#324 - Taiping 1: The Second Son of God
From The History of China by Chris Stewart
April 7, 2026 · 39 min
About this episode
This episode explores the life of Hong Xiuquan and the events leading to the Taiping Rebellion in the context of the Opium War and the Imperial Examination system.
Even in the fallout of the Opium War, dreams endure—but what happens to a dream deferred? In Canton, one young man’s starry-eyed visions of success run headlong into the brutal wall of the Imperial Examination system. And when that dream finally shatters, it neither dries up, nor festers.... it explodes into prophetic visions so awesome and so terrible that they will shake the very foundations of Heaven itself. Time Period Covered: 1827 – 1844 Major Historical Figures: The Daoguang Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Minning) [r. 1820–1850] Hong Xiuquan (Hong Huoxiu), failed examination candidate, Second Son of God[1814–1864] Li Jingfang, friend, relative, first convert [fl. 1840s] Hong Rengan [1822–1864] Feng Yunshan [1815–1852] Liang Fa (Liang Afa), author of Good Words to Exhort the Age [1789–1855] Major Sources Cited: Hong Xiuquan. Taiping Heavenly Chronicle (Taiping Tianri). Kuhn, Philip A. "Ch. 6, The Taiping Rebellion” in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10. Liang Fa. Good Words to Exhort the Age (Quanshi Liangyan) Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom. Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices…
People in this episode
Host: Chris Stewart
Topics covered
- Taiping Rebellion
- Hong Xiuquan
- Imperial Examination
- 19th Century China
- Opium War
- Prophetic Visions
Keywords
- Taiping Rebellion
- Hong Xiuquan
- Daoguang Emperor
- Imperial Examination
- 19th Century China
- prophetic visions
- Opium War
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Taiping Heavenly Chronicle (Taiping Tianri), Good Words to Exhort the Age (Quanshi Liangyan), Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom, God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan
More episodes of The History of China
- #332 - Taiping 9: Heaven Is A Place On Earth · June 8, 2026 · 38 min
- #331 - Taiping 8: Kingdom Come · May 31, 2026 · 43 min
- #330 - Taiping 7: Beneath the Walls of Changsha · May 23, 2026 · 34 min
- #329 - Taiping 6: River of Souls · May 16, 2026 · 37 min
- #328 - Taiping 5: The Way Ahead · May 8, 2026 · 53 min
- #327 - Taiping 4: The Heavenly Kingdom · April 28, 2026 · 40 min
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