Site of the Jintian Uprising

　　The Site of the Taiping Rebellion's Jintian Uprising (commonly known as the Jintian Camp) is situated on Xiniuling Hill to the west of Jintian Village in Jintian Town, northern Guiping City, Guangxi, 28 kilometers from downtown. It can be directly accessed via a secondary highway. On January 11, 1851, the world-shocking Jintian Uprising of the Taiping Rebellion broke out here. In 1961, the State Council designated the Jintian Uprising Site as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. In 1995, the Guangxi Regional Party Committee and Government named it a "Patriotic Education Base." The site includes five historical landmarks: the Former Residence of Wei Changhui, Sanjie Temple in Xinwei, Fu Family Stockade, Gulin Society, and Fengmen’ao.

　　Xiniuling is a north-south oriented earthen mound, backed by Jing Mountain and fronted by the Jintian Plain, making it a strategic stronghold that is easy to defend and hard to attack. The northern end of the hill features an ancient military camp, traditionally believed to have been built by Hou Dagou, leader of the Yao people’s uprising during the Ming Dynasty. The walls are 65 meters long, 23 meters wide, and 3 meters high, later reused by the Taiping Army under Hong Xiuquan. At its center lies the "Flag-Raising Stone" used during the uprising. The grassy field in front of the ancient camp served as the Taiping Army's training ground, where soldiers practiced formations and honed combat skills. The northwest slope of the hill, adjacent to Xiniutan Pond, was where weapons were secretly stored. To the south lies the History Exhibition Hall of the Jintian Uprising of the Taiping Rebellion, constructed from granite with glazed tile hip-and-gable roofs. Its rustic appearance harmonizes with the reception office, stele corridor, and video room to form a garden-style layout. The hall displays over 100 historical artifacts. The Former Residence of Wei Changhui, the Northern King of the Taiping Rebellion, is located within Jintian Village on the east side of Xiniuling. The God Worshipping Society’s headquarters was once set up in his home, where followers worked day and night forging weapons, which were then secretly stored in Xiniutan. After the rebel army marched north, Qing troops burned down nearby homes. The current Wei Changhui residence was reconstructed in 1987. Approximately 4 kilometers east of the ancient camp lies Xinwei Sanjie Temple, the forward command post of the Taiping Army. The temple preserves nearly 30 stone tablets, serving as valuable materials for studying the history of the Taiping Rebellion.

　　The Jintian Uprising Site is where the Taiping Army swore their oath to revolt. Historic relics remain intact, surrounded by towering ancient pines and lush green lawns. After years of development, facilities have steadily improved, and visitor experiences have expanded. Today, it has become a prime destination for sightseeing, academic research, and patriotic education.

　　Additional Information

　　The Taiping Rebellion, the largest peasant uprising in Chinese history, erupted in Jintian Village on January 11, 1851. Located at the southern foot of Zijingshan Mountain and 27 kilometers north of the county seat, Jintian Village encompasses the former residence of Wei Changhui, the ancient camp and training grounds on Xiniuling, the nearby Zijingshan area, as well as nearby Xinwei Sanjie Temple and Jiangkou Shitoujiao—sites of significant Taiping activities. Among them, the Jintian Uprising Site was listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1961, while Xinwei Sanjie Temple was designated a Regional-Level Protected Site. Visitors from around the world, including renowned historians such as Hu Sheng and Luo Ergang, have come here for scholarly research. From 1978 to 1987, over 250 experts and scholars from countries including the United States, Britain, Japan, Canada, Australia, France, Switzerland, East Germany, and several African nations visited, with approximately 13,000 domestic and international tourists received in 1987 alone.

　　The ancient camp is located at the northern end of Xiniuling Hill, adjacent to Jintian Village. It served as the site where the uprising oath was sworn. Fronted by the Jintian Plain and backed by Muqun Mountains, the hill forms a strategic stronghold with Fengmen’ao, a mountain pass in southern Zijingshan. Legend says the camp was originally built by Yao rebels during the Ming Dynasty’s Dajingtiao Uprising and was later reinforced and heightened by the Taiping Army before the uprising. The camp measures 35 meters long and 22 meters wide, enclosed by 3-meter-high earthen walls with 2-meter-wide bases. Outside the northwest wall lies the deep Xiniutan Pond, while the east side features a steep 50-meter slope. The south side serves as the camp entrance, flanked by trenches and 3-meter-high, 2-meter-thick earthen walls extending to the pond’s edge.

　　At the camp’s center stood a circular earthen platform, in front of which lay a large stone about 1 meter high—the Flag-Raising Stone. Legend says that on January 11, 1851, Taiping leaders ascended the platform. Hong Xiuquan proclaimed the uprising and declared the "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom," whereupon a bright yellow flag rose beside the Flag-Raising Stone.

