NationStates Jolt Archive

quick question:

I seem to recall a revolution/rebellion in China started by a man who believed he was Christ's little brother. He proceeded to set up a Christian government in China. I believe it was in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Does anyone know what i am talking of?

would something like this ever work in China?

you mean the Taipan Rebellion

The Taiping Rebellion (太平天國, 1851–1864) was the second bloodiest conflict in history[citation needed], a clash between the forces of Imperial China and those inspired by a Hakka self-proclaimed mystic named Hong Xiuquan, a Christian convert who had claimed that he was the new Messiah and younger brother of Jesus Christ. Most accurate sources put the total deaths at about 20 million civilians and army personnel, although some claim the death toll was much higher (as many as 50 million according to at least one source.[1]). There are reports that "Some historians have estimated that the combination of natural disasters combined with the political insurrections may have cost on the order of 200 million Chinese lives between 1850–1865 [2]". That figure is generally thought to be an exaggeration, as it is approximately half the estimated population of China in 1851.[3] The rebellion is named after the revolutionaries' name Kingdom of Heavenly Peace or Tàipíng Tiānguó Wade-Giles (T'ai-p'ing t'ien-kuo), which lasted as long as the revolution.

Hong Xiuquan gathered his support in a time of considerable turmoil. The country had suffered a series of natural disasters, economic problems and defeats at the hands of the Western powers, problems that the ruling Qing dynasty did little to lessen. Anti-Manchu sentiment was strongest in the south, and it was these disaffected that joined Hong. The sect extended into militarism in the 1840s, initially against banditry. The persecution of the sect was the spur for the struggle to develop into guerrilla warfare and then into full-blown war.

The revolt began in Guangxi Province. In early January 1851, a ten-thousand-strong rebel army routed the Imperial troops at the town of Jintian (Jintian Uprising). The Imperial forces attacked but were driven back. In August 1851, Hong then declared the establishment of the Heavenly Kingdom of Taiping with himself as absolute ruler. The revolt spread northwards with great rapidity. 500,000 Taiping soldiers took Nanjing in March 1853, killing 30,000 Imperial soldiers and slaughtering thousands of civilians. The city became the movement's capital and was renamed Tiānjīn (in Wade-Giles: T'ang-chun) (Heavenly Capital).

you mean the Taipan Rebellion
thanks. that was bugging me. i knew most of the details but could not remember the name.

thanks. that was bugging me. i knew most of the details but could not remember the name.
My pleasure

i had to write about him and the rebellion on my midterm this year. im taking a class about modern east asia...

you mean the Taipan Rebellion太平天國

HAHAHAHAHAHA! They called themselves the Great Peaceful Country (directly translated from the Chinese characters)...oh the irony!

HAHAHAHAHAHA! They called themselves the Great Peaceful Country (directly translated from the Chinese characters)...oh the irony!

Not very ironic if you consider the circumstances under which the rebellion started.

HAHAHAHAHAHA! They called themselves the Great Peaceful Country (directly translated from the Chinese characters)...oh the irony!

Well, they call America the land of the free, that's quite the sad little joke

Actually, I think it's the Taiping Rebellion, and the crazy guy was Hong Xiuquan.

Hehe, I have a joint major in History and East Asian Studies XB.

I thought only about 10 million died? But then what do I know? I was too busy draining their life essence to feed my immortality to count them all.

I thought only about 10 million died? But then what do I know? I was too busy draining their life essence to feed my immortality to count them all.
So you were the one! :eek:

*worships*

The Taiping rebellion is a classic case of logistics winning a war.

So you were the one!

*worships*

Actually, if it was 20 million that would explain why I put on so much weight in the 19th centuary.