Podcasts about Heavenly King

For a thousand years, Suzhou and Hangzhou stood as synonyms for the next best thing to Heaven itself. Well... that was before 1860. As of now, Hangzhou is a fire-gutted ruin, and Suzhou is next on the target list. But the army that does the most damage… is not the invader. The Taiping arrive to find the dirty work done ahead of them, by the very Qing forces assigned to defend the great southern city, and a vast number of the city having decided to "take matters into their own hands." As such, when a party of missionaries sails upriver from Shanghai to find out just what happened to Suzhou, they'll have to wade through a literal riverful of the dead. Time Period Covered:May-Aug. 1860 CE Major Historical Figures: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864]Hong Rengan, the Shield King (Gan Wang), Prime Minister [1822–1864]Li Xiucheng, the Loyal King (Zhong Wang) [1823–1864] The Qing:The Xianfeng Emperor [1831–1861]He Guiqing, Governor-General of Liangjiang [1816–1862]Xu Youren, Governor of Jiangsu [d. 1860]Zeng Guofan, Governor-General of Liangjiang (from June 8, 1860); commander, Hunan Army [1811–1872]Ma Dezhao, Qing commander The Foreign Missionaries:Joseph Edkins, London Missionary Society [1823–1905]Jane Edkins, his wife [1841-1863]Griffith John, Welsh Congregationalist missionary [1831–1912]James Legge, London Missionary Society, Hong Kong [1815–1897] Major Works Cited:Jen, Yu-wen. The Taiping Revolutionary Movement.Michael, Franz, and Chung-li Chang. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vols. I–III.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The stealth troops successfully sneak past the enemy lines in dead men's coats. The false flags planted on the hillside fool the city guard. The front gate assault diverts, while the sappers around back bring the walls down. I love it when a plan comes together, every single piece locking in like perfect clockwork... Except… it wasn't really the plan. The city that fell was never the objective – it was merely a diversion… a diversion that would leave 60,000 dead within a week. Time Period Covered: 1860 CE Major Historical Figures: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom: Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864] Hong Rengan, the Shield King (Gan Wang), Prime Minister [1822–1864] Li Xiucheng, the Loyal King (Zhong Wang) [1823–1864] Li Shixian, the Attending King (Shi Wang) [1834–1865] Chen Yucheng, the Brave King (Ying Wang) [1837–1862] The Qing: The Xianfeng Emperor [1831–1861] He Chun, Imperial Commissioner, Jiangnan Daying [d. 1860] Zeng Guofan, acting Governor-General of Liangjiang; commander, Hunan Army [1811–1872] Zhang Guoliang, commander, Jiangnan Daying [1822–1860] Zhang Yuliang, commander of the Hangzhou relief column Xu Yuren, Governor of JiangsuMajor Works Cited:Jen, Yu-wen. The Taiping Revolutionary Movement.Michael, Franz, and Chung-li Chang. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vols. I–III. Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Li Xiucheng thinks the plan is pointless. He said so out loud, to his superiors… and lost. So of course, it's him tasked with leading it out the gate. He is, after all, the Loyal King. And so 6,000 soldiers cross the river in the dark through the only path still open to them, every one of them clad in the uniform of a dead enemy. Nobody stops them. Nobody even looks twice. 150 miles southeast there's a city that has no idea they're coming for it, and it's not even the city they're really after. Time Period Covered:1859 – 1860 CE Major Historical Figures:Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864]Hong Rengan, the Shield King, Gan Wang [1822–1864]Li Xiucheng, the Loyal King, Zhong Wang [1823–1864]Chen Yucheng, the Brave King, Ying Wang [1837–1862]Li Shixian, later the Attending King, Shi Wang [1834–1865]Shi Dakai, the Wing King [1831–1863] Qing Empire:The Xianfeng Emperor [1831–1861, r. 1850–1861]Zeng Guofan, founder and commander of the Hunan Army [1811–1872]He Chun, Manchu general, commander of the Great Southern Camp [d. 1860]Zhang Guoliang, general of the Great Southern Camp [1810–1860]Dexing'e, commander of the northern camp Major Works Cited:Michael, Franz, and Chung-li Chang, The Taiping Rebellion: History and DocumentsPlatt, Stephen R., Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil WarSpence, Jonathan D., God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A man disguised as a peddler stands on the bank of the Yangtze watching a British fleet go past, and tries to hitch a ride to Nanjing. He's been trying to reach the rebel capital for 6 years now, and this is the closest he's gotten. He's told “no” … again. So he picks himself up once more and just keeps walking. He'll get there eventually. And once he does, within three weeks he'll be made the Shield King – the 2nd most powerful man in the Taiping Kingdom… on paper, at least. Time Period Covered:1858–1859 CE Major Historical Figures: Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864]Hong Rengan, the Shield King [1822–1864]Chen Yucheng, the Brave King [1837–1862]Li Xiucheng, the Loyal King [1823–1864]Shi Dakai, the Wing King [1831–1863] Great Britain:James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin [1811–1863]Thomas Francis Wade, interpreter [1818–1895] Missionaries & Observers:Theodore Hamberg [1819–1854]James Legge [1815–1897]Karl Marx [1818–1883] Great Qing:The Xianfeng Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yizhu) [r. 1850–1861]Magistrate Tan of Huangmei Major Works Cited:Hamberg, Theodore. The Visions of Hung-Siu-tshuen, and Origin of the Kwang-si Insurrection.Kuhn, Philip A. "The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10.Michael, Franz, and Chung-li Chang. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vols. I, II & III.Oliphant, Laurence. Narrative of the Earl of Elgin's Mission to China and Japan in the Years 1857, '58, '59.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War. Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Heavenly capital of Nanjing, a government that's now mostly murdered has to be restaffed… somehow. And so their old titles are simply dusted off and re-distributed who whoever's still left standing. Meanwhile, the men out actually running the war have learned that there's no use in waiting for the paperwork or permission… neither are coming. They hold their own conference, swear their own oath, and decide to prosecute the war on their own from here on out, regardless of what Nanjing might think about that arrangement. Time Period Covered:1857–1858 CE Major Historical Figures:Taiping Heavenly Kingdom: Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864] Chen Yucheng [1837–1862] Li Xiucheng [1823–1864] Shi Dakai, the Wing King [1831–1863] Meng De'en, Chief of Staff [d. 1861] Li Shixian [1834–1865] Yang FuqingWei Jun Lin Qirong, commander of Jiujiang garrison [d. 1858] Wu Dinggui, commander of Sanhe garrison Great Qing: The Xianfeng Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yizhu) [r. 1850–1861] Zeng Guofan [1811–1872] Zeng Guohua [1822–1858] Zeng GuobaoHu Linyi [1812–1861]Zhang Guoliang [1810–1860] Hechun [d. 1860]Dexing'e (Duxing'a) Li Xubin [1818–1858] Major Works Cited:Kuhn, Philip A. "The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10.Michael, Franz, and Chung-li Chang. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vols. I & II.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Heavenly Kingdom, having recently killed kings three and four of its founding five – and misplaced the fifth – attempts to solve its acute leadership shortage. To that end, the Heavenly King turns to his own blood, promoting his brothers – both military novices – and handing supreme military authority to the upjumped royal harem-staffing administrator. Meanwhile, up his own backwater Jiangxi creek, the one man of Great Qing capable of destroying the rebels is finally handed a paddle by his enemies' infighting... and promptly goes home to bury his father. Two governments, two indispensable men, and one season in which both of them simply choose to walk away.Time Period Covered:1856–1857 CE Major Historical Figures:TaipingHong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864]Shi Dakai, the Wing King [1831–1863]Hong Renfa, the Peace King [d. 1864]Hong Renda, the Blessings King [d. 1864]Meng De'en, Chief of Staff [d. 1861]Chen Yucheng [1837–1862]Li Xiucheng [1823–1864]Yang Xiuqing, the East King [d. 1856]Wei Changhui, the North King [d. 1856] NienZhang Luoxing, Lord of the Alliance [1811–1863]Li Zhaoshou [d. 1881] QingThe Xianfeng Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yizhu) [r. 1850–1861]Zeng Guofan [1811–1872]Zeng Guohua [1822–1858]Hu Linyi [1812–1861] Major Works Cited:Kuhn, Philip A. "The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10.Michael, Franz, and Chung-li Chang. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vols. I & II.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Taiping's greatest summer curdles into its bloodiest autumn. Two months after the East King demands to be crowned Hong Xiuquan's equal, three of his brother-kings converge on Nanjing with an army he never sees coming.By dawn, the man who once spoke with the voice of God is a head on a pole in the street. Yet the purge doesn't end there: it swallows thousands, devours the men who ordered it, and costs the Heavenly Kingdom its foothold on the Yangtze before the year is out – all without a single Qing soldier's help.Time Period Covered:Dec. 1853–Sep. 1856 CE Major Historical Figures:Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, Heavenly King [1814–1864]Yang Xiuqing, East King [c. 1821–1856]Wei Changhui, North King [d. 1856]Qin Rigang, Yan King [1821–1856]Shi Dakai, Wing King [1831–1863]Xiao Chaogui, West King [d. 1852]Feng Yunshan, South King [d. 1852]Hu Yihuang, Yu King (deposed) Qing Dynasty:Zeng Guofan, founder of the Xiang/Hunan Army [1811–1872]Xiang Rong, Nanjing S. siege camp commander Nanjing [d. 1856]Tuoming'a, Yangzhou commander Major Sources Cited:Michael, Franz, and Chang Chung-li. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vol. I.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan.Kuhn, Philip A. "The Taiping Rebellion." The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Taiping Army is riding high. Having finally broken two massive, three-year-long sieges over the course of a single summer, ultimate victory seems within their grasp. Yet, that taste of triumph acts like blood in the water. The lifting of the sieges removes the one thing that had been holding this fractured movement together: sheer external pressure. For three years, the East King has been rehearsing one demand: the same title as the Heavenly King. Absolute recognition, absolute parity - the promotion he believes he's duly owed. Now with the pressure off, he's willing to do anything to get it, even summon the voice of God Himself.Time Period Covered:Dec. 1853–Sep. 1856 CE Major Historical Figures:Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864]Yang Xiuqing, the East King [c. 1821–1856]Wei Changhui, the North King [d. 1856]Qin Rigang, the Yan King [1821–1856]Shi Dakai, the Wing King [1831–1863]Xiao Chaogui, the West King [d. 1852]Feng Yunshan, the South King [d. 1852]Hu Yihuang, the deposed Yu King Qing Dynasty:Zeng Guofan, founder of the Xiang Army [1811–1872]Xiang Rong, Qing commander of the southern siege camp at Nanjing [d. 1856]Tuoming'a, Manchu commander at Yangzhou Major Sources Cited:Michael, Franz, and Chang Chung-li. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vol. I.