Guan Tianpei

Who was Guan Tianpei?

Guan Tianpei was a Chinese admiral of the Qing Dynasty who served in the First Opium War. His Chinese title was "Commander-in-Chief of Naval Forces". In 1838, he established courteous relations with British Rear-Admiral Frederick Maitland. Guan fought in the First Battle of Chuenpee, the Second Battle of Chuenpee, and the Battle of the Bogue. A British account described his death in the Anunghoy forts during the Battle of the Bogue on 26 February 1841:

Among these, the most distinguished and lamented was poor old Admiral Kwan, whose death excited much sympathy throughout the force; he fell by a bayonet wound in his breast, as he was meeting his enemy at the gate of Anunghoy, yielding up his brave spirit willingly to a soldier's death, when his life could only be preserved through the certainty of degradation. He was altogether a fine specimen of a gallant soldier, unwilling to yield when summoned to surrender, because to yield would imply treason.

The following day, his body was claimed by his family and a salute of minute-guns was fired from HMS Blenheim in his honour.