China has maintained her integrity as an empire for hundreds of years. But
not without struggle. There have been rebellions and dynastic overthrows
that threatened to cleave the empire to its foundations. Indeed rebellion
has often had the sanction of religion in China. Let a government be
unsuccessful; let a dynasty see the gaunt hand of famine, or the poison
hand of pestilence laid on the land, that is the mute voice of Heaven
speaking against those who rule. And what nobler than to be self-chosen
executors of Heaven's vengeance. Green-eyed envy in imperial pavilion and
courtrooms has often stood sponsor to the wildest lawlessness. A base and
extortionate government has often driven men in sheer self-defence to
tearing down yamens and hunting down the "tiger" mandarin.
The present Manchu dynasty seized the Dragon throne in 1644. For one
hundred and fifty years China enjoyed comparative peace and prosperity.
The emperor Kang-hi and his grandson Keenlung, each reigned sixty years, to
the Chinese a manifest token of Heaven's favor. The past one hundred years
have been troublous. There has been internal strife. There have been
momentous issues to settle in the opening of China's gates to the outside
world. When she needed Emperors of the broadest statesmanship, she has had
to blunder along with mediocre men or bend an unwilling neck under the sway
of puppets. Had it not been for her great Prime Ministers, such as Prince
Kung and Li Hung Chang, the days would have been fuller of dark-presaging
omens and their disastrous fulfillment.
The beginning of this century found a secret society in existence known as
the "Triads," whose avowed object was the expulsion of the Manchus and the
restoration of the Mings. In 1803 the emperor Kiaking was attacked in open
day while being carried in a chair of state through the streets of Peking.
He was saved by his attendants, several of whom lost their lives.
In 1851 the Tai-ping Rebellion began. The fuel that fed the flame was
various. It was reaction against oppressive government. It was iconoclasm
inspired by a spurious Christianity. It was pride of race that would not
tolerate a Manchu on the throne. For fourteen years China staggered under
this awful scourge. Whole provinces were devastated and almost
depopulated. For a long time the issue was uncertain. At length the
united strength of foreigners and Chinese battered the serpent's head and
destroyed its vitals.
While the boa of rebellion was stretching itself across the heart of the
empire a whole brood of little serpents were poisoning and devouring other
outlying provinces. An insurrection was organized in the neighborhood of
Amoy early in 1853. Mr. Talmage writes fully concerning it.