Ep. 280 | The Taiping Rebellion (Part 1)

Now's as good a time as any to finally feature this well-known, regularly requested topic from Qing history. This is arguably the pivotal event that got the dominos falling that led to the  Warlord Era and the later founding of the PRC. For anyone unfamiliar with the Taiping Rebellion, how it got started, and the situation in China during the mid 19th century, over the next few episodes, I'll try and lay it all out for you. We'll get to about 1851 this time around.  This epic history has a cast of thousands.  Feel free to check out the episode page at the website to view all the terms. 

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/TermChineseEnglish/Meaning
Tàipíng Rebellion太平天国起义Civil War in China led by Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan that lasted 1850-1864
Qīng Dynasty清朝The Qing Dynasty 1644-1911
Hóng Xiùquán太平天王Tàipíng Heavenly King
Hóng Xiùquán洪秀全1814-1864, Chinese revolutionary and leader of the Taiping Rebellion. Claimed to be God's son and the younger brother of Jesus Christ
Yángzǐ River扬子江The Yang-Tze River, longest river in China. Bisects the Chinese mainland into north and south
Wǔhàn武汉Mega-city in Hubei Province made up of the cities of Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang
Qīng Shùnzhì Emperor清顺治Qing emperor who reigned 1643-1661, succeeded Hong Taiji to become the first Qing emperor to rule over China
Qiánlóng乾隆帝Qing Emperor who reigned 1735-1796 but pretty much stayed in the game as the top guy till 1799
Guǎngdōng广东Southernmost province in China (not including Hainan)
Fújiàn福建Coast province in southern China
Jiāqìng Emperor嘉庆帝Qing emperor who reigned 1796 to 1820...but had to wait till his dad, the Qianlong emperor, died in 1799 before he got to rule.
Xiánfēng Emperor咸丰帝Emperor from 1850-1861. Had to deal with the Taiping Rebellion his entire reign
Huīzōng宋徽宗Song Emperor from 1100-1126
Northern Sòng北宋The part of the Song Dynasty that lasted 960-1127. The capital was at Kaifeng, Henan
Dàoguāng Emperor道光帝Qing emperor who reigned 1820-1850. First Opium War happened on his watch
Huādū花都Known as Hua County during Hong Xiuquan's time, Huadu is a city located north of Guangzhou
Hakka客家are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhejiang, Taiwan, Hainan and Guizhou.
Méizhōu梅州Large city in eastern Guangdong near the Fujian border
Jiāngxī江西Province in China west of Fujian and Zhejiang and south of Hubei
Guǎngxī广西Province in southwest China just west of Guangdong
Guìzhōu贵州Province north of Guangxi
Shēngyuán生员A“Xiucai", someone who has passed the imperial examonation at the county level
Xiùcái秀才(See above),Someone who has passed the imperial examonation at the county level
Liáng Āfā梁阿发The second Chinese to convert to Christianity. He lived 1789-1855.
Quànshì Liángyán劝世良言Liang Afa's book entitled “Good Words to Admonish (or Exhort) the Age”
Féng Yúnshān冯云山1815-1852, The Southern King of the Taiping Heavenlyt Kingdom, a cousin of Hong Xiuquan and early comrade in building up The God Worshipping Society
Dà Gē大哥Older Brother
Yāodemons
Tàipíng太平Great Peace
Hóng Réngān洪仁玕1822-1864, distant cousin of Hong Xiuquan, a.k.a. The Shield Prince, later on became Hong's Prime Minister and main interlocutor with the foreigners
Bài Shàngdì Huì拜上帝会The God Worshipping Society
Guìpíng桂平City in eastern Guangxi, under the administration of Guigang 桂港 City
Zǐjīngshān紫荆山Thistle Mountain
Yán’ān延安City in Shaanxi Province where the Communists regrouped following the Long March
Zhuàng壮族are a Tai-speaking East Asian ethnic group who mostly live in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Southern China. Some also live in the Yunnan, Guangdong, Guizhou and Hunan provinces.
Yáo瑶族a government classification for various minorities in China and Vietnam.
Tiāndìhuì天地会a secret society known in English as the Heaven and Earth Society
Punti本地The Native people of southern Guangdong. They fought constantly with the Hakka's once they started arriving in great numbers
Yáng Xiùqīng杨秀清1821-1856, The Eastern King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He had a direct pipeline to the Lord God
Xiāo Cháoguì萧朝贵1820-1852, The Eastern King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He had a direct pipeline to Jesus
Shí Dákāi石达开1831-1863, The Wing King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. One of the five key leaders of the Taiping's. More of him in Part 3
Jīntián金田A town at the base of South of Thistle Mountain in Guangxi
Zhōu Lǐ周礼The Rites of Zhōu, a work on bureaucracy and organizational theory
Jiébài xiōngdì结拜兄弟sworn brothers
Kāngxī康熙帝Qing emperor from 1661-1722
Yǒng’ān永安Site of an early battle during the Taiping Rebellion on April 8, 1852

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Ep. 281 | The Taiping Rebellion (Part 2)

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Ep. 279 | The Hakka Kongsis of Borneo (Part 2)