The Decline of Imperial ChinaThe Decline of Imperial China

Disorder under HeavenDisorder under Heaven– Natural calamitiesNatural calamities– Human-caused disorderHuman-caused disorder

Natural calamities:Natural calamities:– Earthquake, drought, flood, famine, plague, Earthquake, drought, flood, famine, plague,

volcanic eruption, volcanic eruption,

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)

Foreign invasion:Foreign invasion:– Before the Ming, the Jurched and the Mongols Before the Ming, the Jurched and the Mongols

were two of many foreign powers that invaded were two of many foreign powers that invaded China and ruled China partially or entirelyChina and ruled China partially 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 of Foreign conquest of China resulted in the formation of “Conquest Dynasty”—Jin, Yuan“Conquest Dynasty”—Jin, Yuan

– After the Ming, the Manchus and the QingAfter the Ming, the Manchus and the Qing

Results of the onslaught Results of the onslaught – The conqueror: Mass killing, slaughter, The conqueror: Mass killing, slaughter,

massacre massacre – The conquered: Resistance, insurgence, The conquered: Resistance, insurgence,

rebellionrebellion

• Further results:Further results:• the empire the empire declined, declined, collapsed, collapsed, disintegrateddisintegrated

• Some dynasties did experience “restoration”

The Last Conquest Dynasty: QingThe Last Conquest Dynasty: Qing

• The concept of Chinese The concept of Chinese world order--All under world order--All under Heaven” (tian xia) Heaven” (tian xia) • The Concept of Chinese The Concept of Chinese rulership--“Son of rulership--“Son of Heaven” (Heaven” (tianzitianzi))• Question about the Question about the imperial system in Chinaimperial system in China

The Disorder during the QingThe Disorder during the Qing

During the 268 years During the 268 years of the Manchus rule, of the Manchus rule, the Qing dynasty the Qing dynasty experienced many experienced many troubled times troubled times marked by regional marked by regional and nation-wide and nation-wide disordersdisorders

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

Rebellions in Rebellions in Late Imperial Late Imperial

ChinaChina

Large-scale Large-scale rebellions took rebellions took place in later place in later 1818thth, early and , early and mid 19mid 19thth century century ChinaChina

Better Known RebellionsBetter Known Rebellions

Better known rebellions during the Qing:Better known rebellions during the Qing:– The White Lotus (1796-1806)—central and north The White Lotus (1796-1806)—central and north

ChinaChinaAnd its branches and successors And its branches and successors

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

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

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

Causes of RebellionsCauses of Rebellions

Causes vary and are often difficult to pin Causes vary and are often difficult to pin downdown

Two important ideas supported rebellionsTwo important ideas supported rebellions– ““Guanbi minfan”, rebellion in response to Guanbi minfan”, rebellion in response to

officials’ suppression officials’ suppression – Change of the mandate of HeavenChange of the mandate of Heaven

Normally Han people rebelled because of Normally Han people rebelled because of the following reasons:the following reasons:

– Economic distressEconomic distressDestruction of traditional forms of handicraft Destruction of traditional forms of handicraft employment by the competition of foreign employment by the competition of foreign manufactures?manufactures?

– FamineFamine– LandlordismLandlordism– Population pressurePopulation pressure

Conflict between migrating Han farmers and the Conflict between migrating Han farmers and the aboriginals minoritiesaboriginals minorities

– NationalismNationalismViewing the Manchus’ rule as representing a corrupt Viewing the Manchus’ rule as representing a corrupt alien dynastyalien dynasty

– Religious affiliationsReligious affiliations

The Taiping RebellionThe Taiping RebellionThe The TaipingTaiping Rebellion Rebellion (1850-1864)(1850-1864)– The largest and most influential rebellion during The largest and most influential rebellion during

the Qingthe Qing– The only rebellion that had connection with the The only rebellion that had connection with the

Western impact on ChinaWestern impact on China– Communist historians called it “peasant uprising,” Communist historians called it “peasant uprising,”

which started from Guangxi province in south which started from Guangxi province in south ChinaChina

an area of secret societies, lineage feuds, and conflict an area of secret societies, lineage feuds, and conflict between the locals and the Hakka (guest people)between the locals and the Hakka (guest people) this area suffered the most disruption from the Opium this area suffered the most disruption from the Opium War, the result of which made the open of new trade War, the result of which made the open of new trade ports and huge numbers of porters lost their jobsports and huge numbers of porters lost their jobs

Rebels and RebellionsRebels and Rebellions

Hong Xiuquan, his Hong Xiuquan, his visions, and the visions, and the Heavenly Kingdom Heavenly Kingdom

The Heavenly Kingdom The Heavenly Kingdom and the old capital and the old capital NanjingNanjing

The “Peasant Uprising” The “Peasant Uprising” in the Communist in the Communist ideologyideology