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan.Kuhn, Philip A. "The Taiping Rebellion." The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zeng Guofan goes to war to defend a fixed universe – and nearly drowns proving how unfixed his own place in it actually is. Across a single year, Hunan's most unlikely general brutally finds out that he is indeed no warrior, and consequentially must rebuild a river fleet from nothing... all while the Taiping's own capital is spared only my a mix-up with the date. By December, the Yangtze has changed hands – and a nervous throne has just learned exactly how dangerous a loyal army, and the man who built it, can become... and exactly how briefly gratitude lasts. Time Period Covered: Feb. – Dec. 1854 CE Major Historical Figures: Taiping Heavenly Kingdom: Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864] Yang Xiuqing, the East King [c. 1821–1856] Wei Changhui, the North King [1823–1856] Qin Rigang, the Yan King [1821–1856] Shi Dakai, the Wing King [1831–1863] Qing Dynasty: The Xianfeng Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yinzhu) [r. 1850–1861] Zeng Guofan, founder of the Xiang Army [1811–1872] Taqibu, Manchu commander of the Xiang Army's land forces [d. 1855] Peng Yulin, co-founder of the Xiang Army's naval forces [1816–1890] Zhang Shoulin, aide who pulled Zeng Guofan from the Xiang River at Jinggang Major Sources Cited: Michael, Franz, and Chang Chung-li. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vol. I. Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom. Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Kuhn, Philip A. "The Taiping Rebellion." The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the Northern Expedition dies in the freezing mud of Shandong, the Taiping's second strike — the Western Expedition — turns its sights on the provinces they've already ridden through on the Yangtze, a kingdom to go with their new Heavenly Capital. But waiting for them in Hunan is a man unable to ride a horse, or command an army... who will nevertheless set about constructing their ultimate doom.Time Period Covered:May 1853 – February 1854 CE Major Historical Figures:Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864]Hu Yiguang, commander of the Anhui column, Western ExpeditionLai Hanying, commander of the Jiangxi column, Western ExpeditionShi Dakai, the Wing King [1831–1863]Li Xiucheng, future Loyal King [c. 1823–1864]Qing Dynasty:The Xianfeng Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yinzhu) [r. 1850–1861]Jiang Zhongyuan, governor of Anhui [1812–1854]Zeng Guofan, founder of the Xiang Army [1811–1872]Tang Jian, Neo-Confucian scholar and Zeng Guofan's mentor [1778–1861] Major Sources Cited:Michael, Franz, and Chang Chung-li. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vol. I.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Taiping Army commits to one of its most audacious acts yet – an assault on the Qing throne itself, a thousand miles north in Beijing. To reach it, it will launch its great Northern Campaign: a single spear-throw that, if its aim holds true, might end the entire war before the teeth of winter bite down.Time Period Covered:May 1853 – March 1855 CE Major Historical Figures: Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864]Lin Fengxiang, co-commander of the Northern Expedition [d. 1855]Li Kaifang, co-commander of the Northern Expedition [d. 1855]Li Xiucheng, future Loyal King [c. 1823–1864] Qing Dynasty:The Xianfeng Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yinzhu) [r. 1850–1861]Prince Senggelinqin [c. 1811–1865]Other:Theodore Hamberg, Swedish missionary, Hong Kong; author of the first European account of the Taiping [1819–1854] Major Sources Cited:Hamberg, Theodore. The Visions of Hung-Siu-tshuen, and Origin of the Kwang-si Insurrection. Michael, Franz, and Chang Chung-li. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vol. I.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finally pooled and stilled at Nanjing, in the afterglow of victory, the Taiping reflect on what they've become, and what they've yet to accomplish. In the cold light of the morning after, though, dreams do not equal result, nor clouds a working constitution. And as the world begins to take note and come knocking, the question hanging over it all remains: what will come next? Time Period Covered: Spring–Summer 1853 CE Major Historical Figures:Taiping Heavenly Kingdom: Hong Xiuquan, Heavenly King, Second Son of God [1814–1864]Yang Xiuqing, East King, Voice of God the Father [d. 1856]Xiao Chaogui, West King, signing from beyond the grave [d. 1852]Fu Shanxiang, first & only female zhuangyuan of the examination [fl. 1853; dates uncertain]Lin Fengxiang, general of the Northern Expedition [d. 1855]; The Women's Army of the Heavenly Kingdom [org. 1851]Qing Dynasty: Zeng Guofan, Confucian official, founder of the Xiang (Hunan) Army [1811–1872]Great Britain:Sir George Bonham, Governor of Hong Kong & plenipotentiary to China [1803–1863]Thomas Taylor Meadows, consular interpreter [1815–1868]Cmdr. Edmund Gardiner Fishbourne, HMS Hermes [1811–1887]Abroad: Karl Marx, correspondent, New-York Daily Tribune [1818–1883] Major Sources Cited:Michael, Franz, and Chang Chung-li. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vol. I. Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom. Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Heavenly Host arrives at last before the walls of the South Capital. What follows is not a battle so much as a verdict – rendered in powder, fire, and seven days of smoke and blood. A city is taken, renamed, and remade in the image of a kingdom the likes of which the world has never seen before. This is the story of the Becoming that finally arrived; of the current that finally found its place to pool... and what it cost to stop. Time Period Covered: Mar. 1853 CE Major Historical Figures: Taiping Heavenly Kingdom: Hong Xiuquan, Heavenly King, Second Son of God [1814–1864] Yang Xiuqing, East King, Voice of God the Father [d. 1856] Qing Dynasty: The Xianfeng Emperor, Aisin Gioro Yizhu [1831–1861] The Nanjing Manchu Garrison [est. 1645; d. 1853] Major Sources Cited: Michael, Franz, and Chang Chung-li. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vol. I. Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom. Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Heavenly Host marches north out of Hunan. Ahead of them lies the spine of China itself – the mighty Yangtze; maker and breaker of dynasties. The trading capitals strung along its southern bank glimmer like beads on a thread. They have and continue to transform, to build a fleet, a state. Now they will find out what it's all been leading toward. This is the story of the Kingdom In Motion, and the river that carried it east. Time Period Covered: Nov. 1852 – Mar. 1853 Major Historical Figures:Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, Heavenly King, Second Son of God [1814–1864]Yang Xiuqing, East King, Voice of God the Father [d. 1856]Shi Dakai, Wing King [1831–1863]Li Xiucheng, future Loyal King [1823–1864] Qing Dynasty:The Xianfeng Emperor, Aisin Gioro Yizhu [1831–1861]Chang Liangji, Governor of HubeiQian Jiang, the jiansheng from Zhejiang who pitched reform and walked Major Sources Cited:Michael, Franz, and Chang Chung-li. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vol. I.Kuhn, Philip A. "Ch. 6, The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan.Hamberg, Theodore. The Visions of Hung-Siu-tshuen, and Origin of the Kwang-si Insurrection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Heavenly Host has arrived at the great provincial capital of Hunan - Changsha. The mighty bastion that will prove to be the first city on the long march north that simply refuses to fall. For two months in late 1852, the largest army the Taiping has yet fielded throws everything it knows at these walls... but the city endures. This is the story of the underground war fought by nameless men in the dark Time Period Covered: Oct. – Dec. 1852 Major Historical Figures: Taiping Heavenly Kingdom: Hong Xiuquan, Heavenly King, Second Son of God [1814–1864] Yang Xiuqing, East King, Voice of God the Father [d. 1856] Xiao Chaogui, West King, Voice of Jesus Christ [d. 1852] Shi Dakai, Wing King [1831–1863] Qing Dynasty: Luo Bingzhang, Governor of Hunan [1793–1867] Zeng Guofan, Commissioner of Local Defence for Hunan [1811–1872] Major Sources Cited: Kuhn, Philip A. "Ch. 6, The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10. Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom. Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The army that marches north out of Quanzhou in June 1852 is not the same one that left Jintian 18 months prior. It has left its prime architect in an unmarked grave, massacred the city that killed him, and crossed into the unknown territory of Hunan. At Daozhou, for the first time, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom starts speaking to Empire at large, calls upon brotherhood to honor their blood-oaths, & dares name the emperor himself a demon. It's beginning to get real, and all roads - it seems - lead toward Changsha... Time Period Covered:June – October 1852 Major Historical Figures:Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, Heavenly King, Second Son of God [1814–1864]Yang Xiuqing, East King, Voice of God the Father [d. 1856]Xiao Chaogui, West King, Voice of Jesus Christ [d. 1852]Wei Changhui, North King [1823–1856]Shi Dakai, Wing King [1831–1863] Qing Dynasty:Luo Bingzhang, Governor of Hunan [1793–1867] Other:Lan Chengzun, Yao tribesman, White Lotus chieftain [fl. 1836]Lei Zaihao, Yao chieftain [fl. 1847]Li Yuanfa, Han Triad rebel leader [fl. 1849] Major Sources Cited:Kuhn, Philip A. "Ch. 6, The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has been proclaimed — but proclamations don't feed armies. As such, its Divine Host will enjoy all of 11 days before sheer arithmetic forces them back onto the road. What follows is eight months of movement through the hills and river valleys of Guangxi: not quite a military campaign, not quite a refugee march. When they finally stop, it will be inside the walls of a city called Yong'an - "Eternal Peace." There, for the first time, the blueprint of the kingdom they have been promising can at last be seen in outline. Kings will be named, & time itself will be reordered... But the walls keep closing in, and ahead - always ahead - is the only path left. Time Period Covered:Jan. 1851 – June 1852 Major Historical Figures:Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:Hong Xiuquan, Heavenly King, Second Son of God [1814–1864]Feng Yunshan, South King, Architect of the God-Worshipping Society [1815–1852]Yang Xiuqing, East King, Voice of God the Father [d. 1856]Xiao Chaogui, West King, Voice of Jesus Christ [d. 1852]Wei Changhui, North King [1823–1856]Shi Dakai, Wing King [1831–1863]Luo Dagang, pirate-turned-general [fl. 1851–1853] Qing Dynasty:Saishangga, Imperial Commissioner [fl. 1851–1852]Xiang Rong, Qing General [d. 1856]Ulantai, Qing General [d. 1852] Major Sources Cited:Hamberg, Theodore. The Visions of Hung-Siu-tshuen and the Origin of the Kwang-si Insurrection.Kuhn, Philip A. "Ch. 6, The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Superior Pleasures Of Following A Heavenly King Week 4 of the Ecclesiastes Series Speaker: Ben Wagenaar Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 Download the slides for this message: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/21v1iwvfzpo1lq1lb7cdt/Ecclesiastes-Week-4-PDF.pdf?rlkey=qo9g2dox3n0p1zm46uiveor6b&st=n5wezwaz&dl=0 (If using on mobile, click the icon on the top right and click direct download)

