Hong Xiuquan

1 January 1814 – 1 June 1864

Hong Xiuquan (1814-1864) was the leader of the Taiping Rebellion, one of the deadliest conflicts in history, which convulsed Qing China from 1850 to 1864. A failed examination candidate who came to believe he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, he founded the God Worshipping Society and proclaimed the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom with its capital at Nanjing. He died in 1864 shortly before Qing forces retook the city.

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Life events

Born in Fuyuanshui village, Guangdong province
1 January 1814

Hong Xiuquan was born on 1 January 1814 into a Hakka farming family in Hua county near Guangzhou.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Repeatedly failed the imperial civil service examinations
1827 – 1843

Between 1827 and 1843 Hong attempted the provincial examinations in Guangzhou four times and failed each attempt, a source of profound personal crisis.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Education ✓
Experienced visions during a prolonged illness
1837

After failing the examinations in 1837, Hong fell ill and experienced visions that he later interpreted as a heavenly commission to destroy demon worship.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Personal ✓
Interpreted his visions through Christian tracts and began preaching
1843

In 1843 Hong read the missionary pamphlet 'Good Words to Admonish the Age', concluded he was the son of God and younger brother of Jesus, and began converting family and friends.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Personal ✓
Built the God Worshipping Society in Guangxi
1844 – 1850

With Feng Yunshan, Hong developed a fast-growing religious movement among Hakka communities in Guangxi during the late 1840s.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Launched the Jintian Uprising against the Qing dynasty
11 January 1851

On 11 January 1851 Hong declared open rebellion at Jintian village, Guangxi, proclaiming the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom with himself as Heavenly King.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Captured Nanjing and made it the Taiping capital
March 1853

In March 1853 Taiping forces took Nanjing, which Hong renamed Tianjing (Heavenly Capital) and ruled from for the next decade.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Withdrew from governance after the Tianjing Incident
September 1856

The bloody 1856 purge of the East King Yang Xiuqing and its aftermath weakened the Taiping leadership, and Hong increasingly retreated into his palace and religious writings.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Other ✓
Died in besieged Nanjing
1 June 1864

Hong died on 1 June 1864 while Qing forces besieged Nanjing, which fell the following month, effectively ending the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Death ✓