Why Hong Xiuquan Didn't Choose the Northern Expedition: A Multidimensional Consideration in the Historical Context of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom
The Taiping Rebellion, as a major and far-reaching peasant uprising in Chinese history, was closely related to the decisions of its leaders. As the main leader of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, after establishing the capital Tianjing, why did Hong Xiuquan not choose to wave his army to the Northern Expedition and take Beijing directly, the heartland of the Qing Dynasty, but adopted the strategy of defending the territory and securing the frontier? The reasons behind this decision involve military, political, economic, historical background and strategic considerations.
First of all, from a military perspective, the Northern Expedition required a well-trained, well-equipped and well-armed army. After the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom established its capital at Tianjing, although its forces were large, they were widely distributed, and the armies used to defend various territories and deal with external threats accounted for the majority. At the same time, the Taiping army, which consisted mainly of peasants, lacked systematic military training and actual combat experience, which made it difficult for them to gain an advantage against more specialized armies such as the Qing army. In addition, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom also had certain problems in military strategy, such as not making full use of the terrain and military advantages, and lacking effective tactical coordination, which also limited their play in the Northern Expedition.
Secondly, from a political point of view, Hong Xiuquan paid more attention to consolidating and developing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom regime. After the capital was established in Tianjing, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had established a relatively stable political structure, with its own territory and people. Hong Xiuquan believed that through such means as defending the territory and securing the territory, developing the economy, and improving the living standards of the people, he could gradually realize his political ideals, that is, build an equal and just society. As a result, he focused more on devoting resources and energy to the consolidation and development of the regime rather than risking the Northern Expedition.
Moreover, economic factors are also one of the important reasons why Hong Xiuquan chose to defend the territory and secure the territory. After the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom established Tianjing as its capital, the economic situation was not optimistic. Due to wars and natural disasters, the economy was sluggish and the finances were strained. The Northern Expedition required a large amount of material and financial support, while the limited financial and material resources of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom needed to be used to restore and develop the economy, ensure the basic livelihood of the people, and deal with possible external threats. Under these circumstances, Hong Xiuquan had to carefully consider the feasibility of the Northern Expedition.
In addition, historical background and strategic considerations also had an impact on Hong's decision-making. After the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom established its capital at Tianjing, it faced siege and strangulation from the Qing army and other anti-Qing forces. Under such circumstances, Hong Xiuquan needed to concentrate on dealing with internal and external troubles to ensure the survival and development of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. At the same time, he recognized the risks and uncertainties of the Northern Expedition. On the one hand, the Northern Expedition may encounter a strong counterattack and siege by the Qing army, resulting in heavy losses for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's army; On the other hand, even if the Northern Expedition succeeded in occupying Nanjing and other places, it would still have to face the problem of how to manage and maintain these areas. Therefore, Hong Xiuquan chose a more prudent strategy, that is, to gradually expand his sphere of influence on the basis of stabilizing the Tianjing regime.
Finally, there are serious internal contradictions。The corruption and struggle for power and profit of the leadership of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom led to serious internal contradictions, and the greed for pleasure and power and profit of Hong Xiuquan and other leaders caused the fighting power of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to decline significantly. Under these circumstances, Hong Xiuquan chose to stabilize the interior rather than fully support the Northern Expedition.
To sum up, there are many reasons why Hong Xiuquan did not choose the Northern Expedition, involving military, political, economic, historical background and strategic considerations. This decision reflected the complex situation faced by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom at that time and Hong Xiuquan's personal strategic thinking. Although the Northern Expedition may bring opportunities and challenges, Hong Xiuquan believes that it is more practical and feasible to defend the territory and secure the territory, consolidate political power, and develop the economy. Although this decision had its limitations, it also laid the foundation for the development of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to a certain extent.
When evaluating the reasons why Hong Xiuquan did not go on the Northern Expedition, we should consider various factors comprehensively and understand the historical environment and the considerations of the decision-makers at that time. At the same time, we should also recognize that the development of history is complex and diverse, and we cannot simply evaluate an event or person by victory or defeat. The history of Hong Xiuquan and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom provides us with valuable lessons and lessons that need to be considered holistically when formulating strategies and decisions, and that we need to look beyond the immediate benefits and opportunities. At the same time, we should also learn from the lessons of history, continue to learn and improve, and prepare for future development.