Chinese-English Glossary

Chinese	Pinyin	English	Explanation
太平天国运动	Tàipíng Tiānguó yùndòng	Taiping Rebellion or Taiping movement	Full war and movement.
太平天国	Tàipíng Tiānguó	Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace	Taiping state.
太平军	Tàipíng jūn	Taiping Army	Armed forces of the movement.
拜上帝会	Bài Shàngdì Huì	God Worshipping Society	Religious organization before open rebellion.
上帝	Shàngdì	God, Supreme Deity	Central divine term in Taiping religion.
天父	Tiānfù	Heavenly Father	Taiping term for God.
天兄	Tiānxiōng	Heavenly Elder Brother	Taiping term for Jesus.
天王	Tiānwáng	Heavenly King	Hong Xiuquan's title.
天京	Tiānjīng	Heavenly Capital	Taiping name for Nanjing.
金田起义	Jīntián qǐyì	Jintian Uprising	January 1851 beginning of open rebellion.
永安建制	Yǒng'ān jiànzhì	Yong'an state formation	Early naming of kings and institutions.
东王	Dōngwáng	Eastern King	Yang Xiuqing's title.
西王	Xīwáng	Western King	Xiao Chaogui's title.
南王	Nánwáng	Southern King	Feng Yunshan's title.
北王	Běiwáng	Northern King	Wei Changhui's title.
翼王	Yìwáng	Wing King	Shi Dakai's title.
干王	Gānwáng	Gan King	Hong Rengan's title.
忠王	Zhōngwáng	Loyal King	Li Xiucheng's title.
英王	Yīngwáng	Heroic King	Chen Yucheng's title.
天朝田亩制度	Tiāncháo tiánmǔ zhìdù	Land System of the Heavenly Dynasty	Taiping land and household program.
资政新篇	Zīzhèng xīnpiān	New Treatise on Aids to Administration	Hong Rengan's reform proposal.
原道救世歌	Yuándào jiùshì gē	Song on the Original Way to Save the World	Early Hong religious text.
原道醒世训	Yuándào xǐngshì xùn	Awakening the World on the Original Way	Early Hong religious text.
原道觉世训	Yuándào juéshì xùn	Perceiving the World on the Original Way	Early Hong religious text.
劝世良言	Quànshì liángyán	Good Words for Exhorting the Age	Liang Afa's Christian tract, Hong Xiuquan's first contact with Christianity.
英杰归真	Yīngjié guīzhēn	Heroes Return to the Truth	1861 Taiping court text.
十款天条	Shí kuǎn tiāntiáo	Ten Heavenly Rules	Taiping version of the Ten Commandments, adapted for Chinese context.
圣库	Shèngkù	Sacred Treasury	Public store or treasury in Taiping plans.
圣粮	Shèngliáng	Sacred grain	Taiping term for grain supplies held in common storehouses.
礼拜堂	Lǐbàitáng	Worship hall	Local worship institution.
田凭	Tiánpíng	Land certificate	Taiping document confirming landholding rights.
商凭	Shāngpíng	Trade license	Taiping commercial permit required for merchants.
女馆	Nǚguǎn	Women's quarters or barracks	Term used for sex separation systems.
男馆	Nánguǎn	Men's quarters or barracks	Paired male institution.
两司马	Liǎng sīmǎ	Two sima officers	Local administrative officers in Taiping plan.
天王	Tiānwáng	Heavenly King	Hong Xiuquan's title.
太平天国历	Tàipíng Tiānguó lì	Taiping calendar	Taiping calendar system; 366 days, 12 months of 30-31 days, abolished lunar intercalation.
老兄弟	Lǎo xiōngdì	Old brothers	Taiping veterans who joined before 1853; held higher status than later recruits.
新兄弟	Xīn xiōngdì	New brothers	Recruits who joined after 1853; lower status than old brothers.
湘军	Xiāngjūn	Xiang Army	Hunan force associated with Zeng Guofan.
淮军	Huáijūn	Huai Army	Force associated with Li Hongzhang.
常胜军	Chángshèng jūn	Ever Victorious Army	Foreign-commanded Qing auxiliary force.
团练	Tuánliàn	Local militia	Gentry-organized local defense.
乡勇	Xiāngyǒng	Local braves	Locally raised irregular troops.
绿营	Lǜyíng	Green Standard Army	Qing regular force.
八旗	Bāqí	Eight Banners	Qing banner institution.
粤匪	Yuèfěi	Guangdong bandits	Hostile Qing term for Taiping.
长毛	Chángmáo	Long-hairs	Hostile term for Taiping followers.
教匪	Jiàofěi	Religious bandits	Qing hostile label.
会匪	Huìfěi	Society bandits	Qing hostile label.
天京事变	Tiānjīng shìbiàn	Tianjing Incident	1856 internal purge and crisis.
三河之战	Sānhé zhī zhàn	Battle of Sanhe	Major Taiping victory in Anhui, 1858; Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng defeated a Xiang Army force.
苏州杀降	Sūzhōu shā xiáng	Suzhou surrender massacre	Mass execution of Taiping commanders who had surrendered Suzhou to Li Hongzhang, December 1863.
江南大营	Jiāngnán dàyíng	Jiangnan Great Camp	Qing siege camp near Tianjing.
江北大营	Jiāngběi dàyíng	Jiangbei Great Camp	Qing siege camp north of the Yangzi.
安庆之战	Ānqìng zhī zhàn	Battle of Anqing	Major middle Yangzi campaign.
客家	Kèjiā	Hakka	Ethnic group; many early Taiping leaders and followers were Hakka.
本地	Běndì	Punti / local people	Cantonese-speaking majority in Guangdong; term for non-Hakka locals.
土客械斗	Tǔ Kè xièdòu	Hakka-Punti armed conflict	Large-scale communal violence between Hakka and Punti communities, especially in Guangdong and Guangxi, which provided the recruitment base for the Taiping and their opponents.
农民战争	Nóngmín zhànzhēng	Peasant war	PRC historiographical term.
反封建	Fǎn fēngjiàn	Anti-feudal	Marxist interpretive term.
政教合一	Zhèng jiào hé yī	Union of politics and religion	Analytical term for religious state authority.