Hong Xiuquan: The Taiping Rebellion

It’s one of the bloodiest conflicts in human history. In 1851, the Taiping Rebellion exploded in Qing dynasty China, causing death on an unprecedented scale. Over 14 years of civil war, an estimated 20 million people died, more than were killed in the whole of WWI. It was, simply, the deadliest war of the nineteenth century, and it was all thanks to one man: Hong Xiuquan.
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Visit our companion website for more: biographics.org
Credits:
Host - Simon Whistler
Author - Morris M.
Producer - Jennifer Da Silva
Executive Producer - Shell Harris
Business inquiries to [e-mail]
Other Biographics Videos:
Hasan Sabbah: Legend of the Assassins
• Hasan Sabbah: Legend o...
King Herod: Mad Tyrant or Misunderstood Hero?
• King Herod: Mad Tyrant...
Source/Further reading:
Excellent podcast on the rebellion: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00y...
Good overview of Hong Xiuquan’s life: www.britannica.com/biography/...
(excellent resource on the rebellion’s formation and early years): www.facinghistory.org/nanjing...
(references to the famine and peasant uprising that started it all in 1851): www.thoughtco.com/what-was-th...
www.bbc.com/bitesize/clips/zg...
(some good details on beliefs, including styles of dress): www.nytimes.com/1996/02/04/bo...
www.bbc.com/news/magazine-199...
Cannibalism: www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/p...
Mao and Taiping: www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/...
Mao’s death toll: www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/02...

[@stevecosmolove1045]

Simon doesn't give a damn what you say about his pronounciations! The man gives absolutely 0 f's at this point. Love it Simon, - keep doing ya thing baby😎

[@Biographics]

Behold the field where I grow my fucks: And see that it is barren.

[@cosuinofdeath]

Biographics my man

[@robertmazurowski5974]

@@Biographics Please do Jozef Pilsudski

[@gatecrasher0380]

Simon could give a.f. less about mere mortals. Simon, keep on keeping on. LOL.

[@TheWolfsnack]

Says you...a card carrying member of the Whistlerite Cult!

[@feilungchen6154]

Being a Hakka person, I can relate to receiving messages from God Himself whenever I fail my exams.

[@t1t0s89]

Underrated comment. 😁

[@annaperry5133]

I saw archangel Gabriel after dropping out of grad school. It could happen to you!

[@youtubedeletedmyaccountlma2263]

@@annaperry5133 Damn nice Anime reference 😂

[@shaaprosperous1520]

@@annaperry5133 I believe you

[@wizardmongol4868]

@@youtubedeletedmyaccountlma2263 which anime the new deathnote one?

[@Trihahalos]

Timetraveler 1: Please admit this so-so austrian painter in the university. It will spare us a lot of trouble down the line... Timetraveler 2: Please pass this so-so student in the imperial exams. It will spare us a lot of trouble down the line...

[@fidelio9301]

Underrated and based comment.

[@UnitedNationsSecretariat]

Timetraveler 3: please don't let them pass if you don't want mass starvation due to overpopulation in the future

[@suuuuuuuu124]

@@UnitedNationsSecretariat stalin? Mao?

[@bosseyedboo1450]

@@UnitedNationsSecretariat if you're worried about over population why dont you start with yourself.

[@chrise842]

@@bosseyedboo1450 best comment ever for those climate and overpopulation demons!

[@kurtberliner7049]

I love how at first Marx was like "Hey, a peasent revolution.", and then realized it was a peasent revolution by a relgiious extremist government and was like "Nope."

[@ubermensch6676]

Wdym

[@FALslayer]

@@ubermensch6676 Marx and communist revolutionaries preferred violence as a means to get what they want. Look at Stalin.

[@merdufer]

@@FALslayer "Jesus and Christians preferred pedophilia as a means to get what they want. Look at Theodore McCarrick."

[@LordLobov]

@@merdufer kekw. Well played

[@teogonzalez7957]

merdufer *the pope

[@ZhangtheGreat]

My family's from Nanjing, and to them, Hong Xiuquan is right up there with the Imperial Japanese Army as the most hated figure in the city's history. Nanjing is a city full of history, dating all the way back to at least the late-Han and Three Kingdoms era, but this jackass wiped all of it out for his own selfish goals.

[@VVEmil]

Was he the omnicidal one on Tvtropes?

[@UltramanII]

They are obviously not very informed in terms of history. The Taiping governed Nanjing with an iron fist, yes, but the worst thing they ever did was to force civilians to become soldiers, and enforced gender separation policy for 2 years. They never harmed civilians in an intentional way, and they had lower tax rates and more progressive gender equality despite the separation policy, allowing women to become officials and officers. It's the QING ARMY that massacred entire population of Nanjing when they took it, with methods similar to the Imperial Japanese.

