Some Brief Notes about the Taiping Rebellion
Subject:
Taiping Rebellion (1851-1864)
Civil war caused by social unhappiness and foreign intrusion
o Originated in Guangxi
o Unstable agriculture; ethnic division
o Hakkas were a minority group that held low status jobs
Hong Xiuquan (Shee-OH-chew-an)
o Poor Hakka background
o Failed Confucian exams repeatedly
o Influenced by Protestant missionaries; starts religious movement
Believed he was younger brother of Jesus; sent to drive out Manchu
Taiping Movement
o Community of believers = “walk on air”; trances; Manchus were Satanic;
o Begin to enlarge their domain and gain more followers
o Forced captured villages to join movement; organized work and military teams; banned foot binding; used women soldiers
o Expansion
Begin moving east and north
