#106 Feng Guifen: Taiping Rebellion and Self-Strengthening

“The Qing empire” in Patricia Buckley Ebrey, The Cambridge Illustrated History of China, 2nd ed (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010), 223.

Map analysis:

• With a partner, consider the map above as you address the following questions. As you examine the map, feel free to conduct independent searches to fill in any knowledge gaps that you might need to address the questions:
  • Which rebellions threatened central China? Northern? Southern? Western? Southwestern?
  • Were any areas of China free of rebellion? Why might this have been the case?
  • Combine the information on rebellions with what you already know about China’s clashes with Britain and France between 1839-60. What parts of China were most threatened? Least threatened? What might be the implications of your findings for the Qing government?

Context:

• The Taiping Rebellion (1850-64) was the most important internal challenge to Qing rule in nineteenth century, far surpassing the impact of Opium Wars from perspective of the vast majority of ordinary Chinese.
  • Bloodiest civil war of all time, with up to 30 million dead—10 times deaths of U.S. Civil War (1861-65).
• It fundamentally challenged what it meant to be Chinese. Consider the policies it attempted to impose and consider which elements appear to be classical Confucian, which appear to be Christian, and which are entirely new:
  • Ethical system built around the Ten Commandments.
  • A utopian land system based on The Rites of Zhou (Zhouli 周礼) that aimed for “well” (jing 井) system of equally distributed land.
  • All surplus grain contributed to a common granary.
  • Introduction of women officials.
  • An end to foot binding for women.
  • End to polygamy.
  • Same-sex dormitories and strictly limited sexual relations.
  • Mutual responsibility system of 25 families.
• Taiping threat met by “loyalty, tenacity, and courage of Chinese officials,” according to historian Jonathan Spence. They led autonomous militias locally funded and staffed. Most famous:
  • Xiang Army (湘军) in Hunan province, led by Zeng Guofan and Zuo Zongtang (yes . . . that General Tso).
  • Huai Army (淮军) organized in Anhui province by Li Hongzhang.
• It was not just the Opium Wars that caused rethinking on the part of the Qing, but also the mid-century uprisings, the Taiping Rebellion being the most significant.

Text analysis:

Consider the following passage written by Feng Guifen:

Books on mathematics, mechanics, optics, light, chemistry, and others all contain the ultimate principles of understanding things. Most of this information is unavailable to people in China. . . . I have heard that with their new methods the Westerners have found that the movements of the earth conform closely to those of the heavens. This can be of assistance in fixing the calendar. . . . I have heard that the Westerners’ method of clearing sand from harbors is very effective. . . . This can be of assistance to keep the water flowing. Also, for agricultural and sericultural tools, and things required for the various crafts, they mostly use mechanical wheels, which require little energy but accomplish much. . . . There are many intelligent people in China. Surely there are some who, having learned from the barbarians, can surpass them. . . .

Questions for discussion:

• What does Feng Guifen see as China’s weaknesses?
• When Feng Guifen looks at the West, what sort of things does he notice and draw the attention of his fellow Chinese to? Are there aspects of the West which would be relevant to the goal of strengthening China, but which Feng does not notice?
• Based on Feng Guifen’s observations, how would you propose the Qing government to reform? What challenges might you expect along the way?