[@evilpajamas8192]

come to think of it, I think China from 19th-20th century might be THE saddest period in all human history. No other country come close to the scale of life lost and social turmoil suffered.

[@PeterGregoryKelly]

@@evilpajamas8192 Except perhaps for the Mongols who killed half of the population of China and more than a tenth of the world population. There are others like Caesar killed third of all Gauls and amputated the right hand of one in 10 of all the surviving Gauls.

[@evilpajamas8192]

Peter Kelly Mongol conquest total 30,000,000-40,000,000 casualties over a span of 162 years (according to wikipedia) and the death count is spread across all eurasia countries. The gallic wars don’t even come close with a death toll of 1,000,000 over 8 years. Taiping rebellion as mentioned in the video have a casualty count that range between 20,000,000-100,000,000 casualties over mere 16 years. In the same 100 years after taiping rebellion, you have various relatively small skirmishes like opium wars, then another numerous sets of larger conflicts like the first sino-japanese war, second sino-japanese war (22,000,000 casualties), immediately followed by chinese civil war (8,000,000-11,000,000 casualties). But wait, we’re not done yet! there are two major famine that claimed tens of millions of lives in china around the 100 year period after taiping rebellion: the northern chinese famine of 1876-1879 which claimed between 9 million to 13 million lives, and the great chinese famine as a result from Maos great leap forward which claimed between 11,000,000-55,000,000 in 4 years. I can still list many conflicts around the 100 year period after taiping rebellion but im abit too lazy now. tldr its just conflict after conflict and suffering in china during 19th-20th century and nothing else in history come close to the level of destruction and suffering in the period.

[@garrysekelli6776]

i did a report on this guy when I was in college. amazing how unknown he is amongst other famous warlord type guys.

[@ilkkarautio2449]

Ikr, i love warlords & fanatics (not living in an area governed by them though...) and i barely knew he existed.

[@kimjong-un8543]

Garry Sekelli lmao I thought you meant the KZbin

[@kisstwogays5258]

Like Bosco N’Tanganda. That guy was a beast

[@garrysekelli6776]

@@kisstwogays5258 or general Butt Naked. most famous fighting force if you ignore various historical facts and inconsistincies as well as relevant data.

[@mysteryjunkie9808]

I guess because America was having their own Civil War at the time. So it was ignored lol

[@fs10inator]

Legend has it that Hong is still failing exams in his grave...

[@SilverionX]

His grave, which is a not insignificant patch of China, since they shot his ashes out of cannon (according to the video). If the legend is true, does that mean a bit of China is still failing exams in... its... grave? 🤔

[@manfredrichthofen2494]

..similar story of an Austrian who failed his University entrance exam in Architecture before WWl... Clue: Adolf is his first name...

[@willsplayify]

LOLS, still burning him in the grave i see.

[@angelusvastator1297]

I bet he was buried dishonourably lol

[@buddermonger2000]

@@manfredrichthofen2494 thought it was art

[@ilustrado7291]

When you failed so hard in an exam that you literally succumb to a comatose.

[@douglasbubbletrousers4763]

East Asians REALLY do not play around when it comes to exams lol

[@andrew2353]

It was really the intense social pressure that made him fall into a coma.

[@RebellionInHell]

Channeling pure Arnold J Rimmer.

[@johnlop7763]

i mean i would be mad at a exam but not just proclaim i am jesus's brother lol

[@wingerding]

@@johnlop7763 you just heard that it was not that simple

[@kodos100]

I’m trying to comprehend what I just heard. In 1850, a young man aspired to be a civil servant. When he failed the entrance test he “fell into a trance” and awoke with some kind of new found religious beliefs. He then raised an army of 1 million and started a war that eventually killed 20 million. WHAT THE HELL? This sounds like the plot for a Science Fiction novel.

[@user-oe9bn5kn8o]

This is not science fiction. It happened in China. Of course, the Qing Dynasty was not a Chinese country. At that time, the Chinese were colonized, and they mainly rebelled against the Manchus.

[@user-oe9bn5kn8o]

At that time, the Chinese had a deep hatred of the Manchu rule in the Qing Dynasty. The Manchus forced the Chinese to wear long braids and wear the same clothes as they did. . . Has made many Chinese people hate hard

[@user-oe9bn5kn8o]

As long as the root cause, you can understand it as ethnic hatred. The Chinese believe that the country is lagging behind the West because of the Manchu colonization of China for more than 200 years.

[@lebendigesgespenst7669]

Welcome to history. Truly, stranger than fiction

[@magicman3163]

Seems a bit like the plot of DUNE

[@kenmcfann8128]

I’ve heard you butcher English, your Chinese isn’t gonna bother me .

[@tilldeathcomes6611]

No kidding HAHAHA very informative though

[@Recon3Y3z]

😂

[@HeroHoundoom]

You deserve top comment.