The God-Worshippers of Thistle Mountain managed to survive their first test — but now the world itself seems dead-set on finishing the job. When unprecedented rains lead to flooding, famine, and pestilence across southern China, the last institutions holding things together collapse, leaving those on the margins to their own survival. Until, that is, the divine summons of the Second Son of God calls them — one and all — to the village of Jintian, a bold maneuver that will force a response from the Qing dynasty itself.Time Period Covered:1849-1851 CE Major Historical Figures:God-Worshippers/Taiping:Hong Xiuquan, prophet, Heavenly King [1814–1864]Feng Yunshan, chief evangelist and architect of the God-Worshipping Society [1815–1852]Yang Xiuqing, Eastern King, Voice of God the Father [d. 1856]Xiao Chaogui, Western King, Voice of Jesus Christ [d. 1852]Lo Daguo, Triad chief, Taiping recruit [fl. 1850–1851]Qing Dynasty:Lin Zexu, Imperial Commissioner [1785–1850]Ikedanbu, Manchu Colonel [d. January 1, 1851] Major Sources Cited:Hamberg, Theodore. The Visions of Hung-Siu-tshuen and the Origin of the Kwang-si InsurrectionKuhn, Philip A. "Ch. 6, The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly KingdomSpence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The God-Worshippers of Thistle Mountain, under the dual leadership of Hong Xiuquan and Feng Yunshan, had gone from being a quirky, backwater oddity... to, by 1847, a real local headache. When they get bold enough to deface a local temple, the law finally takes action to end their machinations. Yet they emerge from this early crucible unbroken... harder, better, faster, stronger... and even weirder than they went in. Time Period Covered:1847–1849 Major Historical Figures:Hong Xiuquan, prophet and Heavenly King [1814–1864]Feng Yunshan, chief evangelist and architect of the God-Worshipping Society [1815–1852]Wang Zuoxin, local licentiate and militia leader [fl. 1847]Lu Liu, God-Worshipper [d. 1848]Yang Xiuqing, Eastern King, Voice of God the Father [d. 1856]Xiao Chaogui, Western King, Voice of Jesus Christ [d. 1852]Qiying, Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi [1787–1858] Major Sources Cited:Hamberg, Theodore. The Visions of Hung-Siu-tshuen and the Origin of the Kwang-si InsurrectionKuhn, Philip A. "Ch. 6, The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly KingdomSpence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260329dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'” The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Matthew 21:4-9 The Heavenly King Took Our Place It is a sad reality that you and I sin against our God every day. Because we sin, we don’t deserve to be in heaven in the presence of God for all eternity. And the alternative is not pretty. But God loves us, his creation, and took action to change what we deserved because of our disobedience. God, the ruler of all things, sent his Son, Jesus, into the world to be among us for a purpose. Instead of being an earthly king, Jesus lived a humble life and kept all of God’s laws for us. Then, even though innocent, he suffered and died for us. After three days, Jesus rose from the grave to show his power over death and the devil for us. Now you and I, by faith, can look forward to spending eternity in heaven because of our perfect substitute, Jesus. Because of what our King Jesus has done for us, we can shout with the crowd on the first Palm Sunday, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” In our excitement, we exclaim, “Blessed is he who came in the name of the Lord!” Prayer: Jesus, may your Spirit work in me the joyfulness to praise you for being my substitute and assuring me of heaven with you forever. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260329dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'” The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Matthew 21:4-9 The Heavenly King Took Our Place It is a sad reality that you and I sin against our God every day. Because we sin, we don’t deserve to be in heaven in the presence of God for all eternity. And the alternative is not pretty. But God loves us, his creation, and took action to change what we deserved because of our disobedience. God, the ruler of all things, sent his Son, Jesus, into the world to be among us for a purpose. Instead of being an earthly king, Jesus lived a humble life and kept all of God’s laws for us. Then, even though innocent, he suffered and died for us. After three days, Jesus rose from the grave to show his power over death and the devil for us. Now you and I, by faith, can look forward to spending eternity in heaven because of our perfect substitute, Jesus. Because of what our King Jesus has done for us, we can shout with the crowd on the first Palm Sunday, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” In our excitement, we exclaim, “Blessed is he who came in the name of the Lord!” Prayer: Jesus, may your Spirit work in me the joyfulness to praise you for being my substitute and assuring me of heaven with you forever. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260329dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'” The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Matthew 21:4-9 The Heavenly King Took Our Place It is a sad reality that you and I sin against our God every day. Because we sin, we don’t deserve to be in heaven in the presence of God for all eternity. And the alternative is not pretty. But God loves us, his creation, and took action to change what we deserved because of our disobedience. God, the ruler of all things, sent his Son, Jesus, into the world to be among us for a purpose. Instead of being an earthly king, Jesus lived a humble life and kept all of God’s laws for us. Then, even though innocent, he suffered and died for us. After three days, Jesus rose from the grave to show his power over death and the devil for us. Now you and I, by faith, can look forward to spending eternity in heaven because of our perfect substitute, Jesus. Because of what our King Jesus has done for us, we can shout with the crowd on the first Palm Sunday, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” In our excitement, we exclaim, “Blessed is he who came in the name of the Lord!” Prayer: Jesus, may your Spirit work in me the joyfulness to praise you for being my substitute and assuring me of heaven with you forever. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

minor O My Dear Father Heavenly King by Beth McGinnis

Дворец небесного Царя / The Palace of the Heavenly King Даниил 7:9-10Даниил 13I. Небесный престол / The Heavenly ThroneII. Херувимы / The CherubimIII. Сидящий на престоле / The One Seated on the ThroneIV. Ангелы / The AngelsV. Судейские престолы / The Judicial ThronesVI. Судьи / The JudgesVII. Книги суда / The Books of Judgment

Dr. R. Carlton Wynne speaks at the Reformed Forum Annual Theology Conference, held at Lakeland Church in Gurnee, Illinois on September 27, 2025. Dr. Wynne explores how the vast portion of the Old Testament covering the monarchy and prophetic periods (approximately 417 chapters) points to Jesus Christ. Dr. Wynne first establishes the central, Christ-centered scope of all Scripture, affirming that everything in the Old Testament looks forward to and finds its fulfillment in Christ's person and work, including his death and resurrection. The address then moves beyond viewing Christ merely as being prefigured in the Old Testament through "scale models" or "macro typology." Instead, it seeks a deeper sense in which the pre-incarnate Christ's power and heavenly kingdom principles were actively revealed through the history of Israel's kings and prophets, positioning these figures and institutions as intrusions of heavenly glory mediated by Christ himself. Chapter Markers 00:00 - Introduction: Reformed Forum Conference and Speaker/Topic Introduction 00:23 - Welcome and Scope of the Address (Monarchy and Prophets) 03:19 - Speaker's Three Goals for the Address 03:56 - The Gospel is First and Foremost About Jesus Christ 04:36 - Question 1: What exactly do we mean by Christ being in the Old Testament? * 05:44 - Christ's "Crash Course in Old Testament Hermeneutics" (Luke 24) 08:16 - Moving Beyond Mere Prediction: Was Christ's Power and Glory Revealed Before His Incarnation? 08:41 - The View of Macro Typology (Graeme Goldsworthy) 14:36 - Goal 2: Interpreting the Old Testament with Reformed Voices (Vos, Murray, Owen) 21:40 - Goal 3 (Main Topic): The Monarchy and Prophets as Intrusions of the Heavenly Kingdom 23:25 - The Davidic Covenant and the Kingdom's Typological Rest 25:27 - Israel's Demand for a King: Mistaking the Shadow for the Substance 28:25 - God's Design for the Davidic King (Insights from Proverbs) 30:17 - The Great Example: King David and the Heavenly King 35:23 - Jesus Christ as the Exalted King of all Flesh 36:48 - The Prophets' Role: Calling the Monarchy to its Christ-Centered Design 38:52 - The Suffering of the Prophets as a Type of Christ 41:26 - Conclusion: Christ is the Source, Foundation, and Substance of Every Blessing 42:28 - Christ, Our High Priest and King of Kings 43:54 - Final Exhortation and Benediction 44:30 - Closing Remarks

Q&A for Session 1

How do you make decisions in the face of fear? Today's episode follows three brave young men as they defy an earthly king to obey their Heavenly King. We explore the history of Babylon, learn about the plight of Judah, and follow Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they find themselves face to face with Jesus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The parable of the talents from Luke 19 serves as a profound reminder that God has entrusted each of us with valuable gifts, abilities, and opportunities. Just as the king in the parable expected his servants to multiply what he'd given them, our Heavenly King anticipates growth and fruitfulness from the resources He's bestowed upon us.Get more out of today's teaching by visiting our Church Online page for things like our community guide, a weekly devotional, and the teaching slides. EthosOH.com/churchonline

Today, Pastor Al Dagel takes us to the throne room of our Heavenly King, as we spend time in the Psalms on this Saturday's episode of "Moments of Grace".

In this sermon series on The Psalms of Ascent, Pastor Nathan teaches that this is about a journey. Psalm 123 describes God's mercy. Pastor reads through the Scripture passage and preaches on how God cares for His people. The Lord is the Heavenly King, so: 1 – look up (keeps things in perspective), 2 – […]

Pastor: Danny D'Acquisto Passage: Matthew 16:21-28

The Heavenly King and Royal Son, and the HOPE of Christ this Advent season.

Sermon preached on John 18:36 by Rev. Alan D. Strange during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 10/27/2024 in Petaluma, CA. The post The Heavenly King of a Heavenly Kingdom appeared first on Trinity Presbyterian Church North Bay (OPC).

Visit us on the web at theancienttradition.com for more amazing comparative religion.

