Taiping Rebellion
Taiping Army meeting with their leader
Date December, 1850 – August 1871 Location China Result Victory by the Qing dynasty Fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Weakening of the Qing Dynasty
Belligerents
Qing Empire United Kingdom France (United Kingdom and France join the war later)	Taiping Heavenly Kingdom
Commanders
Xianfeng Emperor Tongzhi Emperor Empress Dowager Cixi Zeng Guofan Zuo Zongtang Charles George Gordon Frederick Townsend Ward	Hong Xiuquan Yang Xiuqing Xiao Chaogui Feng Yunshan Wei Changhui Shi Dakai Li Xiucheng
Strength
2,000,000-5,000,000 regulars ~300,000 militia	1,000,000-3,000,000 regulars
Casualties and losses
~20,000,000 including civilians and soldiers (best estimate)

The Taiping Rebellion or Rebellion of Great Peace was a large-scale revolt against the authority and forces of the Qing Government in China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Xianfeng Emperor, born Yizhu, ( July 17, 1831 - August 22, 1861) was the eighth Emperor of the Manchu The Tongzhi Emperor, born Zaichun ( April 27, 1856 &ndash January 12, 1875) was the ninth emperor of the Manchu Empress Dowager Cixi 1 ( ( November 29 1835 – November 15 1908) popularly known in China as the Zeng Guofan ( Pinyin: Zēng Guófán Wade-Giles: Tseng Kuo-fan Styled Bóhán 伯函 and variably Díshēng 滌生 Posthumous Zuǒ Zōngtáng 1st Marquess Kejing of the Second Class ( Courtesy name: Jigao) ( November 10, 1812 - September 5, 1885) spelled Major-General, CB ( 28 January 1833 &ndash 26 January 1885) known as Chinese Gordon, Gordon Pasha Frederick Townsend Ward (1831&ndash1862 was an American sailor Mercenary and Soldier of fortune famous for his military victories for Imperial China Hóng Xiùquán ( January 1 1814 &ndash June 1 1864 born Hong Renkun (洪仁坤 Courtesy name Huoxiu (火秀 was a Hakka Chinese who Yang Xiuqing ( Chinese 楊秀清 Wade-Giles Yang Hsiu-Ch'ing (died September 2/3 1856 organizer and Commander-in-chief of the Taiping Rebellion Xiao Chaogui (蕭朝貴 was an important leader during the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing government 1850-1864 Feng Yunshan (馮雲山 was an important leader during the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing government 1850&ndash1864 Wei Changhui (韋昌輝 was the North King of the Taiping Rebellion. Shi Dakai (1820- 25 June 1863 (石達開 born in Guigang Guangxi, also known as Wing King (Lord of Five Thousand Years was a commander in the Taiping Li Xiucheng (李秀成 1823--- August 7[[ 864]] eminent military leader of the Taiping Rebellion, and known during his military tenure as the King of Zhong Rebellion is a refusal of obedienceIt may therefore be seen as encompassing a range of Behaviours from Civil disobedience and mass Nonviolent resistance Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National It was conducted from 1850 to 1864 by an army and civil administration led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan. For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Heterodoxy includes "any opinions or doctrines at variance with an official or orthodox position" Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Hóng Xiùquán ( January 1 1814 &ndash June 1 1864 born Hong Renkun (洪仁坤 Courtesy name Huoxiu (火秀 was a Hakka Chinese who He established the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace (traditional Chinese: 太平天國; simplified Chinese: 太平天国; pinyin: Tàipíng Tiān Guó) with capital Nanjing and gained control of significant parts of southern China, at its height ruling over about 30 million people. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use ( Chinese: 南京 Romanizations Nánjīng ( Pinyin) Nan-ching ( Wade-Giles They tried to institute several social reforms, such as strict separation of the sexes, abolition of foot binding, land socialization, "suppression" of private trade, and the replacement of Confucianism, Buddhism and Chinese folk religion by a form of Christianity, holding that Hong Xiuquan was the younger brother of Jesus. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Chinese folk religion is a collective label given to various folkloric beliefs that draws heavily from Chinese mythology. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE)

The Taiping areas were constantly besieged and harassed by Qing forces; the rebellion was eventually put down by the Qing army aided by French and British forces. With an estimated death toll of between 20 and 30 million due to warfare and resulting starvation, this civil war ranks as the third bloodiest conflict in history, behind the two world wars. Warfare refers to the conduct of conflict between opponents and usually involves escalation of aggression from the proverbial "war of words" between politicians Starvation (also called inanition) is a severe reduction in Vitamin, Nutrient, and Energy intake and is the most extreme form of A world war is a War affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations Mao Zedong viewed the Taiping as early heroic revolutionaries against a corrupt feudal system. Mao Zedong ( 26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese Military and political leader who led Today, artifacts from the Taiping period can be seen at the Taiping Kingdom History Museum in Nanjing. The Taiping Kingdom History Museum (） is a museum dedicated to artifacts from the Taiping Rebellion.

