Hong Xiuquan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hong Xiuquan (#£9§42) (1 January 18141") — 1 June 1864), born Hong Huoxiu and with the courtesy name Renkun, was a Hakka Chinese leader of the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing Dynasty, establishing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom over varying portions of southern China, with himself as the "Heavenly King" and self-proclaimed brother of Jesus Christ. Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Visions and iconoclasm 3. The God Worshippers 4 Rebellion and the Heavenly Kingdom = 5 Death Publications = 6.1 Poetry = 7 Legacy References = 8.1 Citations = 8.2 Bibliography External links 2 a ° Early life and education Hong Xiuquan (#742), born "Hong Huoxiu", was the third and youngest son of a poor Hakka family.[21[3] He was born in Fuyuan Springs, Hua county (now part of Huadu District, Guangzhou), Guangdong to Hong Jingyang, a farmer and elected headman, and Madam Wang.I6I(6] He and his family moved to Guanlubu Village shortly Hong Xiuquan (EFF) Reign 11 January 1851 - 1 June 1864 Predecessor None Successor Hong Tianguifu Born 1 January 1814 Hua County, Guangdong, Qing China 1 June 1864 (aged 50) Tianjing, Taiping Heavenly Died Kingdom Issue Hong Tianguifu, Heavenly King of Great Peace Hong Tianming, Ming King Hong Tianguang, Guang King Full nameafter his birth !7] Upon marrying his wife Lai Xiying, Hong received the courtesy name "Renkun."2] Hong showed an interest in scholarship at an early age, so his family made financial sacrifices to provide a formal education for him, in the hope that he could one day complete all of the civil service examinations.|2] Hong began studying at a primary school in his village at the age of five. He was able to recite the Four Books after five or six years. He then took the local preliminary civil service examinations and placed first.{19] A few years later, he traveled to the nearby city of Guangzhou to take the imperial examinations.["] He was unsuccessful and, his parents being unable to afford to continue his education, he was forced to return to agricultural work.!12] The next year, he accompanied a wealthy schoolmate elsewhere for a year of study and became a village schoolteacher upon his return 13] In 1836, at the age of 22, Hong returned to Guangzhou to retake the imperial examinations.!"4] While in Guangzhou, Hong heard Edwin Stevens, a foreign missionary, and his interpreter preaching about Christianity.("5] From them, Hong received a set of pamphlets entitled "Good Words for Exhorting the Age", which were written by Liang Fa, Stevens's assistant, and contained excerpts from the Bible along with homilies and other material prepared by Liang.{"6] Supposedly, Hong only briefly looked over these pamphlets and did not pay much attention to them at the time.!#! Unsurprisingly, he again failed the imperial examinations, which had a pass rate of less than one percent 17] Hong Xiuquan Era name and dates ACPRUA: 11 January 1851 - 1 June 1864 House House of Hong Father Hong Jingyang Bea Mother Madam Wang ER Religion God Worshipping Society Hong Xiuquan Chinese RBA Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Héng Xidquan Wade-Giles Hung? Hsiu*-ch'iian? IPA [xn ejoute*wan] Hakka Romanization Fung Siu-chhion Hong Renkun Chinese Beco ‘Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Hong Rénkin Wade-Giles Hung? Jen?-kun! Huoxiu Chinese AB Transcriptions