The Taiping Rebellion: Introducing Hong Xiuquan In this episode, we introduce the founder of the Taiping Rebellion, Hong Xiuquan. The books we are relying on: God’s Chinese Son by Jonathan D. Spence Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom by Stephen R. Platt Historical Context of Taiping Rebellion Because the Taiping Rebellion kicks off in the aftermath of the First Opium War (1839-1842), our coverage of the Taiping Rebellion will intertwine with the evolution of foreign intervention in Chinese affairs. As ordinary Chinese watched the British destroy the Chinese navy and force a treaty on the Chinese government, it provided a shift in impressions of the Qing government that opened the way for rebellions against it. Personal Background of Hong Xiuquan Born Hong Huoxiu, the founder of the Taiping movement grew up in a Hakka farming family in South China. He was educated, though he did not make it far in the Confucian civil service examinations. In 1836, he met a Protestant missionary who gave him a copy of Protestant convert Liang Afa's tract Good Words to Admonish the Age, a bundling of shorter works Liang had written. In 1837, he failed the exams and had a nervous breakdown. On his sickbed at home, he had visions of Chinese deities from heaven and hell and the heavenly family revealing him to be their son. Liang Afa's tract became the key to interpreting his visions. If You'd Like to Support the Podcast Subscribe, share, leave a rating. Give once, give monthly at www.buymeacoffee.com/crpodcast Subscribe to the substack newsletter at https://chineserevolutions.substack.com/ Also... Please reach out at [email protected] and let me know what you think!