| Chapter : | Introduction |
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Shangdi to destroy “demons,” the term which he applied to the traditional gods, deities, and also (significantly) to the Qing Dynasty (1616–1911). According to Wagner's argument, Hong developed a complete worldview based on his vision and reinforced this with borrowings from the special theology of revivalist British, American, German, and Swedish circles, with whom the Taipings were in contact. The entirety of Hong's doctrine, with its base in his vision, was conceived by him as God's great “plan,” as a prediction of future events. The heavenly mandates for Hong's actions gave the Taipings tremendous strength, which came from a firm belief that they had support from heavenly quarters. Indeed, at one point Hong blindly relied on God's help to such a degree that he boarded a ship without cash in the firm belief that God would help him. With regard to the diversity of the social composition of the Taipings, Wagner asserted that it seemed highly doubtful whether knowledge of the social backgrounds of the Taipings is of primary importance if one is seeking an understanding of Taiping beliefs and policies. He emphasized that the uniquely personal nature of Hong's vision was responsible for both the success and demise of the rebellion.
Jonathan D. Spence's study focused on the mind of Hong Xiuquan and sought to understand why Hong had such an astonishing impact on China for so many years. Spence asserted that Hong's vision was shaped in some fashion by the overlapping layers of change that the Westerners were bringing to China, along with their Christianity.
Both Wagner and Spence stress the importance of Hong Xiuquan's vision and Western Christian influence to the Taipings. However, Hong Xiuquan's many actions were different from those of Western Christianity. Hong used his vision and Christian ideas to conceal his secular ambition for power to destroy the Qing's sociopolitical order and to become another Chinese feudalistic king in the name of God. He also used his vision and Christianity to justify his ambition to attain secular ends such as power, sex, and revenge against the Qing's rule over the people. Hong did not practice the love that the Bible teaches. Rather, as the head of the Taiping Rebellion, he caused the deaths of somewhere between 20 and 30 million people.4