On Friday, October 18, 2024, Dr. Alan Strange opened the 2024 DFW Reformation Conference with his first of three lectures, "The Heavenly King of a Heavenly Kingdom" (John 18:36) Summary: Christ is a heavenly, not an earthly, king (though impacting all earthly kingdoms), and his church is a spiritual kingdom that must distinguish itself from the world even as it gives itself to the world. Outline: I. The nature of Christ's kingship A. Seen even in his humiliation 1. He entered that estate in the Virgin's womb. 2. He performed great miracles even in that estate. 3. His kingship was obscured in that estate. B. Its obscurity pertains to the nature of his kingship, which is spiritual. 1. This spiritual kingship baffles Pilate. 2. Jesus is clearly, as a heavenly king, a king of a different sort. II. The nature of Christ's kingdom A. It is a kingdom befitting its king--it is no of this world. 1. It is in the world, indeed. 2. Wherever Christians go, so goes this kingdom. B. The kingdom is not exhausted by but manifests itself especially in the visible church. 1. The power of the church is ministerial and declarative, moral and suasive, not magisterial and legislative, legal and coercive. 2. Here, you have a proper doctrine of the spirituality of the church.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, one of the most beloved Russian saints of the past few centuries, describes how fitting it is for man to love God and the signs that such love is true and genuine. "Truly is it said by all, 'How can we not love God?'" Text is from "Journey to Heaven: Counsels on the Particular Duties of Every Christian" by St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, p. 1-8 ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Tikhon writes: "Whom shall we love, if not God?" God is the supreme good, uncreated, without beginning, without end, existent, and without change. As the sun always shines, as fire always warms, so God is by nature good; He is and always does good, since there is none good, but One, that is God (Matt. 19:17). O the most beloved and beautiful of God's creation, man, the image of God! He bears it in himself as a royal seal. As the king is hon-ored, so is his portrait. As to God the Heavenly King is due all honor, so to His image, man. God poured forth this goodness on us in our creation, O Christian. How then can we not love God? As we all call Him, God is the Lover of Mankind; then man must be a lover of God. For nothing can be given in return for love but love and gratitude. Truly is it said by all, "How can we not love God?" Love, like every other virtue, must also reside in our heart. For if love does not reside in the heart, then it does not exist. God does not say, "Love, be humble, be compassionate, pray, beseech, call unto Me," and so on, to our lips, but to our heart. Then love, humility, compassion, prayer, and the rest, must reside in the heart. And if it abides in the heart, then it will inevitably appear outwardly like a belch from stomach. A hidden fire gives itself away by its heat, and a fragrant balm by its smell. The true lover of God disdains the world and all that is in the world, and strives toward God, his most beloved. He counts honor, glory, riches, and all the comforts of this world which the sons of this age seek, as nothing. For him only God, the uncreated and most beloved good, suffices. The true lover of God keeps God ever in mind, and His love toward us and His benefactions. We see this even in human love, for we often remember the one we love. So whoever loves God remembers Him, thinks of Him, and finds consolation in Him, and is enrapt in Him. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

How does the rule and reign of the Heavenly King answer the lament of the people?

Send us a Text Message.The adversary is masterful at twisting righteousness with unrealistic comparisons, aiming to make us feel inadequate. We don't have to buy into his lies, and we talk through dismissing his distractions of comparison and tuning into truth directly from God.You are a beloved daughter of a Heavenly King and Queen who love you infinitely. This episode will remind you of your precious worth and the infinite love that surrounds you.----------------------You were Born to Lead- Sheri Dew Talk

God With Us: The Book of Matthew

From Come Follow Me:      "When you hear the word king, you might think of crowns, servants, and thrones. In Mosiah 1–3, you will read about a different kind of king. Rather than living off the labors of his people, King Benjamin “labored with [his] own hands” (Mosiah 2:14). Instead of having others serve him, he served his people “with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord [had] granted unto [him]” (Mosiah 2:11). This king did not want his people to worship him; rather, he taught them to worship their Heavenly King, Jesus Christ. King Benjamin understood that it is “the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth” (Mosiah 3:5), who came “down from heaven” and went “forth amongst men, … that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name” (Mosiah 3:5, 9)."Support the show:www.patreon.com/SaintsintheSouthCwic Media video referenced in this episode:https://youtu.be/Ojq8DZzYJ2s?si=hzFEOW0HBO3giAwN(The thoughts, ideas, and beliefs we express on this channel do not officially represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  For additional information or official statements, please visit the website below.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/?lang=eng)#biblestudy #oldtestament #religion #churchofjesuschrist #ldspodcast #christianpodcast #missionary #lds #biblestories #christ #faith #faithinchrist #scriptures #bookofmormon #doctrineandcovenants #pearlofgreatprice #temples #houseofthelord #mormon #mormonbeliefs #christiansandmormons #god #endure #ironrod #faithineveryfootstep #generalconference #prophets #followtheprophet #commandments #love #service #charity #keepstriving #keeponstriving #gospelgrowthandgoodtimes #become #newtestament The LYLAS PodcastIf you know what LYLAS stands for, then this podcast is for you! Two besties since...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

