The rise and fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is like a magnificent and tragic historical picture. From the uprising of the Worship of God led by Hong Xiuquan, to the establishment of the Celestial Dynasty Tianmu system, and then to the final downfall, this period of history is full of dramatic turns. However, in the midst of this magnificent revolution, the story of a pair of brothers is particularly striking: Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng. These two generals, who were born in Teng County, Guangxi, were originally friends from the same township, but they drifted apart in the power vortex of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Their relationship went from intimate to bitter hatred, reflecting the contradictions and conflicts within the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. What is the reason for the two former brothers to turn against each other? How did their feud affect the fate of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom? This little-known history may shed light on the root cause of the collapse of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
As an emerging regime, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's internal power structure and institutional design were directly related to the stability and development of the country. However, at the beginning of the founding of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, there were some fundamental institutional defects, which not only affected the efficiency of the country's governance, but also laid the root cause of internal contradictions in the future.
First of all, the military division responsibility system implemented by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was a double-edged sword. The original purpose of this system was to balance the forces of all parties and prevent excessive concentration of power. According to this system, the important military and political ministers of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom were divided into two categories: "army" and "division". The "army" is mainly responsible for military command, while the "division" is responsible for government affairs and staff officers. This division of labor is supposed to provide checks and balances, but in practice, it often leads to unclear powers and responsibilities and inefficient decision-making.
Take Yang Xiuqing before the Tianjing Incident as an example, as the king of the East and the military advisor, he actually held the power of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Yang Xiuqing was not only in charge of government affairs, but also often interfered in military decisions, which caused the displeasure of other kings, which eventually led to the outbreak of the Tianjing Incident. This incident fully exposed the shortcomings of the military division responsibility system, and also laid the groundwork for the internal division of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Second, there were serious problems with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's fiscal system. In the absence of unified fiscal management, local forces tend to be self-contained and have independent fiscal systems. This fragmented fiscal management makes it difficult for the central government to allocate resources effectively, and local forces often clash over revenue.
In Anhui, for example, Chen Yucheng and Li Xiucheng had a conflict over tax rights. The territories controlled by the two men had independent tax systems, which not only caused a waste of resources, but also exacerbated the contradictions between the two sides. This financial fragmentation ultimately made it difficult for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to concentrate its forces on effective resistance in the face of the Qing army's encirclement and suppression.
Finally, Hong Xiuquan's way of ruling is also an important aspect of the shortcomings of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom system. Before the Tianjing Incident, Hong Xiuquan was often overshadowed by Yang Xiuqing and others, and it was difficult to really grasp the real power. However, after the Tianjing Incident, Hong Xiuquan went to the other extreme and began to implement highly centralized rule.
Although Hong Xiuquan diligently issued edicts on a daily basis, these edicts were mostly about religious and ideological education, rather than on actual government affairs. He promoted a large number of cronies and family members to important positions, such as promoting Li Xiu to be the king of loyalty, Chen Yu to become the king of England, etc. Although this cronyism consolidated Hong Xiuquan's rule in the short term, it also exacerbated the contradictions within the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Hong Xiuquan's style of rule led to the lack of effective checks and balances in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. On the one hand, he relied too much on personal prestige to maintain the stability of the regime; On the other hand, he is unable to truly control the local forces. This contradictory situation eventually led to the intensification of internal contradictions in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and it was impossible to form a unified government and military order.
Overall, the power structure and institutional design of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had many flaws. The system of responsibility of military advisors led to a lack of clarity of authority and responsibility, decentralized financial management exacerbated local divisions, and Hong Xiuquan's rule failed to effectively balance the forces of all parties. These systemic problems laid a profound hidden danger for the internal contradictions and eventual defeat of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It is in this institutional context that Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng, the former brothers, gradually moved towards the road of confrontation and conflict.
On the historical stage of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng are undoubtedly two dazzling figures. Their rise not only changed the power structure of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but also laid the groundwork for future internal contradictions.
Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng were born in Xinwang Village, Dalili, Tengxian County, Guangxi, and the two are not only fellow villagers, but also former friends. Li Xiucheng is fourteen years older than Chen Yucheng, and he was already an adult when he was in the village, while Chen Yucheng was still a teenager. Both of them are not wealthy, and they both rely on manual labor for a living. This similar background established a certain affinity for them later in their military careers in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
In 1851, Hong Xiuquan launched an uprising in Jintian Village, and the Taiping army's momentum expanded rapidly. The news reached Xinwang Village and attracted the attention of the villagers. Lee so-sung and Chen Yu-sung reacted differently to this emerging power. As an adult, Li Xiucheng decided to defect to the Taiping Army alone after careful consideration. The young Chen Yucheng joined with the elders of the clan. This difference in the way of joining also affected their future development trajectory in the Taiping Army to some extent.
When they first joined the Taiping Army, Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng were assigned to Shi Dakai's command. Shi Dakai was an important general of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and was named the "Wing King". In Shi Dakai's troops, Chen Yucheng was quickly put to good use because of his handsome appearance and brave combat style. He performed well in many battles, especially in the battle to conquer Wuchang, and Chen Yucheng's performance impressed Shi Dakai.
In contrast, Mr. Lee's rise has been relatively slow. Although he was older, he was not reused in the early days. Li Xiucheng had a calm personality and was good at planning, qualities that were not very prominent in the battles that were known for their bravery in the early days of the Taiping Army. However, Li Xiucheng was not discouraged by this, but silently accumulated experience and constantly improved his military talents.
With the continuous expansion of the Taiping Army, the contradictions in the army gradually appeared. In 1856, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom broke out in the "Tianjing Incident" that shocked the government and the opposition. This internal turmoil led to the killing of important generals such as Yang Xiuqing and Wei Changhui, and Shi Dakai also fled. This change created an opportunity for the further rise of Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng.
After Shi Dakai's departure, his subordinates were faced with the problem of re-choosing their allegiance. Relying on the prestige he had already established in the army, Chen Yucheng quickly gathered a group of subordinates and became an independent force. And Li Xiucheng, with his strategy and organizational ability, has gradually gained a firm foothold in the army.
Hong Xiuquan was keenly aware of the potential of these two. In order to reintegrate the army and stabilize the situation, Hong Xiuquan decided to reuse Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng. He first made Chen Yu the "King of England" and entrusted him with the important task of being in charge of military operations in Anhui. Soon after, Li Xiucheng was also named "King Zhong" and commanded the military affairs of the Jiangsu region.
This reward is not only an affirmation of the abilities of the two, but also a manifestation of Hong Xiuquan's power balance strategy. By promoting these two rising stars, Hong Xiuquan hopes to fill the power vacuum after the Tianjing Incident, while also balancing other forces.
Lee so-sung was crowned Queen Chung and showed outstanding military talent. He repeatedly repelled Qing attacks in the Jiangsu region, consolidating the rule of the Taiping army in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Li Xiucheng also actively promoted agricultural production and worked hard to restore the economy in the war zone, and these measures gave him a high reputation among the people.
Chen Yucheng showed his strength in the Anhui region. He was brave and good at fighting, defeated the main force of the Qing army many times, and became one of the most troublesome generals in the Taiping army. Chen Yucheng's military campaign not only consolidated the rule of the Taiping army in Anhui, but also provided more options for the military strategy of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
However, the rise of Lee so-sung and Mr. Chen has also brought new problems. The two each led one side and gradually formed a relatively independent force. Although this situation strengthened the Taiping Army's combat effectiveness in the short term, it also laid hidden dangers for internal contradictions in the future.
As time passed, the contradiction between Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng gradually emerged. The two had disagreements on issues such as military strategy, territorial division, and resource allocation. The former friendship between fellow villagers is gradually eroded by the struggle for power and interests. This contradiction not only affected the efficiency of the Taiping army's military operations, but also created an opportunity for the Qing army to counterattack.
The rise of Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng reflected a change in the power structure within the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Their growth trajectory shows the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's way of employing people, and it also reflects the contradictions and problems within this regime. The fate of these two generals also foreshadowed the fate of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to a certain extent.
As Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng's positions in the military and political system of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom were increasingly consolidated, the contradictions between the two gradually became apparent. This contradiction not only stems from personal grievances, but also reflects the institutional flaws and power struggles within the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
The fuse of the contradiction can be traced back to a military operation in the early 1860s. At that time, Li Xiucheng led his army to attack Anqing, hoping to open up the strategic passage of the Taiping army in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. However, Anqing was Chen's defense area, and the operation was seen by Chen as a challenge to his power. Chen Yucheng not only did not cooperate with Li Xiucheng's attack, but secretly obstructed it, causing Li Xiucheng's military operations to be blocked.
After this incident, the relationship between the two deteriorated dramatically. Li Xiucheng believes that Chen Yucheng does not care about the overall situation and only cares about preserving his own territory; Chen Yucheng, on the other hand, believed that Li Xiucheng was ambitious and tried to encroach on his sphere of influence. The contradictions between the two soon extended from the military level to the political and economic spheres.
Politically, Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng began to compete for Hong Xiuquan's trust. With his strategy and diplomatic skills, Ri so-sung gradually gained more support in the DPRK. He repeatedly suggested to Hong Xiuquan that the system of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom should be reformed, hoping to establish a more centralized and unified regime. Although these suggestions were not fully implemented, they won Hong Xiuquan's appreciation.
In contrast, although Chen Yucheng has made many military achievements, he seems to be a little powerless politically. He preferred to maintain the existing system, believing that this system of decentralization was conducive to the flexible operation of the Taiping army. This view contrasts sharply with Lee's assertion and exacerbates the conflict between the two.
On the economic front, the contradiction between the two is mainly reflected in the competition for resources. The Jiangsu region controlled by Li Xiucheng was an important economic center of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and he implemented a series of economic policies, such as encouraging agricultural production and rectifying taxation, so that the economy of this region was relatively well restored. In contrast, the Anhui region controlled by Chen Yucheng has a relatively weak economic foundation and often faces resource shortages.
In order to solve the problem of resource shortage, Chen Yucheng repeatedly asked the central government to increase the allocation of funds and material supplies. However, these requests are often thwarted by Lee on various grounds. Li Xiucheng believes that Chen Yucheng is not good at managing money, and increasing the allocation will only cause a waste of resources. This kind of contention not only exacerbated the contradictions between the two, but also affected the overall combat effectiveness of the Taiping Army.
In 1861, the contradictions intensified. In a recital presented to Hong Xiuquan, Li Xiucheng directly criticized Chen Yucheng for being "proud and complacent and not listening to orders." Although this recital was not made public, the content quickly reached Chen Yucheng's ears. Chen Yucheng was greatly annoyed, thinking that Li Xiucheng was deliberately slandering him.
In order to fight back, Chen Yucheng also began to slander Hong Xiuquan, accusing Li Xiucheng of "forming a party for personal gain and plotting against him". He claimed that Li Xiucheng had established an independent regime in the Jiangsu region and that there was a tendency to break away from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Although these accusations lack substantial evidence, they still plant the seeds of doubt in Hong Xiuquan's heart.
The conflict between the two soon affected the coordination of military operations. At the beginning of 1862, Zeng Guofan, a general of the Qing army, led an army to attack Anqing. According to the deployment of the Taiping Army, Li Xiucheng should lead the army to help. However, Li Xiucheng refused to send troops on the grounds that "the military needs were not prepared". It wasn't until Anqing was in danger that Li Xiucheng was late. Although the Qing offensive was ultimately thwarted, the delay in the operation also exposed problems of coordination within the Taiping army.
In the summer of the same year, Chen Yucheng also made a similar "revenge". When Li Xiucheng was besieged by the Qing army in Jiangsu, Chen Yucheng did not send troops to support in time, resulting in heavy losses for Li Xiucheng. This situation of mutual non-cooperation seriously weakened the overall combat effectiveness of the Taiping army and gave the Qing army an opportunity to take advantage of.
