Hometown of the Four Kings of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom

　　The Hometown of the Four Kings of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is situated in Dali Town in the northwest of Teng County. It was the birthplace of four prominent leaders of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom peasant revolutionary movement: King of Loyalty Li Xiucheng, King of England Chen Yucheng, King of Lai Lai Shunde, and King of Attendants Li Shixian. It was also a revolutionary base for the Meijiang Guerrilla Unit 0, thus designated as an old revolutionary base area. The Hometown of the Four Kings boasts beautiful and mystical landscapes.

　　When the Taiping Rebellion started in Jintian Village, the army marched northward, entering Dali from Pingnan. In the first year of the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty (1851), Luo Dagang’s troops were stationed in Dali for a month, recruiting soldiers and regrouping their forces before marching on to Yong’an Zhou. Li Xiucheng, Chen Yucheng, and Li Shixian joined the Taiping Army. They were fiercely loyal to the revolutionary cause of the Heavenly Kingdom, fighting bravely on the battlefield to overthrow the reactionary rule of the Qing Dynasty and resist foreign aggression. The Four Kings were valiant warriors and became the main pillars of the later stages of the Heavenly Kingdom. During the Taiping Rebellion, Teng County also produced 13 other notable figures who were proclaimed kings, including King of Support Chen Decai, King of Tide Huang Zilong, King of Protection Li Yuanji, King of Promotion Li Mingcheng, King of Vastness Li Kaishun, King of Naturalness Chen Shiyong, King of Ancestry Li Shangyang, King of Achievement Chen Ju’cheng, and King of Reputation Li Ruisheng. In 1985, when the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences held a national symposium on Taiping Heavenly Kingdom history, 160 scholars from China and abroad visited Dali for on-site investigations. Since then, the Hometown of the Heavenly Kingdom has drawn increasing attention from historians and tourists. Currently, on the east bank of the Dali River, located on the eastern side of Dali Street, there is a museum displaying the historical achievements of the Four Kings. The museum houses statues of the Four Kings, brief accounts of their histories, and some of the artifacts they once used—offering rich content for visitors. The area around the museum features a beautiful environment, making it a must-visit attraction. The former residences of King of Loyalty, King of Lai, and King of Attendants are located about 1 kilometer northwest of the town government seat. Among them, the residence of King of Lai Lai Shunde still exists (it was once burned down by Qing troops but later restored), while only ruins of the residences of King of Loyalty and King of Attendants remain, awaiting restoration. The residence of King of England Chen Yucheng is located in Dong’an Xian’an Village, 3 kilometers from the town, and only ruins are left, with plans for restoration underway. Located 400 meters west of Dali Street, Gusu She is a lawn of over 3,000 square meters, featuring an ancient banyan tree with a small stream flowing beneath it, surrounded by picturesque farmland. Legend has it that the Four Kings once gathered Taiping troops in Dali here to worship God, during which a large flag mysteriously rose on its own. People call this place “Worship God Flat.” It has now been planned as the site for constructing the Four Kings Pavilion in Dali.

　　Li Xiucheng (1823~1864)　　In the 24th year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1844), Hong Xiuquan and Feng Yunshan organized the God Worshipping Society, and the entire Li Xiucheng family joined. After the Second Opium War, the Qing government signed the Treaty of Tianjin and the Treaty of Beijing. The attitude of foreign powers toward the Qing shifted from confrontation to collusion, eventually aiding the Qing in attacking the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. At this time, Li Xiucheng led the Taiping troops in the fight against foreign aggression. Personal Biography From Soldier to King of Loyalty On the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month in the 30th year of the Daoguang era (January 11, 1851), Hong Xiuquan declared the uprising in Jintian Village, Guiping County, Guangxi. In February of that year, the Taiping… Details+

　　Chen Yucheng (1837~1862)　　Chen Yucheng (1837 – June 4, 1862), originally named Peicheng, was a native of Teng County, Guangxi (some say Guiping). He was a renowned military strategist and commander of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Born in 1837 (the 17th year of the Daoguang era), Chen Yucheng came from a poor farming family. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his grandparents. Chen Yucheng was not tall and had a dark mark under each eye, earning him the nickname “Four-Eyed Dog” in jest. In the autumn of 1850, when Hong Xiuquan called for “uniting the camps,” the 13-year-old Chen Yucheng, along with his uncle Chen Cheng?, joined the Jintian Uprising and became a child soldier, serving as a personal attendant to the famed Taiping general Luo Dagang. … Details+

　　Lai Shunde (1818~1865)　　Lai Shunde was born in October 1818 in Guzhi Village, Dali Li, Teng County, Guangxi. His original name was Haiping; his father was Ruisen and his mother was surnamed Yao. He was a native of the county’s Dali Li. Early on, he joined the Triad Society. When Hong Xiuquan planned to rob Qing tax revenues on the Da Huang River, Lai joined the rebellion alongside Luo Dagang. Sturdy and chivalrous, skilled in boating, he was one of the founders of the Taiping Navy and an outstanding general in the later stages of the Heavenly Kingdom. Personal Resume In 1852, he followed the troops in the campaign in Hunan and was ordered to oversee the construction of the navy in Yuezhou. The Taiping Army captured Hengyang, Changsha, and Wuchang, and he was granted the title of Military Advisor. The following year, after the establishment of Tianjing as the capital, he was appointed General and assigned to Li Xiucheng’s division. In 1858, he participated in the destruction of the Jiangbei Camp and was honored with the title of Tian’an for his merit... Details+

　　Li Shixian (1834~1865)　　Li Shixian (1834 (Year of the Horse) – August 23, 1865 (Year of the Ox)), from Dali Township, Teng County, Guangxi, was a key leader of the later period of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He was Li Xiucheng’s cousin and was titled “King of Attendants.” After the fall of Tianjing, he continued to lead some Taiping troops in resistance against the Qing and was killed by allied forces in 1865. Li Shixian was a cousin of the famous Taiping general, King of Loyalty Li Xiucheng. He joined the Taiping Army in 1851 and was known for his bravery. After the Tianjing Incident and the departure of Wing King Shi Dakai with his troops, the Taiping leadership suffered a talent drain, reaching a state where “there were no generals in the court and no capable men in the country.” Li Shixian, noted for his “youthful courage and strength,” began to be heavily relied upon and was promoted in 1857... Details+