mander Brine's narrative. We will, however, extract his statement of the present extent of the Taeping rule 'The extent of country under the immediate control of the Tien-Wang so constantly varies, that it is useless to attempt to define it with exactness. At present, a half-circle, drawn from Nankin towards the south-west, with a radius of fifty miles, will include all that his followers are known to possess towards the interior; and sixty miles on both sides of a line drawn from the same city, through Soo-chow, and ending at the sea near Ningpo (a linear distance of above two hundred miles), will include all that they possess in the direction of the seaboard. Thus the total amount of land, so entirely under the Tien-Wang's authority as to enable him to force the inhabitants to comply with his regulations and to pay taxes, is not less than thirty thousand square miles.** The fighting men of the Taepings Commander Brine reckons at not less than 400,000. The Chief, or Heavenly king, had early delegated the command in the field to Yang, now called the Eastern king, whose visions appear to have come in very opportunely for the detection of treason, and probably for other political purposes. At length they assumed a highly aggressive form towards the Chief himself. Upon one occasion Yang, speaking in the name of the Almighty, rebuked him for his impetuous disposition and harshness in the treatment of his household, and ordered him to be beaten with forty blows, which the Emperor submitted to receive, and prostrated himself accordingly, but the execution was dispensed with. Afterwards, in obedience to Divine commands, Yang addressed to him in his own house a long and severe lecture on his shortcomings, the conclusion of which we copy 'When the ladies wait upon you, my elder brother, it is of course their duty, but sometimes they may be apt to excite your righteous displeasure, in which case you must treat them gently, and not kick thein with your boot on; for if you kick them with your boot on, it may be that some of the ladies are in such a state as to call for the congratulations of their friends, and thus you interfere with the kind intentions of our Heavenly Father, who loves to foster human life. Further, when any of the ladies are in the state above alluded to, it would be as well to manifest a little gracious consideration, and allow them to rest from their labours, while you select some separate establishment for their residence and repose. You may still require them morning and evening to pay their respects. Such a method of treatment would be proper, and, if still any of the ladies should commit any trifling fault so as to give offence to my Lord, it would be as well to excuse them from being beaten with the bamboo. You may, however, scold them severely, and tell them not to offend any more. Should any of them commit any grievous crime, you should wait till after their confinement, when you can inflict punishment.'* These reproofs were received with the utmost humility by the Chief, and, after a visit which Yang and others paid him for the purpose of condoling with him upon his having incurred the displeasure of the Altion of the Comforter or Holy Spirit; a title mighty, he bestowed on Yang the appellaof which the real meaning was probably not suspected by either, and which Yang forthwith adopted in all his edicts. Nevertheless all this ended in Yang's becoming greatly suspected of plotting against the Heavenly King, and one morning Yang and his attendant officers were found dead. Some had been speared and others decapitated. Captain Blakiston has cited (p. 28) Mr. Forrest's account of a double tragedy. 'Passing by a wall and strong stockade, you enter into a space formerly covered by the southern suburb, and in which rose the Porcelain Tower. How well we remember, "in the days when childhood fleeted by," reading in Pinnock's or somebody else's Questions, of this splendid work; nay, every map or tract or chapter concerning China was prefaced by an illus tration of the pagoda, one of the wonders of the world. Now it is a white hill of ruins. Two immense walls, divided by a narrow aperture, are the only portions of the tower now standing. 'The portion of the suburbs in which this porcelain tower was situated was under the command of the Eastern king. Tien-Wang, baving occasion to doubt the fidelity of this gentleman, deputed the Northern king to cut off his head, and quietly slaughter his followers. This was done to the number of 10,000. But now Tien-wang, to satisfy the minds of men, accnsed the Northern king of the wilful murder of Tung-wang (who was elected Saviour of the World, and afterwards the Holy Ghost), and slew him and his followers. After this, Tienwang was told that Tung-wang boasted that from his porcelain tower he could command the *The doctrines of the Tien-Wang regarding conjugal duties may be illustrated by two verses contained in his 'Ode for Youth,' which he sent to Sir George Bonham, among other compositions to be noticed more fully below: ON THE DUTIES OF HUSBANDS. Unbending firmness is natural to the man, ON THE DUTIES OF WIVES. city. Powder was ordered into the tower, and the whole building blown up.' cipal acts of God with respect to man, from the time of the creation until the ascension of our Saviour, according to those versions of the ok and New Testaments that had fallen into his possession. 'The subject of the third part relates principally to his own divine power. Throughout, the third part Hung-siu-tsuen arrogates to Limself the attributes of a son of God. The last part of the Classic consists of an exhortation to his followers, under the title of "Little Children," to act in accordance with the teaching of the Commandments, and to endeavour to be, in all respects, honest, moral, and truthful, and so obtain future happiness.' Here follows an extract from the First Part Shortly after the taking of Nankin, Sir George Bonham, the governor of Hong-Kong, In the second part he proceeds to point out made his appearance there in H. M. S. 