The Taiping Rebellion (or Rebellion of Great Peace), a large-scale revolt against the authority and forces of the Qing Government in China, is conducted from 1850 to 1864 by an army and civil administration led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan.
He establishes the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace with its capital at Nanjing and attains control of significant parts of southern China, at its height ruling over about 30 million people.
They attempt to institute several social reforms, such as strict separation of the sexes, abolition of foot binding, land socialization, "suppression" of private trade, and the replacement of Confucianism, Buddhism and Chinese folk religion by a form of Christianity, holding that Hong Xiuquan is the younger brother of Jesus Christ.
The Taiping areas are constantly besieged and harassed by Qing forces; the rebellion is eventually put down by the Qing army aided by French and British forces.
With an estimated death toll of between 20 and 30 million due to warfare and resulting starvation, this civil war ranks as one of the bloodiest in history.
