Kangxi-Emperor and the Taiping Rebellion - Essay Example

Kangxi-Emperor and the Taiping Rebellion When comparing between the two communities, Kangxi-Emperor and the Taiping Rebellion I would prefer living in the Kangxi-Emperor time. Looking at the Sacred Edicts by the Kangxi Emperor, life is a bit better living with the Sixteen Maxims. Kangxi gave out the actual meaning of life by giving people what they never knew would be helpful to them. He emphasized on social relations on the first Maxim, telling people to have a brotherly love in order to increase the sense of social relations (Kangxi, et al. 5). Any person having a family would never want to live during the Taiping Rebellion.

The Taiping Rebellion destroyed more than six hundred cities living millions of people dead. Most of the Historians refer to this Rebellion as one of the most destructive in the human race (Foster 167). Being a Christian, I would never encourage civil war no matter what issue is to be solved. War always end up in people dying and even many innocent people migrating to safer areas. During the Taiping rebellion War was the only way that seemed better in solving the issues that were arising. Hong Xiuquan was facing hallucinations and though that it was God who was communicating to him.

He concluded that he was a Chinese son of God who was Jesus younger brother (Foster 165). He wanted everyone to be a Christian and those who would not follow him became his enemies. Comparing this with the sacred edicts, Kangxi emphasized on peace and harmony, encouraging people to promote peace within their families and their neighbors so as to prevent lawsuits and quarrels (Kangxi, et al. 5). Kangxi was one of the best Emperors in those times because he never mobilized people into fighting.

He gave out rules that were friendly to people and rules that would easily be followed without questions. Being a man with a Family, farming would be an important thing so as to provide food for the family, Kangxi told people to respect farming so as to have adequate food and clothing. He encouraged people to love schools and academics as that was one way of gaining knowledge and honoring the scholar. Hong Xiuquan after failing his second exam attempt, he gave up and continued to protestant missionaries.

He never encouraged people to love education or anything related to it (Foster 158). Being a family man and living during the Hong Xiuquan times, it would be hard to encourage a person’s children into a school considering the War that was everywhere. The Army, which anyone would expect to bring peace, was the leader in destroying the Cities. The Taiping beliefs followed the Ten Commandments similar as the ones found in the bible but they separated men and women from living together. Women were given more power and even married couples lived in quarters segregated by sex.

Following the Commandments was a better idea with the Taiping rules but separating married couples was not a good idea. People who are married are supposed to live happily together but the Taiping rules would never allow that (Foster 160). The Taiping rules were things that you should never do but there were no things to be done. The Sixteen Maxims gave out what is to be done and what not to. Kangxi rules were sacred and aimed at joining people together to become one thing. He encouraged people to work diligently and as parents to instruct their sons so as to stay away from doing wrong.

Having a chance at this time, it would have been better living at Kanxi Emperor than to live in Hong Xiuquan time (Kangxi, et al. 5). Works Cited Foster, John. "The Christian Origins of the Taiping Rebellion." International Review of Mission 40.158 (1951): 156-167. Kangxi, et al. The Sacred Edict Of Kʻang Hsi. Orono, Me.: National Poetry Foundation, University of Maine at Orono, 1979. Print.