Disorder under Heaven In Chinese history, “the empire” or “the world” was cal

led “All under Heaven” (tian xia) (treated as singular) Also the constituent elements, things, men and women, etc

…(treated as plural none phrase) Chinese emperor was called “Son of Heaven”

China has a history of nearly 5,000 years and 23 dynasties that began with the Qin founded by the first emperor, Qin Shihuang.

Most of the dynasties followed a pattern of growth and decline, but some lasted longer and others lasted shorter

“Disorder under heaven” caused the empire to decline and collapse Although some dynasties experienced “restoration”

Disorder and ViolenceDisorder and Violence► Two types of human-caused disorderTwo types of human-caused disorder

Foreign invasion (from outside of the empire)Foreign invasion (from outside of the empire) Rebellion (within the empire)Rebellion (within the empire)

► The Jurched and the Mongols were two of many forThe Jurched and the Mongols were two of many foreign powers that invaded China and ruled China pareign powers that invaded China and ruled China partially or entirelytially or entirely The Jurched (north China) The Jurched (north China) The Mongols (entire China)The Mongols (entire China)

► Foreign conquest of China resulted in the formation Foreign conquest of China resulted in the formation of “Conquest Dynasty”—Yuan, Qingof “Conquest Dynasty”—Yuan, Qing The conqueor: Mass killing, slaughter, massacre The conqueor: Mass killing, slaughter, massacre The conquered: Resistance, insurgence, rebellionThe conquered: Resistance, insurgence, rebellion

The Last Conquest Dynasty: Qing

• The Manchus conquered China and set up the Qing dynasty in 1644, which ended in 1911.• During its 268 years of rule, the Qing dynasty experien

ced many troubled times marked by regional and nation-wide disorders

• Anti-Manchu/anti-foreign sentiment was often the cause of riot, insurgence, anti-government movement, anti-Manchu movement, rebellion…

• Large-scale rebellions took place in late Qing

Rebellions in Late Imperial China

• Large-scale rebellions took place in later 18th and early 19th century China

• These rebellions represent a collective form of violence different from that of the foreign conquests resulted from the aggression of ther earlier steppe/nomad peoples: the Khitan, the Jurched, and the Mongols• But rebellion was a recurrent form of collective viole

nce in many imperial dynasties• It happened most often during the middle period of t

he Manchurian rule, the Qing dynasty (1644-1911)

Better Known Rebellions• Better known rebellions during the Qing:

• The White Lotus (1796-1806)—central and north China

• And its branches and successors

• The Nian (1850s)—north China, Yellow River• The Miao (1830s)—central and southwest China• The Yao (1830s)—central China• The Triads (1850s)—south China

• And its offshoot, The Short Swords (1850s)--Shanghai

• The Taiping (1950s-1960s) south, central, and north China

Causes of Rebellions Causes vary and are often difficult to pin down Two important ideas supported rebellions

“Guanbi minfan”, rebellion in response to officials’ suppression Change of the mandate of Heaven

Normally Han people rebelled because of the following reasons Economic distress

Destruction of traditional forms of handicraft employment by the competition of foreign manufactures?

Famine Landlordism Population pressure

Conflict between migrating Han farmers and the aboriginals minorities Nationalism

Viewing the Manchus’ rule as representing a corrupt alien dynasty Religious affiliations

The Taiping RebellionThe Taiping Rebellion The Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864)The Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864)

The largest and most influential rebellion during thThe largest and most influential rebellion during the Qinge Qing

The only rebellion that had connection with the WeThe only rebellion that had connection with the Western impact on Chinastern impact on China

Communit historians called it “peasant uprising,” wCommunit historians called it “peasant uprising,” which started from Guangxi province in south Chinahich started from Guangxi province in south China an area of secret societies, lineage feuds, and conflict ban area of secret societies, lineage feuds, and conflict b

etween the locals and the Hakka (guest people)etween the locals and the Hakka (guest people) this area suffered the most disruption from the Opium Wthis area suffered the most disruption from the Opium W

ar, the result of which made the open of new trade ports ar, the result of which made the open of new trade ports and huge numbers of porters lost their jobsand huge numbers of porters lost their jobs