OnSaturday night and Sunday, we will celebrate Purim Lastweek we discussed the power of Adar and more specifically Adar Bet Someoneasked Whyis Purim celebrated in Adar Bet ? BySephardim, any yahrzeit or birthday which occurs in a regular year in Adar ismarked in a leap year in Adar bet. Welearn in Shulchan Aruch under the Laws of Passover Siman 429 Seif 1, we arecommanded to start (re) learning the Passover laws thirty days after Passoverright after Purim. Thus, Purim needs to remain thirty days before Passover andis pushed to Adar Sheni. Additionallywe celebrate Purim during Adar II, in order to juxtapose the joy of the Purimredemption with the redemption from Egypt. We also read the Four Parshiyotduring this month, because Parashat Shekalim, Parashat Para, and Parashat Ha-ĥodesh were instituted as apreparation for the month of Nisan, and Parashat Zakhor must be readimmediately before Purim, which we celebrate in Adar II ( We read Zachor thisShabbat – Question if we are commanded toremember what Amalek did and also not to forget – then why not just unfurl a poster or a sign or simplyget up and say I remember or add it to our prayers which many of us do each day.Why must we come to the synagogue and hear the Torah? Remind me at the end tobring it back to this. Beforewe begin Iwant you to image a 100 yard dash Arace in a straight line Thestarting line and the finish line are the two points furthest from each other Nowlet's imagine a race in a stadium arounda track Therewe circle the track and the start line becomes the finish line Inthis case the starting line and the finish line are the two points closest toeach other Howdo you look at time? As a straight line or as a circle? Ourclass today is based on the beautiful words of Rav Pinchas Friedman of Belz,The Shvilei Pinchas Wehave learned in the Gemarah (Taanis 29a): “משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה” — since this month ushers in the time during which thegreat miracles of Purim and Pesach occurred. Thecommentaries wonder: What provoked Rashito associate the miracles experienced by the Jewish people on Purim, in themonth of Adar, with the miracles that they experienced on Pesach in the monthof Nissan? Infact, the Gemarah's statement -- ” משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה “ Achashverosh ascends the throne of Persia Achashverosh's Feast, lasting 180 days Esther taken to Achashverosh's Palace Haman casts lots First decrees dispatched by Haman Three days' Fast ordered by Esther* Haman's downfall and execution by hanging* Second decrees, reversing the first Sadness turned to gladness; Haman's ten sons executed Purim celebrations everywhere, except Shushan where a second day of reckoning is added 14, 3405 (356 BCE) celebration in Shushan The Megillah recorded; Festival of Purim instituted for all generations — including the first day of Pesach. It is written inthe Megillah (Esther 4, 15): Then Esther sentback this answer to Mordecai: “Go, assemble allthe Jews who live in Shushan, and fast in my behalf; do not eat or drink forthree days, night or day. I and my maidens will observe the same fast. Then Ishall go to the king, though it is contrary to the law; and if I am to perish,I shall perish!” So Mordecai wentabout [the city] and did just as Esther had commanded him. RASHI עַל דָּת, לְהִתְעַנּוֹת בְּיוֹם טוֹב רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל פֶּסַח, שֶׁהִתְעַנָּהי'ד בְּנִיסָן וְט'ו וְט'ז, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּיוֹם י'ג נִכְתְּבוּהַסְּפָרִים: (Masechet Megillah 15a) by fasting on thefirst festive day of Pesach, for he fasted on the fourteenth, the fifteenth*I.e., Pesach. Although the holiday feast is obligatory, Mordechai bypassed theobligation and ordered the fast, using the special authority of the Sanhedrinto suspend such obligations in times of extreme need. * “ויעבר מרדכי, אמר רב שהעביר יום ראשוןשל פסח בתענית” — the thirteenth, fourteenth andfifteenth of Nissan. Mordechai questioned her request on the grounds that oneof those days was the first day of Pesach. She replied, אמרה לו זקן שבישראל למה הוא פסח “Elder of Yisrael, what isthe point of celebrating Pesach?” Upon hearing her reply, he confessed that she was in the right and proceededto carry out all of her demands — to eat matzah on the first night of Pesach -- and aRabbinical commandment — Elder of Yisrael, what is the point ofcelebrating Pesach? Surely,she was not suggesting that it is permissible to annul or ignore Hashem's mitzvos whenever Yisrael is facedwith an imminent danger. Rather,hear this well, she was trying to stir things up in the heavens above. Even so,why did she specifically choose to annul the mitzvot related to the first nightof Pesach? Imaginefor a moment the great Rabbi Yisrael of Rozhin's, zy”a, festive Purim meal. Howcan I ask you to imagine if you have no idea who this Rabbi was? Hewas the great grandson of the Magid of Mezerich. He was born in 1796 and passedat 54 years old in 1850. He was orphaned at 6 and grew up in the home of Rav Menaḥem Naḥum Twersky, whose daughter he married. Yisra'el's elder brother, Avraham succeeded his father after the latter's death and, at the age of 15,became the first yenuka (child officiating as a tsadik) in Hasidic history. AfterAvraham's death 10 years later, Yisra'el, himself then only 16, was calledupon to take his place. In 1815, he moved his court to nearby Ruzhin, and hisfame spread quickly. From the very beginning of his “reign” he stood out for his sharp wit, his organizingabilities, and his original religious approach. Rejecting asceticism andself-imposed poverty as religious ideals, he adopted a maximalistinterpretation of the idea of “worship throughcorporeality” (i.e., the positive religious valuehidden in trivial, earthly life, such as eating or drinking, sexual relations,making a living) as equivalent to Torah study or prayer. Iimagine we can say that the test is to find Hashem in everything! Inspiredby this philosophy, his court was based on an ostentatious display of thematerial wealth and luxury in which the tsadik and his family lived. His palaceat Ruzhin—a mecca for admirers of all socialranks, including Russian aristocrats—was famed not only for its splendor, but also for its carriages, thethoroughbred horses in its stables, and the klezmer bands that entertainedvisitors and accompanied the tsadik on his travels. He amassed a tremendousfortune, mainly from donations from his admirers. He became wealthy enough tobe registered in the Second Merchants Guild—an official standing that earned him various privileges and stood him ingood stead later, when he was forced to flee Russia. .The dramatic events in which he was involved—imprisonment on suspicion of aiding and abetting the violent murder ofinformers, flight from Russia to Austria—made him a legend in his own lifetime, revered by his followers butdespised and ridiculed by his opponents, mainly maskilim. Descended from adistinguished Hasidic family thatclaimed descent from King David, and possessing exceptional religious charisma,sharp natural intelligence, and organizational talents, he was not only one ofthe most prominent and impressive Hasidic leaders in the period of the greatestgrowth of Hasidism, but also the founder of a new style of Hasidism known asthe “regal way.” Sonow imagine, you are sitting at a table similar to one set by nobility at thetime with as much opulence as you can imagine and at that seudah, the Rabbi presenteddivine and enlightening insights encompassing the entire festival of Purim withincredible clarity. Hiswords are cited in the sefer Irin Kadishin. He addresses the issue of why thewicked Haman specifically chose to carry out his decree in the month of Adar.Here are a few of his remarks that are quoted: “והטעם שהוא בחודש אדר, כי יש י”ב צירופי הוי”ה כנגד י”ב חדשי השנה, ובחודש ניסן אזי מאיר שםהוי”ה כסידורו והיא התגלות החסדים, ואחר כך נעשה צירופים בכל חודש וחודש, וכל חודשאשר הצירוף מתרחק מן השורש יותר הוא בהסתר, ובחודש אדר שמאיר בו הצירוף האחרון הואהצימצום וההסתר יותר מכל חודש. ועל כן טעה המן והפיל פור, וכל זה בכדי לעשות רע לישראלח”ו מחמת שהוא צירוף וההסתר האחרון, אך טעה בזה, כי סוף מעשה במחשבה תחילה, ונעוץסופו בתחילתו, כמו שמזל יום שבת קודש הוא מזל אחרון ]יום השביעי[, ודוקא יש בו התגלותהקדושה, וכמו שאנחנו בעיקבתא דמשיחא שהוא ההסתר היותר אחרון, אנו מצפים להתגלות אורהיותר עליון”. He explainsas we discussed last week that there are twelve permutations of the four letteredname Havaya corresponding to the twelve months of the year, i.e. the letters ofthe four-lettered name can be arranged in twelve different ways. Themonth of Nissan is illuminated by the name Havaya with its letters in theiroriginal order; this permutation signifies the revelation of Hashem's favors and kindness. Thereafter,each subsequent month is influenced by its particular permutation of the holyfour-lettered name. The farther a month and its permutation are from theoriginal source, the greater the degree of obscurity and concealment. Hesuggests that the month of Adar, which is illuminated by the last permutationof the holy name, reflects the greatest degree of concealment and restriction. This,in fact, was Haman's mistake. He reckonedthat the month of Adar being the farthest away from the source (Nissan andredemption of Pesach) was the ideal time to harm Yisrael, chas v'chalilah. The truth of the matter,however, is that the end of the year is intimately connected with the beginningof the year. We read(Shemos 12, 2): “החודש הזה לכם ראש חדשים ראשון הוא לכם לחדשי השנה” — the heavens will rejoice and theearth will be glad. Whenthe letters of the holy name are in their proper order, the attribute of mercyprevails in the world; hence, the heavens and the earth rejoice. During the remainingeleven months of the year, the permutation of the name Havaya changes frommonth to month. Thefarther the month is removed from Nissan, the greater the change in that month's permutation of the holy name. As aconsequence, the greater the degree of concealment in that month — the most distant and different from the permutationof Nissan — like a flame in a burning coal. For,the Master is singular; he has not second. Inother words, the end of something in kedushah is always inherent in the beginning.It is a continuous circle; the end and the beginning are connectedmagnificently and incomparably. Inthis manner, we find that Shabbat Kodesh, on the one hand, is the final day ofthe week. On the other hand, however, it is the beginning and source of whattranspires in the week to come. As the Zohar hakadosh teaches (Yisro 88a), Shabbatprovides the blessings for the week to come and influences the week to comewith abundant good: “כל ברכאן דלעילא ותתא ביומא שביעאה תליין” . Similarly,the cycle consisting of the twelve months of the year — is like a circle where theend is intimately connected with the beginning. This,in fact, was the wicked Haman's fatal error. He figuredthat being the last month of the year, Adar possessed the greatest degree ofconcealment. Therefore, he would be able to succeed in executing his diabolicaldecree aimed at the people of Yisrael. He was unaware that in matters ofsanctity, kedushah, the end is inherent in the beginning. Thus, Adar, the finalmonth of the year, is intimately related to Nissan, the first month of the year— whenever the Megillah mentions “King Achashverosh,” it is referring to theactual flesh and blood king with that name; however, whenever the Megillahemploys the generic term “king,” it serves a dual purpose — “That night the king's sleep was disturbed.” Rabbi Tanchum says that the possukis telling us that the King of the Universe's sleep was disturbed. Likewise, when Esther says: “if it pleases the king,” employing the nonspecific term “king,” she is also referring to the King of the Universe, HKB”H. Thiscoincides beautifully with a teaching of the Arizal's. He teaches us that with thisstatement Esther intended to awaken the King of the Universe's attribute of mercy on behalf ofthe people of Yisrael; mercy emanates from the blessed name Havaya. So shedirects her entreaty to HKB”H with the introduction: ” אם על המלך טוב “ -- if it pleases the king — note that the first letters of thesefour words spells out the name Havaya in its original and ideal order, whichconnotes pure mercy. Now,let us apply the illuminating concept of the great Rabbi of Rozhin, zy”a, to gain a deeper appreciation ofEsther's wise intentions. She realized thatHaman's lot fell on the month of Adar — invoking the ultimate permutation of the name Havaya,the permutation that reigns during the month of Nissan. By doing so, she establishedthe connection between the end of the year and the beginning of the year — is contained or dwells within the last month ofthe year. Now,upon closer examination an amazing fact becomes evident. The preparations forthe miracle of Purim already took place eleven months earlier during the monthof Nissan. Firstly, Esther put her lifein jeopardy immediately after Haman issued his decree on the thirteenth ofNissan. She entered the King Achashverosh's chambers without an invitation to do so; this was an act punishable bydeath under the laws of that regime. Yet, she miraculously found favor in theking's eyes and he extended his golden, royalscepter to her — the month designated by Haman for the exterminationof the Jews — Haman was unaware that notonly did Moshe pass away on that date, but he was also born on the seventh ofAdar. HKB”H wished to teach us that concerningmatters of kedushah, the concept of finality and conclusion do not apply.Instead, the end is always intimately connected to the beginning. Consequently,the end of a tzaddik's life, the day of hisdeath, is related to the day he was born. Thisindicates that their Torah and their life's work are eternal and continue to live on in this world. This is thesignificance of Chazal's statement: ולא היה יודע שבשבעה באדר מת ובשבעה באדרנולד” “ — the Rabbis taught in a Baraise: Whatwas Esther's reason for inviting Haman? . . . so that the Jews wouldnot say, “We have a sister in the royal palace,” and neglect praying for divinemercy. Estherendeavored to bring Yisrael to a state of: ” עד אנה אשית עצות בנפשי “ — as we have learned from the greatRabbi of Rozhin, zy”a. Let us attempt toexplain precisely how the miraculous events that transpired in the month ofNissan — affected the events of Purim in the month of Adar. Letus begin by presenting an incredible principle which the Ramban teaches ustowards the end of parshas Bo (Shemos 13, 16) concerning the miraclesassociated with the exodus from Egypt. Thisis a principle that is so fundamental and should be reviewed on a daily basis.He teaches us that the purpose of the supernatural miracles that HKB”H performed on our behalf during theexodus from Egypt were designed to make us aware of the incredible miraclesthat are performed on our behalf daily within the guise of natural occurrences.Here are his famous words: “ומן הנסים הגדולים המפורסמים, אדם מודה בנסים הנסתרים שהם יסוד התורה כולה, שאיןלאדם חלק בתורת משה רבינו, עד שנאמין בכל דברינו ומקרינו, שכולם נסים אין בהם טבע ומנהגושל עולם, בין ברבים בין ביחיד, אלא אם יעשה המצוות יצליחנו שכרו,ואם יעבור עליהם יכריתנוענשו, הכל בגזירת עליון כאשר הזכרתי כבר”. Inother words, everything we experience is a miracle performed by Hashem; thereis no such thing as laws of nature. This applies both to events experienced bythe general public or by individual. If one observes the mitzvos, he will berewarded; if he transgresses them, he will be punished. Everything is governedfrom above. Itis well known that it is not permissible to pray for a miracle. This isexpressed by the Sefer Chassidim as follows ( ואסור להתפלל שיעשה לו הקב”ה נס בשינוי העולם” :( 794 “. He proves his point from the Gemarah (Taanit 26a)which states that one is prohibited from praying that a tree should bear its fruitprematurely. Thereason being that HKB”H created the world tooperate in accord with the laws of nature; yet, it is essential that a personbelieves with all of his heart that HKB”H governs nature. So,it is prohibited to pray for a miracle, because HKB”H does not want to change nature. Atthe time of the exodus from Egypt, however, Yisrael had sunk to the forty-ninthlevel of impurity. As a consequence, HKB”H performed supernatural miracles on their behalf in order to instill inthem faith in Hashem. Still, the main purpose for these extraordinary feats wasto bring the people to the realization that even nature is governed by Hashem's hand — due to the obvious miracles, aperson becomes aware of and grateful for the hidden miracles, which are the basisfor the entire Torah. Withthis, let us present an important principle from the teachings of the KedushatLevi (First Kedushah for Purim). He points out that the miraculous featssurrounding the exodus from Egypt involved an upheaval and departure from thelaws of nature established at the time of creation. Beginningwith the ten plagues and concluding with the splitting of the sea, the laws of naturewere disregarded. Thatwas in stark contrast to the miraculous events that occurred at the time ofPurim — Elder of Yisrael, what is the pointof celebrating Pesach under these circumstances. She was suggesting to him that it was necessaryfor them to cause a stir in the heavens. After all, as we learned from theRamban, the entire reason for celebrating Pesach — is solely so that a person will believe in themiracles that are concealed within the framework of nature. Hence, if themiracles of Purim do not occur within the framework of nature, there is no purposefor the miracles of Pesach. Atthis point, we can revisit Rashi's poetic comment: “משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה - ימי נסים היו לישראל פורים ופסח” -- when Adar begins, we increasejoy -- since this month ushers in the time during which the great miracles ofPurim and Pesach occurred. He teaches us that we rejoice in Adar in celebration of both the events ofPurim, which appeared to transpire within the natural realm, and the events ofPesach, which transpired above and beyond the natural realm. After all, it wasonly in the merit of the Pesach miracles that we merited the Purim miracle. So,clearly, Purim and Pesach are intimately connected and inseparable. Wecan now truly appreciate the depth and significance of the great Rabbi ofRozhin's, zy”a, illuminating words. Haman cast his lot on the month ofAdar believing that, as the last month of the year, it possessed the greatestdegree of divine concealment. He was unaware of the intimaterelationship that exists between the end of the year and the beginning of theyear — a month highlighted by supernatural events — to believe in miracles thatoccur within the framework of nature. So we see that the month of Adar, thelast of the twelve months of the year, is firmly connected to the first monthof the year, Nissan. Thisalso illustrates the deeper significance and wisdom inherent in Queen Esther's plea to our Heavenly King, HKB”H: י'בוא ה'מלך ו'המן ה'יום” “ — the permutation associatedwith the month of Nissan. She fully intended to solidify the connection betweenthe last month, Adar, and the first month, Nissan. For, it is impossible toappreciate the miracles of Purim that were concealed within the realm of natureif not for the visible, supernatural miracles that took place during the monthof Nissan. She invoked the auspicious permutation of the name Havayarepresented by the possuk: י'שמחו ה'שמים ו'תגל ה'ארץ -- the heavens will rejoice andthe earth will be glad. The Arizal explainsthat when the snake touched Chava, the negativity of the snake entered her andcame out in her first born Kayin. Kayin rebelled against G-d and we wonderwhere did he come up with murder. He explains it was the influence of thenachash. The negative side passes through into Esav and Amalek who stirs doubtand kills without fear. In attempting to save his own skin, he does his best toprevent us from getting to the finish line. I want to concludewith the words of the Netivos Shalom, as explained by Rabbi Winston and then myown Sholom NoachBerezovsky 1911 - 2000) was the Slonimer rebbe. His teachings were published asa series of books entitled Netivos Sholom He explains Amalekattacked the Jewish people during their 50 day ascension to Mt. Sinai and theacceptance of Torah. He didn't stop it from happening, but he was able tolessen its impact, and hold of the Final Redemption. The next time Amalektries to block such an opportunity for complete redemption, is just as theJewish people are entering the land. This time Amalek attacks through Balak andBilaam, who, the Zohar explains, were rooted in Amalek. The name Amalek is evenbuilt into their names. Once again, he didn'tstop the event, but he lessened it enough to hold off the Final Redemption fora while longer, once they caused Gad, Reuven, and Menashe to choose to live inthe Diaspora instead of Eretz HaKodesh. The next potential fora complete redemption was in Mordechai's and Esther's time, which, as theTalmud says, was really the completion of what began at Har Sinai over amillennium before. Once again, Amalek showed up, not preventing redemption, butlessening its impact and its ability to eradicate evil from Creation. After that, there werebattles with Amalek, but mostly started by the Jewish people, especially inShaul HaMelech's time. The next war anAmaleki seems to go out of his way to fight against the Jewish people was inWorld War II, which, as Hitler, y”s, himself admitted, was really a war againstthe Jews. And, in pure Amaleki style, he sacrificed the war effort, put himselfat risk, just to harm and murder more Jews. He may not have physicallydescended from Amalek, but he certainly did spiritually. And if I can suggest.We are again at the cusp of history. Amalek through Hamasattacks us when? Shemini Aseret – The day set aside for us and Hashem. We arein the ikvei Meshicha. Just as Amalek didwhen we left Egypt, they attack those who are defenseless and it is up to us fightthem. And finally why do werecall Amalek through the reading of the Torah. Amalek implies doubt That doubt infects us The antidote is Torah The Torah reminds usthat Hashem whether we can “see” or not is always with us. Its up to us to find Him!