Contents 1 Background and beginning of the rebellion 2 Climax 3 The Heavenly Kingdom's policies 3.1 Theology 3.2 Currency 3.3 Administration 4 Downfall 5 Death toll 6 Taiping Heavenly Army 6.1 Ethnic structure of the army 6.2 Social structure of the army 7 Imperial Army 8 Further reading 9 Taiping Rebellion in popular culture 10 References 10.1 Bibliography 11 See also

Background and beginning of the rebellion

In the mid-19th century, China under the Qing Dynasty suffered a series of natural disasters, economic problems, and defeats at the hands of the Western powers--in particular, the humiliating defeat in 1842 by the United Kingdom in the First Opium War. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The First Opium War or the First Anglo-Chinese War was fought between the British East India Company and the Qing Dynasty in China from 1839 The Qing (ethnically Manchu) were seen by the Chinese citizenry (majority Han) as ineffective and corrupt foreign rulers. The Manchu people ( Manchu: Manju;, Mongolian: Манж Russian: Маньчжуры are a Tungusic people who originated in Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Anti-Manchu sentiment was strongest in the south among the laboring classes, and it was these disaffected who flocked to join the charismatic visionary Hong Xiuquan. After Hong failed to pass the examinations that would make him one of the elite, he studied the Bible with the help of a Protestant missionary. The Imperial examinations ( in Imperial China determined who among the population would be permitted to enter the state's Bureaucracy. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin One day he claimed to have had a vision to the effect that he was Jesus' brother. VisiCorp 's VisiOn was a short-lived but influential Graphical user interface -based Operating environment program for IBM PC compatible After his vision, he felt it was his duty to spread Christianity and overthrow the Qing so that China would no longer be under foreign rule.

Hong's associate Yang Xiuqing was a former firewood salesman of Guangxi, who frequently claimed to be able to act as a voice of God to direct the people and gain himself a large amount of political power. Yang Xiuqing ( Chinese 楊秀清 Wade-Giles Yang Hsiu-Ch'ing (died September 2/3 1856 organizer and Commander-in-chief of the Taiping Rebellion Guangxi (or Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region;) is a Zhuang autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity.

The sect's power grew in the late 1840s, initially in response to its struggle to suppress groups of bandits and pirates, but persecution by Qing authorities spurred the movement into a guerrilla rebellion and then into civil war. Events and trends Technology First use of General anesthesia in an operation by Crawford Long. This is about the television program Bandit as a general term refers to Outlaw. Piracy is Robbery committed at sea or sometimes on shore without a commission from a sovereign Nation (as distinct from Privateering Guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes raids etc A civil war is a War between a State and domestic political actors that are in control of some part of the territory claimed by the state

The revolt began in Guangxi Province. Guangxi (or Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region;) is a Zhuang autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. After a previous small-scale battle resulting in the rebels' victory in the late December 1850, in early January 1851, a ten thousand-strong rebel army organized by Feng Yunshan and Wei Changhui routed Imperial troops stationed at the town of Jintian. For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link 1851 ( MDCCCLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Feng Yunshan (馮雲山 was an important leader during the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing government 1850&ndash1864 Wei Changhui (韋昌輝 was the North King of the Taiping Rebellion. Heavenly Kingdom forces successfully drove back the Imperial reprisal, and on January 11, 1851, Hong Xiuquan formally declared the Jintian Uprising on his birthday (lunar calendar). Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. 1851 ( MDCCCLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year The Jintian Uprising (金田起義 was formally declared by Hong Xiuquan, leader of the disastrous Taiping Rebellion on January 11, 1851, during Subsequently, in August 1851, Hong declared the establishment of the Heavenly Kingdom of Peace (Taiping Tianguo) with himself as absolute ruler. An autocracy is a Form of government in which the Political power is held by a single self-appointed ruler

Climax

The revolt rapidly spread northward. In March 1853, between 700,000 and 800,000 Taiping soldiers directed by commander-in-chief Yang Xiuqing took Nanjing, killing 30,000 Imperial soldiers and slaughtering thousands of civilians. Year 1853 ( MDCCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common ( Chinese: 南京 Romanizations Nánjīng ( Pinyin) Nan-ching ( Wade-Giles The city became the movement's capital and was renamed Tianjing, "Heavenly Capital". Hong built his Palace of Heavenly King there by converting the former residence of Qing officials. The Presidential Palace ( in Nanjing, China, housed the Office of the President of the Republic of China before moving to Taiwan in 1949

At its height, the Heavenly Kingdom encompassed much of south and central China, centered on the fertile Yangtze river valley. Control of the river meant that the Taipings could easily supply their capital at Nanjing. From there, the Taipings continued their assault. Two armies were sent west, to secure the upper reaches of the Yangtze. Two more armies were sent north to take the Imperial capital, Beijing. Potentially, these two expeditions could have acted as a giant pincer movement across the country. The western expedition met with some mixed success, but the attempt to take Beijing failed.

