Hong Xiuquan: Jesus' Brother?

Key words

• Theology: the study of religion and religious belief, or a set of beliefs about a particular religion

He studied theology at university.

• Rid: to remove or throw away something unwanted

I used weedkiller to get rid of the weeds in the garden.

• Utopian: relating to or aiming for a perfect society in which everyone works well with each other and is happy

Many wars start as a utopian vision.

• Creed: a set of beliefs that influences the way you live

The community's creed was based on the teachings of the local spiritual leader.

• Authoritarian: demanding that people obey completely and refusing to allow them freedom to act as they wish

Nobody wants to live in an authoritarian country.

Read the article to find the answers

1. What was Hong Xiuquan's translation of the Bible called?
2. How did Hong Xiuquan present his Bible to his followers?
3. Who modelled themselves on Hong Xiuquan?
4. Why did the CCP highlight the role of Hong Rengan in the Taiping movement?

Hong Xiuquan

Hong Xiuquan studied Bible translation with an American missionary and in 1847 began his own translation of the Bible, which became known as the Taiping Bible. He changed the meaning to suit his own theology and moral teachings and presented it to his followers as the authentic religion that had existed in ancient China before it was destroyed by Confucius and the imperial system.

Claiming to have had visions in which God told him to rid the world of demons and establish a heavenly kingdom on earth, he founded his own brand of Christianity called the God Worshipping Society, and declared himself to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ.

Hong became a passionate preacher, gaining followers among the poor and uneducated people of his region who were suffering from the effects of the opium trade, and soon became the leader of the Taiping Rebellion, a massive peasant uprising against the Qing Dynasty in the mid-19th century.