Daniel's vision in chapter 7 teaches us that God raises up earthly kingdoms and just as easily knocks them down. It is the Heavenly King who will win the day. SERIES SUMMARY: The Book of Daniel chronicles a time in the history of God's people when the Israelites found themselves in exile in a society that didn't understand or tolerate the truth of the one true God. As such, it is arguably the most relevant book in the Bible for 21st century Christians navigating a pluralistic society that encourages them to privatize their faith. The courage of Daniel and his friends, emboldened by God's promises, provides us with a pathway forward. If you'd like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

Daniel's vision in chapter 7 teaches us that God raises up earthly kingdoms and just as easily knocks them down. It is the Heavenly King who will win the day. SERIES SUMMARY: The Book of Daniel chronicles a time in the history of God's people when the Israelites found themselves in exile in a society that didn't understand or tolerate the truth of the one true God. As such, it is arguably the most relevant book in the Bible for 21st century Christians navigating a pluralistic society that encourages them to privatize their faith. The courage of Daniel and his friends, emboldened by God's promises, provides us with a pathway forward. If you'd like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here: https://tinyurl.com/stmarcusgive

Choosing grace and poise instead of hot takes and big reactions isn't popular in our culture, but maybe it's just the thing we need to have more peace in our lives. When is the last time you thought about what it means to be poised? Elder Mark A. Bragg said, “poise is not spoken about much these days and practiced even less in turbulent and divisive times.” Developing poise is a deliberate way to be active peacemakers in a world where having the loudest reaction gets the most attention. Poise rises above the noise and provides us with personal, steady calmness which then allows us to create more peace in the lives of others.   "Part of developing poise is remembering and owning and believing in who we are."   Elaine Dalton joins Kathryn on this week's episode where they discuss the lost art of poise and how it is an important part of peacemaking.   Top takeaways from this episode: At times, we can lose a sense of our nobility and who we are. Poise is remembering that we are divine and we are queens and daughters of a Heavenly King. Poise can bring calm and confidence into our lives. When we walk into a situation with faith in Jesus Christ, there is a confidence that comes. We were set apart to come to the earth in this time, and seeing others with those same eyes will help us remember that those around us are noble and great. Having charity will bring more poise into our lives. The Savior's example can help us remember to always respond with poise.   Small and simple challenge: Repent daily! None of us are perfect, when when we utilize the atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives daily, we can change. When we do that quickly and daily, we will become more like Him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Mother Natalia reflects on Pentecost, the return of praying the Heavenly King prayer, and kneeling and penance that is reintroduced after the celebration of Pentecost. Plus we've got a mini-topic on angels!Follow and Contact Us!Follow us on Instagram and FacebookWe're on YouTube!Join our Goodreads GroupFr. Michael's TwitterChrist the Bridegroom MonasteryOur WebsiteOur NonprofitSupport the show

The conclusion to the saga of the Taiping Rebellion! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys

