Ep. 281 | The Taiping Rebellion (Part 2)

We're back with more of the Taiping Rebellion. In this episode, we trace the Taiping Rebels as they make their way from Yong'an in Guangxi all the way to the southern capital of Nanjing. As they make their way north and east towards western Jiangsu they grow in numbers and seize great amounts of weapons, silver, and boats. 

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/TermChineseEnglish/Meaning
Tàipíng太平Heavenly Peace
Guǎngxī广西Province in southwest China just west of Guangdong
Yán’ān延安City in Shaanxi Province where the Communists regrouped following the Long March
Guìpíng桂平City in eastern Guangxi, under the administration of Guigang 桂港 City
Nánjīng南京Capital of Jiangsu Province. Also capital of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom
Nánníng南宁Capital of Guangxi Province
Yǒng’an永安Site of an early battle during the Taiping Rebellion on April 8, 1852
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
Féng Yúnshān冯云山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
Yáng Xiùqīng杨秀清1821-1856, The Eastern King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He had a direct pipeline to the Lord God
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
Wéi Chānghuī韦昌辉1823-1856, he North King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the Taiping Rebellion
Jīntián金田A town at the base of South of Thistle Mountain in Guangxi
Qín Rìgāng秦日纲Guangxi Hakka who joined up with Hong Xiuquan early and reported directly to Hong.
Tuánliàn团练Local militias formed to supress peasant rebellions
Sìchuān四川Province in southwest China
Shǎnxī陕西Province in north China. Capital ios Xian
Húběi湖北Province in central China. Capital is Wuhan
Guǎngdōng广东Southernmost province in China (not including Hainan)
Húnán湖南Province in central China. Capital is at Changsha
Chángshā长沙Capital city of Hunan province
Huáng Cháo黄巢835-884, a Chinese smuggler, soldier, and rebel, and is most well known for being the leader of a major rebellion that severely weakened the Tang dynasty.
Táng Dynasty唐朝Dynasty that ran 618-907
Zēng Guófān曾国藩1811-1872, Chinese statesman and military general of the late Qing dynasty. He is best known for raising and organizing the Xiang Army to aid the Qing military in suppressing the Taiping Rebellion and restoring the stability of the Qing Empire.
Lǐ Hóngzhāng李鸿章1823-1901, Chinese politician, general and diplomat of the late Qing dynasty. He quelled several major rebellions and served in important positions in the Qing imperial court, including the Viceroy of Zhili, Huguang and Liangguang.
Zuǒ Zōngtáng左宗棠1812-1885, Hunan-born Chinese statesman and military leader of the late Qing dynasty, immortalized in modern times as the inspiration behind General Tso's Chicken
Yuán Shìkǎi袁世凯1859-1916, Chinese military and government official who rose to power during the late Qing dynasty and eventually ended the Qing dynasty rule of China in 1912, later becoming the Emperor of the Empire of China (1915–1916)
Guìlín桂林City in Guangxi province
Quánzhōu全州City in Guangxi province
Quánzhōu泉州Historic coastal city in Fujian province
Fújiàn福建Coastal province in south China
Nán Wáng南王The Southern King (Feng Yunshan)
Jiāng Zhōngyuán江忠源1812-1854, a scholar and soldier from Hunan who fought for the Qing and against the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the Taiping Rebellion.
Chēnzhōu郴州City in southernmost Hunan province
Hakka客家Hakka, 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.
Wǔhàn武汉Mega-city in Hubei province comprised of Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang
Dòngtíng Lake洞庭湖a large, shallow lake in northeastern Hunan Province, China. It is a flood basin of the Yangtze River
Yángzǐ River扬子江China's longest river
Guǎngzhōu广州Capital of Guangdong province, also referred to as Canton
Yuèzhōu岳州See below, former name for the city of Yueyang
Yuèyáng岳阳formerly known as Yuezhou, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern shores of Dongting Lake and Yangtze in the northeastern corner of Hunan Province in the People's Republic of China.
Hànkǒu汉口One of the cities that makes up Wuhan
Wǔchāng武昌One of the cities that makes up Wuhan
Húběi湖北City in central China
Jiǔjiāng九江a prefecture-level city located on the southern shores of the Yangtze River in northwest Jiangxi Province
Ānqìng安庆a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Anhuiprovince
Zhènjiāng镇江City on the Yangzi River
Shāng Dynasty商朝Ancient dynasty that ran 1600-1046 BCE
Tàibó泰伯Lived during the 12th century BCE, eldest son of King Tai of Zhou and the legendary founder of the State of Wu.
Zhū Yuánzhāng朱元璋Founder of the Ming Dynasty, known also as The Hongwu Emperor
Míng Dynasty明朝Imperial dynasty that ran 1368-1644
Xiánfēng Emperor咸丰帝Emperor from 1850-1861. Had to deal with the Taiping Rebellion his entire reign
Niǎn Rebellion捻乱an armed uprising that took place in northern China from 1851 to 1868, contemporaneously with Taiping Rebellion (1851–1864) in South China. The rebellion failed to topple the Qing dynasty, but caused immense economic devastation and loss of life that became major long-term factors in the collapse of the Qing regime in the early 20th century.
Tiānjīng天京The city of Nanjing. It was renamed Tianjing after the Taiping Rebels took the city of Nanjing
Hóngwǔ emperor洪武帝See Zhu Yuanzhang (above)
Jiāngsū江苏Coastal province in central China
Xiàng Róng向荣1801-1856, a Chinese military general and politician
Qíshàn岐山1786-1854, Mongol noble and official of the late Qing dynasty, best known for negotiating the Convention of Chuanbi on behalf of the Qing government with the British during the First Opium War of 1839–42.
Miáo苗族a group of linguistically-related peoples living in Southern China and Southeast Asia, which are recognized by the government of China as one of the 56 official ethnic groups. The Miao live primarily in southern China's mountains, in the provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan.
Guìzhōu贵州Province north of Guangxi
HuíAn East Asianethnoreligious group which is predominantly composed of Chinese-speaking adherents of Islam who are distributed throughout China, mainly in the northwestern provinces of the country and the Zhongyuan region.
Gānsù甘肃Province in northwest China just west of Shaanxi and east of Xinjiang
Yúnnán云南Province in southwest China
Xīnjiāng新疆Province in northwest China just west of Gansu
Punti-Hakka Clan Wars土客械斗a conflict between the Hakka and Cantonese people in Guangdong, China between 1855 and 1867. The wars were fierce around the Pearl River Delta, especially in Toi Shan of the Sze Yup counties. The wars resulted in roughly a million dead with many more fleeing for their lives.

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Ep. 282 | The Taiping Rebellion (Part 3)

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Ep. 280 | The Taiping Rebellion (Part 1)