History Bit: The Taiping Rebellion

It was a revolution unparalleled to anything that the country of China had ever seen. Surely China had endured its share of past nationalistic revolts and was living in a time of instability plagued by war and internal weakness under the Qing (Manchu) Dynasty; however, none could have predicted that in a mere 14 years, between 1851 and 1864, a messianic Christian insurrection, formally regarded as the Taiping Rebellion, would reach such unprecedented heights in its aim of establishing the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Had it not been for the eventual aid of Western powers, the very ones in fact whose missionary efforts made the uprising possible in the first place, one can only begin to imagine the full extent of a revolution that left an estimated 20 million dead, a Dynasty in dismay, and a country gasping for air on its knees. In his historical monograph, God’s Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan, author Jonathan D. Spence, a Sterling Professor of History at Yale, chronicles and tells the story of the events surrounding a young Chinese man whose self-proclaimed visions from heaven and interpretations of biblical texts prompted him to embark on a revolutionary endeavor that continues to astound historians and individuals alike to this day. This essay will specifically concentrate on the influence of Hong Xiuquan’s biblical interpretations on the uprising, as the author of this paper believes that although Hong’s theology was instrumental in the early stages of the revolution, it clearly assumed a lesser role in events as the insurgency hit full stride.

Before one can come to a personal conclusion regarding the extent of influence that Hong’s theology and biblical interpretations had on the Taiping Rebellion, one must first acknowledge the vital role that Hong’s spiritual revelations played in the foundation and early stages of the movement. After receiving literature from an American missionary that included translated texts of Genesis, Isaiah, Matthew’s Gospel, and portions of the Book of Revelation, Hong Xiuquan, then known as Hong Houxiu, began to receive a series of visions. The first of his visions was that of his ascension into the skies whereby he encountered the King of Heaven, his wife, and his eldest son. Hong’s uncertainties regarding his dreams were soon made clear by his readings within his newly acquired texts however, as he quickly determined that the King of Heaven was in actuality God the Father, and his eldest son was Jesus. Furthermore, Hong took this into account and deemed that he too was God’s son, the younger brother of Jesus. As Jesus’ younger brother, Hong believed that he, in turn, had a mission to fulfill, one that encapsulated establishing the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, teaching, preaching, and casting out “demons.” With this, one can see that Hong’s theology and biblical interpretations were not only the essence of the Taiping Rebellion, but the catalyst of the revolution.

Nonetheless, although it is quite clear and accepted among scholars that Hong’s theological output lay form and was responsible for the early platforms of the Taiping Rebellion, whether or not his personal theology and prophetic declarations continued to serve as the backbone of the movement is what remains debated. There is, however, a substantial amount of documented evidence that provides validity for such claims of Hong’s theological regression in terms of overall impact.

To begin with, it is evident that as time progressed and the Taiping Rebellion grew in following and conquered land, Hong Xiuquan, even as the Heavenly King, could not effectively govern over all aspects. Consequently, kings were then appointed over the North, South, East, and West, and as the movement continued to shift to a more nationalist and militaristic campaign, Hong’s theological and biblical ideas unmistakably took a back seat. As the Qing Dynasty began to realize the great threat being posed upon them, and as the Taiping leaders and armies continued in their overtaking of Chinese villages and cities, Hong’s concentrations were realigned momentarily on military matters.

In chapter 13, “The Earthly Paradise,” Spence makes this clear in writing, “The Earthly Paradise is not just one place. It is the whole of China, wherever the Taiping Heavenly Army can reach the people and destroy the demons, so that all may live together in perpetual joy, until at last they are raised to heaven to greet their father. Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King, and Tang, the East King, and other leaders have developed the military ideas of Feng Yunshan and combined them with their own experiences…to create their own ideal system” (Spence 172). As this passage clearly demonstrates, Hong’s theology or biblical interpretations did not solely dictate the advancements or decisions made by the Kingdom. Rather, it is unmistakable that there was an active involvement of other leaders in the executive and administrative process. This alone provides unambiguous evidence to the declining role of Hong’s theological and biblical concerns that so greatly directed the Taiping Rebellion in its initial junctures of development.

In addition, Spence makes certain to document the growing spiritual and general influence of two specific men, Xiao Chaogui, the West King, and Yang Xiuqing, the East King. These two men, both of whom were part of Hong’s inner circle, began to prophetically speak as the individual voices of God and Jesus. Xiao channeled the voice of Jesus while Yang spoke as the voice of God, and the proclamations of both when spoken through either divine entity were instituted into Taiping law. After Xiao’s death, the power of Yang continued to grow considerably as God seemed to speak through him on a more constant basis. In one case, Spence gives account of Yang going so far as to criticizing Hong, writing, “God first speaks through Yang’s mouth. God’s message…is that Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King, has grown both harsh and indulgent with his power” (Spence 218). In another passage, Spence once again shows the growing power that surrounds Yang as Hong’s sovereignty seems less and less apparent, recording, “When God, through Yang, asks the Taiping officials to comment, there is little for them to say…The challenge to Hong Xiuquan, and to his followers, is unmistakable: the biblical word of God, which has carried them all so far, is now to be altered by the hands and minds of men. But the words of God through Yang are correct in every detail, and none shall presume to alter them” (Spence 233). These excerpts and the timeline of the Taiping Rebellion provide historians with an untainted view of the lesser role that Hong and his biblical construal took on as the revolution spread.

As aforementioned, although Hong Xiuquan’s theology and biblical interpretations undoubtedly set in motion perhaps the greatest rebellion of faith that the world has ever witnessed, there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that supports an argument that emphasizes the decline of importance and heed given to Hong’s scriptural and prophetic edicts. This confirmation is based on several factual events, the first being that Hong’s task of establishing the earthly Kingdom of Heaven involved a great deal of militaristic and governing duties that he himself could not effectively manage. In an extension of these thoughts, appointed kings and leaders such as Xiao Chaogui and Yang Xiuqing grew in prominence along with their own theologies and prophetic utterances, overshadowing even the Heavenly King Hong. These examples, as provided by in Jonathan D. Spence’s book, God’s Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan, prove that once the Taiping Rebellion gained national reverence in strength and size, the theology and biblical interpretations of Hong Xiuquan assumed a far inferior role than its early beginnings. If anything, the sharp decline of Hong’s influential theology can be seen in the apathetic conceiving of his death – “There is no great fanfare at Hong’s death, which comes quietly on June 1, 1864” (Spence 325).

Works Cited

Spence, Jonathan (1996). God’s Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. New York, New York: W.W. Norton & Co.