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The Heavenly Kingdom, having recently killed kings three and four of its founding five – and misplaced the fifth – attempts to solve its acute leadership shortage. To that end, the Heavenly King turns to his own blood, promoting his brothers – both military novices – and handing supreme military authority to the upjumped royal harem-staffing administrator.
Meanwhile, up his own backwater Jiangxi creek, the one man of Great Qing capable of destroying the rebels is finally handed a paddle by his enemies’ infighting... and promptly goes home to bury his father.
Two governments, two indispensable men, and one season in which both of them simply choose to walk away.
Time Period Covered:
1856–1857 CE
Major Historical Figures:
Taiping
Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864]
Shi Dakai, the Wing King [1831–1863]
Hong Renfa, the Peace King [d. 1864]
Hong Renda, the Blessings King [d. 1864]
Meng De'en, Chief of Staff [d. 1861]
Chen Yucheng [1837–1862]
Li Xiucheng [1823–1864]
Yang Xiuqing, the East King [d. 1856]
Wei Changhui, the North King [d. 1856]
Nien
Zhang Luoxing, Lord of the Alliance [1811–1863]
Li Zhaoshou [d. 1881]
Qing
The Xianfeng Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yizhu) [r. 1850–1861]
Zeng Guofan [1811–1872]
Zeng Guohua [1822–1858]
Hu Linyi [1812–1861]
Major Works Cited:
Kuhn, Philip A. "The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10.
Michael, Franz, and Chung-li Chang. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vols. I & II.
Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War.
Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan.
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