Dubbed ‘the bloodiest war in history’, the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864) shook China, its scars both present and still healing today. In 1843, Hong Xiuquan was converted to Protestantism by Western missionaries and founded a God-worshipping society. However, much to the disdain of Western missionaries, Hong’s new society was a sinicization and ‘distortion’ of Christianity that didn’t reflect ‘true’ Christian values, particularly with Hong claiming to be Jesus’ younger brother. In 1850, Hong then founded the Kingdom of Heavenly Peace, with the goal to drive ‘demons’ out of China, which included the ruling Manchus.
The Kingdom of Heavenly Peace quickly militarised and began attacking cities, imposing their rule and belief system. This ‘bloody’ war spanned fourteen years and took the lives of between 20 to 30 million people, possibly the deadliest civil war in history. At the time of the rebellion, its effects were evident in the fragmentation of China and, ultimately, the collapse of the Qing dynasty. Yet, its legacy has resulted in China’s rejection, fear, and distrust over religious groups.
The Taiping Rebellion simultaneously inspired rebellions from other minority groups, including Muslims in the North-West and the Miao to the south. This has entrenched a fear over religious insurgencies in China, which modern policy reflects. For the last five years, the Chinese state has been cracking down on underground churches not sanctioned by the state over fears that they do not promote the party ideology.
In contrast, state-sanctioned Christian churches have bishops appointed by the state, not the Vatican, and therefore have control over the ideas and messages being preached. Discourse has opened between the Vatican and the Chinese state in recent years, giving a dual authority to appoint bishops. This has led to underground churches feeling somewhat left behind, as the Vatican is now closer with the state, not underground churches, further suppressing the underground movements.
The legacy of the Taiping Rebellion and fears over religious insurgency cannot be discussed without recognising the internment, jailing, and ‘re-education’ of the Uyghur population in Xinjiang. These discriminatory policies toward the Uyghur population undeniably have links to fears over independence movements and religious uprisings, whether they pose a genuine threat or not.
Finally, the influx of Christianity was a product of Western intervention. Similarly, the Western world jumped at military and economic opportunities that presented themselves with Chinese decline in the 19th and 20th centuries. This helps feed into a rejection of the West and the Chinese rhetoric of moral superiority, which is widespread in Chinese state ideology. China is still grappling with how to deal with their religious groups, and the hangover of the Taiping Rebellion shows no sign of letting up.
By Eddie Rudolph