Title: Why didn't Hong Xiuquan go on the Northern Expedition?
The Taiping Rebellion was one of the largest peasant uprisings in Chinese history, and its leader, Hong Xiuquan, proposed a series of radical reforms in an attempt to overthrow Qing rule and establish a new world of "Taiping". However, despite the success of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in the south, Hong Xiuquan did not choose the Northern Expedition to directly attack the core area of the Qing Dynasty. The reasons behind this strategic choice are manifold, involving multiple dimensions such as military, political, economic, and geographical.
First of all, from a military point of view, the Northern Expedition meant that the Taiping Heavenly ** team needed to cross the Yangtze River and face the elite troops of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, the main forces of the Qing army were concentrated in the north, especially around the capital, and these troops were well-equipped and trained. In contrast, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's army, although outnumbered, was inadequate in equipment and training. The Northern Expedition will be an uphill battle that will require a lot of material and manpower support. Hong Xiuquan probably thought that under the circumstances at that time, the risk of a direct northern expedition was too great, and it was better to consolidate the southern base areas first and accumulate strength.
Secondly, political factors are also an important reason why Hong Xiuquan did not go on the Northern Expedition. The power struggle within the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was fierce, and Hong Xiuquan needed to assert his dominance. The Northern Expedition not only needed external enemies, but could also intensify internal contradictions, leading to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. In addition, Hong Xiuquan's religious ideals and the system of the Heavenly Emperor he established conflicted with traditional Confucian culture, which also made his rule in the south unstable and required more time to consolidate his power.
Economic factors should not be ignored either. The Northern Expedition required a large amount of material support, and the economic foundation of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was not solid. Although the south is rich in resources, its productive forces have been severely damaged in the war, and it is difficult to support a long-term war. Hong Xiuquan probably thought that it would be wiser to restore the economy by developing agriculture, handicrafts, and commerce in preparation for a future Northern Expedition than to rush into military action.
Geographical factors were also a consideration for Hong Xiuquan's Northern Expedition. The terrain of southern China is complex and the rivers are crisscrossed, which has a certain advantage for defense. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom could take advantage of these natural conditions to resist the Qing army's attack, while for the Northern Expedition, it was necessary to overcome these geographical obstacles, which was a big challenge for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom at that time.
Finally, Hong Xiuquan's personal personality and beliefs may also have influenced his strategic choices. Hong Xiuquan is a man with deep religious beliefs, and he may be more inclined to transform society through religious and moral force than to achieve his goals through military means alone. This trait of character may have made him more inclined to establish an ideal "Taiping" kingdom in the south than to rush to the north.
To sum up, there are many reasons why Hong Xiuquan did not go on the Northern Expedition, including military considerations, political stability, economic preparations, geographical obstacles, and the influence of personal character and beliefs. These factors are intertwined and constitute the complex background of Hong Xiuquan's strategic choice. Although the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom ultimately failed to achieve its ambitious goals, Hong Xiuquan's choices and considerations are still worthy of in-depth analysis and understanding.