Daišan
The elder statesman of the early Qing dynasty, whose steady leadership and loyalty to his brother Hong Taiji were instrumental in consolidating Manchu rule over China.
1583–1648 (age 65)·Qing dynasty prince and statesman·Birthday: August 19
Biography
Daišan was a pillar of the Qing conquest. As the second son of the dynasty's founding patriarch, Nurhaci, he was a senior figure in the Manchu ruling clan during its most critical transition from regional chieftains to emperors of China. While never becoming Khan himself, his influence was profound. He served as a trusted lieutenant to his younger brother, Hong Taiji, who formally declared the Qing dynasty. Daišan led armies, administered state affairs, and provided crucial stability within the fractious Aisin Gioro family. His seniority commanded respect, and he often presided over the Deliberative Council of Princes and Ministers, a key governing body. When Hong Taiji died suddenly in 1643, Daišan helped broker the compromise that made the young Fulin (the future Shunzhi Emperor) ruler, with Dorgon as regent, preventing a destructive succession crisis. He died just a few years after the Qing captured Beijing, a founding elder who helped lay the administrative and military groundwork for a dynasty that would last for centuries.
#1 When Daišan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1583
Daišan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1583Born
1588Started school
1596Became a teenager
1599Could drive
1601Could vote
1604Turned 21
1613Turned 30
1623Turned 40
1633Turned 50
1643Turned 60
1648Died at 65
Key Achievements
- Served as the first head of the Deliberative Council of Princes and Ministers, a core Qing governing institution.
- Played a key mediating role in the succession compromise that followed the death of Hong Taiji in 1643.
- Held the highest noble rank of *Qinwang* (Prince of the First Rank) under the Qing system.
- Commanded important military campaigns during the early Qing consolidation of power.
Did You Know?
His name, Daišan, means 'warrior' or 'fighting mountain' in Manchu.
He was one of the few princes granted the privilege of wearing a sable hat at court, a mark of high honor.
Despite being Nurhaci's second son, he was passed over for succession in favor of his younger brother, Hong Taiji.
He was posthumously honored with the title 'Prince Li of the First Rank' (和硕礼亲王).
“A prince must see the steppe and the plow as one field.”
