the qing decided to reconquer xinjiang in the late 1870s. zuo zongtang, previously a general in the xiang army, was the commander in chief of all qing troops participating in this counterinsurgency. his subordinates were the han chinese general liu jintang and manchu jin shun. as zuo zongtang moved into xinjiang to crush the muslim rebels under yaqub beg, he was joined by dungan (hui) general ma anliang and general dong fuxiang. qing forces entered ürümqi unopposed. yaqub's subordinates defected to the qing or fled as his forces started to fall apart, and the oasis fell easily to the qing troops.