In 1853, Hong withdrew from active control of policies and administration, ruling exclusively by written proclamations that often had religious content. Year 1853 ( MDCCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Hong disagreed with Yang in certain matters of policy and became increasingly suspicious of Yang's ambitions, his extensive network and spies, and his declarations when "speaking as God". Yang and his family were put to death by Hong's followers in 1856, followed by the killing of troops loyal to Yang. Year 1856 ( MDCCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year ^[1]

With their leader largely out of the picture, Taiping delegates tried to widen their popular support with the Chinese middle classes and forge alliances with European powers, but failed on both counts. The Europeans decided to stay neutral. Inside China, the rebellion faced resistance from the traditionalist middle class because of their hostility to Chinese customs and Confucian values. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B The land-owning upper class, unsettled by the Taipings' peasant mannerisms and their policy of strict separation of the sexes, even for married couples, sided with the Imperial forces and their Western allies.

In 1859, Hong Rengan, a cousin of Hong, joined the Taiping in Nanjing, and was given considerable power by Hong. Year 1859 ( MDCCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Hong Rengan ( 1822– November 23, 1864) was an important leader of the Taiping Rebellion. He developed an ambitious plan to expand westward, and in 1860 the Taiping were successful in taking Hangzhou and Suzhou, but failed to take Shanghai, which marked the beginning of the decline of the Kingdom. Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year starting ( Postal map spelling: Hangchow) is a Sub-provincial city located in the Yangtze River Delta in the People's Republic of China, Suzhou ( ancient name 吳) is a City on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Lake Taihu in the province of Jiangsu Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million

The Heavenly Kingdom's policies

Within the land that they controlled, the Taiping Heavenly Army established a theocratic and highly militarised rule. Theocracy is a form of government in which a god or deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler A military dictatorship is a Form of government wherein the political power resides with the Military; it is similar but not identical to a Stratocracy,

• The subject of study for the examinations for officials (formerly civil service exams) changed from the Confucian classics to the Bible. To examine somebody or something is to inspect it closely hence an examination is a detailed inspection or analysis of an object or person Civic service exams were implemented in various countries as a way to achieve an effective rational Public administration on a Merit system. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin
• Private property ownership was abolished and all land was held and distributed by the state. Property is any physical or virtual entity that is owned by an individual
• A solar calendar replaced the lunar calendar. A solar calendar is a Calendar whose dates indicate the position of the earth on its revolution around the Sun (or equivalently the apparent position of the sun moving A lunar calendar is a Calendar that is based on cycles of the Moon phase.
• Foot binding was banned. (The Hakka people had never followed this tradition, and consequently the Hakka women had always been able to work the fields. The Hakkas ( Hakka language: Hak-kâ; Mandarin Chinese: Kèjiā) are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly ^[2])
• The society was declared classless and the sexes were declared equal. Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures. An organism's sex is defined by the gametes it produces males produce male gametes (spermatozoa or Sperm) while females produce female gametes (ova or Egg cells; individual It was the first Chinese regime ever to admit women to examinations.
• The sexes were rigorously separated; there were separate army units consisting of women only; until 1855, not even married couples were allowed to live together or have sexual relations. Year 1855 ( MDCCCLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year ^[3]
• The Qing-dictated queue hairstyle was abandoned in favor of wearing the hair long. The queue or cue is a hairstyle in which the hair is worn long and gathered up into a pigtail
• Other new laws were promulgated including the prohibition of opium, gambling, tobacco, alcohol, polygamy (including concubinage), slavery, and prostitution. Opium is a Narcotic formed from the Latex (ie sap released by lacerating (or "scoring" the immature seed pods of opium poppies ( Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon The term polygamy (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage" is used in related ways in Social anthropology, Sociobiology, and Concubinage is the state of a woman or youth in an ongoing quasi-matrimonial relationship with a man of higher social status As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another Prostitution is the act of performing Sexual activity in exchange for Money. These all carried draconian penalties.

However, the rule was remarkably ineffective, haphazard and brutal; all efforts were concentrated on the army, and civil administration was very poor. Rule was established in the major cities but the land outside the urban areas was little regarded. Even though polygamy was banned, Hong Xiuquan had numerous concubines. Many high-ranking Taiping officials kept concubines as a matter of prerogative, and lived as de facto kings.

Theology

Although ostensibly Christian, the "Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace" has long been considered heretical by major branches of Christianity. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Heresy is an introduced change to some system of belief especially a religion that conflicts with the previously established canon of that belief

The movement's founder, Hong Xiuquan, had tried and failed to earn his shengyuan civil service degree numerous times. After one such failure in 1836, Hong overheard a Chinese Protestant missionary preaching and took home some Bible tracts, including a pamphlet titled "Good Words for Exhorting the Age" by Liang Fa. Liang Fa (梁發 Pinyin: Liang2 Fa1 (梁發 1789 - 1855 was the first Chinese Protestant minister and evangelist. The missionary was probably Edwin Stevens of New England, who operated illegally in China. History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the ^[4] In 1843, after Hong's final failure at the exams, he had what some regard as a nervous breakdown and others as a mystical revelation, connecting his in-depth readings of the Christian tracts to strange dreams he had been having for the past six years. Year 1843 ( MDCCCXLIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common In his dreams, a bearded man with golden hair gave him a sword, and, with a younger man Hong addressed as "Elder Brother," taught him to slay evil spirits. ^[5]

Based on his readings, Hong Xiuquan came to believe that the figures in his dreams were God the Father and Jesus Christ and that they were revealing his destiny as a slayer of demons and the leader of a new Heavenly Kingdom on Earth^[6]. The "demons" were later interpreted by him to be the Qing.

