The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-21 00:00:00

THE INSU.R.RECTIOI. IN aIdINA.

The following official statein :nt as to the reli-
gious tenets of the Chinese insurgents, and trans-
lated by Mr. W. H. Med.hurst, hai been forwarded
to us for publication :
" On the morning of the 25th of December, 1853, being
the day of worship,* the Northern Prince, accompanied
by the Marquis Ting-theen, the Minister of State, and
other officers, came to the palace of the Eastern Prince, to
pay their compliments and to deliberate on the affairs of
Government. When the deliberations were completed,
the Northern Prince, with all the officers, knelt down and
exclaimed, `May your highness the Eastern Prince enjoy
felicity and repose !' The Eastern Prince then com-
manded the Northern Prince to return to his palace, and
all the officers to repair to their official residences, after
which the Eastern Prince retired to hie inner palace. In
a short time the Heavenly Father came down into the
world, and summoned± Yang-shway-keaou, Hoo-kan-
keaou, Tan-wan-mei, and Sang-wan-mei, saying, Do
all you young women come forward. and listen to the com-
mands of me, the Heavenly Father.' Yang-shway-keaou,
together with the female chamberlains, then apprcachod
into the presence of the Heavenly Father, and, kneeling
down, inquired, saying, Since the Heavenly Father
has taken the trouble to come down into the world,
we young women have all come forward reverently to
listen to the Heavenly Father's sacre,l commands, and to
solicit his instructions.' The Heavenly Father then mani-
fested considerable displeasure, and for some time would
~e
not speak. The female officers implored, saying. Th
moving of our Heavenly Father to take the trouble to
come down into our world is to be ascribed to the faults
of his sons and daughters, whose transgressions are multi-
plied. We, therefore, earnestly beseech our Heavenly
Father's forgiveness, and intreat the removal of his dis-
pray again, with all
imaginable earnestness.' The Heavenly
Father then said,
pleasure, for which we pray, and
Since you little ones are sensible of your faults, do you
immediately call your Northern Prince to come hither and
listen to my commands. The female chamberlains then
replied, We will obey the Heavenly Father's sacred com-
mands.' The female chamberlains then hastened out of
the door of the sacred' palace, and sounded the drum an-
nouncing the descent of the Heavenly Father, and inform-
ing the male chamberlains that the Northern Prince had
been summoned into his presence. The male chamberlains,
' in obedience to the orders given, went immediately to the
Northern Prince to make this announcement. The Nor-
thern Prince then came to the Eastern Palace to listen
to the sacred commands of the Heavenly Father, who
had come down into the world. The Heavenly Father also
commanded the female Minister of State, Yang-shway-
keaou, and Hoo-kan-mei, saying, Before the arrival 'of
your Northern Prince I command yon to take my sacred
will, and announce it to your Eastern Prince, command-
ing him to go to Court, and inform your Lord, the Celes-
tial King, that my appearance is on account of the im-
petuous disposition of your Lord, the Celestial Sing.
Since he is of the same nature with myself, he ought to be
as forbearing as myself. In ruling over the empire mild-
ness is essential in everything. For instance, the female
officers in the Celestial Court, assisting to manage the
affairs of State, are very frequently unacquainted with
matters of high import, and are, therefore, apt to do
things out of due order ; these must be kindly instructed,
with a liberality vast as the ocean, in order that their
minds may attentively accord with the regulations of
Government, and thus attend properly to their manage-
ment. If they are treated with too much severity their
minds will get into confuston, anp they will not know
what to do in order to carry out the Imperial commands.
Their minds being unsettled, their frames will be agi-
tated ; and when one thing goes wrong, everything will
fall into confusion. So that it is much better quietly to
tell them what to do until they are versed in it, and they
will then attend to it spontaneously. To instance also
your young master,:t: although his nature is originally
good, yet he must be occasionally instructed, and then he
will not abandon the good dictates of his nature—which
are• always at hand—and fall into evil habits and practices
which are foreign to his views and feelings. At present
you must take advantage of his original goodness of nat ire,
and, as you have opportunity, instruct him, that he may
get accustomed to what is correct, and become an example
to all the empire, that all the nations of the world may
take pattern by him. When you see that his sayings and
doings are in accordance with Celestial emotions, then you
may allow him to say and do as he pleases ' • but, when you
see that they are not in accordance with Heavenly emo-
tions, you must control him, and not let him do just what
•he likes? The female officers replied, We unworthy
females will endeavour to comply with the sacred com-
mands of our Celestial Papa. The Heavenly Father
again said, ' Yang-chang-mei and Shih-ting-lan§
have been for some time in the Celestial Court, at-
tending to' the affairs of State ; moreover, these
young women, are relatives of two of the Princes,
and must, therefore, have their sympathies in unison
with those of the Royal family. With respect to
the elder and younger Choo-kew-mei, they have also at-
tained some degree of merit, and must be allowed to rest
themselves and cease from labour. Whether, therefore,
they remain in the Celestial Court (of Thae-ping-wang), or
whether they• come over to the palace of the Eastern
Prince, let them enjoy the ease and tranquillity becoming
Royal personages. It is also announced to be the Divine
will that, if they are summoned into the Celestial Court,
they will necessarily be daily near the Royal person (of
Thae-ping-wang), and, as Ministers waiting upon the So-
vereign, they will have certain duties to perform which
calinot.be avoided ; but, as they are not to attend to public
business, it is much better that they remain in the palace
of the Eastern Prince to enjoy themselves, which will be in
all respects more convenient. With respect to the business
of the Celestial Court, there are matters of State which
any one may attend to. Let some other persons, there-
fore, be deputed to attend to these.' The female officers
replied, 'We are much obliged for the trouble taken by
the Heavenly Father to come down into the world to in-
struct us ; and, unworthy as we are, we will endeavour
to comply with these injunctions, while we make known
the sacred will of the Heavenly Father to the Eastern
Prince. The Heavenly Father again said, Yon comply
with my injunctions, and all will be right. I shall now
return to Heaven.' After the Heavenly Father had gone
back to Heaven, the Northern Prince, accompanied by•the
Marquis Ting-theea and others, arrived at the outer gate
of the Eastern Palace, and, not knowing that the Heavenly

