Jvm 23, 1856.] THE CHINESE AND THElli KEBELLIONS. 101 



The rebellion was decidedly religious, and there is ground for believing 

 that it derived its origin from Christianity. The originator of the movement 

 was one Hung-sew-tseuen, a poor peasant of the Hwa district, about 30 

 miles from Canton, who exhibited such early talent, that his parents gave 

 him an education which enabled him to compete for the degrees at Canton, 

 though without success, owing probably to the greater interest of more 

 wealthy candidates ; for every post, degree, or rank, high or low, of late 

 years, went by money in China. The young Luther of China, however, 

 destined to be its Napoleon, was not to be daunted. He met with Protestant 

 missionaries, heard certain startling, consolatory truths, and obtained books 

 that wholly altered his character, and prepared him for his grand mission, 

 and appointment by God " to restore the world — that is, China — to the 

 worship of the true God." (p. 81.) His first converts were humble like 

 himself, village schoolmasters ; the most important of whom, for future 

 events, was Fung-yun-san. These two travelled about the mountain pro- 

 vinces, propagating the new faith, and eventually formed congregations, ' 

 known as the " Society of God- worshippers," which became the strength of 

 the religious-political rebellion that now shakes the imperial throne, (p. 85.) 



From 1840 to 1847 this sect remained in comparative obscurity, gradually 

 acquiring Christian knowledge under missionaries from Canton ; nor was it 

 till 1850 that the God- worshippers were brought into collision with the 

 local authorities, and forced to a movement of a purely political character. 

 (p. 105.) 



Eebellions, however, were no new thing in China. The dynasty of the 

 Mings was overthrown in the seventeenth century not by the Manchoo 

 Tartars, but by a native rebel, one Le-tze-ching. Forty years later. Woo- 

 san-kwei and three other native princes threw off their allegiance from the 

 Manchoos, and were only subdued, after a war of seven years, by the 

 Manchoo Emperor Kang-he. From 1683, also, to the present day, South- 

 eastern China has been the great seat of a formidable political society, best 

 known as the San-ho-whuy, or Triad Society, the express object of which 

 has been the expulsion of the barbarian conquerors of their country. Passive, 

 peaceable opposition to the tyranny of the mandarins, by the way of strikes 

 among the productive and distributive classes, has been of frequent occur- 

 rence ; and occasionally companies of bandits or rebels openly defied the 

 authorities, pillaged the local custom-houses and treasuries, levying black- 

 mail on the wealthier inhabitants. These, in fact, have become more common 

 in recent years, owing to the growing corruptions and increasing financial 

 difficulties of the state ; and in 1849 Mr. Meadows confidently foretold the 

 downward career and fall of the Manchoo dynasty, (p. 122.) 



The formal rising of the God-worshippers occurred in Oct. 1850, with the 

 view of finally expelling the Manchoos and establishing the new and native 

 dynasty of Tae-ping, or Universal Peace. These religious insurrectionists 

 inspired an alarm far greater than any caused by the Triad Society ; and in 

 July, 1851, an imperial army was organised under Shae-hang-ha to oppose 

 the rebel troops, who were gradually advancing northward, joined by two 

 female rebel chiefs, at the head of 4000 followers, and eight chiefs belonging 

 to the Triad Society, who were allowed to join only on condition that they 

 would conform to the worship of the true God. (p. 151.) In the autumn of 

 1851, the Tae-pings left the Seang district and established themselves in 

 Yung-gan, the capital of which they occupied ; then forming an army of 

 16,000 against 30,000 of the Imperialists, the latter, however, being any- 

 thing but efficient troops. It was about this time, too, that Hung-sew-tseuen 

 assumed the title of " Heavenly," or " Divine Prince." In the following 

 March the Tae-pings appeared before Nanking, and though a force of 20,000 

 Manchoos was there to defend that imperial city, they did not strike a blow, 

 and both soldiers and people were indiscriminately massacred, (p. 170.) 