Hong developed a literalist understanding of the Bible, which soon gave rise to a unique theology. He rejected the doctrine of the Trinity -- only the Father was truly God. SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных In many religions the supreme Deity ( God) is given the title and attributions of Father. Jesus Christ was the Father's firstborn Son, with Hong Xiuquan himself being the Father's second Son and the younger brother of Jesus. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) It was said that when foreign missionaries later explained to Hong Xiuquan that Jesus was the Father's only Son, he simply crossed out the word "only". A missionary is a member of a Religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith someone who proselytizes. The Holy Spirit, for Hong, was nothing more than a "Holy Wind" (a belief based on the poor translation skills of Christian missionaries; the Latin root spirit- is literally breath); in fact, Hing's deputy Yang Xiuqing later took the title "Holy Wind the Comforter", as he was keen to gain titles. In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance Yang Xiuqing ( Chinese 楊秀清 Wade-Giles Yang Hsiu-Ch'ing (died September 2/3 1856 organizer and Commander-in-chief of the Taiping Rebellion Yang Xiuqing's religious motivations are disputed.

Based on his readings and personal revelations, Hong Xiuquan added a third group of books (in addition to the Old Testament and the New Testament) to the Taiping regime's Bible. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin

Currency

In its first year, the Heavenly Kingdom minted coins that were 23 mm to 26 mm in diameter, weighing around 4. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to 1 g. For other uses of the words gram or gramme see Gram (disambiguation. The inscription 太平天囯 ("The Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace") was on the front, where "Kingdom" was written in a non-standard form of the character (囯, instead of 國/国), and 聖寶 ("Holy Treasure") on the back.

Administration

Ranked below the "King of Heaven" (天王), Hong Xiuquan (洪秀全), the territory was divided among provincial rulers called kings or princes, initially there were five — the Kings of the Four Quarters and the King of the Yi (flanks). Types of administrative and/or political territories include Many types of legally administered territories, each of which is a non-sovereign geographic area Prince, from the Latin root Princeps, is a general term for a Monarch, for a member of a monarch's or former monarch's family and is a Of the original rulers, the West King and South King were killed in combat in 1852. The East King was murdered by the North King during a coup d'état in 1856, and the North King himself was subsequently killed. The kings' names were:

• South King (南王), Feng Yunshan (馮雲山) (–1852)
• East King (東王), Yang Xiuqing (楊秀清) (–1856)
• West King (西王), Xiao Chaogui (蕭朝貴) (–1852)
• North King (北王), Wei Changhui (韋昌輝) (–1856)
• Yi King (翼王), Shi Dakai (石達開) (captured and executed by Qing Imperials in 1863)

The later leaders of the movement were 'Princes':

• Zhong Prince (忠王), Li Xiucheng (李秀成) (1823–1864, captured and executed by Qing Imperials)
• Ying Prince (英王), Chen Yucheng (陳玉成) (1837–1862)
• Gan Prince (干王), Hong Rengan (洪仁玕 Hóng Rēngān) (1822–1864, executed), cousin of Hong Xiuquan
• Jun Prince (遵王), lai Wenkwok (賴文光) (1827–1868)
• Fu Prince (福王), Hong Renda (洪仁達) (executed by Qing Imperials in 1864), Hong Xiuquan's second eldest brother
• Tian Gui (Tien Kuei) (田貴?) (–1864, executed)

Other princes include:

• An Prince (安王), Hong Renfa (洪仁發), Hong Xiuquan's eldest brother
• Yong Prince (勇王), Hong Rengui (洪仁貴)
• Fu Prince (福王), Hong Renfu (洪仁富)