'Hermes.' The Taepings were found on that to his followers the religious history of their occasion to be well provided with guns of own country, and draws their attention to the circumstance of some of the early Chinese moeyery description, from gingalls to large narchs having been, similarly with the foreign cannon. The city presented a scene of utter | nations spoken of in the Testaments, worshipdesolation. The object of Sir George Bon-pers of one God. The sketch given of the deham's visit was partly to ascertain what really cline from this faith into a belief in genii, and were the principles of the rebels, and partly subsequently into Buddhism and other grave erto contradict the report which had been rers, proves in a remarkable degree the author's spread by the Imperialists that they were to knowledge of Chinese history-for all the facts stated in the Classic accord with the historic be assisted by the English ships of war. The annals. Taepings professed entire indifference to our neutrality, mingled with a certain degrée of good-will, founded on the similarity of our religious creed to theirs. They remarked, 'It would be wrong for you to help the Tartars, and, what is more, it would be of no use. Our Heavenly Father helps us, and no one can fight with him.' However high Sir George Bonham's rank might be, the Northern king declared it could not be so high as his own; and although a decree was issued to the effect that the English should come and go freely, whether to aid the Taepings in the extermination of the demons (Tartars), or to pursue their own commercial occupations, yet the style of the official communications was so absurdly arrogant (the English being represented as having come to give in their allegiance to the Tien-Wang), that Sir George could hold no personal intercourse with them. Along with this decree, they sent to Sir George Bonham the new books promulgated by their chief, and containing his doctrines on the subjects of politics, religion, military organization, and court etiquette. These books were translated by Dr. Medhurst, and afford the most certain and original evidence of the principles which they professed at that time, and they may well be referred to for the correction of the extravagant misstatements which have been circulated both for and against the Taepings. On her way down the river the 'Hermes' was fired on by the batteries and junks of the rebels as she passed Chin-keang, and she distributed some shot and shell among them in return. An apology was afterwards offered by the commandant of the place. One of the works sent by the Tacpingsa sort of religious poem, composed in lines consisting of three words each, and called the Trimetrical Classic-is especially worthy of notice : 'The author of the Trimetrical Classic has divided bis subject into four distinct parts: 'In the first he gives a summary of the prin 'The Great God Gave his celestial commands, The breach of which would not be for- He himself wrote them, In after ages It was sometimes disobeyed, But the Great God, His name is Jesus, The Lord and Saviour of men, They nailed his body, Where he shed his precious blood, Three days after his death He discoursed on heavenly things. Those who believe will be saved And ascend to heaven; But those who do not believe Will be the first to be condemned. Throughout the whole world The Great Lord and Ruler The whole of the Fourth Part is sub joined 'The Great God displays Liberality deep as the sea; But the devil has injured man In a most outrageous manner. God is therefore displeased With orders to come down into the world, In the Ting-yeu year (1837) The Great God Personally instructed him, Gave him odes and documents, And communicated to him the true doctrine. God also gave him a seal And conferred upon him a sword Connected with authority And majesty irresistible. To superintend everything. In the Mow-shin year (1848) The Son was troubled and distressed, When the Great God Appeared on his behalf. Bringing Jesus with him They both came down into the world, Where he instructed his Son How to sustain the weight of government. God has set up his Son To endure for ever, To defeat corrupt machinations And to display majesty and authority. Also to judge the world, To divide the righteous from the wicked, Let all beneath the sky Come and acknowledge the new monarch.* A year later, an American frigate, the 'Susquehannah,' visited Nankin, with no better success than the Hermes.' From the observations now made by Dr. Bridgeman, He bade him, together with the elder an eminent Chinese scholar, who went up in brother, Namely Jesus, To drive away impish fiends With the co-operation of angels. There was one who looked on with envy, Who displayed much malignity But the Great God, To subdue this fiend. And having conquered him The celestial mother was kind The celestial elder brother's wife *Hung-siu-tsuen. this ship, and from the notes of others who visited Nankin within the early years of its subjection to the rebels, it appears that the leaven of fanaticism which had been manifested from the first, was operating for evil and developing itself in new forms; an instance of which we have already seen in the titles assumed by the Eastern king Yang. Notwithstanding the monstrous language used by the chiefs, the uniform testimony at Nankin was that nore but the Heavenly Father and the Heavenly Elder Brother were worshipped. There were few signs of religious culture, but many could