Last time we spoke Cholera spread like a plague taking countless lives on either side of the conflict. The loss of so much life hurt the Xiang armies positions, and Zeng Guofan worried dearly for the life of his brother fighting at Yuhaitai. Zeng Guofan desperately tossed any men he could to help his brother and it proved effective as Li Xiucheng was forced to flee for the safety of Nanjing's walls. The EVA force lost Ward and gained Chinese Gordon as its leader. But it was to be a short lived command as Gordon and the British became outraged with their allies atrocities and slights against them and thus took back on the stance of neutrality. Yuhaitai was taken and now Nanjing was under siege by the Xiang army, it was only a matter of time for the Taiping to finally fall.   #35 This episode is The Taiping Rebellion part 12: The Fall of the Heavenly Kingdom   Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. The populace of Nanjing were terrified, with only two gates left open, provisions were becoming very limited and there was almost no way to get out. Roughly 30,000 people were inside the city, 10,000 of which were soldiers. After the fall of Suzhou to Li Hongzhang in December, Li Xiucheng returned to Nanjing pleading with the heavenly king, to simply abandon Nanjing and take the entire movement into Jiangxi province. The heavenly king was livid, saying Li Xiucheng lacked faith in the cause. Without much choice, Li Xiucheng began to prepare the city for a bitter siege. Meanwhile the heavenly king was becoming more and more paranoid and angry. His anger led him to cruelty and he began punishing the people in horrifying ways. For example the new crime of communicating with those outside the walls of the city saw people pounded to death between rocks or flayed alive in public. The people would have fled the city, but they knew the fate of what happened to those who did, as was the case when Anqing fell. By late December they heard the rumors about the fate of Suzhou thus sealing their fate to Nanjing. Zeng Guofan sent reports to his brother in spring of 1864 not to even let women and children escape the city, so their fear was well founded. Zeng Guofan justified this by stating, to force the Taiping to support the entire population within the city would accelerate their starvation.    With Chen Yucheng dead, Li Xiucheng spread too thinly, Hong Rengan found himself yet again thrust into the role of military commander. Hong Xiuquan told his cousin he had to go out of the city to rally troops from nearby territories to help relieve Nanjing. But it was not possible to head north or west, nor was it possible to traverse the river. Hong Rengan set out the day after Christmas of 1863. His first destination was Danyang around 50 miles east of Nanjing which was commanded by an uncle to the late Chen Yucheng. The commander told Hong Rengan he could not spare any troops to help Nanjing, so Hong Rengan continued on to Changzhou. While enroute he found out Li Hongzhang had taken the city, forcing him to winter in Danyang. When spring came, he took his force south into Zhejiang, where Hangzhou was still holding out. Back in 1861 when Hong Rengan went out to get recruits, the work was much easier. This was no longer the case, in the cities of Danyang and Huzhou he found people too afraid to leave their garrisons to go back to Nanjing. Meanwhile the Xiang army was exponentially growing, by 1864 Zeng Guofan had 120,000 troops, Zeng Guoquan 50,000, another 30,000 garrisoned Anhui, 13,000 moved around with Bao Chao and 10,000 were in the area between Anhui and Suzhou.    Li Hongzhang's Anhui army followed up its conquest of Suzhou by marching upon Nanjing from the east. They seized Changzhou and Wuxi with ease as Zuo Zongtang battled Taiping in Zhejiang province. All these armies would eventually converge upon Nanjing. Zeng Guoquan's forces managed to take the Fortress of Heaven on the Dragon's shoulder, pitting it against the Fortress of Earth. With the vantage point upon Dragon's shoulder the Xiang forces were able to create stockade camps at the Shence Gate and eastern Taiping Gate, thus cutting off the city completely. By the end of March, Hangzhou fell to Zuo Zongtang forcing its survivors to flee to Huzhou seeking refuge with Hong Rengan. With the loss of both Suzhou and Hangzhou, the Taiping no longer held any significant cities in the east. There were no more avenues for rescue for the Taiping capital, all that was left was a siege.   Zeng Guoquan's siege army was running dry on provisions, the devastation of the countryside was hitting his men as bad as it was the Taiping. Even though they held the Yangtze, by spring of 1864 there was no longer much food coming from it. His men ate rice gruel and basically nothing else. He confided to his secretary, “If we don't break this city in a month, our whole army is going to crumble to pieces.” Within Nanjing the garrisons first crop of wheat was breaking the surface in april. Zeng Guofans men atop forts and mountain lookouts could see within the city the crops growing with bitterness. They held into the early summer, but Beijing's patience was wearing thin and so were their stomachs. Zeng Guoquan wanted the glory of taking Nanjing for himself, so he resisted the advice of Li Hongzhang to come supplement his forces. Zeng Guofan was torn by this, he understood his brothers ambition, but it was terribly unwise. He wrote to his brother “Why must you have sole credit for conquering Nanjing? Why should one person be the most famous under heaven?” Li Hongzhang realized the family predicament and offered to save face for the Zengs by forming an excuse that he was unable to come help after all.   Zeng Guoquans siege had been enlarged, they built a 3 mile road for supplies through a bog, connecting the river to Yuhuatai. While on the surface it looked like the Xiang forces were loafing around, this was far from the truth, the real siege work was being done under the earth. They did not have large enough cannons to break the walls of Nanjing, so they had to tunnel and mine, the good old fashion way as they say. They would even have to tunnel under moats some 90 feet underground. Each tunnel was made hauling out dirt and rock by hand, but the spotters in Nanjing were always watching. A cool fact I did not know before writing this series, when sappers begin tunneling for long periods of time, the grass on the ground level above them turns brown leaving a kind of path the tunnellers are taking towards a wall. Spotters looked for this and for ventilation holes, after all if you are digging far you have to get air into the work space. Inside Nanjing Taiping sappers dug their own counter tunnels to thwart mines. They often did this by exploding their own mines, flushing gas into the tunnels or flooding them with boiling water or sewage. Imagine dying in a tunnel full of sewage, horrid. At one point a Xiang miner exploded a mine close enough to a wall, but the explosion failed to make a breach and the Taiping quickly went to work building more parts to the wall near it.   By June, the Xiang had mines exploded up in over 30 areas of the walls, but their results were nothing less that 4000 dead sappers. Then on July 3rd, after they captured the Fortress of Earth at the base of the Dragon's shoulder they had a vantage point so close to part of Nanjing's walls they could fire cannons over. Throughout the night and day they fired cannons into part of Nanjing thwarting the Taiping tunnelers while their own worked. The most ambitious tunnel yet was dug, around 70 yards out, digging at a rate of 15 feet per day. It lead to a part of Nanjing's walls 50 feet thick. The Taiping knew what was coming, but the bombardment never ceased, and even the noise from the cannons prevented spotters from figuring out precisely where the tunnel was. By the 15th of July Li Xiucheng was forced to launch a night sortie to try and attack the tunnel opening, but the Xiang army forced them right back into the city. Three days later the tunnel had just about reached its target for the explosives. Zeng Guoquan was impatient, pressured by Beijing, so he ordered his men to pack 6000 cloth sacks under the wall containing over 20 tons of gunpowder. The explosion went off at noon on the 19th, as 400 hand picked veterans crouching hiding on the ground to launch themselves through the breach. The explosive experts lit the fuse and waited, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20, 30 the fuse took that long to travel the tunnel. Then a tremendous blast was heard forming a convulsion sending part of the wall to go up blasting outwards and skyward raining parts of the rubble everywhere killing tons of the 400 men hiding on the ground. When the smoke cleared, a 200 foot wide breach could be seen.   The Xiang forces sounded the drums and stormed down the Dragon's shoulder towards the breach screaming. The clambering over dead bodies and rumble surging forward, many of them holding maps of the inner city. The first troops to breach the hole specifically dodged the defenders rushing further into the city with maps in hand as they had the specific mission to rush to the palace of the Heavenly King to kill the self proclaimed brother of jesus. But Li Xiucheng beat them to their mission and he spirited away Hong Xiuquans son, before they could capture the would-be future monarch. When the Xiang troops entered the palace they found nothing but an eerie silence. Hong Xiuquan the heavenly king, the self proclaimed brother of Jesus was already dead.   Going back in time, to the spring of 1864, Li Xiucheng said to the heavenly king “There is no food in the whole city and many men and women are dying. I request a directive as to what should be done to put the people's mind at ease.” Starvation was hitting the people, but the heavenly king did not seem to pay any notice. Hong Xiuquan began to talk to Li Xiucheng about the 16th chapter of Exodus, how god would preserve the Taiping faithful, just as he preserved the children of Israel for 40 years as they wandered the desert, by scattering manna on the ground amidst the dew each morning. Beginning in 1862, Hong Xiuquan had begun ordering his subjects to emulate the lives of the israelites, storing 10 bushels of manna every year to see them through their times of trouble. What exactly manna is, hard to say, if you read the bible it says it was a small, white flower with the scent of coriander that tasted like honey. The Chinese Taiping bible describes it as “Tianlu and Ganlu” which means sweetened dew. Hong Xiuquan said to Li Xiucheng “everyone in the city should eat manna. This will keep them alive” he then issued an order “Bring some here, and after preparing it I shall partake of some first.” Li Xiucheng states “the Sovereign himself, in the open spaces of his palace, collected all sorts of weeds, which he made into a lump and sent out of the palace, demanding that everyone do likewise, without defaulting. He issued an edict ordering the people to act accordingly and everyone would have enough to eat.” Thus Hong Xiuquan began to eat the weeds he called manna within his palace.    In April of 1864 he began to fall ill with his 50th year of life. He seems to get better in may, but then becomes sick again. The cause of his illness is not understood, but Li Xiucheng account states “its from him eating manna, and when this man was ill he would not take remedies”. Hong Rengan account states “a lingering illness of 20 days took him”. Tiangui Fu the son of Hong Xiuquan said “my father succumbed to sickness”. On May 30th, Hong Xiuquan or one of his aides announces it is time for the Heavenly king to go to Heaven where he will request the Heavenly father and Heavenly Elder brother to send a celestial army to defend Nanjing. There is no grand funeral for the heavenly king. On June 1st he is wrapped in a shroud of yellow silk by his palace women and buried in the bare ground, which was the regular service for the Taiping. No coffins were necessary, because he was expected to rise soon to go to heaven. Hong Xiuquan had ordered coffins to be abandoned prior and that the word “death” to be taboo, because they were all going to ascend to heaven.    Five days after his death, his son Tiangui Fu takes his fathers throne. While the Qing forces are busy sieging the city, for 6 weeks the Young monarch reigns. He is basically at the mercy of Li Xiucheng and Hong Rengan. Li Xiucheng gives this account  “After the Young Sovereign came to the throne,there was no grain for the soldiers, and there was chaos in the armies. . . . The Sovereign was young and had no ability to make decisions, no one, civil or military, in the capital, could think of a solution.” When the explosion went off on July 19th and the slaughter and chaos began within the city, Tiangui Fu stood bewildered in his palace beside his 4 wives. They tried to grab him, to stop him from fleeing, but he broke away from them and ran into the crowds with his 2 younger brothers heading for Li Xiuchengs palace. They grabbed the nearest horses and their bodyguards clustered around them. During the chaos they try to escape through the different gates in turn, each time turned back. Li Xiucheng eventually finds the royal group and whisks them to a safe location. They hide for some time in an abandoned temple on the western side of the city, perched atop a hill from which they can see the Qing forces scattering into the city. The Young monarch and his comrade put on Hunanese clothing as a disguise, something that had been prepared weeks before. They seize the cover of darkness as the Xiang army are busy raping and plundering the city. Li Xiucheng bids a tearful farewell to the Young monarch as he and his small party charge through the breach Zeng Guoquans sappers made, with the sun against their backs they vanish. The horse of Li Xiucheng collapses and his guard leaves without him. Dazed and confused, Li Xiucheng climbs back to the abandoned temple on the hill. He wakes up to find peasants robbing him of his valuables, when he is left with nothing to take, they grab him and bring him to Zeng Guoquans forces.   No one knows where the Young monarch is, but Zeng Guoquan has Li Xiucheng in his hands and interrogates him. Without the leadership of Li Xiucheng the Taiping forces might linger on in the rest of the country to form some small kingdom, but they would never be able again to become a large movement. With the capture of Li Xiucheng, the Taiping rebellion was pretty much dead. Li Xiucheng writes a very lengthy confession before his execution. Before his death he begs the Qing officials to stop the slaughter of Nanjing, to spare the old Taiping veterans who had marched from Guangxi and Guangdong, to give them permission to go back home. “engage in some trade. If you are willing to spare them, everyone will hear of it, and everyone will be willing to submit.” He even provides his captors with some advice, to buy the best cannons from the foreigners, alongside efficient gun carriages and other weapons, so that the best Chinese craftsmen could reverse engineer them and teach the people of china how to make their own. “one craftsman can teach ten, ten can teach a hundred and everyone in our country will know. . . . To fight with the foreign devils the first thing is to buy cannon and get prepared early. It is certain that there will be a war with them.” “Our Heavenly Kingdom is finished . . . and this is because the former Heavenly King's span was ended. The fate of the people was hard, such a hard fate!”  Li Xiucheng speaks to his captors believing the Young Monarch is already dead, but Tiangui Fu was safe accompanied by a few hundred loyal soldiers. Tiangui Fu and his small force circle the shore of Lake Tai, fleeing for Huzhou where Hong Rengan commands a small Taiping garrison. Yet before talking about that I want to talk about the horrors that befall Nanjing.    