　　To the camp’s left front, facing the Jintian Plain, stands a solemn marble stele about 3 meters high, inscribed with six large characters reading “Site of the Jintian Uprising.” The calligraphy is the work of the late Zhou Jianren, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

　　Training Ground: Directly in front of the ancient camp lies a vast 2-li-wide flatland, serving as the Taiping Army’s training ground before the uprising. It’s said that Yang Xiuqing and Shi Dakai led rigorous drills, demanding soldiers run as fast as horses to swiftly pursue and defeat enemies. Through intense practice, most Taiping soldiers developed exceptional speed. A soldier named Qin Qi was so fast he often outran horses, earning the nickname “Horse-Head Qi.” Another, Chen Er, a flagbearer, could run swiftly while holding a massive yellow banner, thus called “Banner-Bearer Er.” After months of training, the Taiping Army became a formidable fighting force, achieving successive victories after the uprising.

　　The Jintian Uprising History Exhibition Room, built in 1980, is located southeast of the training ground and west of the Jintian Uprising Site management office. It displays imperial edicts issued by Hong Xiuquan, weapons like broadswords and spears used by the Taiping Army, flags, charcoal and iron scraps from weapon-making, captured Qing military gear, and other relics and documents. These trace the full course of the uprising, offering a microcosm of the rebellion. Since its opening, it has attracted numerous historians and tourists. In spring 1981, over 200 scholars attending the 130th Anniversary Symposium on the Uprising left inscriptions, including those from foreign experts like Colin A. Ronan (UK), Ko Daiji (Japan), and Wayne E. Wilcox (US), as well as renowned Chinese historians Hu Sheng, Wang Qingcheng, and Guo Yisheng.

　　Adjacent to the exhibition room are rest areas and service facilities where visitors can relax, sample locally grown tea, purchase souvenirs, and take photos.

　　The Weapon Smithing Site of the Taiping Army is located at the former residence of Wei Changhui in Jintian Village. In spring 1850, after relocating from Zijingshan, the God Worshipping Society began forging weapons for the planned uprising. Local legend says: “Members of the Society set up twelve blacksmith forges in Wei Changhui’s wing rooms, working day and night to produce weapons, which were then secretly stored in Xiniutan Pond.” Later, thousands of weapons were indeed recovered from the pond, forming the backbone of the rebel arsenal.

　　In 1974, archaeologists and cultural authorities excavated the site and uncovered the foundations of Wei’s wing rooms, along with blacksmith charcoal, iron slag, a heavily rusted spearhead, and numerous ceramic shards. This confirmed the location as the Taiping Army’s weapon workshop. The unearthed relics have been exhibited in museums in Beijing, Nanjing, Nanning, and Guiping.

　　The Ancient Gulin Society—Feng Yunshan’s Stay: Gulin Society, a small village of about 100 people near the Zijingshan Mountain Pass, is where Feng Yunshan briefly stayed before entering Zijingshan. Historical records say that in autumn 1844, Feng first lodged at Zhang’s house near the bridge, surviving by collecting cow dung, then worked as a cowherd and laborer for the Zeng family, staying in a small shed. Here, he wrote a poem expressing his resolve: “Alone and cold, I hide my frame; With no kin near, I panic just the same. Collecting dung, I scrape by; One day, success will make my name resound.”

　　Beneath the shade of trees near the village lies a community shrine. Legend says Feng once stepped on the shrine idol and told people, “Deities are made by humans. All these village gods are just stone, clay, and wooden figures—what’s there to fear?” Over time, fewer people worshipped the shrine.

　　The Shitoujiao Taiping Army Headquarters Site is located in Shitoujiao Village by the Dahuangjiangkou Market, 15 kilometers from Jintian Village. On the third day of the Jintian Uprising (January 13, 1851), the Taiping Army marched eastward, captured Dahuangjiangkou on the Xun River, and established headquarters in Shitoujiao. The local landowner, the Chen family, had amassed wealth through opium trade, seizing fertile lands around Qiaotang and Liantang and constructing a five-courtyard manor with over 200 rooms. The estate was built on massive stone foundations with a surrounding moat, hence the name “Shitoujiao” (Stone Feet).

　　During their stay at Jiangkou, the Taiping Army defeated Qing forces at Niupailing and Qujiazhou. According to the *Xunzhou Annals* from the Guangxu era: “The rebels advanced from Jintian to Dahuangjiangkou. Yingrong, Linnengchen, and Zhou Fengqi stationed at Maping in Pingnan. On the 18th, battle erupted at Niupailing. Our forces retreated, and twelve officers, including Wang Chongshan, were killed. The rebels grew more arrogant.” The Republican-era *Guiping County Annals* also record: “At Niupailing’s Jiazhou Bridge, leading to Huangjiang Market, government troops suffered defeat here while suppressing Hong Xiuquan in the first year of the Xianfeng reign.”

