Chenggong's growth background, military career, political activities and struggle against the Qing Dynasty in a chronological manner. It presents his life achievements one by one from inheriting his father's legacy, leading the army to resist the Qing Dynasty, to organizing maritime forces and regaining Taiwan. The book not only records Zheng Chenggong's achievements and strategies, but also covers his relationship with the Qing court, the late Ming Dynasty and the Southern Ming government, as well as many details about his soldiers, entourage, and family. It also includes biographical materials and insights from different sources, making the overall narrative rich and informative.
"The Biography of Zheng Chenggong" also appends other relevant historical materials, such as the biography of Zheng Zhilong in the Qing History Biography, the biography of Zheng Chenggong in the Qing History Draft, and supplementary texts such as "Collection of the Two Kings of Yanping" and "Examination of the Official Titles of King Zheng Yanping Accepted by the Ming Dynasty", which adds to the level of historical materials and research value.
For modern readers and historians, "The Biography of Zheng Chenggong" is not only a basic reading book for studying the historical figure Zheng Chenggong, but also an important historical material for understanding the maritime anti-Qing movement, the political and military changes in the southeastern coast, and the rise and fall of the Zheng Dynasty in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Because this book was written relatively early and is close to the historical scene, it is regarded as an important reference for Zheng Chenggong's biography and the study of the history of the Southern Ming Dynasty.