The Origin of the Taiping The Taiping refers to both the Taiping Rebellion and th

e Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace). “The Taipings” refers to the constituents of the rebels and kingdom

The Rebellion was one of many anti-Manchu movements in the middle-Qing period

Its goal was to overturn the Manchu regime, which was regarded as alien, repressive, and corrupt

The founder and his cohort began their movement by organizing religion called the God-Worshippers (Bai Shangdi jiao) Based on their understanding of the Catholicism derived fro

m a pamphlet written by a Christian convert, Liang Afa, entitled Good Words to Exhort the Age (World)

The Founder of the Taiping

• The founder: Hong Xiuquan (1814-1965)• Originally a school teacher who passed the local prelimin

ary examination but failed provincial examination four times

• Inspired by Good Words to Exhort the Age, he claimed that during his illness after the failure of the third examination, he was adopted by the Heaven father as the younger brother of Jesus Christ and was given a divine mission• Identify the devils of China and cast them out.

• The devils are idols of China’s temples (including ancestral temples), the Manchu rulers, opium and alcohol, foot-binding and prostitution

The Beginning of the RebellionHong soon became known and respectedHong’s organization, the God-Worshippers, became the shelter for the victims of social disorder in Hong’s hometown and its vicinity

The Hakka people joined them because of being harassed by bandit Who were originally the demoralized local militia Thirty bandit gangs operated in the area

Local landlord and rich clans joined the God-WorshippersThe God-Worshippers grew rapidly and its members rose from 10,000 to 30,000 Local and central governments found the growing God-Worshippers threatening and began to suppress them

This resulted in mass killing and war between themWhich anticipated a large-scale rebellion

The Early Phase of the Taiping

• The Taipings turned into a large political entity• Publicly declared their purposes to overthrow the “devilish Qing”

• Important leading members came from an wide array of social constituents: failed examinee and village schoolteacher, charcoal-burner and government clerk, female bandit chief, Triad leader and river pirate, wealthy money-lenders and pawnbrokers, merchant, scholar, former account, head of rich clan, poor peasant

• Predominantly Hakka people• Not motivated by peasant discontent, nor by destitution, bu

t by the God-Worshippers’ faith and ethnic identity

Taiping’s Quick Success• After several major battles with government troops, the Ta

ipings took control of the ancient capital, Nanjing, which became its capital

• They also took control of important cities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, and Anhui and with this areas as their military bases, continued to launch military and cultural campaigns against the Manchu rulers

• The expansion of the Taiping and its forceful implementation of the Christian faith resulted in the Taipings’ conflict with the people

Taiping Heavenly KingdomTaiping Heavenly Kingdom

After succeeding in taking control of Nanjing (NankiAfter succeeding in taking control of Nanjing (Nanking), Hong built Taiping’s capital thereng), Hong built Taiping’s capital there Killing all Qing bureaucrats and Confucian scholars and bKilling all Qing bureaucrats and Confucian scholars and b

urnt all Confucian texts, which Hong regarded as “evil”urnt all Confucian texts, which Hong regarded as “evil” He proclaimed himself Heavenly King and five of hiHe proclaimed himself Heavenly King and five of hi

s closest comrades Eastern, Western, Southern, Nors closest comrades Eastern, Western, Southern, Northern, and Wing Kingsthern, and Wing Kings

The fratricide among the Taipings resulted in the grThe fratricide among the Taipings resulted in the gradual collapse of the kingdom, even though it mighadual collapse of the kingdom, even though it might have promise to overthrow the Qing regimet have promise to overthrow the Qing regime

A 100,000 Taipings died in Nanjing rather than surreA 100,000 Taipings died in Nanjing rather than surrender to the Qing.nder to the Qing.