Hong Xiuquan failed the imperial exams and converted to Christianity. He started a new religious cult where he believed he was the younger brother of Jesus. This cult grew into a rebel army called the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom that sought to overthrow the Qing dynasty. The Taiping army grew to millions but faced opposition from the Imperial army and European mercenaries. They captured many cities but ultimately their capital of Nanjing fell in 1864, ending the rebellion. Hong was killed during the final defeat.

1. The Taiping Rebellion
By Eugenio Nanni
5T

2. The Beginning
China had recently suffered several natural and military disasters like the First
Opium War against the British.
Hong Xiuquan failed again to pass the rigorous Imperial Exam so was not able to
become one of the nation’s respected scholars. He probably would have passed
the test because he was clever but he later realised that the officials expected
bribes. His family, being poor, was unable to pay the required sum of money that
would make him a scholar.
After falling ill, he received a pamphlet from a Protestant missionary. When he
read it, he believed it suggested he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ sent
by God to rid China of all its devils. He claimed to have been given a sword and
after he became well again, read the Old Testament. This reinforced his idea of
being God’s son.
Many Protestant missionaries disagreed with Hong. He decided to make his own
cult where God was the Father, Jesus was the Elder Brother and Hong was the
Younger Brother. He called the New Testament the Former Testament and his
ideas the New Testament.
Later, his friend, Yang Xiuqing told him that being the voice of God would help to
gain political power and control. An American missionary, Issachar Jacox
Roberts, then became Hong’s adviser.

3. Early Rebellion
This new cult soon earned popularity and by suppressing many mercenaries
and pirates grew in size. To show their rebellion against the Manchu
Dynasty, they cut their pigtails. After a battle in December 1850, the cult had
become a ten thousand strong rebel force. This victory weakened the
Imperial Army trying to destroy Hong’s new religion.
Hong withdrew entirely from politics to run his army. However he often
disagreed with Yang and his extensive speeches ‘as God’ and his growing
network of spies. As a result of Hong’s suspicions, Yang was killed along with
his family and all the soldiers loyal to him.
The Taiping troops started to try making relations with the West and the
Chinese middle and upper classes. The West remained neutral while the
middle class disliked the Taiping because of their resentment towards
traditional Chinese customs and the upper class disliked them because of
their lower class behaviour. This meant that the more influential people in
China kept their distance from Hong and his troops.

4. The Armies
The Imperial Army The Taiping Heavenly Army
Xianfeng Emperor Hong Xiuquan
Empress Dowager Cixi Yang Xiuqing
Zeng Guofan Xiao Chaogui
Sengge Rinchen Feng Yunshan
Guanwen Wei Changhui
Zuo Zongtang Shi Dakai
Charles George Gordon Li Xiucheng
Auguste Protet
Frederick T. Ward (mercenary) 2.5 million regulars
Henry Andres Burgevine (mercenary)
3.5 million regulars
340,000 militia
These men wore blue trousers and red
shirts. They were known as the ‘Longhairs’
because of their long, outgrown hair.

5. The War
In 1859, Hong Xiuquan’s cousin, Hong Rengan, joined the Taiping army. Xiuquan gave
him a lot of military power. In 1860, he used this to take Hangzhou and Suzhou
however he failed to take Shanghai in 1861 at the Battle of Shanghai. This was the start
of the end of Hong Xiuquan’s rebellion.
The task force set to defend Shanghai was a group of Qing solders and European
officers led by the American mercenary, Frederick T. Ward and Charles Gordon. Their
troops would later become known as the Ever Victorious Army.
These men were vital in removing Hong from the power
he had over more than 3,000,000 people. By 1864 , most
of the territories were returned to Imperial control.
The capital of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was Nanjing.
It was faced by a heavy force of Imperial troops. Hong
promised that Nanjing would be protected by God.
However he had abdicated for his eldest son – who was 15
- to become ‘King’. He was inexperienced so Nanjing was
quickly overrun.

6. Aftermath
When Nanjing was put back into Imperial control, Hong was killed and
cremated. His ashes were put in a cannon and shot out so that he would not
be given an eternal resting place. His sons were beheaded.
Hong’s ideals were later used in the pre-Communist years. Perhaps the
reason for this was the efficiency of the system in which there were public
granaries filled in time of good harvest and when there was a drought or bad
harvest, people were allowed to take some so they would not starve. Also,
women were allowed to be soldiers and many even became high ranking
officers. Foot-binding was banned by Hong and mulberry tree were planted
along walls which attracted silk worms. The women were allowed to use the
silk to make clothes to sell as a source of money. The weaker or less capable,
like widows, elderly and families with no bread winner were taken care of
winning popularity among many.
The fact that this regime was so effective meant that it was popular and
effective so Hong probably could have succeeded in overthrowing the
current, shambles of a dynasty had he not abdicated.