THE TAIPING REBELLION -- 1850-1864

It is amazing that a religious war that cost more lives (20-30 million) than any war in the 19th century receives at most a footnote in history. The forces of a peoples revolution led by a heterodox Christian convert were finally defeated by the combined forces of the Quing emperor and support from Western armies led by the English and the French. The redoubtable “Chinese Gordon” was a significant participant working with the Imperial Chinese forces. To defeat the “Taipings”.

Hong Xi studied the Bible with a Christian missionary. He failed the Imperial Exams for a government post and had a vision that he was the younger brother of Jesus. His message, which captured the allegiance of the peasant Chinese was, at the core, both Western and Christian. The Bible replaced Confucian teachings. It featured the adoption of the solar calendar, prohibition of foot binding of females and the equality of sexes. There were also prohibitions against polygamy, prostitution, slavery, tobacco and gambling. The revolution prevailed in much of central China and in 1858 captured Nanking. Private property was also forbidden by the revolutionaries and, in later years, the movement was much admired by Mao.

There was no leadership structure to sustain the revolution despite a number of military victories over Imperial armies. The Western Powers, led by the English and the French, felt threatened by the prospect of an “independent” Chinese entity and came to the aid of the Emperor. With military help from the English and French, the Quing Dynasty’s armies ultimately defeated the “Taipings”. In a few short years the “Taipings” were forgotten and the old order of Imperial rule, as well as the “unequal” Chinese-Western relationships growing out the Treaty of Nanking again prevailed.