Mass KillingsMass Killings

China: Mao's reign of terror, 1949-65, 20 million China: Mao's reign of terror, 1949-65, 20 million plusplusChina: Civil war, 1945-49 1.2 million China: Civil war, 1945-49 1.2 million USSR: Stalin's terror, 1936-53 20 million plus USSR: Stalin's terror, 1936-53 20 million plus WWII: combatant deaths 16.8 million WWII: combatant deaths 16.8 million WWII: noncombatant deathsWWII: noncombatant deaths– Russia/USSR:civilian deaths by Nazis 7-12 millionRussia/USSR:civilian deaths by Nazis 7-12 million– Europe: The Holocaust, 1933-45 6 million Europe: The Holocaust, 1933-45 6 million – Other WWII noncombatant deaths 6 million Other WWII noncombatant deaths 6 million – Sino-Japanese War: 1937-45 3.5 million Sino-Japanese War: 1937-45 3.5 million

Korean War: 1950-53 2 million Korean War: 1950-53 2 million

Foreigners joining the

Taiping

The Origin of the TaipingThe Origin of the Taiping

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

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

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

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

Catholicism derived from a pamphlet written Catholicism derived from a pamphlet written by a Christian convert, Liang Afa, entitled by a Christian convert, Liang Afa, entitled Good Words to Exhort the AgeGood Words to Exhort the Age (World) (World)

The Founder of the TaipingThe Founder of the Taiping

The founder: Hong The founder: Hong Xiuquan (1814-1965)Xiuquan (1814-1965)

Originally a school Originally a school teacher who passed teacher who passed the local preliminary the local preliminary examination but failed examination but failed provincial provincial examination four examination four timestimes

• Inspired by Inspired by Good Good Words to Exhort the Words to Exhort the Age, Age, he claimed that he claimed that during his illness after during his illness after the failure of the third the failure of the third examination, he was examination, he was adopted by the adopted by the Heavenly father as Heavenly father as the younger brother the younger brother of Jesus Christ and of Jesus Christ and was given a divine was given a divine missionmission

Identify the devils of China and cast Identify the devils of China and cast them out.them out.The devils are idols of China’s The devils are idols of China’s temples (including ancestral temples (including ancestral temples), the Manchu rulers, opium temples), the Manchu rulers, opium and alcohol, foot-binding and and alcohol, foot-binding and prostitutionprostitution

Jintian where Hong started his “uprising”

The Beginning of the RebellionThe Beginning of the Rebellion

Hong soon became Hong soon became well-known and well-known and respectedrespected

Hong’s organization, Hong’s organization, the God-Worshippers, the God-Worshippers, became the shelter for became the shelter for the victims of social the victims of social disorder in Hong’s disorder in Hong’s hometown and its hometown and its vicinityvicinity

• The Hakka people joined them The Hakka people joined them because of being harassed by because of being harassed by bandits--who were originally bandits--who were originally members of the demoralized local members of the demoralized local militia militia • Thirty bandit gangs operated in the Thirty bandit gangs operated in the areaarea• Local landlord and rich clans joined Local landlord and rich clans joined the God-Worshippersthe God-Worshippers

• The God-Worshippers grew rapidly The God-Worshippers grew rapidly and its members rose from 10,000 to and its members rose from 10,000 to 30,00030,000

• Local and central governments Local and central governments found the growing God-Worshippers found the growing God-Worshippers threatening and began to suppress threatening and began to suppress themthem• This resulted in mass killing and This resulted in mass killing and wars between them, which anticipated wars between them, which anticipated a large-scale rebelliona large-scale rebellion

The Early Phase of the TaipingThe Early Phase of the Taiping

The Taipings turned The Taipings turned into a large political into a large political entityentity– Publicly declared Publicly declared

their purposes to their purposes to overthrow the overthrow the “devilish Qing”“devilish Qing”

Hong’s study

Taiping Constituents Taiping Constituents

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

Predominantly Hakka peoplePredominantly Hakka people

Not motivated by peasant discontent, nor by Not motivated by peasant discontent, nor by destitution, but by the God-Worshippers’ faith destitution, but by the God-Worshippers’ faith and ethnic identityand ethnic identity

Taiping’s Quick SuccessTaiping’s Quick Success

After several major battles with government After several major battles with government troops, the Taipings took control of the ancient troops, the Taipings took control of the ancient capital, Nanjing, which became its capitalcapital, Nanjing, which became its capitalThey also took control of important cities in They also took control of important cities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, and Anhui and with Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, and Anhui and with this areas as their military bases, continued to this areas as their military bases, continued to launch military and cultural campaigns against launch military and cultural campaigns against the Manchu rulersthe Manchu rulersThe expansion of the Taiping and its forceful The expansion of the Taiping and its forceful implementation of the Christian faith resulted implementation of the Christian faith resulted in the Taipings’ conflict with the peoplein the Taipings’ conflict with the people

Taiping Heavenly KingdomTaiping Heavenly Kingdom

After succeeding in taking control of After succeeding in taking control of Nanjing (Nanking), Hong built Taiping’s Nanjing (Nanking), Hong built Taiping’s capital therecapital there– Killing all Qing bureaucrats and Confucian Killing all Qing bureaucrats and Confucian

scholars and burnt all Confucian texts, which scholars and burnt all Confucian texts, which Hong regarded as “evil”Hong regarded as “evil”

He proclaimed himself Heavenly King and He proclaimed himself Heavenly King and five of his closest comrades Eastern, five of his closest comrades Eastern, Western, Southern, Northern, and Wing Western, Southern, Northern, and Wing KingsKings

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

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

Death of Population during the rebellion: Death of Population during the rebellion: 50-70 million50-70 million

Destruction of Nanjing