As the war situation became increasingly severe, the contradictions between Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng became more and more public. The two had many fierce quarrels at military meetings, and even once quarreled to the point of "meeting each other in arms." Although Hong Xiuquan has come forward to mediate many times, it has had little effect.
This contradiction not only affected the military operations of the Taiping Army, but also shook the morale of the army. Many generals began to swing between Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng, forming two major factions. This factional struggle further weakened the cohesion of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and laid the groundwork for its future defeat.
The intensification of the contradiction between Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng reflects the deep-seated problems within the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It not only reflected the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's lack of effective checks and balances, but also exposed the shortcomings of its military command system. This contradiction eventually became one of the important reasons for the collapse of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
With the rapid deterioration of the situation in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the fates of Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng also came to their respective ends. In the last years of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the two experienced completely different encounters, but in the end, they could not escape the tragic ending.
In 1863, the situation of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was already precarious. The Qing army, under the command of Zeng Guofan, continued to reduce the scope of activities of the Taiping army. In the face of such a grim situation, Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng still failed to let go of their past grievances and deal with the crisis together.
In the spring of that year, Chen Yucheng led his army to attack Lu'an in Anhui Province. This operation was supposed to be an important step in the Taiping army's counterattack against the Qing army, but Chen Yucheng's army was in a difficult situation due to Li Xiucheng's failure to provide timely support. In the fierce battle, Chen Yucheng was unfortunately shot and wounded. Despite the desperate efforts of his men to protect him, he was unable to escape the fate of being captured.
The news of Chen Yucheng's capture soon spread throughout the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. This was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the already precarious Taiping army. After Hong Xiuquan heard the news, he immediately sent people to the rescue, but it was too late. Chen Yucheng was escorted to the Qing army camp.
In the Qing army camp, Chen Yucheng faced harsh interrogations. The Qing generals hoped to get from him the military deployment and internal situation of the Taiping army. However, even in the face of torture, Chen Yucheng remained silent and did not reveal any valuable information. This unyielding attitude earned him a certain amount of respect even in the eyes of his enemies.
Finally, in May 1864, Chen Yucheng was executed in Anqing. His last words before his execution were: "Die for the cause of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, die without regrets." This sentence not only reflects his loyalty to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but also becomes a portrayal of his life.
At the same time, Li Xiucheng's situation is becoming increasingly difficult. As the Qing army continued to advance, the area of rule of the Taiping army continued to shrink. Li Xiucheng repeatedly suggested that Hong Xiuquan abandon Nanjing and move to other areas to continue the struggle. However, these suggestions were all vetoed by Hong Xiuquan.
In June 1864, the city of Nanjing was besieged by Qing regiments. At this critical juncture, Hong Xiuquan died suddenly. This news was like a bolt from the blue, completely disrupting the deployment of the Taiping army. Li Xiucheng was appointed as the acting leader of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Faced with internal and external troubles, Li Xiucheng decided to make a desperate bet. He led elite troops to break through in an attempt to open a way out. However, due to the tight defense of the Qing army, the operation ended in failure. Li Xiucheng was unfortunately captured in the process of breaking through.
After being captured, Li Xiucheng was escorted to Zeng Guofan's camp. Unlike Chen Yucheng, Li Xiucheng chose to cooperate after being captured. He provided the Qing army with a large amount of internal information about the Taiping army, and wrote the "Spring and Autumn Period in Jiangnan", which was more than 100,000 words, recording in detail the rise and fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Li Xiucheng's behavior caused many controversies in later generations. Some people think that he betrayed the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in order to protect himself, while others believe that he was recording history in his own way. In any case, this autobiography provides valuable historical data for later generations to study the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
In August 1864, Li Xiucheng was executed at Yuhuatai outside Nanjing. It is said that before the execution, Li Xiucheng said to the executioner: "I, Li Xiucheng, have been worthy of heaven and earth in my life, and I am righteous today, although I am still glorious in death." This sentence not only reflects his arrogance, but also speaks of his complex inner world.
The final fate of Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng is not only a personal tragedy, but also a microcosm of the fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Although the two had many contradictions during their lifetimes, they both ended up in their own ways for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Their end not only marked the end of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but also left a profound historical impact on the peasant uprising that shocked China and the rest of the world.
