S01E26 Taiping Rebellion: Hong Rengan in Nanjing

Chinese Revolutions: A History Podcast

S01E26 Taiping Rebellion: Hong Rengan in Nanjing

In this episode, we go over Hong Rengan's journey from Hong Kong to Nanjing, what it was like when he got there, and his prospects for changing the Taiping movement.

Today's episode substantially based on Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War by Stephen R. Platt.

The Journey to Nanjing

Hong Rengan traveled overland in disguise to Nanjing. Along the way, he saw the devastation wrought by conquest and reconquest of the same areas, and the consequences of long-term occupation by both armies.

He succeeded in penetrating Qing lines because the troops varied widely in competence and they didn't search him especially closely. He was arrested and held for a few days, but managed to escape. When he did make contact with a Taiping patrol, he was arrested as a possible Qing spy, but ultimately managed to convince the commander that he was connected to Hong Xiuquan.

In Nanjing

Nanjing was a formerly glorious city run by a cult under siege. Much of the population left for the countryside. Much of the city was abandoned and run down.

Hong Xiuquan lived in imperial seclusion. Hong Rengan's arrival provided Hong Xiuquan a badly needed top-level advisor. Hong Rengan's rapid promotion made a number of the other top commanders jealous, but for the moment, he was able to convince them he knew his stuff and he'd be a good addition to the team.

Looking Ahead

The Taiping Rebellion will fail. The foreign powers will intervene in the conflict, and the Taiping will critically fail to make the right connections to have the foreign powers intervene on their side.

The Taiping Rebellion will nevertheless bring out the cause of liberating the Han people (the majority of Chinese) from foreign Manchu rule.

We will see how the Taiping Rebellion will advance the revolutions yet to come.

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