Father had returned to Heaven, they fed forward all the

officers to kneel down and pray, saying, We, your no-
worthy children, have frequently offended, so as to occa-
sion Our. Heavenly Father to trouble himself, for which we
earnestly beg our Heavenly Father's forgiveaess, and that
he would graciously condescend to instruct us his un-
worthy children.' Having finished the prayer, they con-
tinued kneeling on the ground, and commanded the male
chamberlain to beat the drum and cause the female cham-
berlains to announce their arrival. The female chamber-
lains, hearing the sound of the drum, came out from the
inner palace to the front gate to see the Northern Prince,
and informed him, saying, A short time ago the Heavenly
Father gave himself the trouble to come down to earth ;
but he is now gone back to Heaven. We, therefore, re-
quest the Northern Prince and the Marquis Ting-
theen to rise from their knees.' The Northern Prince
then rose from his knees, and said, The Heavenly
Father having graciously condescended to come down
into the world, we should like to know what instruc-
tions he has left for us.' The female chamberlains replied,
The sacred will of the Heavenly Father is to 'com-
mand the Eastern and Northern Princes, together with
the officers, Logo to Court. It is also commanded to the
Eastern Prince to convey the ;sacred injunctions of the
Heavenly Father to the Celestial King, ordering him to be
more gentle in his disposition, and more indulgent towards
others. He is also to give instructions to the heir ap-
parent, and graciously to excuse four women of the court
from the duties to which they have now to attend. The
Eastern Prince, in obedience to the requisitions, is now
about to go to court.' The Northern Prince said Will you
be kind enough to inform the Eastern Prince that
I, the general, have come to pay my respects to him !' The
female chamberlains announced this accordingly, when the
Eastern Prince said, Since tho Northern Prince has come
he maybe told to enter my palace.' The Northern Prince
and all the officers then entered the palace, and, kneeling
down, exclaimed, May the Prince enjoyextreme longevity !'
They also thanked the Eastern Prince for his considerations,
saying, ' We, your younger brethren, who are here to-day,
are under obligations to the fourth elder brother II for the
arrangements which he has made, whereby eve have attained
to our present position. Now also, the Heavenly Father
has manifested his great favour by coming down into our
world to instruct us, for which we cherish the most un•
bounded gratitude. Moreover, also the brethren and sisters
throughout the world have, in a similar manner, repeatedly
experienced great favours at the hands of our Heavenly
Father.' The Eastern Prince said, The Heavenly Father
has indeed taken a great deal of trouble on our behalf; may
you, my younger brother, and all the officers be duly sen-
sible of the Celestial favours.' The Northern Prince and
all the officers replied, "We shall endeavour to comply
with your honourable commands.' The Eastern Prince
again said, " The Heavenly Father has made known his
sacred will, commanding us all to go to Court •, we ought,
therefore, to proceed thither immediately.' Having said
this, he told them to wait a little, and the Northern
Prince, together with the officers, knelt down and shouted,
' May your Highness enjoy abundant longevity ! We be-
seech you, the Eastern Prince, tranquilly to ascend your
sedan chair.' The Eastern Prince then commanded the
Northern Prince and all the officers to go first to Court.
The Northern Prince was about to proceed thither accord-
when he suddenly addressed the Chamberlain of the
Northern Palace, saying, 'Do you quickly go to the sedan
of the Eastern Prince, and request the favour of his instruc-
t tions, as to whether we are first to go to the Hall of Audi-
ence,a or to enter straight into the door of tile palace.' The
naberlain, receiving this charge, went immediately to
the sedan of the Eastern Prince, and requested one of the
servants of the Eastern Palace to obtain and communicate
to hire the w•
Eastern Prince is
of his master. The servant said, The
not dare to disturb him; repose in the sedan, and Ido
that '2
The Chamberlain of the Northern
Palace, hearing
the Eastern Prince was enjoying re-
bpse, did not presume
_to repeat the inquiey, but hastned
k to inform the Northern Prince. The Northern
from Easterniis
prince, hearine that the Prince was enjoying re-
pose, hastily descended
sedan proceeded on
foot to the middle of the road, whero_heankdnelt down and
e voeri rather troubled him-
inquired saying, ' Has the
self to come down into this
the Heavenly Father replied ih the's.asainar.ig To which
!lan of Northern Prince to convey the „dal=
,t,avse, telling the
wh'ereu will obey the
dience. The Northern Prince replied
Poton he hastily
inform the
Au-
injunctions of the Heavenly Father,
commanded the female officers of the Court