[@tomtomii49]

Word

[@drewpamon]

Seriously!

[@blanchfor]

Insane, I had no idea this happened during the opium wars. History is fascinating.

[@notlessorequal3777]

Yep. And people still wonder today why the Chinese government of today hates religion. An elephant never forgets. Forgive your enemies but remember their names.

[@ssunfish]

This is like Paul Harvey: "The rezt of the story" fallout from the Opium wars bec of incredible trade imbalance that today is pursued between China in reverse since they suffered by it then. I need to fit in the Boxer Rebellion.

[@ssunfish]

Plus doubling the population with ni infrastructure increase? Thars insane!! No wonder its no big deal to piss in the street there!

[@andrewphillips8341]

LOL an elephant? You mean mass murders hate completion.

[@AeneasGemini]

@@notlessorequal3777 They hate religions because they're communists and nationalists, they don't have so much trouble with traditional Chinese budhism (at least not nowadays), but any 'foreign' faiths are persecuted They also hate most religions because they want all worship to be directed at the CCP

[@ronque23]

Damn they should make a movie about this guy. Sounds like Genghis Khan meets Joan of Arc

[@Azure-Witcher]

We all know that Hollywood would somehow mess it up like they always do. Or make the main characters American and not Asian... you know like they do with all things like that.

[@dfernandez3482]

More like Genghis bones Joan and they have a son 😂

[@hungrehsden3808]

Genghis Khan and Joan of Arc meet and they both massacre a city together. Or a hundred cities.

[@metalmutherfucker1016]

@@hungrehsden3808 no they combine to make Genghis Arc or Joan of Kahn

[@baronofbahlingen9662]

Alistair You don’t live in the same world I do, Hollywood makes sure to put Asian actors in now so they can pander to China, their biggest market.

[@ghenghiskhan39]

"Would you like to join my religion?" "What's your religion?" (Holds up picture of Simon Winter wearing a fez and playing the theramin) "I'm interested."

[@Biographics]

Who DOESNT love a theramin?

[@steveharrison76]

Yes. Yes I would. TAKE MY MONEY

[@ebonymaw8457]

Simon Whistler*

[@ghenghiskhan39]

@@ebonymaw8457 whoops

[@Frikiman_H]

You could make a religion out of this.

[@ethanepperson-jones9952]

Look man, I've been studying Chinese for over 3 years and can speak it, and it's always difficult, so I feel your pain. I would say for English speakers, it's the hardest language to learn.

[@jonathanallard2128]

Have you tried them all?

[@ethanepperson-jones9952]

@@jonathanallard2128 lol no, but it's not written in Latin characters, and the characters don't indicate to it's pronunciation. They are also often written differently

[@jonathanallard2128]

@@ethanepperson-jones9952 ;) Yeah man I believe you. Respect.

[@michelleyong2366]

I'm Chinese and I sometimes still have trouble pronouncing some Chinese words

[@luxembourgishempire2826]

@@ethanepperson-jones9952 "Ha ha ha. Harder than them all". Ha ha ha Japanese: Am I joke to you?

[@baseupp12]

I am the first member of the Church of Simon All hail our bald British Master

[@classicxd9293]

ALL HAIL!

[@marianoperezromero3277]

All hail

[@davidclarey4461]

ALL HAIL!!

[@RiFFxxx]

Kiss the peanut.

[@MaleCowsMilk]

baseupp12 do we get to lick our masters bald head?

[@Snoobroglo30]

As someone who studied History at university, I am amazed I had never heard of this before. We're often so ignorant about Eastern history over here.

[@bunnyfreakz]

@lcyw20 Taiping Rebellion way more bloodier than WW1. I think there was a reason why it's never taught. Taiping Rebellion was backed by western imperialism to destabilize/ overthrow Qing Dynasty. As you know western imperialism sins always downplayed in any history lesson.

[@caninusbitusverisaurus2839]

I learned about the Taiping Rebellion when I read George MacDonald Fraser's book Flashman and the Dragon. Although fictional the book is historically quiet accurate.

[@elysium76]

@@bunnyfreakz can you prove that? have any sites?

[@kokwahtan8577]

Which university?

[@AeneasGemini]

@@bunnyfreakz It's never taught because it's not something that's had an impact on our own culture (unlike say, the Mongols) and because China has had so many civil wars, rebellions and revolts that naming even the majority of them would take a lifetime

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:35 - Chapter 1 - The man in the wilderness 4:55 - Chapter 2 - A kingdom on the edge 8:25 - Chapter 3 - A new crusade 12:20 - Chapter 4 - Our jerusalem 15:40 - Chapter 5 - Armagedon 18:45 - Chapter 6 - Judgement day

[@rexfulgur8588]

Simon! You NEED to do one about yourself at 1 million!

[@botanicallyaberry6406]

YES!

