God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan

This book is about the pivotal event in Chinese History between 200BC and 1920 and laid the groundwork for the two Chinese revolutions of Mao Tse-Tung and Sun Yat-Sen. Hong Xiuquon's version of Christianity was the first major (widespread) introduction of a new religion into China in 2,000 years, and challenged the Manchu Dynasty, a foreign ruling line over China to its very core. The Manchus (or Qing Dynasty) were enfeebled and would only last another 50 years before succumbing to the revolutionary spirit so encouraged by Hong and his followers. Hong founded a new religion following his visions wherein he ascended to Heaven meeting God and Jesus and was ordered to create the Taiping Heavenly Movement in China and slay the evil demons who ruled China and bring the people onto the path of righteousness. Jesus became his elder brother and guided him often by speaking to him in visions. In effect, Hong became filled with the Holy Spirit and devoted himself to his Heavenly ordained task. The reader will no doubt notice some striking simularities with other religious prophets and leaders since the time of Jesus. At any rate, Hong acquired a copy of the Bible, and began his lifelong work at translating, re-writing and adapting it to Chinese culture. Much of author Spence's work focuses on the development of Hong's Christian/Taiping theological doctrine through an examination of Hong's extensive writings. Those readers looking for a thrilling account of the Taiping Rebellion and its gaining of control over a large part of China through some 15 years of military campaigning (1849-1866) will be sorely disappointed. The military campaigns are mentioned to support the development of Hong's Heaven on Earth, but a military historian would be better directed to some of the other works listed in Spence's bibliography. The period of the Taiping Rebellion was also the same period as the American Civil War, but American casualties in the war were miniscule by comparison. The Taiping Rebellion caused more deaths in a single country than any other war in history. Estimated deaths range from a low of twenty million to a high of sixty million when deaths from all causes are included. In second place comes the casualties in the Soviet Union through World War II, yet the Taiping Rebellion is almost unknown in the West. Although the author does not dwell on the role of the British and French excessively in his work, their impact was probably decisive in bringing about the defeat and extirpation of the Taipings. After forcing the Manchu Emperor to accede to British demands through "gunboat diplomacy", the British and French supported the Qings in their campaigns against the Taiping and effectively blockaded the Taipings from receiving outside help. They also held Hong's version of Christianity in contempt -- the British out of sheer arrogance and the Catholic French because it was a heresy. And, of course, both possessed a financial st

The Taipings are a fascinating study in fanaticism. The idea that one man could override established religion and the Ching Empire is audacious. There seems to be some debate among many of the reviewers of this book over exactly what constitutes Chinese history. Let's be blunt: how did China get from 1800 to 2000? Where else in the world has this 200-year transition been so complex? Perhaps Professor Spence's work should be compared with the Foreign Languages Press (Peking) booklet "The Taiping Revolution" (1976). The facts are not at variance; the factual account itself may be irrelevant. Chinese history and culture is older than our own, and it is naive to believe that our difficulty in understanding the convergence of these two worlds can be laid on the facts. Hong Xiuquan's perception of the west might itself justify the book. Personally, I thought this was a beautifully written book, balancing the historical record with the problems of prose. If the Boxers were Ghost Dancers, attempting to overturn history, then the Taipings were something else; perhaps not revolutionaries, as the Gang of Four would have it, but certainly visionaries struggling to reestablish order between Heaven and earth.

I found this book to be incredibly interesting--I could hardly put it down. However, it is written entirely in present tense, some sort of post-modern angle, I suppose. Other than that, I would highly recommend it. The Taiping Rebellion is perhaps the most underrated event in human history. This book helps get the story out to a wider readership. The discussion of Hong's religious beliefs, a mixture of Christianity and his own personal odd opinions, is a fascinating study in the origin of a religious sect, making the book well worth the time to read for that part alone.

God's Chinese Son is a stunning work of historical scholarship -- an equal mixture of solid documentation, cogent argument and imaginative brilliance. Spence takes the historical biography form and uses it not only to illuminate a fascinating life, but also to turn that life into a window on his own rich, layered reconstruction of 19th-century China. Well worth buying, reading and re-reading; a must for the serious student and the casual reader alike.

I was captivated by this book. It taught me much about an area of history I knew little about and I'm looking forward to reading more of Jonathan Spence's work.