Hong Xiuquan

["pitt" <l.gambling@dundee.ac.uk>]

:Yang Shen (Henry):Hong Xiuquan is a typical Hakka with sort of puritian
characteristic,
:standfast belief and responsibility sense for the Chinese people. Not only
:his success but also his failure were reflection of so-called Hakkaspirit.

According to Jonathan Spence's "God's Chinese Son", Hong Xiuquan was a mad,
deluded,  "Christian"  Hakka Scholar (failed) who was directly responsible
for the death and misery of millions of Hakkas. I am not at all sure he was
a "typical" Hakka like you and me. Hong Xiuquan mixed and matched Christian
Theology and the prevalent Chinese mediumistic beliefs. He truly believed
that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ. One of his henchman was
able to be a medium for God, dictating rules and regulations for the
gullible masses of Hakka. Of course the poor Hakka peasants were driven by
the poor socioecomic situation into this fold. At best, he could be only be
ifdentified as a Cult leader. Modern day equivalent would be people like
David Koresh and Jim Jones. Anybody care to defend Hong?

At the of turn century, Christian Missionaries pried on the starving Hakka
peasants. To be fed, they were forced to listen to the "Good News". Thus the
terminology of "Rice Bowl Christians".

Pitt