The Xiang army's discipline broke at Nanjing, they were starving when they stormed the great city, filling their stomachs for the first time with food and the achievement of their ultimate goal, ending the war. After bitter years of campaigning, far away from their homelands, they began to break ranks and laid waste to the capital in an orgy of rape and plunder. Zeng Guofan issues proclamations forbidding troops from murdering civilians, rape of looting, but his commanders ignore this. The bloody occupation of Nanjing sees the fanatical death of many Taiping, refusing to surrender who fight to the bitter end. As Zeng Guofan reported to Beijing “On the 17th and 18th, Tseng Liang-Tso and others searched through the city for any rebels they could find, and in three days killed over 100,000 men. THe Ch'in-huai creek was filled with bodies. Half of the false wangs, chief generals, heavenly generals, and other heads were killed in battle, and the other half either drowned themselves in the dikes and ditches or else burned themselves. The whole of them numbered 3000 men. The fire in the city raged for 3 days and nights…Not one of the 100,000 rebels in Nanjing surrendered themselves when the city was taken but in many cases gathered together and burned themselves and passed away without repentance. Such a formidable band of rebels has been rarely known from ancient times to present”.   The slaughter of Nanjing was the combination of fanaticism from the Taiping and the policy of Zeng Guofan who was determined that the surrender from the veterans Guangxi/Guangdong Taiping was not to be accepted. His goal was the extermination of the whole movement, via the death of its core leadership. He wanted no residue of any successors to try and carry on the Taiping ideology. He performed a ruthless extermination, thus forcing many of the Taiping to fight to the very end or commit mass suicide. Zeng Guoquan's aides reported to him that mass looting, murder and rapes were occuring. Soldiers could be seen running off with gold, silver, furs, jade and any other valuables. At first soldiers burned palaces, but then they moved onto homes, eventually the entire city was aflame. Only when a heavy rainstorm occurred on July 25th did the fires go out. On the 26th, Zeng Guoquans secretary entered the city and was overwhelmed at the sight. All the male Taiping still alive were being used by the Xiang soldiers to carry loot or dig up buried treasure. It seemed like many of them were being set free to flee the city after, but many were also slaughtered after. Countless, elderly who could not perform labor were killed outright. Countless children lay dead in the streets alongside the old, as the secretary wrote in his diary “Children and toddlers, some not even two years old, had been hacked up or run through just for sport. There wasn't a single women left in the city under 40 years old.  Sometimes they had ten or twelve cuts on them, sometimes several times that. The sound of their weeping and moaning carried into the distance all around.” A female Taiping survivor named Huang Shuhua was 16 years of age during the capture of Nanjing. She had this to say about when the soldiers came. “They killed my two older brothers in the courtyard, then they went searching through the rooms of the house. One of the strong ones captured me and carried me out. My little brother tugged on his clothing, my mother threw herself down before him, weeping. He shouted angrily, ‘All rebel followers will be killed, no pardons—those are the general's orders!' Then he murdered my mother and my little brother. My eldest brother's wife came out, and he killed her too. Then he dragged me away, so I don't know what became of my other elder brother's wife. I was grief-stricken, sobbing and cursing at him, begging him to kill me quickly. But he only laughed at me. ‘You, I love,' he said. ‘You, I will not kill.' ” The soldier tied her up and took her aboard a boat back to his home in Hunan. The soldier was from the home county of Zeng Guofan, Xiangxiang. She would spend the rest of her life as the wife of a man who had murdered her entire family. She wrote down her story on two slips of paper one evening while traveling and when at an Inn she secretly slid the papers to someone at the inn before hanging herself.   Zeng Guofan took possession of Nanjing, arriving from Anqing on July 28th, 9 days after his brother's forces breached its walls. Apparently officers from his brothers forces took him around the city in a sedan chair, telling him tales of the battles fought and won, showing him the scenes of the destruction. Poetry, plays, banquettes, song and wine, celebrating was made by the victors. Soon honors would be poured over said victors from Beijing once Zeng Guofan sent news of the fall of the Taiping capital. Zeng Guofan sent inflated numbers of Taiping killed, as you may have noticed when I read those quotes, there was absolutely not 100,000 dead in Nanjing. He was inflating the glory of his family, that of his armies prowess, and he masking over the rape and plundering of the second capital of the dynasty. He was very careful with what information got out. When he came face to face with Li Xiucheng, he had direct orders from Beijing to send the man alive back to Beijing, instead he executed him where he was making sure to overlook the interrogation process himself so he could make sure the writing of Li Xiucheng was exactly the way he wanted it.    Now Hong Rengan was in Huzhou during the downfall of Nanjing, helplessly trying to find help for the capital. When news came that Nanjing had fallen and Li Xiucheng was dead, Hong Rengan found himself in possession of the Young monarch who fled to Huzhou for safety. At this time Huzhou was being attacked by Li Hongzhang's Anhui army and remnants of the EVA force. Not the Ever victorious army, no this was the Ever triumphant army. Basically the remnants of the EVA force were taken by some French officers who continued to work alongside the Qing. The roads to leading to Huzhou were strewn with corpses and severed heads to ward off the Qing/Anhui/EVA forces. The coalitionary forces are too much for the defenders of Huzhou who at the end of August of 1864 flee south. Hong Rengan intends to take the Young Monarch to Guangdong where the Taiping movement started. They rode for 3 months making it to the Meiling Pass, searching for safety. Their escapade left them in a mountainous country 15 miles northeast of a town called Stone Wall where they were finally attacked. Qing soldiers came upon them during the night before the Taiping loyalists could even mount their horses. Hong Rengan fled alone on foot wilding running through a forest where he is captured on October 9th. He is interrogated by the local Qing officials, where he tells them “The heavenly King was nine years older than I and gifted with extraordinary powers of intelligence. A glance at anything was all that was required to impress the subject on his memory. The uprising at Thistle mounted undoubted evidence of the display of divine power throughout those years,and despite the ultimate collapse of the Taiping movement, among those who have enjoyed the smiles of fortune for the longest time the Heavenly King stands pre-eminently forward,”. Hong Rengang is executed in Jiangxi's capital of Nanchang on November 23rd.    As for the Young Monarch, Tiangui Fu, he manages to slip away with 10 followers. His band crosses a small bridge and climbs a nearby hill to hide, but they are discovered by their Qing pursuers. Somehow Tiangui Fu manages to evade them, hiding out in the hills, afraid and alone. He shaves off his long hair and finds work with a local farmer pretending to be a man named Zhang from Hubei. After the harvest for that year, he travels onwards but is finally caught and arrested on October 25th by a Qing patrol. He throws himself at the mercy of the state, confessing “The old Heavenly King told me to study religious books, and would not allow me to study ancient books, which he said were all demonic. I managed, however, to read secretly thirty or more volumes, and still retain some recollection of their subjects and contents. The conquest of the empire was the ambition of the old Heavenly King, and I had no part in it.” He tells his captors if they release him, he will study the Confucian classics and try to gain the lowest degree, that of Licentiate. Instead the Young Monarch is executed on November 18th, a week before his 15th birthday. The Heavenly King is dead, the Young Monarch is dead, all the kings, north, south, east, west, flank, shield, loyal, brave and countless others are all dead.    The day Zeng Guofan took control of Nanjing was a triumph, not for the Qing dynasty but for him. He was at that moment the most powerful man in all of China. His Xiang army was dominant, he was that of a military dictator controlling the vast eastern and central parts of China. He was not fully under the Qing courts control, in fact the Qing relied upon him almost entirely to retain their own control. Until the Taiping menace was defeated, the Qing court watching his efforts without dread, once it was done that all changed. Rumors spread like wildfire, some said Zeng Guoquan told his brother the time was right to abandon the crumbling Qing dynasty and to start a new dynasty from his base in Nanjing. But Zeng Guofan did not do this. In truth, by the time Nanjing was under its last siege, Zeng Guofan began a process for disbanding his grand Xiang army and to relinquish his power. He sought to hold onto his positions as governor general over Anhui, Jiangsu and Jiangxi, and help rebuild Nanjing to its former glory. Many watched expected him to take his army and march upon Beijing, to rid China of the Manchu, but he sent his soldiers home. And thus Zeng Guofan remained a loyal subject, to a child emperor and the Empress Dowager Cixi.   If you are bewildered by this, you are most definitely not alone, countless historians and contemporary figures were confused. Zeng Guofan's ruthlessness and brilliance led him to possess basically unlimited power. All of his top ranking commanders were people he knew, they all had strong personal ties to him, their loyalty was set in stone. What could have possibly stopped him from taking over China? Well, according to his closest family members and friends, they say Zeng Guofan was a man wrecked by anxiety and depression. He was reluctant from the very beginning to be given command, quite uncertain of himself. He was a true scholar and sought nothing but to go back to his books and to lead a life of moral scholarship. He was deeply influenced by Confucian beliefs, but many also think he was influenced by the horrible levels of corruption, greed and incompetence he saw within the Qing bureaucracy. He was never heard to question the legitimacy of the Emperor, and being very devout to Confucianism, he probably really believed in the mandate of heaven. There are also those who point out, to such a brilliant mind, was ruling China a desirable thing? He say how tumultuous the era they lived in was, was it a good era to rule over? Perhaps his uncertainty about himself, left him thinking he could not live up to the task.    Regardless, the Xiang army demobilized in August of 1864, less than a month after the fall of Nanjing. In May he gave a notice for sick leave, which as he told his brother was just an excuse to go into hiding after the war was done. He wanted to escape all of his critics who were growing suspicious of his power. He recommended his brother should do the same, but it seems Zeng Guoquan resented this advice. Zeng Guoquan apparently was beginning to expand his economic powers and Zeng Guofan had this to write to his brother, “Military commanders who have usurped fiscal power have never brought anything but evil to the country and harm to their own families. Even if you, my brother, are a complete idiot, surely you cannot be ignorant that you have to distance yourself from power to avoid being slandered.” Well the Qing court went to work on Zeng Guoquan and his subordinates accusing them of corruption and usurpation. Likewise they hounded Zeng Guofan by proxy, and for the 8 years left of his life they tormented him, not allowing him to retire or pause from duties. Zeng Guofan's dreams of returning to scholarship, his homeland, a quiet life, would never come to be. In 1867 he wrote on the issue of his looming death “I would be happier there, than I am in this world”.   The estimates on the death toll of the Taiping Rebellion are simply impossible to gauge fully. If you go to wikipedia, or pick up any book they all fall on 20-30 million people. There were no reliable censuses at the time, the estimates are based mostly upon demographic projections on what the Chinese population should otherwise have been in later generations. In an American study performed in 1969, by the year of 1913, almost 50 years after the fall of Nanjing, China's population had yet to recover to its pre 1850 levels. In 1999 it is estimated the provinces hardest hit by the Taiping Rebellion, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hubei and Jiangxi suffered a population loss of around 87 million people between 1851-1864. Around 57 million of them dead from war, the rest never born due to decreased birthrates. The projection for the full scale of the war in all provinces is around 70 million dead with a total loss for the population at 100 million. As you might imagine there is a large amount of skepticism over such unbelievable numbers. Regardless the scars of the event were most definitely felt for decades as attested by countless travelers and inhabitants of China. It was frankly one of if not the deadliest civil war in human history.   What is rather incredible is the fact the Qing dynasty did not fall then. Don't get me wrong, it was a mortal wound, but the Qing dynasty would limp on for another 5 decades. Did the Qing dynasty win the war? Not entirely, its safer to say the efforts of Zeng Guofan, foreign intervention and the Qing defeated the Taiping movement. The Qing dynasty was basically put on life support by Zeng Guofan and foreign interests if you really think about it. The Opium wars linked the Qing dynasty to nations like Britain and France who had financial stakes in China and wanted the devil they knew rather than the Jesus they didn't to ensure the flow of unequal trade, see what I did there? Zeng Guofan, was simply in my opinion a strong conservative. I told you bits and pieces about his reluctance to work with foreigners and utilize their technology. He came around to it all of course, but he did so gradually and begrudgingly, there are countless tales of him butting heads over the issue. That issue being modernization, something his successor Li Hongzhang will become a champion of might I add. Zeng Guofan was devout to Confucianism and traditions, honestly he is a large part as to why the Taiping were unable to destroy much of Chinese culture. Zeng Guofan would be villainized by many as a traitor to his race, someone who held up the Manchu.   In the end China suffered immensely, this was after all occurring during the century of humiliation. I will end with this to say about the intertwining years of the Second Opium War and the Taiping Rebellion. These years were a time of chaos and change for Asia as a whole. China would end up slowly moving towards modernization, but another nation would take the opposite route and usher in hyper modernization. The balance of power in Asia was turning, leaving more room for conflict on an unprecedented scale.    I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Sheesh, 12 parts my god, would you believe it if I told you there was a lot more left out? Remember there were other rebellions like the Nian and Dungan, and perhaps given a audience desire I might talk about those as well.