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Introduction
Taiping Rebellion as the name suggests was a very big rebellion conducted from 1850 to 1864. The rebellion was led by Hong Xiuquan and involved the participation of large no of soldiers. Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was established by Hong Xiuquan quickly gaining control over important parts of southern China. The capital of the kingdom was then called as Nanjing. This paper will throw light upon the Taiping Rebellion which occurred after the opium war in China. A comprehensive analysis of the events will be provided in this paper.
Analysis
Hong Xiuquan along with his army dominated roughly about 30 million people; he brought in strict rules like separating Men and Women, abolishing the practice of Foot Binding, opposing private trade etc. Hong Xiuquan proclaimed himself to be the brother of Jesus; he imposed Christianity on the people forcing them to forget the likes of Confucius, Lord Buddha etc. This goes to show that Hong Xiuquan imposed himself on the people giving no respect to their preferences and choices. In the mid 19th Century China was under the Qing Dynasty, this period is marked by many catastrophes, natural disasters were common during this time so was foreign invasion, this period also saw a quick rise in the economical problems. Western Powers certainly made the most of the situation by defeating the rulers on a regular basis. The year 1842 saw the Chinese lose to United Kingdom and the same is also called as the first Opium War.
The people of China saw the Qings as corrupt foreign rulers; the people were very dissatisfied by the way they dominated the people. Dissatisfaction rose with each passing day and they decided to join hands with Hong Xiuquan. Hong failed an examination which would have made him a very powerful man, after failing the examination he studied the bible and one day came up with the proclamation that he was Jesus’s brother. This was how he started spreading Christianity in China and he strongly felt that he was capable of putting an end to the Qing rule in China. He firmly believed that it was high time for China to free itself from foreign rule.
Yang Xiuqing and Hong Xiuquan worked together o free China from the foreign rule, Yang Xiuqing was a firewood salesman, he had the ability to motivate the people by spreading the word of god, this was how he gained tremendous political power which was later utilized in order to free China from the foreign rule. In the year 1853 roughly about 700,000 to 800,000 soldiers spearheaded by Yang Xiuqing took over the territory of Nanjing, in this process more than 30,000 soldiers were murdered and many civilians were also killed. The city was renamed as Tianjing which means Heavenly Capital. The palace of Heavenly king was built there by Hong by converting the residence of Qing rulers. After this Yang Xiuqing and Hong Xiuquan tried to capture the Imperial capital Beijing but they failed in their endeavors However the Yangtze river valley was captured with the help of two armies. This meant that they had perfect control over the river, this made them really strong. The control over the river meant that hey can easily supply whatever they want to their capital at Nanjing.
“In 1853 Hong withdrew from active control of policies and administration, ruling exclusively by written proclamations that often had religious content. 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.” (Spence, 2008).
Hong died in the year 1864, he died of food poisoning, the city was quickly running out of food and he was forced to eat wild vegetables as result of which he was sick for more than 20 days and finally he died of food poisoning. After his death the imperial forces within no time took over his kingdom. His ashes were blasted using a gun as a result of his uprising against the imperial forces. Hong Xiuquan abdicated his throne in favor of his fifteen year old son Hong Tianguifu who could do very little about the imperial forces conquering his kingdom. This did not end the rebellion it continued with the rebels fighting against the imperials, it took more than fifty years to completely wipe out the rebel forces. This goes to show the never say die attitude of the Chinese people.
“Most significantly, the Taiping administration began to disintegrate when Hung himself withdrew from active participation in administrative and military affairs. Believing that the Heavenly King should rule only by his divine virtue and not by active engagement in politics, Hung seems, in reality, to have grown steadily more unbalanced. Rather than dedicating himself to divine virtue, he plunged into the sensual pleasures of the palace and the sexual pleasures of the harem of women he had collected around himself. Hung’s withdrawal from Taiping administration sent cracks all through the Taiping administration.” (The Taiping Rebellion, 2008).
Policies Adopted by the Leaders
The leaders adopted very strange policies but the same became the identity of modern China. This is quite obvious because the policies adopted by the ancestors inevitably have a mark on the future generations too. The first policy was about the land in the country, the leaders took a decision of dividing the land in the country into nine grades. The grain produced on the land would go on to decide whether the land is inferior or superior. “Every mou that produces 900 catties shall be considered as a medium field of the first class; every mou that produces 800 catties as a medium field of the second class; and every mou that produces 700 catties as a medium field of the third class. Every mou that produces 600 catties shall be considered as an inferior field of the first class; every mou that produces 500 catties as an inferior field of the second class; and every mou that produces 400 catties as an inferior field of the third class. One mou of superior field of the first class shall be considered equal to a mou and one tenth of a superior field of the second class, and to a mou and two tenths of a superior field of the third class; also to a mou and three and a half tenths of a medium field of the first class, to a mou and five tenths of a medium field of the second class, and to a mou and seven and a half tenths of a medium field of the third class; also to two mou of an inferior field of the first class, to two mou and four tenths of an inferior field of the second class, and to three mou of an inferior field of the third class.” (Chinese Cultural Studies, 2008).
The land was distributed to all the people, people between the ages of sixteen and more received twice as much land as the people below the age of sixteen. The leaders also forced to people to plant the Mulberry tree close to every wall so that the women may engage themselves in producing garments with the help of the silkworms on the mulberry tree. “Throughout the empire every family should keep five hens and two sows, which must not be allowed to miss their proper season. At the time of harvest, every sergeant shall direct the corporals to see to it that of the twenty five families under his charge each individual has a sufficient supply of food, and aside from the new grain each may receive, the remainder must be deposited in the public granary. Of wheat, pulse, hemp; flax, cloth, silk, fowls, dogs, etc., and money, the same is true; for the whole empire is the universal family of our Heavenly Father, the Supreme Lord and Great God…. For every twenty five families there must be established one public granary, and one church where the sergeant must reside. Whenever there are marriages, or births, or funerals, all may go to the public granary; but a limit must be observed, and not a cash be used beyond what is necessary. Thus, every family which celebrates a marriage or a birth will be given one thousand cash and a hundred catties of grain.” (Chinese Cultural Studies, 2008).
The leaders made it a point to ensure that every child goes to a Church where he would be taught how to read the Bible. This goes to show that the leaders were fanatics; they imposed their religion on the people of China. “Within [the court] and without, all the various officials and people must go every Sabbath to hear the expounding of the Holy Bible, reverently offer their sacrifices, and worship and praise the Heavenly Father, the Supreme Lord and Great God. On every seventh seven, the forty ninth day, the Sabbath, the colonel, captains, and lieutenants shall go in turn to the churches in which reside the sergeants under their command and expound the Holy books, instruct the people, examine whether they obey the Commandments and orders or disobey the Commandments and orders, and whether they are diligent or slothful. On the first seventh seven, the forty ninth day, the Sabbath, the colonel shall go to a certain sergeant’s church, on the second seventh seven, the forty ninth day, the Sabbath; the colonel shall then go to another sergeant’s church, visiting them all in order, and after having gone the round he must begin again. The captains and lieutenants shall do the same.” (Chinese Cultural Studies, 2008).
The leaders left a very big impact on the culture of the people in China, even till day some of their policies are still being followed; this goes to show that they were trend setters in more ways than one.
References
- Chinese Cultural Studies. In The Taiping Rebellion.
- Spence, 1996, p. 243.
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