Li Xiucheng
Encyclopedia
Li Xiucheng was an eminent military leader of the Taiping Rebellion
, and known during his military tenure as the Loyal King (忠王). This title was given because a Qing general attempted to bribe him to kill Hong Xiuquan
, but he refused and told Hong Xiuquan
. His many victories also made Hong very happy and "Loyal Prince Lee" by Western Sources. He served loyally under Hong Xiuquan
's Taiping Administration and led Taiping forces to many military victories. He was executed by Zeng Guofan
after interrogation in 1864. Li was the most important general during the latter part of the Taiping Rebellion
.
. It happened twice, in the second encirclement the Qing army used 200,000 soldiers from March 1858, but it was routed by Li Xiucheng in May 1860. Li went on to occupy all of Jiangsu
province except Shanghai
.
is the only one from the Taiping Rebellion that exists today. In July 1863, Li ordered his daughter's husband, Tan SauGuan, to take over control of Suzhou. But Li Hongzhang
lead the Why Army
combined by the "Ever Victorious Army," which, having been raised by an American named Frederick Townsend Ward
, was placed under the command of Charles George Gordon
. With this support, Li Hongzhang
gained numerous victories leading to the surrender of Suzhou
.
manager. Before the fall of Nanjing
after three months in 1864, Li Xiucheng took his wealth, including much treasure, to Chiang Donkey and asked Chiang to take it out of Nanjing quickly and wait for Li Xiucheng somewhere. Chiang promised and took treasure by 20 horses and cows car, but Li was executed at last. Thus, Chiang Donkey became rich in Nanjing after the civil war
.
saying Li was suicide admitted by Zeng Guofan
gave Li a sword because Zeng respected Li, even Li Hongzhang
had been read this describes and praised Li Xiucheng was a hero
on a letter to Zeng).
, his sword—the symbol of his power—was given to his young brother Li Shixian
. Li Shixian took this sword but lost and was captured by Charles George Gordon
in Liyang
.
When Charles George Gordon
came back to the UK with Li's sword, he made a gift of it to Queen Victoria
's cousin's brother, chief commander of the military the Duke
of Cambridge
. The Duke of Cambridge next gave the sword to his brother's daughter.
On 30 August 1961, University of London
professor of history 柯文南 discovered this sword. He was very excited, certain that the sword had belonged to the great revolutionary Li Xiucheng.
In 1981, this sword was returned to China and is currently stored in the National Museum of China
.
Li Xiucheng had three daughters, their husbands were Taiping generals:
http://www.mrzl.com/mrjs/zhengjie/200603/mrjs_418.html
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who, having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty...
, and known during his military tenure as the Loyal King (忠王). This title was given because a Qing general attempted to bribe him to kill Hong Xiuquan
Hong Xiuquan
Hong Xiuquan , born Hong Renkun, style name Huoxiu , was a Hakka Chinese who led the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing Dynasty, establishing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom over varying portions of southern China, with himself as the "Heavenly King" and self-proclaimed brother of Jesus Christ.-Early...
, but he refused and told Hong Xiuquan
Hong Xiuquan
Hong Xiuquan , born Hong Renkun, style name Huoxiu , was a Hakka Chinese who led the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing Dynasty, establishing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom over varying portions of southern China, with himself as the "Heavenly King" and self-proclaimed brother of Jesus Christ.-Early...
. His many victories also made Hong very happy and "Loyal Prince Lee" by Western Sources. He served loyally under Hong Xiuquan
Hong Xiuquan
Hong Xiuquan , born Hong Renkun, style name Huoxiu , was a Hakka Chinese who led the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing Dynasty, establishing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom over varying portions of southern China, with himself as the "Heavenly King" and self-proclaimed brother of Jesus Christ.-Early...
's Taiping Administration and led Taiping forces to many military victories. He was executed by Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guofan was an eminent Han Chinese official, military general, and devout Confucian scholar of the late Qing Dynasty in China....
after interrogation in 1864. Li was the most important general during the latter part of the Taiping Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who, having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty...
.
Second rout of the Jiangnan Army Group
The Army Group Jiangnan (江南大營) was a Qing army that encircled NanjingNanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
. It happened twice, in the second encirclement the Qing army used 200,000 soldiers from March 1858, but it was routed by Li Xiucheng in May 1860. Li went on to occupy all of Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
province except Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
.