* This is kept on Saturday by an error in theculations
of the insurgents.
I. These are all female names, and appear to be family
con-
nections of the Eastern Prince, afterwards tanned female
Ministers of State.
The heir apparent, the son of Hun-seu-tseuen.
§ These, also, are female names of persons who had been
previously occupied in the palace of Than-ping-wang.
The fourth elder brother refers to Yang-sew-tsing, the
Eastern Prince. Jesus is the first elder brother ; Hung-sew-
tseuen, the second ; the heir apparent, the third ; and Yang-
sew-tsing, the fourth.
There is here some need of explanation, in order to assist
the general reader to understand the subject. The Eastern
Prince, it appears, had seated himself in his sedan, and was
about to proceed to the Court of Thae-ping-wang, when it
was said, all of a sudden, that he was enjoying repose;
which means that he had fallen into.a. trance. While in that
state it is pretended that the Heavenly Father had taken
possession of his body, and, without the individual affected
being conscious of the fact, he says and does things which
are supposed to be the sayings and doings of the Heavenly
Father. The Northern Prince seems to have been aware of
the supposed possession as soon aspic; heard !of the repose
ofAblTEastern Prince, and therefore alighted from his chair,
knelt down in the middle of the road, and asked if the
Heavenly Father had come down. The colloquy that ensued
Was between the Eastern Prince (personating the Heavenly
Father) ancl4e Northern Prince. The trance over, exhaus-
tiOn succeed and the Eastern Prince was informed of what
had haOpened of which he himself pretended to be uncon-
OCiOlfu, itch pretended possessions aro common in China.

.....~ tt' ~ •~ .