[@ilovelife334]

Omg YES! That's actually a great idea!

[@Kabodanki]

I won't upvote that comment, 69 is the greatest number

[@cherylwalker2606]

Yes that would be a great one xz

[@Biographics]

I have addressed this a few times, and given reasons why I won't do it, the main reason being that it would be rather narcissistic.

[@danwoodguitars5008]

Could you do a biographic on Cao Cao of wei

[@me0101001000]

Yes, but I don't see how you can separate him from the other rulers of the day. Their stories are so closely tied.

[@suneosatellites]

Cao Cao is overdone. Do Sima Yi and he will cover Cao Cao's up to Jin dynasty.

[@hankfarley2514]

Just do all of the playable characters from dynasty warriors lol

[@hinakomalin]

Might as well talk about the Sengoku guys too. 😂

[@AaronF2112]

Cao Cao is OP, just like Minamato

[@HellbirdIV]

An interesting quirk of the language we use, calling the Taiping Rebellion a "rebellion" to begin with. It makes it sound like a minor uprising, maybe on par with the Whiskey Rebellion in the United States - when in reality, it dwarfed the American Civil War (which it was partly contemporary with) on such a scale that it makes the entire Confederacy look like just a bunch of unruly football hooligans. Perhaps why the Taiping Rebellion never quite catches the attention it deserves in the modern day.

[@BlueflameKing1]

I think it would be called something more on the lines of the Taiping Revolution, it kinda follows that sort of revolution on the lines of the French Revolution, just much more devastating.

[@nont18411]

China had population of 2 billion people so the deaths of 70 million won’t draw attention that much.

[@bunnyfreakz]

China always have big population so whatever happened there will be dwarf everything.

[@AvoidTheCadaver]

Every few hundred years China erupted into rebellion when the official corruption go too bad. For a rebellion to actually get a name it would have to be really bad

[@gh0rochi363]

They rebelled so it's a rebellion. If they won its be called a revolution. The confederates were rebels hence the term rebel pride.

[@LastBastion]

USA: "stop slavery!" This dude : "I'm Jesus brother yo!"

[@FallingPicturesProductions]

Man, 1860's times were weird.

[@shirley6996]

I have learned so much history from this program. Thank you

[@Biographics]

You're welcome :)

[@dougroberts9821]

Just remember that his approach is slanted with a liberal twist.

[@theroadupward]

Part of his legacy is that in China stability of government is more important than high-faluting ideals of democracy. Democracy means nothing to a corpse. It's part of cultural memories, we all have them. Good job Simon.

[@mrconfusion87]

Yup! People tend to miss those details when trying to understand countries and their cultures...

[@leggonarm9835]

Amazing that the American Civil war was happening at roughly the same time.

[@CantoniaCustoms]

Alt history where the confederacy becomes the Western Heavenly Kingdom when?

[@wingerding]

Why is this amazing?

[@leggonarm9835]

Probably because an Empire consisting of the largest population and wealthiest lands would only have crossbows and medieval weaponry to defend it. Bear in mind this is when the U.S. is developing repeaters, Gatling guns, they have telegraphs, trains, ironclad steamship, and I think air recon from air balloons taking pictures.

[@andybracken1627]

Ahh a Biographics episode with no adverts! Sweet! Jokes aside, love the channel and content man, keep up the hard work

[@Biographics]

;)

[@LeeannG]

KZbin premium ftw 🙌🏼 I see the little breaks where the ads used to be 😁

[@yungtoolshed251]

They gloss over the Taiping rebellion in history textbooks but the scale of the revolt is absolutely insane. The fact that the Qing decimated damn near the entirety of southern China just to kill this guy is absolutely unreal.

[@riinak7212]

I have never heard of this guy, but hearing about him now makes me almost angry that there's so much history in the world we're not taught, especially considering the impact this deluded man had on a country that has had so much influence in ancient and recent history and will continue to be a major player in our future.

[@aoikemono6414]

There's too much history in the world. Not everything is relevant to everyone. I actually had a Chinese course in high school (USA) that also taught Chinese history. Weeks and weeks of droning powerpoints from a similar looking person in fact, a bald intellectual white guy with glasses. The delivery was so dry and boring that I literally don't remember a single thing other than a faint memory that there was such a thing as the Taiping Rebellion. Now as someone older and more interested in world history, especially something that preceded China's rise and shaped the current Chinese communist party that the world is inextricably tied to, it has suddenly become more engaging. It helps that the youtube delivery is at least several levels better than the stale bulletpoints of my old teacher's presentations. When you are young and ignorant of current events, a lot of these history lessons go through one ear and out the other.

[@riinak7212]

@@aoikemono6414 well he wasn’t even mentioned in any of my secondary school history classes. I don’t expect a deep dive but, from someone who loves history and wouldn’t have minded a bit of extra reading, some information on this guy would have been great.