Downfall

An attempt to take Shanghai in August 1860 was repulsed by a force of Chinese troops and western officers under the command of Frederick Townsend Ward. Feng Yunshan (馮雲山 was an important leader during the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing government 1850&ndash1864 Yang Xiuqing ( Chinese 楊秀清 Wade-Giles Yang Hsiu-Ch'ing (died September 2/3 1856 organizer and Commander-in-chief of the Taiping Rebellion Xiao Chaogui (蕭朝貴 was an important leader during the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing government 1850-1864 Wei Changhui (韋昌輝 was the North King of the Taiping Rebellion. Shi Dakai (1820- 25 June 1863 (石達開 born in Guigang Guangxi, also known as Wing King (Lord of Five Thousand Years was a commander in the Taiping Li Xiucheng (李秀成 1823--- August 7[[ 864]] eminent military leader of the Taiping Rebellion, and known during his military tenure as the King of Zhong Chen Yucheng (c 1834-May 1862(陳玉成born in Guangxi, was a Chinese general during the Taiping Rebellion and later served as the Heroic (Ying Prince of Hong Rengan ( 1822– November 23, 1864) was an important leader of the Taiping Rebellion. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year starting Frederick Townsend Ward (1831&ndash1862 was an American sailor Mercenary and Soldier of fortune famous for his military victories for Imperial China ^[7] This army would later become the "Ever Victorious Army", led by "Chinese" Gordon, and would be instrumental in the defeat of the Taiping rebels. The Ever Victorious Army ( was the name given to an imperial army in late-19th century China. Major-General, CB ( 28 January 1833 &ndash 26 January 1885) known as Chinese Gordon, Gordon Pasha Imperial forces were reorganized under the command of Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang, and the Imperial reconquest began in earnest. Zeng Guofan ( Pinyin: Zēng Guófán Wade-Giles: Tseng Kuo-fan Styled Bóhán 伯函 and variably Díshēng 滌生 Posthumous Li Hongzhang, Marquis Suyi of the First Class, GCVO, ( February 15, 1823 &ndash November 7, 1901) was a Chinese By early 1864 Imperial control in most areas was well established.

Hong declared that God would defend Nanjing, but in June 1864, with Imperial forces approaching, he died of food poisoning as the result of eating wild vegetables as the city began to run out of food. Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Foodborne illness (also foodborne disease) is any Illness resulting from the consumption of food His body was buried in the former Ming Imperial Palace where it was later exhumed by the conquering Zeng to verify his death, and cremated. The 14th century Ming Palace in Nanjing, China was the imperial palace of the Hongwu Emperor, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty Hong's ashes were later blasted out of a cannon in order to ensure that his remains have no resting place as eternal punishment for the uprising.

Four months before the fall of the Heavenly Kingdom of Taiping, Hong Xiuquan abdicated in favour of Hong Tianguifu, his eldest son, fifteen years old. Hong Tianguifu (洪天貴福 in Pinyin: Hóng Tiānguìfú ( 1848 - November 18, 1864) also called Hong Tiangui and in Qing Hong Tianguifu was unable to do anything to restore the Kingdom, so the Kingdom was quickly destroyed when Nanjing fell in July 1864 to the Imperial armies after vicious street-by-street fighting. Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Most of the princes were executed by Qing Imperials in Jinling Town (金陵城), Nanjing.

Although the fall of Nanjing in 1864 marked the destruction of the Taiping regime, the fight was not yet over. Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year There were still several hundred thousand Taiping rebel troops continuing the fight, with more than a quarter-million Taiping rebels fighting in the border regions of Jiangxi and Fujian alone. ( Postal map spelling: Kiangsi is a southern province of the People's Republic of China, spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River This article is about the People's Republic of China province It would take more than half a decade to finally put down all remnants of the Taiping Rebellion: it was not until August 1871 that the last Taiping rebel army led by Shi Dakai's commander, General Li Fuzhong (李福忠) was completely wiped out by the governmental forces in the border region of Hunan, Guizhou and Guangxi. Shi Dakai (1820- 25 June 1863 (石達開 born in Guigang Guangxi, also known as Wing King (Lord of Five Thousand Years was a commander in the Taiping ( is a province of China, located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting (hence the name Hunan, meaning ( also spelled Kweichow) is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country Guangxi (or Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region;) is a Zhuang autonomous region of the People's Republic of China.

The Nian Rebellion (捻軍起義) (1853–1868), and several Muslim rebellions in the southwest (Panthay Rebellion, 1855–1873) and the northwest (Hui Rebellion in Gansu and Shaanxi, 1862–1877) continued to pose considerable problems for the Qing; some former Taiping rebels participated in these uprisings. The Nien Rebellion ( Western historians have traditionally used the Wade-Giles transcription "Nien" rather than Hanyu Pinyin "Nian" was an epic armed uprising that Year 1853 ( MDCCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The Panthay Rebellion (known in PRC as the Du Wenxiu Qiyi 杜文秀起义 1856&ndash1873 was a separatist movement of the Hui people and Chinese Muslims Year 1855 ( MDCCCLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Year 1873 ( MDCCCLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Dungan Revolt was a religious war It also known as the Hui Minorities' War and the Muslim Rebellion. Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday Year 1877 ( MDCCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

