In the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Wei Changhui, the king of the North, was an underrated figure. This article will delve into Wei Changhui's talent and power, as well as his important role in the Taiping Rebellion.
The Taiping Rebellion was essentially the product of the Hakka village community in the Liangguang region, which was ostracized by the locals. Therefore, the evaluation of the abilities of the kings of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom requires a comprehensive consideration of personal talent and the support of relatives and the village party. Compared with the high-profile Shi Dakai, Wei Changhui's influence is second only to Yang Xiuqing, the king of the East, among the kings of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Why did Shi Dakai fail to achieve a significant victory after the Tianjing Incident?The reason for this was that he lacked enough clan and village party to effectively control the army. These armies were not Shi Dakai's subordinates in essence, but only regarded him as the leader of the alliance, similar to the situation in the late Eastern Han Dynasty when the alliance of the Kwantung princes crusaded against Dong Zhuo and took Yuan Shao as the leader of the alliance.
In stark contrast was Wei Changhui, who had the best economic conditions and the largest number of township party members among the five kings of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Wei Changhui's family owns hundreds of acres of land in the local area and is the largest family among the Hakka people. In the early days of the Taiping Rebellion, more than 100 members of Wei Changhui's family participated in the uprising, including many people from close tribes, distant relatives, in-laws, and township parties, which can be seen in the huge scale.
Wei Changhui's relatives and township party played a key role in the war situation in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. After quelling the Taiping Rebellion, when Zeng Guofan abolished the "Wei Zi Battalion", there were still 23 "Wei family members" who served as the general manager and general of the thousand. Unlike Shi Dakai's late army, which was fragmented and incapacitated, Wei Changhui's younger brother Wei Jun successfully took control of the army and was appointed by Hong Xiuquan as the chief general of the right army of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, defeating Chen Yucheng in one fell swoop, relying entirely on these "Wei family" who served as middle and lower-level officers in the army.
Some people may question that this can only prove that Wei Changhui has many parties and strong power, but it cannot prove his personal talent. So, why does the author dare to say that Wei Changhui's talent is second only to Yang Xiuqing?
The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was essentially a collection of Hakka villages, each militarily represented as a small group with its own characteristics. It was impossible for Wei Jun's 30,000 troops of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to completely obey the orders of Yang Xiuqing and Shi DakaiSimilarly, Yang Xiuqing's younger brother Yang Fuqing could not completely obey Wei Changhui's command.
In the early days of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the more than 1,000 charcoal burners led by Yang Xiuqing and Xiao Chaogui were among the most powerful small groups in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. These more than 1,000 people were basically the backbone of the army in the early days of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and they had a certain military level. In the early days of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the largest and most powerful were the charcoal burners led by Yang Xiuqing and Xiao Chaogui and the Wei Changhui family.
However, although the number of relatives and township party led by Wei Changhui was comparable to that of Yang Xiuqing's charcoal burners, their combat effectiveness was far inferior to that of the latter. Therefore, after Xiao Chaogui's death, Wei Changhui became Yang Xiuqing's deputy. However, Yang Xiuqing has always been suspicious of Wei Changhui's movements. Historical records show that Yang Xiuqing sent Wei Changhui on missions many times, and even sent Shi Dakai to Wei Changhui when he traveled to Quarry Rock.
The reason why Yang Xiuqing was suspicious of Wei Changhui instead of Shi Dakai was actually because he was jealous of Wei Changhui's strength. This is fully reflected in the record of Wei Jun's department:
Wei Jun even fought with Luo Zenan, seriously injuring Luo Zenan, causing him to die from his injuries soon after. After surrendering to the Qing Dynasty, Wei Jun defeated Chen Yucheng many times. In his letters, Zeng Guofan praised the combat effectiveness of Wei Jun's troops, calling them "Wei Junjun's army" and expressing a strong desire to regard them as commanders.
The combat effectiveness of Wei Jun's department cannot be ignored, roughly about 20,000 people, which is comparable to the scale of the Northern Expeditionary Army of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. If Wei Changhui had not disappeared in the Tianjing Incident, but had succeeded in resolving the crisis, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom under his leadership would have prospered even more.
Epilogue. Wei Changhui, the hidden hero of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, his life is full of legends. From his Hakka birth to the rise and fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, they are all chapters in Chinese history that are worth digging into. His important position and talent in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom cannot be ignored, and he has become one of the most low-key but profound figures in history.
Wei Changhui's story is a fascinating and profound chapter in Chinese history. This essay profoundly reveals the status and influence of Wei Changhui during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period, as well as the key role he played in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement. Looking at the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom from an objective perspective, we can not only understand the political pattern at that time, but also see a hero who was underestimated in the long river of history.
When delving into the essence of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement, the article highlights the characteristics of its Hakka villages and communities huddling together for warmth, and emphasizes that the ability to evaluate the kings of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom needs to consider the support of relatives and the village party. By comparing Shi Dakai's and Wei Changhui's clan and township party situations, the article cleverly explains why Shi Dakai lost the battle and Wei Changhui was able to play an important role in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. This nuanced analysis gives the reader a deeper understanding of the political landscape of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Regarding the huge scale of Wei Changhui's family and their active participation in the Taiping Rebellion, the article vividly presents the situation at that time based on historical data. From Wei Jun's control of the army, Hong Xiuquan's appointment of him as the chief general of the right army of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, to his victories in various battlefields, it shows the outstanding performance of the Wei Changhui family in the Taiping Heavenly Affairs. The description of this part allows the reader to more intuitively feel the strong influence of Wei Changhui in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
In analyzing the internal relations of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the article emphasizes the military composition of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, that is, each with its own small groups. By explaining this internal structure, it explains why, in the early days of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the charcoal burners led by Yang Xiuqing and Xiao Chaogui, and the Wei Changhui family became one of the most powerful small groups in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. This analysis of internal forces provides the reader with a clearer picture of the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Overall, this article presents a little-known heroic image through an in-depth analysis of Wei Changhui's role in the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The in-depth research and vivid narration of the article are evocative and have a positive enlightening effect on understanding the political and military pattern of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
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