　　The Fengmen’ao Battle Site: Fengmen’ao, a mountain pass in southern Zijingshan, is the only route between the Jintian Plain and Zijingshan. In August 1851, the Taiping Army fought fiercely with Qing forces here.

　　The Sanjie Temple—Taiping Army Forward Command Post: Located in central Jintian Plain, Xinwei, Sanjie Temple served as the Taiping Army’s forward command after they relocated from Zijingshan in lunar August 1851. Hong Xiuquan directed the famous Xinwei Breakout Battle from here.

　　Inside Sanjie Temple are over 20 stone tablets, including the *Record of the Reconstruction of Xuanli Xinwei Sanjie Temple* and the *Anliang Pact Stele*, reflecting the social, economic, and class conditions on the eve of the uprising. These are vital resources for studying Taiping history.

　　Hong Xiuquan (1814~1864)　　Hong Xiuquan (1814–1864), childhood name Huoxiu, clan name Renkun, later changed to Xiutian to avoid naming taboos related to the Heavenly Father. Born into a peasant family in Guanlu Village, Huaxian (some sources say Fuyuanshui Village, later relocating to Guanlu), his ancestor Hong Yunsan migrated from Shikeng Village, Jiaying Prefecture, to Huaxian during the Kangxi era. Hong Xiuquan was the sixth-generation descendant. His father, Jingyang, was hardworking, honest, and respected as the village’s “Baozun,” mediating disputes and managing local affairs. At age seven, Hong Xiuquan entered the village’s Shufange... More +

　　Yang Xiuqing (1823~1856)　　Yang Xiuqing (1823–1856), originally named Yang Sulong, was a Hakka from Jiaying Prefecture, Guangdong. Born into a poor farming family in Ping’ai Xincun, Zijingshan, Guiping, Guangxi, he worked as a mountain farmer and charcoal burner. In 1846, he joined the God Worshipping Society, participated in the 1851 Jintian Uprising, and was appointed Eastern King (Jiawang) in December of that year, styled “Nine Thousand Years”—one of the Taiping Rebellion’s key leaders. By June 1856, after the Taiping Army broke the Qing’s Jiangnan Camp, Yang Xiuqing held religious, political, and military authority, effectively leading the rebellion. In September 1856, he was killed during the Tianjing Incident... Details +

　　Wei Changhui (1823～1856)　　Wei Changhui (1823–1856), an ethnic Han Hakka, originally named Zhizheng, also known as Zheng. He was one of the early leaders of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, originally from Nanhai County, Guangdong. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, his ancestors migrated to Guangxi and settled in Jintian Village, Guiping. His family was wealthy, and although he had little formal schooling, he was literate, talented, and quick-witted. In 1848, he joined the God Worshipping Society and soon became a key member, forming brotherly bonds with Hong Xiuquan and Feng Yunshan, and was referred to as the Fifth Son of Heaven. After the Jintian Uprising, he served as Rear Guard and Deputy Military Advisor, leading the Right Army as Commander, and was granted the title of North King, known as the Six Thousand Years Lord, ranking just below the Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan, the East King Yang Xiuqing, the West King Xiao Chaogui, and the South King Feng... Details +

　　Shi Dakai (1831～1863)　　Shi Dakai (1831–1863), nicknamed Yada and also known as Shi Gandang, was a Hakka from Guixian (now Guigang) in Guangxi. He was a famed general of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and a well-known military strategist, politician, and martial arts expert in modern China. Initially appointed as the Left Army Commander and Wing King, during the Tianjing Incident, he was further titled the Wing King of the Holy Divine Lightning United Army, and was revered by both civilians and soldiers as the “Righteous King” (though he humbly declined the title). Shi Dakai was one of the most legendary figures of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. At the age of sixteen, he was “discovered and recruited,” at nineteen he commanded thousands of troops, and at twenty he was made a king. He was executed heroically at the age of thirty-two. Throughout his life, he achieved countless military successes and was undefeated in many battles, notably securing major victories against the Xiang Army at Hukou and Zhangshuzhen... Details +

　　Feng Yunshan (1815～1852)　　Feng Yunshan (1815–1852), also known as Yilong and styled Shaoguang, was from Huaxian County, Guangdong (now part of Guangzhou). From a young age, he enjoyed reading classics, history, astronomy, and geography. He once took part in the imperial examinations but later set up a private school in his village and worked as a tutor. In 1843, Hong Xiuquan founded the God Worshipping Society in his hometown, and Feng Yunshan was a devoted follower. To promote the “God Worshipping Society,” he smashed and burned all the Buddhist and Taoist statues and Confucian books, as well as the spirit tablets of Confucius and Mencius, that were enshrined in his home. Due to his bold actions and the propagation of the new faith, he faced opposition from some villagers and lost his teaching position. In 184... Details +