Though he passed through an area inhabited by almost a million peasants, his army never measured more than 4,000 soldiers, many of whom had been forced into service. Omissions? The White Lotus society (Bailianjiao) was a religious cult already in existence in the Nan (Southern) Song dynasty (1127-1279). [2][3], The White Lotus Rebellion was initiated as an antitax protest led by the White Lotus Society, a secret religious society. A decree by the Daoguang Emperor admitted, "it was extortion by local officials that goaded the people into rebellion" By threatening the arrest of people who engaged in sectarian activities, local officials and police extorted money from people. It is only as historical sources look back upon these events do they began to summarize the various aspects of these uprisings as the "White Lotus rebellion."[7]. Members of the society were not ethnically different from Han Chinese, but subscribed to a belief based on a mixture of Taoism, Buddhism, and Manichaeism. Instead, Britain began a lucrative, illicit trade in opium, traded from British imperial India into Canton, far from Beijing. // However, the rulers were afraid that White Lotus Society might menace their rules. Wang Lun likely failed because he did not make any attempts to raise wide public support. The White Lotus led impoverished settlers into rebellion, promising personal salvation in return for their loyalty. Some of these militia groups were further trained as attack armies to seek out the rebels, whose forces were thinned by offers of amnesty to the rank and file and of rewards for the capture of the leaders. Actual participation in sect activities had no impact on an arrest; whether or not monetary demands were met, however, did. However, the date of retrieval is often important. . _____ us amazing stories about her youth in Hong Kong. The river flooded constantly, and other natural disasters also occurred. The White Lotus bands mainly used guerrilla tactics, and once they disbanded, they were virtually indistinguishable from the local population. The grew in number and power and eventually, into a serious concern for the government. This is a list of major rebellions that have occurred in China from 209 BCE to present times. As one Qing official complained: The rebels are all our own subjects. Szczepanski, Kallie. White Lotus - Wikipedia White Lotus Rebellion | Detailed Pedia [8] The leader, herbalist and martial artist Wang Lun, led an uprising that captured three small cities and laid siege to the larger city of Linqing, a strategic location on the north-south Grand Canal transportation route. An introduction to 19th-century China | British Museum The White Lotus Rebellion White Lotus (Pai-lien chiao) sectarianism appealed to Chinese, most notably to women and to the poor, who found solace in worship of the Eternal Mother who was to gather all her children at the millennium into one family. Exploring Chinese History :: Politics :: Rebellion and Revolution [6], A systematic program of pacification followed in which the populace was resettled in hundreds of stockaded villages and organized into militia. International imperialism brought the Opium Wars (1840-42 and 1856-60), Sino-French War (1884-85), Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and Boxer War (1898-1900). The rebellion grew in number and power and eventually, into a serious concern for the government. As you might expect, the collapse of China's Qing dynasty was a long and complex process. The White Lotus society (Bailianjiao) was a religious cult already in existence in the Nan (Southern) Song dynasty (1127-1279). Sun Yat-Sen was elected the first president of China, and the Republican era of China had begun. This internecine war lasted over ten years, at a cost of tens of thousands of lives and an expenditure, by the government alone, of two hundred million taels in money. Nevertheless, where can you catch hints that the -angel longs for his former state? The government had to depend on more Han Chinese recruits (Green Standard) since there were not enough Manchu. . Eight Trigrams uprising of 1813 - Wikipedia 12 talking about this. The experience of suppressing the rebellion led to improvement in the organization and training of the militia, as many of their leaders wrote extensively on mobilization, enlistment and local defense methods. [9], A systematic program of pacification followed: the populace was resettled in hundreds of stockaded villages and organized into militias. ", Without any clear enemy to fight, brutality against civilians became more common. The Qing state banned the religion, and it, The White Lotus society (Bailianjiao) was a religious cult already in existence in the Nan (Southern) Song dynasty (11271279). In 1794, one instance of a derivative sect of the White Lotus, the Eight Trigrams arose in the form of underground meditation teachings and practice in Shandong province, not far from Beijing (Zhili) near the city of Linqing. It took nine years of warfare and great loss of life before the rebellion was put down. The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. . Consequently, a person's actual participation in sectarian activities had no impact on his or her arrest; what really mattered was whether monetary demands were met or not. At the . These militia groups were later instrumental in defeating the Taiping rebellion. [2][3]. Completely unprepared for such an onslaught, the Qing dynasty lost, and Britain imposed unequal treaties and took control of the Hong Kong region, along with millions of pounds of silver to compensate the British for the lost opium. It broke out in 1794, and was at full height in 1796, among impoverished settlers in the mountainous region that separates Sichuan province from Hubei and Shaanxi provinces. Though he passed through an area inhabited by almost a million peasants, his army never measured more than 4,000 soldiers, many of whom had been forced into service. The Rebellion is estimated to have caused the deaths of some 100,000 rebels.