[@xy5870]

Why would you expect to be taught world history? You’ll spend your whole life in the dark. Just learn on your own!

[@GaladorLP]

Jesus is kinda well known...

[@joku8519]

@@riinak7212 are you Finnish? Ookko suomalaine?

[@jamessutton3461]

How does one manage to convince people that they're the son of God, when I have a hard time convincing friends to move a sofa

[@nilswettlin2012]

You didn't miserably fail one of the hardest exams in history

[@Palestine4Ever169]

You live in modern day bro Go back in time and ppl who were ignorant enough will believe you

[@garyhughes7518]

Ask David icke

[@larryl1517]

By using the way Jesus convinced his people

[@shaund4155]

Ask Jesus, apparently it only becomes real if people write a book about you 🤣

[@Howtragicforyou]

Is it just me or is this just a story about a way more successful David Koresh

[@wankee888]

the environment was ripe.

[@standinginson1]

Evan Conrod it seems that almost everyone who accidentally activates the cerebral spinal fluid and pineal gland which simulates death, releasing the same chemicals, experience near death experience and evolves with a God complex. I know this from experience, going through this process myself.

[@DrewJersey2024]

Evan Conrod More successful & more Chinese, but nope...its not just you 😁👍🏻

[@user-nl9ps5qf5b]

@Kaiser Wilhelm I've been told that a person is smart, but people are dumb, stupid, panicky animals.

[@mitchellneu]

I’ve heard: Don’t weep for the stupid, you’ll be cryin’ all day.

[@dfiala9890]

It's a rare experience for me that you guys pull up a figure I've literally never heard of before. I always learn something from your videos (which is why I love them), but they are usually details. However, this episode of history had entirely evaded my attention. Y'all had me at the edge of my seat, hanging on every word. Very well done, much love from Arizona.

[@Biographics]

Thank you :)

[@dfiala9890]

@@Biographics Likewise ^.^

[@maji2758]

Hong Xiuquan was Christian Nazbol gang before it was cool

[@AroundElvesWatchUrselves96]

ChristBol Gang!

[@bigbingo5837]

Based?

[@theasianboy315]

@@bigbingo5837 and yellowpilled

[@soulplexis]

based and christpilled

[@winstonscollard]

The Jet Li film Warlords is based on this. Really great film.

[@Wolf-rb4or]

Winston Scollard Now you got me interested. Thanks for the info! 🙏🏻

[@awesomecosmopolite1521]

Confucius had been hugely misunderstood. He didn't discourage social mobility or upward mobility, neither did he advocate the prohibition of it. He just advised that the people of a lower rank behave and be loyal to the superior and the superior be merciful to the people of a lower rank. Putting his teachings in the modern scene: By loyal to your work (perform your duty and do your work well) and your boss is supposed to respect your fundamental rights. Could you see people taking his advice in the events described in this video?

[@w415800]

Just like the bible, his words were twisted by the ruling class into a tool of oppression.

[@mrconfusion87]

Well to be fair to Confucius, he was said to actually have died feeling like he failed...

[@awesomecosmopolite1521]

@@mrconfusion87 Yes, I believe so. In a certain sense he failed, but it's also true that he didn't fail - in the sense that he is so much respected by so many, may I say around the world? - He was right in that feeling. If the Chinese have truly or partially practiced his teachings, they might have avoided being brutally invaded by Japan. The root cause, in my oppinion, was that Chinese were so brutal to each other. The ruling class killed its subjects at random and the ruled classes bore so much hatred. And the common Chinese people, how did they treat each other? The Japanese, so well versed in Chinese "culture", saw the Chinese as lesser even than the trash in the world. Those atrocities ensued...

[@deadmetal8692]

The very thin line between genius and mental illness. My Father was a genius. Had a psychotic break during finals in his last year in college. I miss my Dad.

[@douglasbubbletrousers4763]

I’m sorry. What happened, if you don’t mind me asking? That sounds similar to my grandma’s brother. He was a genius and studying to be a doctor I believe and he just suddenly had a a complete mental breakdown and lost his life by packing some things and speeding off in his car in the middle of the night one night going nowhere in particular and eventually crashing. That’s just as far as I know about it though. My grandma wouldn’t talk about it

[@paulmanson253]

The author George MacDonald Fraser wrote a Flashman series that includes the Tai Ping Rebellion. Very well done,with accurate historical references in the back. And emphasizes just how awful the casualties were,for many weary years.

[@JWMCMLXXX]

Ah, the days when all one needed to overthrow the government was a can-do attitude and a healthy dose of superstition. Simpler times.

[@pyromania1018]

Yeah. Simpler times, when disgruntled workers were walled up in abandoned coke ovens.

[@Kami-ny5jo]

@@pyromania1018 what a time to be alive

[@jcsv12345]

This aged poorly.