Celestial King of t;,) circumstance, which done, he, to-
gether with the Mi , stare of State and the other officers,
conveyed the 5r.,,..., of the Eastern Prince within the
gates of the Pale e The Celestial King, Thae-ping-wang,
having heard t - message which the female officers
brought from the 'Northern Prince, intimating that the
Heavenly Fath . had taken the trouble to come down
into the wort-i. tastily went on foot to the second gate of
the palace, - receive the Heavenly Father. The last
was angry with the Celestial King,
named, on h. s arrival,
saying, ' Sees- te-euen ! Yon are very much in fault ; are you
aware of it ?' The Celestial King, kneeling down with the
Northern Prince and all the officers, replied, saying,
' Your unworthy son knows that he is in fault, and begs
the Heavenly Father graciously to forgive him.' The
Heavenly Father then said, with a loud voice, ' Since you
acknowledged your fault you must be beaten with 40 blows.'
At that time the Northern King and all the officers pros-
trated themselves on the ground, and, weeping, implored
the Heavenly Father to manifest his favour, and remi t
the punishment which their master had deserved,
offering to receive the blows themselves in the stead of
the Celestial King. The Celestial King said, 'Do not,
my younger brethren, rebel against the will of our Heavenly
Father; since our Heavenly Father has of his goodness con-
' descended to instruct us, I, your elder brother, can do no
less than receive the correction.' The Heavenly Father
would not listen to the request of the officer s, but still
insisted on the blows being given to the Celestial King ;
whereupon the Celestial King replied, 'Your unworthy
son will comply with your requisitions ; and, so saying,
he prostrated himself to receive the blows. The Heavenly
Father then said, ' since you have obeyed the requisition,
I shall not inflict the blows ; but these women, Shih-ting-
lan and Yang-chang-mei, must both be sent to the palace of
the Eastern Prince, and stay along with the Imperial rela-
tives, to enjoy Royal ease and tranquillity. There is no
necessity for their aiding in the business of the State. The
elder and younger Chow-kew-choo, having formerly at-
tained to a degree of merit, may also enjoy ease and tran-
quillity. With regard to other matters, you can wait till
your brother Yang-sew-tsing sends up his report.' Having
said this, the Heavenly Father returned to heaven.
" The Northern Prince, with the rest of the officers
then escorted the Celestial King back to the palace, when
the Celestial King said, ' The Heavenly Father having
taken the trouble to come down to the world to communi-
cate instruction, let us all, unworthy as we are, acknow-
ledge the Celestial favour.' All the officers then knelt
down, and thrice exclaimed, ' May the King live for ever !
we shall comply with your injunctions.
" The Northern Prince then announced to the Eastern
Prince, saying, gMy fourth elder brother, the Heavenly
Father, has again troubled himself to come down into the
world.' The Eastern Prince delightedly said, 4 Has he,
indeed, taken the trouble to come down again ? Truly, he
gives himself a great deal of trouble on our account.' The
Eastern Prince then addressed the Celestial King, saying,
' Not long ago the Heavenly Father came down into the
world, at my palace, commanding me, your younger bro-
ther, and certain others, to come to ourt and report to
your Majesty, our second elder brother.' The Celestial
King inquired, saying, ' Brother Tsing, what were the
commands delivered by our Heavenly Father ?' The
Eastern Prince replied, saying, ' The sacred will of our
Heavenly Father was to command you, our second elder
brother, to instruct our young master more assiduously
and properly, in order that every word and action, motion
and rest, may be in accordance with the rules; you are
not to allow him to do as he pleases. For instance, when
our Heavenly Father sends down rain, and our young master
wants to go out for a walk, were you to allow him to do as
he pleases he would get wet; therefore, in this respect, he
must be restrained ;but when the weather is fine he may
go out for a walk. He also said, ' The female officers at
Court engaged in managing affairs frequently come short
of their duty.' The-Heavenly Father further told me,
' your younger brother, to inform you, my second elder
brother, that if the female officers commit any trifling
fault, you should be indulgent towards them, and instruct
them; you are also to be genie towards them, lest they
should get frightened. For instance, when a ditch or canal
has to be dug, you must not make people work as if they
were building a city or a camp, and if the weather should
be unfavourable with rain or snow falling P • they should
be allowed to rest for a while, and not made to dig during
the continuance of frost and snow.* If you comfort them
in this way they will be contented and happy, and, feeling
grateful for your kindness, they will exert themselves in
serving you, so that you will get all your worlecompleted.
During the month of August of the present year the Hea-
venly Father descended into the world, to alter his former
regulations. The old saying has it, the Prince should em-
ploy his subjects according to propriety, and then subjects
will serve their Prince according to fidelity. You, my
second elder brother, have ascended up to the high hea-
vens, and, therefore, you ought certainly to be acquainted
with all matters of a celestial nature. But these female
officers are originally women with a very circumscribed
amount of information ; how should they be perfectly
familiar with celestial principles? On common occa-
sions, when they see you, my second elder brother,
in front of the palace, the female officers, getting a
glance of your Royal visage, can hardly avoid making
mistakes in what they do, so as to excite your dis-
pleasure; on which account they are always in a state
of alarm. Even male officers, when they come to do
anything in front of the hall, are by no means at their
ease. To instance our younger brother, Wei-thing, when
he was once in front of your palace, managing some affair,
he felt a certain degree of alarm, and did not dare to speak
too much. How much more, then, female officers when
they come into your presence?'
" The Eastern Prince also addressed the sovereign, say-
ing, ' When the officers, whether male or female, commit
any crime that is worthy of death, it rests with you, my
second elder brother, in obedience to the celestial law, to
put them to death, in order to sustain the majesty of the
Divine law, add to deter future offenders. But, in my
humble opinion, supposing the offenders to have committed
something worthy of death, there may be still some cir-
cumstances in the case not very clear ; and if you hastily
put them to death you may sometimes do wrong. Let
me presume, therefore, to offer a suggestion which is, that
whenever, among the officers, male or female, any persons
commit a capital crime, I should earnestly entreat you,
my second elder brother, of your superabundant favour,
to hand over the case to me, .your unworthy younger
brother, for careful examination as to the circum-
stances which led to the commission of the crime,
and, if I meet with any extenuating considerations,
I will supplicate you in your gracious compassion to pass
iover the offence. Bet if it should appear that the parties
have really committed a grievous offence that cannot be
forgiven, I will report to you, my second elder brother,
that you may determine the case. In this way there will,
Iprobably be no cases of undressed grievances, and the jus-
tice and benevolence of you, my second elder brother, will
be equally displayed, while both rewards and punishments
will be properly administered. I do not know whether
this suggestion will meet your views, but I beseech you of
your clemency to inform me.'
" The Celestial King then said, ' That which you, my
younger brother, have said is very right, and is truly in
accordance with the benevolent feeling displayed by our
Heavenly Father, who loves what is good, and hates what
is evil, while he carefully discriminates between the one
and the other. The disposition displayed by me, your elder
brother, is impetuous, and if you, my younger brother, had
not made this suggestion, it is to be feared that I should
have wrongfully put some persons to death. Now, in con-
sequence of your advice, not only shall I be prevented
from wrongfully inflicting condign punishment, but future
generations, observing this our example, will not dare to
do anything rash. From henceforth, therefore, I, your
elder brother, will in every case consult with you, my
younger brother, before I proceed to act. It will have the
effect also of inducing future Princes to imitate their pre-
decessors, and consult with virtuous Ministers before they
decide on action, by which means they may possibly pre- 1
vent mistakes.

