Origin, Transformation and Application: Hong Xiuquan’s Mysticism in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom

Hong Xiuquan, believing that God exists through mystical experiences, studied Eastern and Western religions and launched the Taiping Rebellion, which combined Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, witchcraft, and medicine with Manchu-Han conflict. The rebellion was more cruel and vast than the American Civil War. This paper compares his own and Western perceptions of his religious experience to analyze the causes and principles of his miraculous phenomena—such as his life, dreaming, and preaching—from a theological and life-practice perspective. It re-examines religion's role in the historical processes of China, America, and Eurasia and addresses whether Hong's beliefs and miracles truly existed and how the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was established through different religions. The research also helps judge warfare forms across cultural and religious contexts.

Study at a glance

Abstract

As a continental country full of mysterious traditions, extremely inclusive and with periodic regime changes, China has experienced various phenomena of coexistence of “theism” and “atheism” after long-standing debates. Under the belief that “God exists” with his mystical experiences, Hong Xiuquan studied Eastern and Western religions and finally set off “the practice of Islam and Manichaeism in the external form of Christianity”. Combining “the oriental native culture of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, witchcraft and medicine with the confrontation between the Manchu and Han regimes”, the Taiping Rebellion was carried out, which was more cruel and vast than the American Civil War. Through comparative research on the similarities and differences between “his own and Western perceptions of his religious experience”, we grasp the causes and principles of his miraculous phenomena, such as his life, dreaming and preaching, from a new perspective on theology and life practice. It analyzes and re-examines the significance of religion in promoting the historical process of China, America and Eurasia and answers the questions of “whether Hong Xiuquan’s beliefs and miracles truly exist, and how to establish the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom through different religions” that have been neglected in the past. This research can also be used to judge the form of warfare in different cultural and religious contexts.