Death toll

Most accurate sources put the total deaths during the fifteen years of the rebellion at about 20 million civilians and soldiers. A casualty is a person who is the victim of an accident injury or trauma. Civilian casualties is a Military term describing Civilian or Non-combatant persons killed or injured by military action ^[8] Some historians estimate the combination of natural disasters together with the political insurrections may have cost as many as 200 million Chinese lives between 1850 and 1865. A natural disaster is the consequence of a Natural hazard (eg For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link Year 1865 ( MDCCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year That figure is generally thought to be an exaggeration, as it is approximately half the estimated population of China in 1851^[9]. 1851 ( MDCCCLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Modern estimates are that China’s population had been about 410 million in 1850 and, after the Taiping, Nien, Muslim, Panthay, Miao and other smaller rebellions, amounted to about 350 million in 1873. The Nien Rebellion ( Western historians have traditionally used the Wade-Giles transcription "Nien" rather than Hanyu Pinyin "Nian" was an epic armed uprising that The Dungan Revolt was a religious war It also known as the Hui Minorities' War and the Muslim Rebellion. The Panthay Rebellion (known in PRC as the Du Wenxiu Qiyi 杜文秀起义 1856&ndash1873 was a separatist movement of the Hui people and Chinese Muslims The Miao ( Vietnamese: Mèo or H'Mông Thai: แม้ว (Maew or ม้ง (Mong Burmese: mun lu-myo) are a linguistically and culturally ^[10].

At the Third Battle of Nanking in 1864, more than 100,000 were killed in three days. The Third Battle of Nanking was the last major engagement of the Taiping Rebellion, occurring in 1864 after the death of the king of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Hong

The rebellion happened at roughly the same time as the American Civil War. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Though almost certainly the largest civil war of the nineteenth century (in terms of numbers under arms), it is debatable whether the Taiping Rebellion involved more soldiers than the Napoleonic Wars earlier in the century, and so it is uncertain whether it should be considered the largest war of the nineteenth century. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions

Taiping Heavenly Army

The rebellion's army was its key strength. It was marked by a high level of discipline and fanaticism. In its most general sense discipline refers to systematic instruction given to a Disciple. They typically wore a uniform of red jackets with blue trousers and grew their hair long — in Chinese they were known as Chángmáo (長毛, meaning "long hair"). The large numbers of women serving in the Taiping Heavenly Army also distinguished it from 19th century armies.

Combat was always bloody and extremely brutal, with little artillery but huge forces equipped with small arms. Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine Small arms is a term used by the Armed forces to refer to Infantry Weapons such as the Firearms that an individual soldier can carry The Taiping army's main strategy of conquest was to take major cities, consolidate their hold on the cities, then march out into the surrounding countryside to battle Imperial forces. Estimates of the overall size of the Taiping Heavenly Army varied from 1,000,000 to 3,000,000.

The organization of a Taiping army corps was thus:

• 1 general
• 5 colonels
• 25 captains
• 125 lieutenants
• 500 sergeants
• 2,500 corporals
• 10,000 infantry

These corps were placed into armies of varying sizes. Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations A Private is a Soldier of the lowest Military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in In addition to the main Taiping forces organised along the above lines, there were also thousands of pro-Taiping groups fielding their own forces of irregulars.

Ethnic structure of the army

Ethnically, the Taiping Heavenly army was formed at the outset largely from two groups: the Hakka, a Han Chinese sub-group (客家 pinyin: kèjiā, literally “guest families” or “guest households”), and the Zhuang (a non-Han ethnic group), both of which were minority peoples as compared to the Han Chinese sub-groups that form dominant regional majorities across south China. The Hakkas ( Hakka language: Hak-kâ; Mandarin Chinese: Kèjiā) are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use The Zhuang (in the Zhuang language: Bouчcueŋь/Bouxcuengh) are an Ethnic group of people who mostly live in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Ethnic minorities in China refer to the non- Han Chinese population in Mainland China and Taiwan. Spoken Chinese ( comprises many regional variants the largest of which are Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, and Min. It is no coincidence that Hong and the other Taiping royals were Hakka. As a Han sub-group, the Hakka were frequently marginalized economically and politically, having migrated to the regions they inhabit only after other Hàn groups were already established there. For example, when the Hakka settled in Guangdong and parts of Guangxi, speakers of Cantonese were already the dominant regional Hàn group there and had been for some time, just as speakers of various dialects of Min (閩/闽) are locally dominant in Fujian province. Guangdong ( EFEO: Kouangtong; Pinyin Guǎngdōng; Postal map spelling: Kwangtung) is a province on the Guangxi (or Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region;) is a Zhuang autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. This article is about the People's Republic of China province The Hakka settled throughout South China and beyond, but as latecomers they generally had to establish their communities on rugged, less fertile land scattered on the fringe of the local majority group’s settlements. As their name (“guest households”) suggests, the Hakka were generally treated as migrant newcomers, often subject to hostility and derision from local majority Han populations. Consequently, the Hakka, to a greater extent than other Han Chinese, have been historically associated with popular unrest and rebellion.

