Taiping Rebellion

1850-12-01 - 1864-08-30

The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War, was a civil war in late imperial China between the Qing dynasty and the rebel Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, lasting from 1850 to 1864. It was led by Hong Xiuquan, who proclaimed himself the younger brother of Jesus Christ and sought to convert the Han people to his syncretic Christianity and overthrow the Qing. Estimates of the death toll range from 20 to 30 million, making it perhaps the deadliest civil war in history. The Qing ultimately defeated the rebellion with decentralized provincial armies such as Zeng Guofan's Xiang Army, but the victory severely weakened the dynasty and prompted the Self-Strengthening Movement.