Translated from reference material.
hummel, arthur w. sr., ed. (1943). "shih ta-k'ai" . eminent chinese of the ch'ing period. united states government printing office.
luo, ergang (1995). annotated and updated reading of li xiucheng's self account. china's social sciences publishing.
Shi Dakai (1831-1863), a native of Guigang, Guangxi, China, was one of the most respected leaders of the Taiping Rebellion and a poet. Orphaned at a young age, Shi Dakai became the head of his family at a young age and was known for his hospitality, martial arts, and justice in handling local affairs. Shi Dakai studied Xi for the imperial examination, but failed to pass.
In 1849, Shi Dakai, then 16 years old, was discovered by Feng Yunshan and Hong Xiuquan and joined the uprising led by them. With excellent tactics, skilled military training, and fair management, Shi Dakai quickly stood out and was appointed commander of his army at the age of nineteen.
In January 1851, Hong Xiuquan and five major leaders of the uprising (among whom Shi Dakai was the youngest) formally established the Tianping Heavenly Kingdom in Jintian, Guangxi, with about 20,000 followers. In May, the Taiping army marched into Guangxi, followed by the Qing army, launching a fierce attack.
In one battle, Shi Dakai defeated the Qing army of 5,000 with 300 men and won a decisive victory. In August, after the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom conquered Yong'an City, Shi Dakai won widespread admiration from the people for his "moderate rule and fair governance", and people were attracted by his reputation and came to participate in the Tianping Heavenly Kingdom.
In October, Hong Xiuquan named the 20-year-old Shi Dakai as "the 5,000-year-old Wing King". Shi Dakai later led a series of battles to capture the city of Nanjing for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, where he established a capital called Tianjing.
At that time, Shi Dakai had become a legend in the mouth of the Qing army, and he was also the only commander of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom who did not taste defeat in the battle. Friends and foes alike noticed his kindness towards the civilian population, and folk songs praising his victories became popular in the areas through which the Taiping army passed.
Although Shi Dakai made significant contributions to the military, his most famous achievement was his reform of the Yi system in Anqing, Anhui Province. In 1854, Shi Dakai arrived in Anqing to preside over military and civilian affairs, and he made fruitful edicts to encourage agriculture, reduce taxes, and stimulate commerce, and directed the local ** to create an efficient and honest bureaucracy.
Shi Dakai encouraged civilians to report the misconduct of soldiers and give them fair punishments, thus restoring public safety, which had previously been seriously neglected. Within a few months of Shi Dakai's reign, Anqing became one of the most loyal and well-managed cities in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, as well as one of the most heavily defended.
In 1855, Shi Dakai's battle at Hukou, Jiangxi Province, was the most dramatic victory in the Taiping Rebellion. The Hunan army led by Zeng Guofan and its naval divisions were considered the elite of the Qing army. Shi Dakai arrived on the battlefield in December and took command after the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had already suffered heavy losses.
Shi Dakai carefully planned this battle, laid down a tight defense, constantly attacked the Hunan army with small boats, and then used secret damming to trap the Hunan army ships and cut off the Hunan army's battle line. Shi Dakai led a series of rapid attacks, which won a decisive victory for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, forcing the famous general Zeng Guofan to commit suicide at one point. After this war, Shi Dakai was called "the most powerful man in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom".
History