The other significant ethnic group in the Taiping army were the Zhuang (traditional Chinese: 壯族; simplified Chinese: 壮族; pinyin: Zhuàngzú), an indigenous people of Tai origin and China’s largest non-Han ethnic minority group. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use "Thai peoples" redirects here For the subgroup of the Tai see Thai people The Tai or Tai-Kadai ethnicity refers collectively to the Ethnic Ethnic minorities in China refer to the non- Han Chinese population in Mainland China and Taiwan. Over the centuries Zhuang communities had been adopting Han Chinese culture. This was possible because, given the poor linguistic skill of south China, where many of the dialects of Han Chinese are not mutually intelligible, Han culture in the region accommodates a great deal of linguistic diversity, so the Zhuang could be absorbed as if the Zhuang language were just another Han Chinese dialect (which it is not). The Zhuang language ( autonym: Cuengh or Cueŋь) is used by the Zhuang people in the People's Republic of China. As Zhuang communities were integrating with the Han at different rates, a certain amount of friction between Han and Zhuang was inevitable, with Zhuang unrest on occasion leading to armed uprisings. ^[11] The second tier of the Taiping army was an ethnic mix that included many Zhuang. Prominent at this level was Shi Dakai, who was half-Hakka, half-Zhuang and spoke both languages fluently, making him quite a rare asset to the Taiping leadership. Shi Dakai (1820- 25 June 1863 (石達開 born in Guigang Guangxi, also known as Wing King (Lord of Five Thousand Years was a commander in the Taiping

In the later stages of the Taiping rebellion, the number of Han Chinese in the army from Han groups other than the Hakka increased substantially. However, the Hakka and the Zhuang (who constituted as much as 25% of the Taiping army), as well as other non-Han ethnic minority groups (many of them of Tai origin related to the Zhuang ), continued to feature prominently in the rebellion throughout its duration, with virtually no leaders emerging from any Han Chinese group other than the Hakka.

Social structure of the army

Socially and economically, the Taipings came almost exclusively from the lowest classes. Many of the southern Taiping troops were former miners, especially those coming from the Zhuang. Very few Taipings, even in the leadership caste, came from the imperial bureaucracy. Almost none were landlords and in occupied territories landlords were often executed. Landlord is the owner of a House, Apartment, Condominium, or Real estate which is rented or Leased to an individual or business Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. In this sense the Taiping army very much resembled the People's Liberation Army of the twentieth century. The People's Liberation Army ( PLA) ( is the unified Military organization of all land sea and air forces of the People's Republic of China.

Imperial Army

Opposing these forces was an imperial army with a size of 2 million to 5 million regulars along with hundreds of thousands of regional militias and foreign mercenaries operating in support. The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary Citizens to provide defense emergency law enforcement or Paramilitary service A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or a party to the conflict and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by Among the imperial forces was the elite Ever Victorious Army, consisting of Chinese soldiers led by a European officer corps (see Frederick Townsend Ward and Charles Gordon). The Ever Victorious Army ( was the name given to an imperial army in late-19th century China. An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority Frederick Townsend Ward (1831&ndash1862 was an American sailor Mercenary and Soldier of fortune famous for his military victories for Imperial China Major-General, CB ( 28 January 1833 &ndash 26 January 1885) known as Chinese Gordon, Gordon Pasha A particularly famous imperial force was the Xiang Army of Zeng Guofan. Zeng Guofan ( Pinyin: Zēng Guófán Wade-Giles: Tseng Kuo-fan Styled Bóhán 伯函 and variably Díshēng 滌生 Posthumous

Although keeping accurate records was something Imperial China traditionally did very well, the decentralized nature of the Imperial war effort (relying on regional forces) and the fact that the war was a civil war and therefore very chaotic meant that reliable figures are impossible to find. A civil war is a War between a State and domestic political actors that are in control of some part of the territory claimed by the state The destruction of the Heavenly Kingdom also meant that any records it possessed were destroyed.

Also of importance in putting down the rebellion was Zuo Zongtang, also known as General Tso, from Hunan Province. Zuǒ Zōngtáng 1st Marquess Kejing of the Second Class ( Courtesy name: Jigao) ( November 10, 1812 - September 5, 1885) spelled His name is given to a chicken dish in Chinese restaurants in the United States, but in China this dish is all but unknown, having likely been invented in the early 1970s by a Chinese chef who had moved to the United States. General Tso's chicken is a sweet and spicy Deep-fried Chicken dish that is popularly served in American and Canadian Chinese American Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by certain Chinese Restaurants in the United States. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Further reading

• Jonathan Spence, God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan (1996) ISBN 0-393-03844-0
• Thomas H. Reilly, The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom: Rebellion and the Blasphemy of Empire (2004) ISBN 0-295-98430-9
• Lindley, Augustus, Ti-ping Tien-Kwoh: The History of the Ti-Ping Revolution (1866, reprinted 1970) OCLC 3467844 Google books access
• Hsiu-ch°êng Li, translator, The Autobiography of the Chung-Wang (Confession of the Loyal Prince) (reprinted 1970) ISBN 9780275027230
• Carr, Caleb, The Devil Soldier: The American Soldier of Fortune Who Became a God in China (1994) ISBN 0-679-76128-4
• Gray, Jack, Rebellions and Revolutions: China from the 1800s to the 1980s (1990), ISBN 0-19-821576-2

