HONG XIUQUANBy: Eric Anderson

EARLY LIFE Had to quit his education because his parents could

not afford to pay for his continued schooling He began to teach in order to continue his schooling At age 22, he passed an exam that offered an

opportunity to take the Civil Service Examination, which was a highly prized award among China’s elite and was a gateway into higher ranks of Qing dynastic power

After failing this exam many times, he was demoralized by his constant failure and then fell ill.

START OF THE TAIPING REBELLION During his illness, he converted to a form of heterodox

Christianity and was able to install this belief into many of his followers

With his followers, he attacked small villages and found some of the people willing to accept the idea of the new religion that promised them equality and salvation

The Qing authorities began to search for Hong’s Taiping forces and when they met and went into battle, Hong’s Taiping forces were victorious

From this moment, the fighting became a full blown war known as the Taiping Rebellion

TAIPING REBELLION Hong’s growing army drove back Qing forces This was easier to do because many southern Chinese were resentful of the

Qing rulers of Manchu heritage Hong Xiuquan and his followers formed an inner nation called the Taiping

Heavenly Kingdom of Peace and made their major city Nanking. As the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom expanded and took control of more

territory, Confucianism, Buddhism, and the Chinese folk law were abolished and the people who tried to resist, were put to death

As the war progressed, Hong Xiuquan retired from fighting and ruled from Nanking as a prophet and spiritual leader

Eventually, the Qing government went to Great Britain and France for help and when Hong’s forces tried to take the city of Shanghai, they were stopped by Chinese soldiers commanded by British officials

With the European’s help, they gradually pushed the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom forces back, and eventually took control of Nanking.

Hong Xiuquan died from food poisoning just days before the city fell.