Shi Kefa

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Shi Kefa (1601–1645) was a Ming dynasty official and skilled calligrapher. Born in Kaifeng, he passed the imperial exams and became a government official in the 1620s. He earned a jinshi degree in 1628 and held various posts, helping suppress peasant revolts and later governing several prefectures. In 1643 he was named Minister of War in Nanjing.

In 1644 Beijing fell to Li Zicheng, and soon after the Qing arrived in northern China. In the Southern Ming court, Shi Kefa led loyalist efforts for a time, but internal court fighting weakened the regime. He tried to push the court to ally with the Qing to wipe out the rebels first and then drive back the invaders, but the government did not unite.

Shi Kefa was sent north to reinforce defenses, but ongoing conflicts among generals made it hard to stop the northern advance. In 1645 Qing forces besieged Yangzhou. Shi Kefa refused to surrender, guiding the defense as long as he could. When Yangzhou fell, he was killed after a siege that shocked many people.

Shi Kefa’s willingness to fight and die for his city made him a symbol of loyalty. The Southern Ming later gave him the posthumous name Zhongjing (loyal and peaceful), and the Qing era added another name, Zhongzheng (loyal and upright). He is remembered both for his brave defense of Yangzhou and for his elegant calligraphy. A memorial in Yangzhou honors his legacy.