[@fidelio9301]

Don’t underestimate that could still occur today

[@BST-ri6gf]

Everyone else in China: holy shut our country is gonna collapse Hong: I’m the second son of god lol

[@christopherheselton9421]

I am a historian of the Taiping Civil War. HUGE FACTUAL ERROR: You seemed to have grossly confused Yang Xiuqing and Hong Rengan (Hong Xiuquan's cousin) as one person. The plans for railway building and postal service and building relations with Westerns were all from Hong Rengan's proposals well AFTER Yang Xiuqing's attempted coup in 1856. You not only suggest the Taiping were considering it earlier, but that Yang was its progenitor. Yang does not seem to have much of a concept of Western technology and institutions; Hong Rengan, on the other hand, had spent several years in Hong Kong and understood the modern technology of his era. Yang was long dead by the time Hong Rengan brought these ideas to his cousin Hong Xiuquan. I don't know what your source was for this, but I don't know where you got this or how this got confused.

[@christopherheselton9421]

Still glad you brought awareness to the 2nd largest conflict in human history. It is often ignored.

[@rangergxi]

Odd that this is the major factual error and not anything else.

[@christopherheselton9421]

@@rangergxi There are others. This was just a major factual error. I don't have time to knit-pick over all of them. (Such as Quanshi Liangyan error)

[@morganfreeman9214]

Simon, just want to say thanks man. Whenever I'm going through a hard time your videos really help. Thanks man.

[@Biographics]

You're welcome Tyler. Thank you for watching :).

[@henriklarsson5221]

"For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many." Funny he read the bible, but missed the parts which called him out as a sham. ^)^

[@alexm7627]

Yeah

[@dougroberts9821]

You are right. Like most cult leaders he twisted the words from the Bible.

[@jimmybutler2393]

Too bad the whole bible is a sham right? ^)^

[@Palestine4Ever169]

Dillon Brunschon True

[@theosvult4857]

@@jimmybutler2393 Too bad you don't realize it's our salvation ^)^

[@soundknight]

So let me get this right, Hong from Dong wanted to be King of Qing?

[@youtubedeletedmyaccountlma2263]

Unlikely to be King of Qing. But tried to make another empire

[@Weeping-Angel]

Close, but also very far.

[@CJusticeHappen21]

That's a whole lot closer in history than I am comfortable with.

[@cazz73blah]

Thank-you Simon (and the Biographics team) for another awesome video!

[@drewsirry9118]

Man, you got this whole short enough to watch educational enough to listen and entertaining enough to watch more of them thing down. Great job Simon

[@josehernandezmartinez8719]

My condolences to people that died because of this maniac.

[@dalek--ck9oy]

Your 154 years late

[@arcotroll8530]

@@dalek--ck9oy Better late than never...

[@fefel98]

Simon, I challenge you to make a Biographics about Pedro II of Brazil

[@westregent66]

Amazingly well done. Thanks for uploading

[@ComaDave]

That was fantastic. Well researched and put together. Good job.

[@VCNickels]

There was an American mercenary from Connecticut named Frederick Townsend Ward who had a significant impact on the Taiping rebellion. Through a serious of events he ended up "modernizing" the Imperial Forces (much to the initial consternation of the English, French, and even Americans) and personally led a number of assaults with his army, The Ever Victorious Army, against the Taiping. Once he was even shot in the face and continued pushing forward with his troops, beating Taipings with his cane. He was a very interesting if forgotten figure. Unfortunately it seems a lot of information about him was destroyed by the Chinese Communists and his wife who apparently burned most of his correspondence for bizzare reasons. Caleb Carr wrote a book about him called The Devil Soldier.

[@virginiatyree6705]

8 1 19 Hey VC Nickels, Thanks for adding the interesting info. Be well. v

[@moleash6465]

Ward has two faces in Chinese history. Nationalists praise him as a foreign hero protecting the Chinese. Commie calls him an evil imperialist oppressor

[@concept5631]

Damn Connecticutians. Always the people you least expect.

[@samuelhoran7898]

Why put modernizing between quotation marks?

[@VCNickels]

@@samuelhoran7898 because it was still limited. The Foreign powers in China wanted the Chinese Imperial Army to be able to fight the Taipings but they didn't want the Imperial Army to be able to use European made weapons against them. Added, many of the Chinese Officers were hesitant to work with, and distrustful of, Ward and those like him. Ward commented on the issues he faced from both sides. After a few decisive wins the Chinese Imperials, if reluctantly at first, grew to accept him but this made dealing with many European interests in China more difficult.

[@oscarwatkins4696]

Ulysses S Grant would be a great video. A divisive figure among modern historians yet a true leader of his day.

[@cindyharrison8997]

Simon, I have been consuming your videos last few days. I am stuck home after a surgery and this has been so satisfying.

