Can you beat them?
The Taiping Rebellion Quiz
Ten questions on the rebellion that tore China apart in the 1850s and 1860s. Hong Xiuquan, who believed he was the younger brother of Jesus, built a state inside the Qing empire. Each answer comes with a short explanation.
- 10 questions
- About 3 minutes
- Medium
About this quiz
The Taiping Rebellion lasted from 1850 to 1864 and killed millions of people. Hong Xiuquan founded a rival state called the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, which ruled a large part of southern China for more than a decade. It had its own religion, its own laws and its own army, and it came close to toppling the Qing dynasty.
The quiz covers the Heavenly Kingdom's capital and its rules, the leaders who turned on each other, the foreign soldiers who fought against it and the rebellion's place in the wider world. Most questions start from a famous story and ask for the part that is less well known.
