The Taiping Rebellion was a major civil war in China that lasted from 1850 to 1864 and is recognized as one of the deadliest wars in Chinese history. It began as a peasant revolt led by a man named Hong Xiuquan, who had visions of creating a new society based on Christian principles.
The origins of the rebellion can be traced back to the late Qing dynasty, during which political and economic corruption had reached its peak. In 1837, the White Lotus Society, a secret anti-Qing organization, was founded by a man claiming to be an incarnation of Jesus Christ. Its members quickly spread throughout southern China, with the majority of them being Hakka or Cantonese people.
In 1845, Hong Xiuquan, leader of the White Lotus Society, had a series of visions in which he believed himself to be Jesus’ brother, sent to Earth to rid China of Qing rule. Thus, the Taiping Rebellion began.
The leaders of the rebellion, led by Hong Xiuquan, united their forces under the banner of the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace. They began their march south in April of 1850 and captured Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province, by July. They then declared Nanjing their new capital.
At this early stage of the rebellion, the Taipings had some success. They set up a system of laws and social reforms and were able to capture several other cities before suffering a major defeat at the Battle of Anqing in January of 1853.
This marked the beginning of the Taiping’s decline, as they were unable to regain momentum after the battle. The Qing government had superior resources and numbers, and they slowly pushed the Taipings further south.
In 1856, Xiang Rong became the new leader of the Taipings and attempted to regain lost territory. He attempted major campaigns to retake Nanjing and other important cities but failed. By January of 1860, the Taiping forces were almost completely destroyed.
In October of 1861, Hong Xiuquan died from an unknown illness, leaving the rebellion leaderless. The remaining Taiping forces quickly dispersed, and their cause was effectively defeated in January of 1864.
The exact death toll of the Taiping Rebellion is not known, but estimates range from 20 to 30 million casualties, making it one of the deadliest wars in history. The rebellion also weakened the Qing dynasty, marking the beginning of its eventual collapse. Furthermore, it caused a wave of social and political changes throughout China, leading to the emergence of new ideologies and movements.