[@clodagholeary5125]

Love this bio! Keep up the good work😊

[@RubeeRoja]

Another great video! Thank you for beginning to work on your pronunciations in your preparation to host the videos. Keep up the great work team!! Really enjoying the channel, the great research done, the interesting facts, and how the channel keeps evolving!!

[@aloyd6157]

then i think u should read a book or do more self research, not entirely correct. Ming dynasty was still functioning.

[@DrewJersey2024]

Amazing! I always scour the net for guys like this, yet I never heard of him. Great video, as always 😁👍🏻

[@ohethean8475]

This was a really good episode and I really enjoyed it and the editing involved.

[@IamtheKingsman]

This was incredibly informative. Thank you so much.

[@johnhopkins494]

I think learning about this episode and others also helps you to understand why many Chinese people value stability above all.

[@jamiej6638]

So he flipped through the book, forgot about it, had a dream about it, years later rediscovered the book, became brojesus.

[@m4rs12]

I see now why those missionaries are so eager to give you flyer on the street LOL

[@eduardgherasim2896]

Love this channel. Incredibly interesting history I had no clue about.

[@calvinhicks1992]

Love this channel, keep up the good work

[@alyssinwilliams4570]

I first learned about this while in middle school in the late 80s, via a novel called "Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom" by Katherine Paterson... I think I may have written a book report on it. Never forgot the book, though was never able to find a copy after I left the school. Just recently saw that its available on audible so I might check it out

[@abrahamlincoln6994]

Do a video on Al Swearengen or me

[@pacificblue5461]

Abe? Is it really you? Omagosh hi!

[@LostieTrekieTechie]

One about Lincoln's correspondence with Karl Marx would be wonderful.

[@CitizenSnips69]

Do a video on... Simon whisler (He won’t)

[@sevensixfour5838]

Do one on clarence swearingen

[@pandorasbox4238]

Seriously? There are millions on Abraham Lincoln. It's like George Washington - way overdone.

[@Diego-ur8ku]

I’ve been binge watching you videos and they’re sooo good and interesting

[@StaggerjAGGER]

Man your biographics and top tenz videos are really helping me out with some world building stuff I'm doing. Keep crushing it Simon! :D

[@Wardner213]

Could you please do a bio on Ip Man? Thank you :)

[@snapzmalone635]

Hell yeah!!!

[@HaldorMaximius]

I second this!

[@cyborgchicken3502]

His true life story isn't as extravagant as the movies though, but it'd be nice to see what he was really like... I remember reading somewhere that he had an opium addiction and it's what caused him eventually getting cancer

[@Pikazilla]

the deadliest man of the 19th century died by eating wild berries :|

[@Mamaki1987]

I really like the way you tell the stories. Thank you for all the effort you put in your videos

[@1thelastmystic]

Masterful video per usual mate

[@matteowalrath3457]

This is a great channel so imformative keep up the great work

[@deirdreryan1621]

Do a video on Oskar Schindler

[@topman8565]

U got your wish

[@hecateswolf6007]

Another fantastic and very interesting upload

[@nathanx2000.]

Absolutely love this channel, I’ve learnt a lot about people who I never knew existed I remember a post you made a while back saying how one video you made was the poorest in terms of views but that’s the beauty of this channel, it doesn’t matter about views for you Because now, should anyone want to learn of these people, they have a well educated video there to teach them regardless of performance and for free Love ya stuff ya baldy Brit and the rest of the team x

[@josephlilley9249]

Stories like this man's really make me wonder if there is more to our dreams than we think or know there is. I mean, I've seen so many stories even just on this channel of great warriors, Kings, adventurer's, and just great people of history, where it's recorded that these people had some kind of dream while sleeping and listened to their dream and after following that dream they them lead great historic lives.

[@darrenrobinson9041]

Well it sounds more noble than "he was greedy, horny and mentally unstable".

[@joewillburn]

But Hong, Jesus already had a brother called James...

[@jamesguo4510]

that‘s me

[@sakura7431]

It is a big family

[@aloyd6157]

that new testament , are you 10? just written

[@mathewdallaway]

Fascinating. Beautifully done. Thank you,

[@LimeGreenNewb]

Love the learning and the beard. Keep up the good work!

[@M0nkZer0]

Your subs should be in the millions, this is quality content

[@Biographics]

Thanks!! We're working on it :)

[@taskdon769]

Death related to Taiping rebellion is estimated for almost 100 million people. The new army also later became the force to topple Qing Dynasty as the revolutionary army. The first evolutionary inspired by Hong was Dr. Sun. Hakka people has a very sad history of their own, the very little known history of Lanfang Republic is also fascinating.

[@MEmoments19]

Simon! You are amazing! Love how you present!

[@DaddinAllDay]

Just found this channel, think I have a new favorite channel.