[1][2]. . The White Lotus Rebellion (Chinese: ; pinyin: Chun ch bi lin jio q y, 17941804) was a rebellion initiated by followers of the White Lotus movement during the Qing dynasty of China. A decree by the Daoguang Emperor admitted, "it was extortion by local officials that goaded the people into rebellion" By threatening the arrest of people who engaged in sectarian activities, local officials and police extorted money from people. After both died in battle in 1796, the Qing government sent new officials, but none were successful. Beginning as tax protests, the eventual rebellion gained growing support and sympathy from many ordinary people. By 1387, after more than 30 years of war, their leader, Zhu Yuanzhang conquered the North China Plain and occupied the Yuan capital Khanbaliq (present-day Beijing). When the Manchu tribes of Manchuria (now Northeast China) conquered China some 500 years later in the 17th century and proclaimed the Qing dynasty, the White Lotus Read More Yuan dynasty In China: Foreign religions Here, the White Lotus led impoverished settlers into rebellion, promising personal salvation in return for their loyalty. Without a clear enemy to fight against, brutality against civilians became more common. The White lotus (Bailian Jiao, ) was a Buddhist political and religious movement that believed in a universal female divinity, the "Unborn Old Mother" who would gather all of her children towards the end of the millennium, into one large family. The Qings were from Manchuria, and they established their dynasty as a conquering force of the Ming dynasty by non-Chinese outsiders, maintaining that identity and organization throughout their 268-year reign. Encyclopedia.com. [4] The term was only used by the millenarian rebels under intense pressure during government interrogations. Snow Lotus | Frisco TX A pattern emerged of growing rice in the valley bottoms, corn on the lower mountain slopes, and Irish potatoes on the higher land. The White Lotus peasant rebellion broke out in 1795 (White Lotus was the name of a secret society that had first fought against the Mongols). [11], The tide of the rebellion was turned by Qing leaders relying on the local gentry-raised private militias of Hunan, Hubei and Shaanxi. 3: China and Her National Minorities; Han. [8] The leader, herbalist and martial artist Wang Lun, led an uprising that captured three small cities and laid siege to the larger city of Linqing, a strategic location on the north-south Grand Canal transportation route. This rebellion grew rapidly under Lin Chi-hieh and other leaders, oue of whom was a woman surnamed Wang, until there were a hundred thousand rebels in arms, who fought with varying fortune against an at least equal number of imperialist solidiers. The Qing commanders who were sent to repress the rebellion had a difficult time putting down the White Lotus. //]]>. [6] The term was only used by the millenarian rebels under intense pressure during government interrogations. Approximately 7,000 Banner troops were sent in from Manchuria in combination with Green Standard Army soldiers from Guizhou and Yunnan as well as tens of thousands of local mercenaries.[6]. The group later reemerged in the late 18th century in the form of an inspired Chinese movement. from Hubei and Shaanxi provs. [13], Forty-eight years later, Zeng Guofan, leader of Hunan-based Xiang Army studied the Qing government's methods during the White Lotus Rebellion and he was inspired by them while he was considering ways to suppress the Taiping Rebellion. He did not distribute captured wealth or food supplies, nor did he promise to lessen the tax burden. Since the 1340s, the Mongol Yuan Dynasty was experiencing problems. Having attained the Mandate of Heaven and the status of Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang named his period of reign "Hongwu" (thus he was known as the Hongwu Emperor) and founded a new dynasty the Ming dynasty. The Qing had forbidden agriculture in the northern regions, which were left to the Mongol pastoralists, but the introduction of new world crops such as potato and maize opened the northern region plains farming. He declared that to prevent the capture of the young prince when a child, he had fled with him and concealed him beyond the borders of China. The Qianlong Emperor (r. 173596) sent Helin (, brother of Heshen) and Fuk'anggan to quell the uprising. "Broken Passage to the Summit: Nayanchengs Botched Mission in the White Lotus War." The term was only used by the millenarian rebels under intense pressure during government interrogations. She has taught at the high school and university levels in the U.S. and South Korea. Since then, this book has become an invaluable source because it has enabled scholars to understand the beliefs of these groups. Corrections? Qing control weakened and prosperity diminished by the 19th century. 