It took nine years of warfare and great loss. BJ Ter Haar has argued that the term "White Lotus" was used primarily by Ming and Qing imperial bureaucrats to disparagingly explain a wide range of unconnected millenarian traditions, rebel movements, and popular religious practices. The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. . What anecdote, or short personal story, does Didion tell at the beginning of the essay "Georgia O'Keeffe"? #ga-ad {display: none;} 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]. Update now. Updates? The rebellion was ended by the deaths of some 100,000 rebels. - marked a turning point in the history of the Qing dynasty. 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. At the same time, technologies for treating contagious diseases such as smallpox, and the extensive use of fertilizers and irrigation techniques were also imported from the West. ", Without any clear enemy to fight, brutality against civilians became more common. The Red Turban Rebellion which took place in 1352, was led by the White Lotus group. 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. 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. The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. . [5] 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. It took almost ten years and huge financial waste to defeat the badly equipped White Lotus Rebellion (1795-1804), partly by legitimizing militias led by local Hn Chinese elites. 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. [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. from Hubei and Shaanxi provs. 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. The White Lotus Rebellion began as a tax protest led by the White Lotus Society, a secret religious society. 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.". Kublai Khan (1215-1294) was the greatest of the Mongol emperors after Genghis Khan and founder of the Yan dynasty in China., Tibet After 48 years, official Zeng Guofan studied and was inspired by the dynasty's methods during the White Lotus Rebellion while considering ways to defeat the Taiping movement. The White Lotus Rebellion 1796-1804 In the deeply forested border area between the provinces Hubei, Sichuan and Shaanxi, a lot of homeless "floating" people (liumin ) had gathered to escape the grip of landowners, creditors and tax collectors. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. One such official was Huang Yupian (), who refuted the ideas found in the scriptures with orthodox Confucian and Buddhist views in A Detailed Refutation of Heresy ( Pxi Xingbin), which was written in 1838. The White Lotus Rebellion was put down in 1805 as a combination of military and social policies. Vast sums of money earmarked for the campaign against the rebels, however, were embezzled by the imperial favourite Heshen and his friends. "White Lotus Rebellion Rather, it consisted of uncoordinated roving bands using hit-and-run guerrilla tactics. The White Lotus led impoverished settlers into rebellion, promising personal salvation in return for their loyalty. By 1387, after more than thirty years of war, their leader, Zhu Yuanzhang had liberated all of China. ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/fall-of-the-qing-dynasty-195608. These militia groups were later instrumental in defeating the Taiping rebellion. [9] The Qianlong emperor ordered that the Eight Banner armies, whether they had Manchu or Han banners, were not to be used to suppress internal uprisings, so the Qing mainly relied on the Han Chinese Green Standard Army and Han militias in order to suppress rebellions such as the White Lotus. Inventions The government had to depend on more Han Chinese recruits (Green Standard) since there were not enough Manchu. In his opening speech, Satan vows never to "repent or change" (line 969696). The White Lotus Rebellion was initiated as an antitax protest led by the White Lotus Society, a secret religious society. His rule covered a span of 63 years, a reign lo, Kublai Khan The government had to depend on more Han Chinese recruits (Green Standard) since there were not enough Manchu. [9], A systematic program of pacification followed: the populace was resettled in hundreds of stockaded villages and organized into militias. The French Revolution was now the French "rebellion" or "chaos," but in fact, the existence of leased territories and foreign concessions provided plenty of fuel and varying degrees of safety for radical opponents. 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). 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. In response, the Qing Empress Dowager Cixi clamped down hard on reformers. When the White Lotus Rebellion (1796-1804) occurred, the dynasty was forced to turn to peasant soldiers to suppress the rebels in central and southern China, since the regular army lacked the necessary strength and morale. Social uprisings against the Qing began with the White Lotus uprising in 17961820. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/reference/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/white-lotus-rebellion. 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. In 1794, a similar movement arose in the mountainous region that separated Sichuan province from Hubei and Shaanxi provinces in central China, initially as a tax protest. "The Fall of China's Qing Dynasty in 19111912." [12] 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. 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). Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. [2][3]. The White Lotus rebellion began when large groups of Chinese rioted in 1794. 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. This rebellion was less successful than that of the Red Turbans, and the Qing government succeeded in crushing this uprising. Because of the brutality of the Qing troops, however, the troops were soon nicknamed the "Red Lotus" Society. Nevertheless, where can you catch hints that the -angel longs for his former state? Under the Ming and the Qing, the movement existed in small, secret congregations and its doctrines were spread through baojuan ("precious volumes . Beginning as tax protests, the eventual rebellion gained growing support and sympathy from many ordinary people. Motivated by millenarian Buddhists who promised the immediate return of the Buddha, it erupted out of social and economic discontent in the impoverished provinces of Hubei, Shaanxi, and Sichuan . The Last Emperor, 6-year-old Puyi, formally abdicated the throne on Feb. 12, 1912, ending not only the Qing dynasty but China's millennia-long imperial period. [11], The tide of the rebellion was turned by Qing leaders relying on the local gentry-raised private militias of Hunan, Hubei and Shaanxi. Local disaffection broke out in the so-called White Lotus Rebellion of 1796-1804, which was centerd in the Szechwan- Shensi- Hupeh- Honan border regions. After both died in battle in 1796, the Qing government sent new officials, but none were successful. 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. Motivated by millenarian Buddhists who promised the immediate return of the Buddha, it erupted out of social and economic discontent in the impoverished provinces of Hubei, Shaanxi, and Sichuan (including modern Sichuan and Chongqing). That history stretched back at least as far as 221 BCE when Qin Shi Huangdi first united China into a single empire. These three Atlantic RevolutionsAmerican, French, and Haitianwere part of a broader world crisis at the end of the eighteenth century. He simply and quietly disappeared. The Cult of the White Lotus, a secret revolutionary society, has once again become popular among the common people. In 1805, the imperial authorities suppressed the White Lotus Rebellion by instituting a combination of military and social policies. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Dimitri Vegas, Steve Aoki The White Lotus Theme (Aloha!) The White Lotus society (Bailianjiao) was a religious cult already in existence in the Nan (Southern) Song dynasty (1127-1279). There the foreign powers essentially controlled trade and the military, although technically they remained part of Qing China. 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. 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. 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. (present perfect, tell). The river flooded constantly, and other natural disasters also occurred. 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. Although the rebellion was finally crushed by the Qing government in 1804, it marked a turning point in the history of the Qing dynasty. How did the Rebellion impact Qing society? 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. These militia groups were later instrumental in defeating the Taiping rebellion. The elites' self-proclaimed position as outsiders contributed to their eventual demise. "[5] Strong rebel leaders began to have major impacts on the ability of the Qing to rule. In its last stage, the Qing suppression policy combined pursuit and extermination of rebel guerrilla bands with a program of amnesty for deserters. [9], Throughout the 1820s and 1830s, the area of the boundary between Henan and Anhui was perpetually plagued by White Lotus revolts, the White Lotus rebels were frequently in league with the area's brigands and salt smugglers. Here, the White Lotus led impoverished settlers into rebellion, promising personal salvation in return for their loyalty. The Red Turban Rebellion (Chinese: ; pinyin: Hngjn Qy) was an uprising influenced by the White Lotus Society members that, between 1351 and 1368, targeted the ruling Yuan Dynasty of China, eventually leading to its overthrowing. 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. //