[@Hussainalmajed]

You guys are doing an excellent job for Biographics, it would also be great to do some famous Arab historical and modern figures such as Tariq bin Ziad or Jamal Abdulnasir of Egypt.

[@AL_AFGHANI1]

Tariq was a Berber

[@1perspective286]

Am I the only one who caught the Family Guy reference to this? The episode where Stewie goes back into the past and meets Jesus. Brian asks him if he was black and he says "actually he's Chinese. His name is Hong, Jesus Hong, no idea where the Christ came from."

[@liamtenney4552]

I can’t believe I didn’t know about this... thanks for the vid it was super informative and entertaining!

[@PrelaE]

You are a very articulate man, the way you explain it makes it more entertaining to listen to.

[@treehugger3615]

Nan-Jing (Southern capital) was the capital of the Han, whereas Bei-Jing (Northern capital) was that of the Manchus. So it was of significant symbolic importance.

[@AvoidTheCadaver]

Beijing was established as the capital by the Mongolian empire. The old Chinese imperial capitals were in Luoyang or Xian or Chang'an or Kaifeng or Nanjing depending on which dynasty was in power. So no one city was *the* capital

[@GuruAuggie]

Think about it This is probably why China was harsh to Falun Gong Humm??

[@uniquehuman9791]

Interesting

[@mcmc2817]

Brilliant video loved it❤

[@l4zrh4wk]

I had absolutely no idea about this, thanks Simon

[@user-nb5cy1rd4i]

Hello Biographics team: You are one of the most interesting channels on KZbin and was wondering if you could please do one on Mikhail Gorbachev. It’s no secret that your audience is interested in history, and I feel like many people who weren’t alive in the late ‘80s don’t know who he is or how influential he was. He is I.M.O. one of the most important and controversial figures of the 20th century, who saw the fall of the Soviet Union when it was not expected and he has a very unique life to tell, and an odd relationship with a U.S. president that was quite bizarre. Keep up the good work!

[@James-co2nb]

You're not wrong, Gorbachev would make a great Biographics video, they really are one of the best channels on the platform. You also deserve a shout out for the great content you provide Stefan, really good!

[@henriqueoliveira3872]

Agreed

[@musiclover01ization]

All of that death and destruction was caused by a madman. It's pretty depressing. Thank you for the video, Simon.

[@JH-lo9ut]

It takes a lot more than one madman to do all that damage. It takes millions of people following the madman. It takes a society primed for chaos. But as crazy as it seems, people are all but too eager to blindly follow the madman in to chaos and destruction. Oh, just to clarify, it used to take millions of people. Nowadays it only takes one madman equipped with a nuclear arsenal.

[@Iojick214]

Thank you for your Great fascinating work

[@Biographics]

You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@markisaac3550]

Thank for info

[@txlib7]

Simon, could you do a video on Fritz Haarmann, the Werewolf of Hanover? Love your work, keep it up!

[@marie-helenemartel7147]

Niiiiice. I second.

[@waverider8549]

Me too. He was one twisted bugger.

[@IsraelLuisGeerRivera-ff4cg]

Sir KZbin videos are enough, let the light of Simon whistler shine through you!

[@Biographics]

Let that light shine brother!

[@Biographics]

Or sister... But statistically, probably brother.

[@IsraelLuisGeerRivera-ff4cg]

Biographics you’d be correct about brother

[@StaticImage]

If people really take such issue with someone not being able to pronounce foreign pronunciations from all different times and regions while making amazing context, then maybe they should just shut up and start their own pronunciation-perfect history channel and see how well it stacks up. Just leave the guy alone if he doesn't nail it every time... seriously. Of all the hard work and dedication that goes into these videos, people choose to complain about pronunciations? Get over it. These videos are the best out there.

[@virginiatyree6705]

8 1 19 Hey Staticimage, Agree. It seems that the complainers do only that-complain. Yet, what the heck are they doing?, not much. Opinions are similar to behinds (a**holes), everyone has one. Be well. v

[@amithrodrigo87]

You are an inspiration buddy. Love your wordplay, Presentation, and style. Live long and prosper ..Love from Sri Lanka.

[@faber3969]

I can see why he kept failing the civil service exam

[@rhodesianwojak2095]

thonk

[@m4rs12]

Touche

[@theConquerersMama]

I wonder if he had learning disability?

[@bopark2088]

I remember when I was 8th grade, in China. Our history teacher mentioned about Taiping rebel. As I said "mentioned" about it because it took about only 5 minuets. Basically, she said that Hong was a evil man and he gathered such amount of people and tried to destroy the Qing empire, and he failed miserably. I am amused that foreigners know better about Chinese history than youth were taught in China.

[@MrOJR666]

One of the best videos you guys have put out in a while! Are you guys looking into doing Saladin and Attila the Hun?

[@johnc2438]

Great history! Thanks.