10 New Religions That Were Mercilessly Crushed - Listverse Updates? Asia for Educators, Columbia University, 2009. When they congregate and oppose the government, they are rebels; when they disperse and depart, they are civilians once more. Due to their brutality, the Qing troops were soon nicknamed the "Red Lotus" Society. By 1900, foreign powers including Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Japan had established "spheres of influence" along China's coastal areas. After both died in battle in 1796, Beijing sent new officials but none were successful. The White Lotus Secret Society and the Demise of Mongol Rule in China It was an organized religion, which was once popular in Yuan Dynasty. Used Lotus Evora 400 for Sale in Frisco, TX | Edmunds The Red Turban Rebellion which took place in 1352, was led by the White Lotus group. "The Great Yn: China's Last Imperial Dynasty" WIP A similar movement arose in the mountainous region that separates Sichuan province from Hubei and Shaanxi provinces in central China as tax protests. By 1804 the area was again placed under imperial control by the local militia. The White Lotus Rebellion was a rebellion initiated by followers of the White Lotus movement during the Qing dynasty of China. 11-07-2011 03:30:12 ZULU. White Lotus | Chinese cult | Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. The group later reemerged in the late 18th century in the form of an inspired Chinese movement. A decree from the Emperor Daoguang admitted, "it was extortion by local officials that goaded the people into rebellion" Using the arrest of sectarian members as a threat, local officials and police extorted money from people. In his opening speech, Satan vows never to "repent or change" (line 969696). The White Lotus War (1796-1804) in central China marked the end of the Qing dynasty's golden age and the fatal weakening of the imperial system itself. https://www.encyclopedia.com/reference/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/white-lotus-rebellion, "White Lotus Rebellion White Lotus Rebellion 1796-1804 - globalsecurity.org Administrators also seized and destroyed sectarian scriptures which were used by the religious groups. Japan stripped away Taiwan, took effective control of Korea (formerly a Chinese tributary) following the First Sino-Japanese War of 189596, and also imposed unequal trade demands in the 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki. Administrators also seized and destroyed sectarian scriptures which were used by the religious groups. The White Lotus led impoverished settlers into rebellion, promising personal salvation in return for their loyalty. Eventually, the rebellion was crushed by the Qing elites; but the White Lotus organization remained secret and intact, and advocated for the overthrow of the Qing dynasty. What was the White Lotus rebellion and what did it do to the dynasty In particular, the court marked itself off from its subjects in certain religious, linguistic, ritual, and social characteristics, always presenting themselves as outside conquerors. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/reference/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/white-lotus-rebellion. Because of the brutality of the Qing troops, however, the troops were soon nicknamed the "Red Lotus" Society. Unable to build up a support base, he was forced to quickly flee all three cities that he attacked in order to evade government troops. (February 22, 2023). Although the rebellion was finally crushed by the Qing government after eight years of fighting, it marked a sharp decline in the strength and prosperity of the Qing dynasty. Where this rebellion took place and the Qing Empires reaction: After both died in battle in 1796, the Qing government sent new officials, but none were successful. This rebellion was less successful than that of the Red Turbans, and the Qing government succeeded in crushing this uprising. The White Lotus Rebellion was initiated as an antitax protest led by the White Lotus Society, a secret religious society. If mathematical, chemical, physical and other formulas are not displayed correctly on this page, please useFirefox or Safari, For the 14th-century rebellion also related to the White Lotus, see, Conscientious objection to military taxation, List of historical acts of tax resistance, National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee, The Cold War and the Income Tax: A Protest, Royal and noble ranks of the Qing dynasty, Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Convention Between Great Britain and China Respecting Tibet, Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, Banknotes of the Ta-Ching Government Bank, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Issues and Trends in China's Demographic History. [1] A smaller precursor to the main rebellion broke out in 1774, under the leadership of the martial-arts and herbal-healing expert Wang Lun in Shandong province of northern China. Althongh there were several risings against the Manchu dynasty during the first four reigns, the White Lotus Society kept quiet until about 1761, when the Emperor Kien-lung issued an edict against it and the Ming Tsuen or Illustrious Worthies and the Pah Yun or White Cloud sects. Imperial Mistakes Beginning as tax protests, the eventual rebellion gained growing support and sympathy from many ordinary people. In the closing years of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, they