Taiping Heavenly Kingdom

A rebel state in nineteenth-century China, based in Nanjing from 1853 until its defeat in 1864. Led by Hong Xiuquan, it challenged Qing rule and pursued a distinctive Christian-influenced social order.

Hong Xiuquan: A Hakka Chinese religious leader who founded the God Worshipping Society and led the Taiping movement. His claim to be Jesus Christ’s younger brother grounded the kingdom’s religious authority.
Qing dynasty: China’s last imperial dynasty, ruling from 1644 until 1912. The Taiping state arose in rebellion against Qing authority and claimed its mandate.
Jintian Uprising: The 1851 uprising in Guangxi that began the Taiping Rebellion. It marks the movement’s transition from religious organizing to open revolt.
Xiang Army: A regional army organized by Zeng Guofan to fight the Taiping forces during the Qing dynasty. Its victories helped reconquer the kingdom’s territory and capture Nanjing.
God Worshipping Society: A religious movement founded by Hong Xiuquan that became the Taiping movement’s organizational core. It supplied the followers and institutions from which the rebel state grew.
First Opium War: A war between Qing China and Britain from 1839 to 1842 that ended with Qing defeat and the Treaty of Nanjing. Its aftermath intensified foreign pressure and exposed Qing weaknesses before the rebellion.
Nanjing: A major city in eastern China, historically serving as a capital under several regimes. The Taiping captured it in 1853 and made it their capital, Tianjing.
Ever-Victorious Army: A foreign-led force that fought for the Qing against the Taiping in the 1860s. Its role illustrates how foreign officers and weapons aided the kingdom’s opponents.
Taiping Rebellion: A civil war in China from 1850 to 1864, fought chiefly between the Qing dynasty and the Taiping movement. The kingdom was the rebellion’s political project and principal territorial regime.
Hong Xiuquan's visions: Religious visions Hong Xiuquan interpreted as revelations from the Christian God after illness in 1837. He later used their interpretation to explain his mission and challenge Qing rule.

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