Escaped from Suzhou: Sadness
Li Xiucheng's palace in SuzhouSuzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
is the only one from the Taiping Rebellion that exists today. In July 1863, Li ordered his daughter's husband, Tan SauGuan, to take over control of Suzhou. But Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang or Li Hung-chang , Marquis Suyi of the First Class , GCVO, was a leading statesman of the late Qing Empire...
lead the Why Army
Why Army
The Huai Army was a Qing Dynasty military force raised to contain the Taiping Rebellion in 1862. It helped to restore the stability of the Qing Dynasty. Unlike the traditional Green Standard or Banner forces of the Qing, the Huai Army was largely a militia army, based on personal rather than...
combined by the "Ever Victorious Army," which, having been raised by an American named Frederick Townsend Ward
Frederick Townsend Ward
Frederick Townsend Ward was an American sailor, mercenary, and soldier of fortune famous for his military victories for Imperial China during the Taiping Rebellion.-Early life:...
, was placed under the command of Charles George Gordon
Charles George Gordon
Major-General Charles George Gordon, CB , known as "Chinese" Gordon, Gordon Pasha, and Gordon of Khartoum, was a British army officer and administrator....
. With this support, Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang or Li Hung-chang , Marquis Suyi of the First Class , GCVO, was a leading statesman of the late Qing Empire...
gained numerous victories leading to the surrender of Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
.
Chiang Donkey
The Chiang Donkey (蔣驢子) was Li Xiucheng's stableStable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...
manager. Before the fall of Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
after three months in 1864, Li Xiucheng took his wealth, including much treasure, to Chiang Donkey and asked Chiang to take it out of Nanjing quickly and wait for Li Xiucheng somewhere. Chiang promised and took treasure by 20 horses and cows car, but Li was executed at last. Thus, Chiang Donkey became rich in Nanjing after the civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
.
Writing
In Zhong Prince Li Xiucheng Describes Himself (《忠王李秀成自述》), the autobiographical account of a prince of the Heavenly Kingdom written shortly before his execution (PseudohistoryPseudohistory
Pseudohistory is a pejorative term applied to a type of historical revisionism, often involving sensational claims whose acceptance would require rewriting a significant amount of commonly accepted history, and based on methods that depart from standard historiographical conventions.Cryptohistory...
saying Li was suicide admitted by Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guofan was an eminent Han Chinese official, military general, and devout Confucian scholar of the late Qing Dynasty in China....
gave Li a sword because Zeng respected Li, even Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang or Li Hung-chang , Marquis Suyi of the First Class , GCVO, was a leading statesman of the late Qing Empire...
had been read this describes and praised Li Xiucheng was a hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
on a letter to Zeng).
Li's sword
When Li withdrew from SuzhouSuzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, his sword—the symbol of his power—was given to his young brother Li Shixian
Li Shixian
Li Shixian was a pre-eminent military leader of the late Taiping Rebellion. He was the cousin of military leader Li Xiucheng and was known for being very tall for a native of Guangxi province. During his military tenure, he was given the title of King of Shi...
. Li Shixian took this sword but lost and was captured by Charles George Gordon
Charles George Gordon
Major-General Charles George Gordon, CB , known as "Chinese" Gordon, Gordon Pasha, and Gordon of Khartoum, was a British army officer and administrator....
in Liyang
Liyang
Liyang is a city in the southwest of Jiangsu province of Eastern China. It is administratively a county-level city under the administration of Changzhou City, and in 1999 had a population of 781,430.-Administration:...
.
When Charles George Gordon
Charles George Gordon
Major-General Charles George Gordon, CB , known as "Chinese" Gordon, Gordon Pasha, and Gordon of Khartoum, was a British army officer and administrator....
came back to the UK with Li's sword, he made a gift of it to Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
's cousin's brother, chief commander of the military the Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
. The Duke of Cambridge next gave the sword to his brother's daughter.
On 30 August 1961, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
professor of history 柯文南 discovered this sword. He was very excited, certain that the sword had belonged to the great revolutionary Li Xiucheng.
In 1981, this sword was returned to China and is currently stored in the National Museum of China
National Museum of China
The National Museum of China flanks the eastern side of Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. The mission of the museum is to educate about the arts and history of China...
.
Children
Son- Li Ronfar Battle of Shanghai (1861)
Li Xiucheng had three daughters, their husbands were Taiping generals:
- Tan SauGuan
- Chen Binwen
Sources
Tiān Guó Zwi(天國志)http://www.mrzl.com/mrjs/zhengjie/200603/mrjs_418.html