repeat the Ten Commandments as given in their books. The inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, the equality of the Persons of the Godhead, and many other doctrines generally received by Protestant Christians as being clearly revealed in the Bible, were utterly ignored by the insurgents. They had no houses for public worship, nor, apparently, any professed teachers of religion. Among the papers composed by the TienWang, is a very long one concerning the land regulation of political economy of his celestial dynasty.' In this he commands that *The Taeping Rebellion,' pp. 372-377. all fields be divided into nine orders and be classed according to their produce; divisions of fields are regulated according to the number of individuals in a household. For every twenty-five families there is to be a granary and a church, a potter, a blacksmith, a carpenter, and a mason; the youths to go daily to their church and study the Old and the New Testament; and on the Sabbath-day all are to attend Divine service. Provision is also made for the military service of the country. It does not appear that the government of the Tien-Wang ever was in a condition to give practical effect to this scheme. About the year 1858 a document addressed to foreigners was sent off by the Tien-Wang to H.M.S. Retribution' when lying at Woo-hoo. In this exposition the doctrines of the Taepings are again set forth in considerable detail; the pretensions of the Tien-Wang are put higher than ever, and the mission and merits of the king of the East are spoken of in terms of the wildest anda city. Yang himself is represented as having died of a pestilence* and having gone to heaven. Of the social condition of the Taepings very little is known. To a certain extent, at least, they have a community of interests: with a very few exceptions no one seemed to say that aught of the things he possessed was his own. Whether this resulted from the necessities of the case or was an established principle with them Dr. Bridgeman could not ascertain but immense stores and treasures had, at the time of his visit, been accumulated by them, and these were daily being augmented. When the Taepings occupied a city it was their policy to eject all the inhabitants who could not be made useful. The reasons they gave for this conduct were that they were thus enabled to hold the cities for a longer period against the attacks of the Imperialists, as there were fewer mouths to feed; and that it reduced the chances of treachery, as in all probability many of the residents would seize any favourable opportunity to admit within the walls the besieging force. The observance of this plan, and the system of public granaries and community of goods, sufficiently account for the almost entire absence of shops and trade. There seemed to be perfect discipline and subordination within the city; any one who attempted to trade there was decapitated; but a market for vegetables was held outside the walls, and afforded a sort of neutral ground on which the rebels and the Imperialists freely associated together, gambled, and quarrelled. Their *The word is ambiguous, and may also mean rebellion. arms and accoutrements were quite after the old fashion of the Chinese, but their red and yellow turbans, their long hair, and their silk and satin robes (the spoil of the cities they had sacked), so unlike the ordinary costume of the Chinese troops, made the insurgents appear like a new race of warriors. They were well clad, well fed, and well provided for; they seemed content and in high spirits, as if sure of success. The Tien-Wang still calls his chief officers kings. Four out of the five original kings are now dead. The fate of two of these we have already mentioned. Two more-Fungyun-san, the early friend of the chief, and Siau, known for his visions-have fallen in battle. Shih-tah-kae, the assistant king, the elder brother of the Tien-Wang, is absent from Nankin, at the head of 70,000 insurgents, in the province of Tze-chuen. It is doubtful (as we have already mentioned) whether he is any longer in subordination to the Tien-Wang, or whether he has set up for himself. The most important accession to the staff of the Tien-Wang is his cousin, Kanwang, or the Shield king, late Hung-jin, esteemed as a Christian catechist and preacher; but since 1858 an influential officer of the Tacpings. This dignitary has declared that on meeting with his relative the Celestial king, and having daily conversations with him, he was struck by the wisdom and depth of his teaching, far transcending that of common men. Mr. Forrest says of the Kanwang, that if all the rebels were like him, they would soon be masters of China. In the mean time, though he holds to his Christian belief, he is compelled to temporise and to comply with the state of things around him.' Kan-wang,' he continues,* 'told me that he hated war, and tried on his excursions to make it as little terrible as possible. "But," said he (and Kan-wang has some appreciation of truth) "it is impossible to deny that this is a war of extermination: quarter or mercy is never shown to our men by Hsien-Fêng's soldiers, and in revenge our people never give any. But men under my command never unnecessarily slay country-people." He has suffered but has not deemed it prudent to encourage foreign missionaries to preach in the streets of Nankin while the war continues. Captain Blakiston mentions that late advices represent him to have been degraded; it is supposed, on account of his partiality for foreigners. Mr. Roberts at length made his way to Nankin, and was received very kindly by the Tien-Wang, who invested him with yellow robes, and endeavoured, but in vain, to make *Blakiston, p. 50. him a sort of Secretary for the