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== Hong Xiuquan and the outbreak of the Taiping Rebellion ==

== Hong Xiuquan and the outbreak of the Taiping Rebellion ==

Hong Xiuquan(1814-1864) was from poor Hakka family in Guangdong province in south China. He had received some education, and had had contact with missionaries in Guangzhou (Canton), but had failed repeatedly in the civil service examinations, and suffered a mental breakdown ''circa'' 1837, following which he espoused a garbled version of Chritianity in which he claimed that he was son of God, and younger brother of Christ. Around 1845 he founded the 'God Worshippers Society' which grafted elements of Old Testament theology onto peasant rebel tradition, and which began to develop a following among Hakka and minority Zhuang and Yao peoples in Guangxi province in SW China. Guangxi in the late 1840s/early 50s was troubled by famine, rebellion, smuggling, and secret societies; it was a fractured society (with Han, Hakka, and minority nationals) and remote from Beijing: fertile ground for revolt. In 1850 the God Worshippers Society raised a rebel standard at Jintian (Guangxi) and in 1851 proclaimed itself the 'Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace' (''Taiping Tianguo'').

Hong Xiuquan(1814-1864) was from poor Hakka family in Guangdong province in south China. He had received some education, and had had contact with missionaries in Guangzhou (Canton), but had failed repeatedly in the civil service examinations, and suffered a mental breakdown ''circa'' 1837, following which he espoused a garbled version of Christianity in which he claimed that he was son of God, and younger brother of Christ. Around 1845 he founded the 'God Worshipers Society' which grafted elements of Old Testament theology onto peasant rebel tradition, and which began to develop a following among Hakka and minority Zhuang and Yao peoples in Guangxi province in SW China. Guangxi in the late 1840s/early 50s was troubled by famine, rebellion, smuggling, and secret societies; it was a fractured society (with Han, Hakka, and minority nationals) and remote from Beijing: fertile ground for revolt. In 1850 the God Worshipers Society raised a rebel standard at Jintian (Guangxi) and in 1851 proclaimed itself the 'Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace' (''Taiping Tianguo'').

== Early Taiping success ==

== Early Taiping success ==

==Qing responses to the Taiping ==

==Qing responses to the Taiping ==

They appointed 'new men' - members of provincial gentry - to command new armies. In 1853 Zeng Guofan (1811-72) was appointed to raise troops in the ''Xiang'' or [[Hunan Army]], to combat the Taiping. Zeng was a Confucian scholar, implaccably opposed to the Taiping; he built up an officer core of trusted men, established arsenals and a river fleet, and methodically began to encircle Taiping forces.  His chief protege was [[Li Hongzhang]] (1823-1901) who was appointed to raise an army in [[Anhui]], the ''Huai'' or Anhui army, similar to Zeng's forces. Li became governor of the key eastern province of [[Jiangsu]] in 1862 where he made use of Western and Chinese-Western forces to combat the Taipings around [[Shanghai]] and [[Hangzhou]]. The Anhui army participated in the final defeat of the Taiping in 1864 and went north to finish the [[Nien]] rebels. Li went on to become the key political figure in China for the remainder of his life.  

They appointed 'new men' - members of provincial gentry - to command new armies. In 1853 Zeng Guofan (1811-72) was appointed to raise troops in the ''Xiang'' or [[Hunan Army]], to combat the Taiping. Zeng was a Confucian scholar, implacably opposed to the Taiping; he built up an officer core of trusted men, established arsenals and a river fleet, and methodically began to encircle Taiping forces.  His chief protégé was [[Li Hongzhang]] (1823-1901) who was appointed to raise an army in [[Anhui]], the ''Huai'' or Anhui army, similar to Zeng's forces. Li became governor of the key eastern province of [[Jiangsu]] in 1862 where he made use of Western and Chinese-Western forces to combat the Taipings around [[Shanghai]] and [[Hangzhou]]. The Anhui army participated in the final defeat of the Taiping in 1864 and went north to finish the [[Nien]] rebels. Li went on to become the key political figure in China for the remainder of his life.  

Traditional Chinese 'Green Banner' regular forces had proved useless against the Taiping. The brunt of the considerable fighting was by  militias, Manchu Banner forces and the 'new armies' of Zeng and Li. The success of these regional armies, together with the devolution of responsibility to provinces, and the collection by the provinces of a new tax (''lijin'') on goods transported, was to have major long-term  implications for China.

Traditional Chinese 'Green Banner' regular forces had proved useless against the Taiping. The brunt of the considerable fighting was by  militias, Manchu Banner forces and the 'new armies' of Zeng and Li. The success of these regional armies, together with the devolution of responsibility to provinces, and the collection by the provinces of a new tax (''lijin'') on goods transported, was to have major long-term  implications for China.