Taiping Rebellion: History of China’s 19th-Century Civil War

The Taiping Rebellion, alternatively termed the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, unfolded in China pitting the Manchu Qing dynasty against the Han, Hakka-led Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Spanning from 1850 to 1864, its echoes reverberated beyond, with the final rebel faction quelled only in August 1871, post the fall of Tianjing. The uprising sparked subsequent revolts, notably the ephemeral Heavenly Kingdom of the Great Mingshun in 1903, directly influenced by the Taiping. Despite the victory of the established Qing regime, it came at a staggering cost, both financially and politically, navigating through one of history's deadliest civil conflicts, which claimed an estimated 20 to 30 million lives.

At the helm of the rebellion stood Hong Xiuquan, an ethnic Hakka, who proclaimed himself the sibling of Jesus Christ. His ambitions were multifaceted, blending theological, nationalist, and political aspirations. Hong's vision extended beyond religious conversion; he aimed to dismantle the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty and engineer a radical overhaul of the nation's structure. Rather than merely targeting the ruling class, the Taipings sought to dismantle China's societal and ethical framework. Erecting the Heavenly Kingdom with Tianjing (now Nanjing) as its nucleus, they commanded sway over vast swathes of southern China, eventually encompassing a populace nearing 30 million.