Foreign De- | rebels are humane in their treatment of the peopartment. Mr. Roberts, however, found that ple, and that the mischief is done by those who seven years of prosperity had altered his have but recently joined them. We were glad to find both at Soo-chow and Kwun-shan, the former pupil for the worse, and after a year's stay, during which he would seem to have fearlessly to sell; and that they were paid the country-people were beginning to go among them been (through his own injudicious conduct, full value for every article. We were told at according to Commander Brine) wholly pow- the latter place that to sell to the rebels is good erless for good, he took leave of the Taepings trade, as they gave three and four cash for what and of their cause on the 20th January, 1862, they formerly got only one cash. Their most denouncing both in a letter, which, whatever difficult task is that of winning the confidence may be thought of it in other respects, must of the people, and establishing order. In this they have hitherto signally failed.** satisfy every reader that he did well to quit a position for which he was so little suited, as that of missionary to the Taepings. The state of the country lying between Shanghae and Soochow is thus described by a missionary, the Rev. Griffith John, who traversed it in August, 1860 : ་ 'Before starting,' writes Mr. John, we were told that large bands of the country-people were gathered here and there for the purpose of harassing the rebels in their movements, and that travelling was extremely dangerous in those parts, We were surprised to find, however, that the last imperialist station was only ten miles from Shanghae, and that from this point to Soo-chow there was not a man to oppose their march. At one point we passed a floating bridge, which had been constructed by the insurgents, and left in charge of some of the country-people. A proclamation was put up on shore, exhorting the people to keep quiet, attend to their avocations, and bring in presents as obedient subjects. One of the country-people remarked as we were passing along, that the proclamation was very good, and that if the rebels would but act according ly, everything would be all right. "It matters very little to us," said he, "who is to be the emperor; whether Hien-Fung (the late emperor), or the Celestial King (Tien-Wang), provided we are left in the enjoyment of our usual peace and quiet." Such, I believe, is the uniersal sentiment among the common people. A part of the bridge was taken off to allow our boats to pass through; after which it was closed again very carefully. The country-people were, for the most part, at their work in the fields as usual. The towns and villages presented a very sad spectacle. These once flourishing marts are entirely deserted, and thousands of houses are burnt down to the ground. Here and there a solitary old man or old woman may be seen moving slowly and trembling among the ruins, musing and weeping over the terrible desolation that reigns around. Together with such scenes, the number of dead bodies that continually met the eye were indescribably sickening to the heart. It must not be forgotten, however, that most of the burning is done by the imperialists before the arrival of the insurgents; and that what is done by the latter is generally in self-defence, and that more lives are lost by suicide than by the sword. Though the deeds of violence perpetrated by the insurgents are neither few nor insignificant, still they would compare well with those of the imperialists. The people generally speak well of the old rebels. They say the old As to the present state of the Tien-Wang's mind, accounts differ. Mr. Roberts considers him crazy. Mr. Muirhead, another missionary, reports that his claims (which have latterly been advanced even higher than of old) are outwardly conceded for the présent, as Kan-wang says he is indispensable to the lieved to be of sound mind and surpassing work that is going on; and that he is beability. Mr. Forrest represents him as a selfwilled, disputatious, incorrigible pedant and heretic, but says that he does not know what fear is, and that during the siege of Nankin by the Imperialists down to the time when even his officers had but one bowl of rice a-day, he never failed to impress them with the conviction that deliverance was nigh, both by his conversation and example. At last he wrote a doxology, sonorous and musical enough, and ordered all his officers and soldiers to learn it by heart, promising that when they did so Heaven would give them manifest assistance. By day and night for weeks together might this doxology be heard. The guards on the wall were repeating it, the women and children were singing it in the streets. last, down came celestial assistance in the shape of the Chung and Ying Wangs, who broke up the siege and set the horrors of war loose in the fair province of Kiang-su.** At He lives in a gaudily decorated palace which he has built for himself at Nankin, and on a wall close by he posts his own peculiar proclamations, all on yellow satin, written in vermillion ink, in his own straggling, ill-looking handwriting. It would seem, however, that his edicts are sometimes issued with great solemnity. Colonel Wolseley, an eye-witness, gives us an account of this ceremony:— 'A long covered porch led up to the gate of the private residence, and on this a red carpet was spread. All the officials of the guard, and those apparently belonging to the public offices in the immediate neighbourhood, came forward in their state dresses, and kneeling in rows facing the gate, waited in that position till it should be opened. After a little time the lofty yellow The Taeping Rebellion,' p. 269. † Blak., p. 21. + Page 340. |