organized resistance to the foreign overlords, and now they are doing so again, but against the reigning Ming Dynasty! Inventions Only after 1800 did the Qing government adopt new tactics that established local militias (tuan) to help surround and destroy the White Lotus. These militia groups were later instrumental in defeating the Taiping rebellion. Having attained the Mandate of Heaven and the status of Emperor, he took the title Hongwu and founded a new dynasty - the Ming. They are not like some external tribe . In the stockades they were organized into local militia defense corps. What started as a local rebellion grew into a serious political crisis, as the central government was no longer able to operate its military machine. Surprisingly, the ill-organized rebels managed to defeat the inadequate and inefficient Qing imperial forces. - rebellion began in 1794; rebellion initiated by followers of the White Lotus movement during the Qing dynasty of China, - the ill-organized rebels managed to defeat the inadequate and inefficient Qing imperial forces, - was initiated as a tax protest led by the White Lotus Society, a secret religious society. The White Lotus War: Rebellion and Suppression in Late Imperial China This took place during the Qing Dynasty, and lasted from 1796 to 1804. Though he passed through an area inhabited by almost a million peasants, his army never measured more than four thousand soldiers, many of whom had been forced into service. Southern Shensi, with its great amounts of vacant land, attracted immigrants on a large scale after severe famines and crop failures had occurred in Hupeh and Szechwan provinces in the 1770s. During much of that time, China was the single, undisputed superpower in East Asia, with neighboring lands such as Korea, Vietnam, and an often-reluctant Japan trailing in its cultural wake. Other White Lotus spinoffs include the Eight Trigrams, the Tiger Whips, and the Yihequan (Boxers). White Lotus Rebellion | Military Wiki | Fandom The White Lotus Rebellion was initiated as an antitax protest led by the White Lotus Society, a secret religious society. When Chinese peasants raised a huge anti-foreigner movement in 1900, called the Boxer Rebellion, they initially opposed both the Qing ruling family and the European powers (plus Japan). [1] As White Lotus sects developed, they appealed to many Han Chinese who found solace in the worship of Wusheng Laomu . White Lotus Rebellion, Chinese anti-Manchu uprising that occurred during the Ch'ing dynasty. Administrators also seized and destroyed sectarian scriptures used by the religious groups. What should be done with these revolutionary cultists? White Lotus Rebellion, (17961804), large-scale uprising in the mountainous regions of central China that contributed to the decline of the Qing dynasty (16441911/12). "White Lotus Rebellion These three Atlantic RevolutionsAmerican, French, and Haitianwere part of a broader world crisis at the end of the eighteenth century. The White Lotus peasant rebellion broke out in 1795 (White Lotus was the name of a secret society that had first fought against the Mongols). Kublai Khan (1215-1294) was the greatest of the Mongol emperors after Genghis Khan and founder of the Yan dynasty in China., Tibet "[5] The White Lotus is a syncretic religious and political movement which forecasts the imminent advent of the "King of Light" , i.e., the future Buddha Maitreya. [6], The Qing commanders sent to repress the rebellion had a difficult time putting down the White Lotus. Find your perfect car with Edmunds expert reviews, car comparisons, and pricing tools. According to Ter Haar, it is clear that the "White Lotus" rebels of the uprisings that occurred between 1796 and 1804 did not voluntarily use the term "White Lotus" to refer to themselves or their movement. "Tianlijiao ", in. Another major contributing factor to the downfall of the Qing dynasty was European imperialism and China's gross miscalculation of the power and ruthlessness of the British crown. The rebellion was ended by the deaths of some 100,000 rebels. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. A major contribution to the downfall of the last dynasty were external forces, in the form of new Western technologies, as well as a gross miscalculation on the part of the Qing as to the strength of European and Asian imperialistic ambitions. After the strnggle had lasted six years, Lin Chi-hich was captunredd. . The British under Queen Victoria were a huge market for Chinese teas, but the Qing refused to engage in trade negotiations, rather demanding that Britain pay for the tea in gold and silver. White Lotus - Wikiwand The White Lotus society (Bailianjiao) was a religious cult already in existence in the Nan (Southern) Song dynasty (1127-1279). ." (2020, August 27). The leader, herbalist and martial artist Wang Lun, led an uprising that captured three small cities and laid siege to the larger city of Linqing, a strategic location on the north-south Grand Canal transportation route. It apparently began as a tax protest led by the White Lotus Society, a secret religious society that forecast the advent of the Buddha, advocated restoration of the native Chinese Ming dynasty, and promised personal salvation to its followers. The Chinese authorities burned 20,000 bales of opium, and the British retaliated with a devastating invasion of mainland China, in two wars known as the Opium Wars of 183942 and 185660.