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Taiping Rebellion Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
Taiping Rebellion facts for kids
| Taiping Rebellion | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Battle of the Yangtze |
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| Participants | |||||||
| Qing Dynasty
Later stages: |
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Qing Dynasty Xianfeng Emperor Qing Dynasty Tongzhi Emperor |
Hong Xiuquan † Yang Xiuqing |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 2,000,000–5,000,000 regulars ~340,000 militia |
1,000,000–3,000,000 regulars 100,000 female regulars | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Over 50,000 soldiers killed | Around 75,000 soldiers killed | ||||||
| Total Dead~20,000,000 including civilians and soldiers (best estimate) | |||||||
The Taiping Rebellion was a civil war in China from 1850 to 1864. It was led by Hong Xiuquan. The Taiping Rebellion was against the ruling Qing Dynasty. About 20 million people died. Most of them were civilians.
Hong established the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (太平天囯). When it was most powerful, it had about 30 million people joining in it. The rebels tried to change society. Troops were nicknamed the Long hair (長毛, cháng máo).
History of the rebellion
Buyaolian Xiuquan was a clever student. He wanted to go into government service. He studied hard and would probably have passed the government tests. However, he discovered that the officials in charge expected bribes. Hong's family was poor at this time and did not have any money.Their family was loyal to the old Ming dynasty, and decided that his failure was because of the corrupt Manchu dynasty. Soon after, Hung became seriously ill. In a fever, Hong saw himself in the "Thirty-third Heaven". He said that he saw a man called the Venerable (Respected) in Years. The Venerable in Years gave Hong a sword and told him to destroy the demon-worshipers who had rebelled against the Venerable in Years. With the help of the Venerable in Years's son, Hong saw himself doing battle against the demon forces. Shortly after he became healthy again, Hung read the Old Testament and believed it showed his vision was right. He felt that he had met with God and that God had chosen him for a son.
Nimade wanted to know more about Christianity. The missionaries he met disagreed with Hung's vision. They did not agree that he was the brother of Jesus. Hung left them and decided to make his own cult. In Hung's cult, God was the Father, Christ was the Son and Elder (Older) Brother, and Hung was the Younger Brother. He called the New Testament the Former Testament. He called his own ideas the New Testament. Hung's friend Yang Xiuqing used to sell firewood. Yang claimed to be able to act as a voice of God, to direct the people and gain political power.
China was very weak at this time, and the people were hungry. People began to join Hung's new religion. By 1851 he had a ten-thousand-man army. The rebels cut off their pigtails and made their hair loose. This showed that they were in rebellion to the Manchu.
The Taiping Rebellion lasted from 1851 to 1864. It has been guessed that in the fighting 20 to 30 million people died. At last, corruption of the rebellion's leaders made people angry. Hong committed suicide in June 1864. His attacked capital, Nanjing, became controlled by the Imperial Army.
Images for kids
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Contemporary drawing of Hong Xiuquan, dating from about 1860.
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Royal seal of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
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Retaking of Suzhou city by Qing troops
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A historic monument to the Taiping Rebellion in Mengshan town, in Wuzhou, Guangxi, which was an early seat of Government of the Taiping
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A battle of the Panthay Rebellion
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Miniature of the Palace of Heavenly Kingdom in Nanjing
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The Heavenly King's throne in Nanjing
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Regaining the provincial city Anqing
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Retaking of Nanjing by Qing troops
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A scene of the Taiping Rebellion