China held strong against many marauding internal rebellions.  The Taiping Rebellion in the middle of the eighteenth century was a major rebellion that took place.  Although China refused to succumb to this matter, China became frail and vulnerable to mass scale invasions or other conflicts.  This rebellion eventually forced China to change for a new, better government after realizing more turmoil would occur under imperial rule.
    In definition, civilizations become world powers if the civilization has potential created by many combinations of factors.  When human populations congeal into one civilized group, a fresh civilization would have formed.  As history showed, civilizations vary.  The nations that thrive however remain to the ones that possessed geographic luck, resources and human talent.  Ancient China was one of the few civilizations in ancient history that reigned supreme compared to others.  Fertile land and plentiful resources gave China the ability to technologically advance.  Unlike many other early civilizations, China was shielded by large natural boundaries which protected ancient China from wars with other areas.  With high mountains the South, Desert to the North and West, and the extraordinary Pacific Ocean reaching to America; China truly had all gifts of nature in their own hands.  As time passed, the world powers began to show major improvement in many fields.  Luck eventually dissipated for China under imperial rule.  Other major world powers discovered advanced warfare techniques, and better exploration abilities.  China was at a period of decline when European forces arrived at mainland China by sea.  China was no longer a secret to the world.  As a result, China suffered many casualties from wars and invasions.  At a situation like this, a revolt was almost inevitable.  Tensions erupted, and China began to internally collapse from rebellion of civilians.  In the late 1840’s China faced a new challenge.  The Taiping Rebellion began in Southern China.  Throughout the rebellion’s history, thirty million lives were lost by constant fighting, and the Chinese nation was driven into a large debt.  This caused China to eventually recognize a communist government to benefit common citizens.
    The empire of China was situated at a tragic time.  During the nineteenth century, farmers and civilians alike suffered from famine, rebellions, and humiliating defeats to Western powers such as England.  This period of time was recognized as the beginning of a decline, and ending of the once flourishing imperial China.  This decline could be directly pertaining to China’s rebellion of civilians.  Only one rebellion eventually marked the demise of imperial China; however other major revolts were stepping stones in the process which led to it.  Fueled by misery and a feeble empire, an influenced civilian named Hong Xiu Quan began a revolution which changed China forever.  In some notions, Hong’s rebellion was recognized as a major influence towards a better Chinese government.

The mighty leader of a national rebellion was born to a poor farmer in the year 1813.  His name was Hong Xiu Quan.  Hong devoted his life to become a scholar.  His dream was to eventually become a imperial noble by passing civil exams.  His dreams were never realized as he never passed the exams.  Hong was enlightened with Christianity by Westerners.  As a result, Hong joined a large movement named the god worshipers after Hong’s visions of being Jesus’ younger brother.  This organization set a goal to end demon god worship.  The main worshipers of demon gods were thought to be Manchurian rulers.  Due to the Chinese government’s constant harassment of the god worshipers, Hong prepared a system of self protection by creating forces, storing arms, and collecting treasury.  When government sources assaulted Hong’s organization in December 1850, Hong immediately retaliated with his consolidated force.  Hong later revolted in Jintian with an army of ten thousand led by Feng Yunshan and Wei Changhui.  Hong established the Heavenly Kingdom of Peace (Taiping Tian Guo in Chinese) in revolt after victory at Jintian.  The Heavenly Kingdom created many laws such as separation of the sexes.  From that point, the rebellion became known as the Taiping Rebellion.  Because of China’s desperate situation, the Heavenly Kingdom of peace attracted many people seeking for better lives without famine or war.  A Taiping army fortified in power as the rebellion gained support. At its height of power, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom ruled over thirty million people with control of major Southern Chinese points. 
    The Taiping Rebellion included a well trained, disciplined army with high morale.  Taiping soldiers were very devoted.  Soldiers were willing to die in honor of god.  The new Taiping Rebellion swiftly pushed out imperial forces northward.  A great Taiping accomplishment came with the capture of Nanjing.  Nanjing became the new Taiping capital and was renamed Tianjing or heavenly capital.  From Nanjing, two Taiping expeditions were sent on a direction to capture the Manchurian capital of Beijing.  A western route met some mixed victories while the northern route came within close proximity of Beijing.  However, neither expeditions were successful with their goal.  Despite early achievements, the Taiping rebellion was unable to advance further.  Poor government organization caused disorders on the rebellion itself.  Disagreement between Taiping leaders halted plans.  The Taiping rebellion threatened Manchurian rulers at Beijing, but the Taiping itself was now at an unstable condition.  The Chinese government realized an opportunity to re-seize territories.  The Taiping advanced so quickly, a stable system of control was never firmly established.  This way, Imperials were able to easily fight back.  The Taiping failed invasion of Shanghai marks the turning point and decline of the Taiping.  History shows the Taiping disintegrated mainly upon itself.
    The Taiping lost spirit in conquest as time passed.  Hong Xiu Quan abdicated his position for life’s joys.  This choice by Hong proved fatal to the Taiping.  Imperial re-acquisition began with forces reorganized by Zeng Guofan, and Li Hongzhang, foreign aid with the imperials allowed swift conquest of the Taipings.  The Taiping lost most of its territory as fast as it gained them.  By the middle of the 1860s, imperial forces gained a stable control over many Taiping territories.  June 1864 became the fall of Nanjing, capital of the Taipings.  While Imperials besieged Nanjing, Hong Xiu Quan died days prior to Nanjing’s loss to the imperials from food poisoning.  Some believe Hong’s food poisoning was due to consuming wild vegetables when food supplies went low.  Nanjing’s loss was a major defeat for the Taipings.  Many of Hong’s sons were executed and the rebellion was scattered.  It would take another to completely eliminate the Taipings from China. 
    The Taiping Rebellion was laid down twenty years after the uprising.  Although the rebellion was unsuccessful outright, the rebellion could be recognized as a notable act towards China’s abolishment of monarchy.  China’s population count decreased drastically during the Taiping rebellion caused by fighting, and natural disasters.  An approximate fifty million lives of civilians and soldiers were lost during this period.  Massive loss of life was common in all situations.  Similar to the American Civil War, blood sheds could occur in single battles.  One hundred thousand people perished in three days at the battle of Nanjing alone.  This is related to minor use of artillery, and soldiers carrying small arms instead.  The Taiping’s historical impact was on a large scale.  The influence by the Taiping rebellion allowed further turmoil in China, already stricken by bad fortune.  Many future leaders in earlier twentieth century revolted in a similar way also to benefit lives of common civilians.

    The Taiping Rebellion and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was an example of a sign that showed times of difficulty in a civilization.  China was truly in decline when eighteenth century rebellions endangered the country.  However, rebellions could be seen at another point of view as an opportunity to learn and benefit from in the future.  China’s long history of imperial monarchy finally ended after revolts within the decades following the Taiping rebellion.  Monarchy ceased for a better governing method.  Better government could prevent newer rebellious outbreaks in order for more opportunities to flourish with new advancements in technology.  China would not be in the position if people failed to learn from losses and poor leadership of imperial China during the Taiping period.  In history, innovation and change always occurred as a result of a particular situation.