The publication of The Tat＇ping Heavenly Chronicle （Taiping tianr） in 1862 marks a critical moment in the development of the Taiping propaganda machine. Printed with copper plate printing technology that evinces im...The publication of The Tat＇ping Heavenly Chronicle （Taiping tianr） in 1862 marks a critical moment in the development of the Taiping propaganda machine. Printed with copper plate printing technology that evinces imperial authority, this text is the only official history written by the Taipings in their quest to institute an overarching narrative of the movement. A systematic description of the origin and nature of the Taiping movement, The Taiping Heavenly Chronicle aims to establish Hong Xiuquan as the sole religious and political leader after the internecine Tianjing Incident （1856）, which radically restructured the Taiping leadership. Using imagery, popular literary tropes, and narrative devices, this text incorporates the heterogeneous elements found in the Christian-inspired Taiping discourse to rewrite thousands of years of Chinese history.展开更多
Taiping leaders were adept at using material from traditional Chinese sources and Western Protestant writings. The Taiping Three Character Classic, or Sanzijing （SZJ） exemplifies the Taipings＇ skillful adaptation o...Taiping leaders were adept at using material from traditional Chinese sources and Western Protestant writings. The Taiping Three Character Classic, or Sanzijing （SZJ） exemplifies the Taipings＇ skillful adaptation of a pre-existing popular text in order to propagate its religious doctrine and political ideology. The traditional SZJfeatured an appealing style and imparted Neo-Confucian values to readers. The style of traditional SZJ contained a unique pattern that was kept in latter adaptations, while the text＇s content was modified to suit new realities. The Taiping SZJfollowed the structure of the traditional SZJ, but it provided its own historical ideas and utopian visions, which differed from Christian Millennialism. The Taiping utopian vision was not about the future, but about a return to the period of the ＂the three dynasties＂ in Chinese history, an approach also used by Confucian intellectuals. The persuasive power in Taiping propaganda text lies in Taiping＇s exploitation of Chinese and Western resources, especially in utilizing existing concepts, popular texts and cultural patterns.展开更多
文摘The publication of The Tat＇ping Heavenly Chronicle （Taiping tianr） in 1862 marks a critical moment in the development of the Taiping propaganda machine. Printed with copper plate printing technology that evinces imperial authority, this text is the only official history written by the Taipings in their quest to institute an overarching narrative of the movement. A systematic description of the origin and nature of the Taiping movement, The Taiping Heavenly Chronicle aims to establish Hong Xiuquan as the sole religious and political leader after the internecine Tianjing Incident （1856）, which radically restructured the Taiping leadership. Using imagery, popular literary tropes, and narrative devices, this text incorporates the heterogeneous elements found in the Christian-inspired Taiping discourse to rewrite thousands of years of Chinese history.
文摘Taiping leaders were adept at using material from traditional Chinese sources and Western Protestant writings. The Taiping Three Character Classic, or Sanzijing （SZJ） exemplifies the Taipings＇ skillful adaptation of a pre-existing popular text in order to propagate its religious doctrine and political ideology. The traditional SZJfeatured an appealing style and imparted Neo-Confucian values to readers. The style of traditional SZJ contained a unique pattern that was kept in latter adaptations, while the text＇s content was modified to suit new realities. The Taiping SZJfollowed the structure of the traditional SZJ, but it provided its own historical ideas and utopian visions, which differed from Christian Millennialism. The Taiping utopian vision was not about the future, but about a return to the period of the ＂the three dynasties＂ in Chinese history, an approach also used by Confucian intellectuals. The persuasive power in Taiping propaganda text lies in Taiping＇s exploitation of Chinese and Western resources, especially in utilizing existing concepts, popular texts and cultural patterns.
