Background
Born in Yongchang (now Baoshan, Yunnan), Du Wenxiu was the son of a Han Chinese who converted to Islam.
杜文秀
Born in Yongchang (now Baoshan, Yunnan), Du Wenxiu was the son of a Han Chinese who converted to Islam.
Du had Han Chinese ancestry. His original name was Yang Xiu. He styled himself "Sultan of Dali" and reigned for 16 years before Qing troops under Cen Yuying beheaded him after he swallowed a ball of opium.
His body is entombed in Xiadui.
The rebellion started after massacres of Hui perpetrated by the Manchu authorities. Du used anti-Manchu rhetoric in his rebellion against the Qing, calling for Han to join the Hui to overthrow the Manchu Qing after 200 years of their rule.
On multiple occasions Kunming was attacked and sacked by Du Wenxiu"s forces. A third of the Sultanate"s military posts were filled with Han Chinese, who also filled the majority of civil posts.
His capital was Dali.
The revolt ended in 1873. Du Wenxiu is regarded as a hero by the present day government of China.
