Reconsiderations the Taiping Rebellion of the Early Modern China: From the Perspective of Millenarianism

Millenarianism refers usually to a radical mass movement which reflects a particular mode of thinking and action with a sense of redemption. Taiping Rebellion is considered as a millenarian movement due to its “Taiping” ideal, coming of the savior, mass appeal and crusade against evil. However, the millenarianism exemplified in the Taiping Rebellion should not be regarded as a pure Western Christian Millenarianism. Instead it should be viewed as a particular kind of theology derived from Hong Xiuquan’s combination of traditional Chinese culture and Christianity. A political-regional comparative study engaging worldwide millenarian movements of the 19th century reveals that Taiping Rebellion actually represents Chinese people’s own particular response towards the coming of modernity which was stimulated and encouraged by the western power’s invasion.