The conflict between Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng had a profound and complex impact on the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, which was not only reflected at the military and political levels, but also deeply reflected the structural problems within the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
First of all, at the military level, the contradictions between the two seriously weakened the combat capability of the Taiping army. The Battle of Anqing in 1862 is a case in point. At that time, Zeng Guofan, the general of the Qing army, led an army to besiege Anqing, and according to the deployment of the Taiping army, Li Xiucheng should lead the army to help. However, due to the contradiction with Chen Yucheng, Li Xiucheng was reluctant to send troops on the grounds of "unprepared military supplies". This delay put Anqing in danger, and although the city was eventually saved, the Taiping army paid a huge price.
A similar situation occurred again in 1863. When Li Xiucheng was besieged by the Qing army in Jiangsu, Chen Yucheng did not send troops to support in time, resulting in heavy losses for Li Xiucheng. This situation of non-cooperation seriously affected the overall strategic layout of the Taiping army and gave the Qing army an opportunity to take advantage of it.
Second, at the political level, the contradictions between Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng exacerbated the division within the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The two formed their own spheres of influence and supporters, and this factional struggle seriously affected the decision-making efficiency of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. For example, at an important military conference in 1861, Li Xiucheng proposed to concentrate his forces on the Jiangnan region, while Chen Yucheng advocated dividing his troops to defend. Due to the fact that the two did not give in to each other, the meeting ended in nothing, and the important fighter plane was missed.
This political split also affected the appointment of personnel in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. In order to balance the power of the two, Hong Xiuquan is often in a dilemma when appointing officials. This not only led to a waste of talent, but also exacerbated instability within the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
On the economic front, the conflict between Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng also had a negative impact on the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The economic policies of the regions controlled by the two men were different, and the series of economic reform measures implemented by Li Xiucheng in Jiangsu, such as encouraging agricultural production and rectifying taxation, were markedly different from those of Chen Yucheng in Anhui. This policy inconsistency led to the inability of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to form a unified economic system, which affected the development of the overall economy.
What's more, in order to compete for resources, the two often withhold or embezzle taxes and materials that should have been handed over to the central government. This behavior not only weakened the financial power of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but also exacerbated the contradictions between the local and central governments. For example, at the beginning of 1863, Tianjing (Nanjing) was short of food and asked for support from various places. Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng refused to help, citing food shortages in their respective regions. This situation directly affected the stability of the ruling center of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
At the ideological and cultural level, the contradiction between Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng also reflects the conflict between different currents of thought within the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Li Xiucheng advocated reform, hoping to strengthen the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom by introducing advanced Western technology and ideas. He has repeatedly suggested that Hong Xiuquan send envoys to study in Western countries. Chen Yucheng, on the other hand, was more conservative and believed that the original system and philosophy of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom should be adhered to. This ideological divide not only influenced the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's policymaking, but also hindered its ability to adapt to the new international environment.
The conflict between Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng also directly affected the foreign relations of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. In the early 1860s, the Western powers began to show interest in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Li Xiucheng advocated the establishment of friendly relations with Western countries, hoping to gain international support through this. He met with Western missionaries and merchants on several occasions and tried to convey the idea of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to Western countries through them. Chen Yucheng, on the other hand, is skeptical of Western countries and believes that there should be no too much contact with these "foreigners". This divergence led to a lack of coherence in the foreign policy of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and ultimately failed to gain substantial support from Western countries.
Finally, the impact of the conflict between Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng on the morale of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom army cannot be ignored. The fight between the two affected not only the high-ranking generals, but also the ordinary soldiers. Many soldiers began to doubt the future of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and there was even a mass desertion. In 1863 alone, more than 100,000 Taiping soldiers were recorded to surrender or flee. This situation of discouragement undoubtedly hastened the fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
The contradictions between Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng and their impact on the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom profoundly reflected the institutional defects and power structure problems within this peasant regime. This contradiction not only weakened the military strength and political stability of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but also hindered its economic development and cultural progress, and eventually became one of the important factors leading to the defeat of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.