Taiping Rebellion in popular culture

• Both China's CCTV and Hong Kong's TVB made historical dramas about the Taiping Rebellion. The OCLC Online Computer Library Center is according to its website a "nonprofit membership computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purpose Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV ( is the major television broadcaster in Mainland China Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Television Broadcasts Limited ( commonly known as TVB, was the first over-the-air commercial Television station in Hong Kong. The series on CCTV ran for 48 episodes, and TVB's Twilight of a Nation had 40 episodes.
• A strategy computer game based on the Taiping Rebellion has been made in China, and is primarily available in mainland China and Taiwan. A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. The player can play as either the Qing government or the Taiping Rebels.
• Robert Carter's historical novel "Barbarians" (Orion, 1998, ISBN 0-75281-339-0), deals in detail with the rebellion and the politics surrounding it.
• Taiping society — in some sources, the Heavenly King himself — is given credit for developing the popular Chinese game of Mahjong. Tian Wang (天王 translatable as either "heavenly prince" or "heavenly king" was a Chinese regal title that was most frequently used during the Sixteen Mahjong (also called mah-jongg by the American association Traditional Chinese 麻將 Pinyin: májiàng is a Game for four players that originated in
• Flashman and the Dragon (1986) — A portion of the memoirs of the fictional Harry Paget Flashman recount his adventures during the Anglo-Chinese Second Opium War and the Taiping Rebellion. Flashman and the Dragon is a 1985 Novel by George MacDonald Fraser. The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war of the United Kingdom
• The Consumer Goods' song "Taiping Riverboat" from their 2006 album "Pop Goes the Pigdog!" tells of the construction of Nanjing and the subsequent defense of the Heavenly Kingdom through a first-person narrative. The Consumer Goods are a Canadian Indie rock / pop
• The Warlords is a 2007 movie with a setting based on the Taiping Rebellion. The Warlords, previously known as The Blood Brothers ( is a 2007 Chinese / Hong Kong martial arts / drama
• "Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom" by Katherine Paterson is a fictional young adult novel set during the Taiping Rebellion (Puffin, 1995, ISBN 0140376100).
• Lisa See's novel "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" takes place in China during the reign of Emperor Xianfeng; the title character is married to a man who lives in Jintian and the characters get caught up in the revolution.
• Christopher West's novel The Third Messiah (2000) features a cult whose leader believes himself to be a reincarnation of Hong Xiuquan, leader of the Taiping rebels.
• Amy Tan's novel "The Hundred Secret Senses" takes place in part during the time of the Taiping Rebellion.

• Richard Berg's boardgame, "Manchu", covers the entire rebellion.

References

Bibliography

• Spence, Jonathan D. (1996) God's Chinese Son. Jonathan D Spence (Chinese name, August 11, 1936 &ndash) is a British-born Historian and Public intellectual specializing in Chinese New York: Norton.
• Spence, Jonathan D. (1999) The Search for Modern China. New York: Norton.

See also

• Chinese history
• Chinese sovereign
• Qing Dynasty
• Dungan revolt
• Boxer Rebellion
• Nien Rebellion
• Panthay Rebellion
• Haw wars in Laos, Thailand and Vietnam
• List of wars and disasters by death toll
• List of revolutions and rebellions

The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, 1851–1864

Personal Name	Period of Reign	Era Names "Nian Hao 年號" (and their according range of years)
Hong Xiuquan – 洪秀全	August 1851 – May 1864	Yannian (元年 Yuánnián) 1851–1864
Hong Tianguifu – 洪天貴福	May 1864 – August 1864	None

Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era Chinese sovereign is the ruler of a particular period in ancient China. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China The Dungan Revolt was a religious war It also known as the Hui Minorities' War and the Muslim Rebellion. The Boxer Rebellion, or Boxer Movement, was an uprising by members of the Chinese Society of Right and Harmonious Fists against foreign influence The Nien Rebellion ( Western historians have traditionally used the Wade-Giles transcription "Nien" rather than Hanyu Pinyin "Nian" was an epic armed uprising that The Panthay Rebellion (known in PRC as the Du Wenxiu Qiyi 杜文秀起义 1856&ndash1873 was a separatist movement of the Hui people and Chinese Muslims The Haw Wars ( ปราบกบฏฮ่อ ปราบกะบตฮ่า) so called in Thai were fought against Chinese quasi-military forces invading parts This is a list of wars and human-made disasters by death toll. This is a list of Revolutions and Rebellions BC 499 BC - 493 BC: Ionian Revolt. A Chinese era name ( is the Era name, reign period or regnal title used when traditionally numbering years in an emperor's reign and naming certain Chinese Hóng Xiùquán ( January 1 1814 &ndash June 1 1864 born Hong Renkun (洪仁坤 Courtesy name Huoxiu (火秀 was a Hakka Chinese who Hong Tianguifu (洪天貴福 in Pinyin: Hóng Tiānguìfú ( 1848 - November 18, 1864) also called Hong Tiangui and in Qing

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