" The Eastern Prince also said,--` This suggestion is not
what I, your younger brother, could have thought of
spontaneously ; it is solely in consequence of the regene-
ration of mind conferred by our Heavenly Father and
celestial elder brother; it is also to be ascribed to the
kind consideration displayed by you, my second elder
brother.'

"The Celestial King further said,—' What you have
now suggested is very right ; let it be recorded, therefore,
for the instruction of future ages, t hat throughout all gene-
rations sovereigns and subjects may act according to this
plan, and thus, perhaps, the intention of our Heavenly
Father in fostering human life will be perpetually dis-
played, and the spirit of gentleness and tranquillity be
handed down, world without end.'
" The Eastern Prince said—'ln this way, also, the intelli-
gent virtue of you, my second elder brother, will be ever-
lastingly established, and your example will be truly lovely
and worthy of imitation.'
" The Eastern Prince further said—' All you who are
officers, when you meet with inferior officers coming to
report some case to you in a respectful manner, no matter
whether he be in the right or not, you should wait until
ho has reported it clearly; you must not, on any account,
while he is in the middle of his report, on finding some
impropriety in his expressions, bawl out and rail at him
until ho lose •his presence of mind, for when people get
alarmed they are likely to commit more errors. But you
must wait until lie has done speaking, and then quietly tell
him what is right. If you do not, it is to be feared that
when ho has anything to say which is right and proper he
will not dare to make it known.'

" The Heavenly King then gave orders to all the officers,
saying, `All you offiorrs must mind what the Eastern
Prince says, which is all one as if it were addressed to you
by the Heavenly Father ; you must all reverently obey.'
To which all the officers replied, 'We will comply with
your commands.'

" The Eastern Prince then addressed the Celestial King,
saying, The adage says, a Prince should employ his sub-
jects with respect, and then the subjects will serve their
Prince with fidelity ; all the subjects of this realm, de-
pending for their subsistence on the bounties of the State,
are in duty bound to servo their Prince with fidelity ;
when subjects also distinguish themselves in a meritorious
manner, the Prince should bestow upon all proper considera-
tion and reward ; he should kindly sympathise with his in-
feriors, and bestow favours upon them in order to encourage
them in good conduct. Now, among the female officers of
the Celestial Court,.and in the palace of me your younger
brother, those who attend to the business of the State are
very much harassed. Some of these are the wives, and
others the mothers of meritorious and faithful officers ;
some have young children to attend to, and others old re-
lations to look after. Some of them also have meritorious
husbands, who have given up their households oat of re-
gard to their country. Now, when women have surren-
dered their domestic ties with a view to the service of the
State and abandoned their private interests in order to
promote the public weal, the Prince ought to take into
consideration their faithful devotion, and allow them every
six weeks to go and look after their relatives, or every
mouth or six weeks to go and inspect their households, o 5
it may be, every teak or fortnight to take in turn to visit
their domestic hearth, whether to fondle over their chil-
dren, or to manifest respect to their aged relatives, or to
serve their husbands. In this way they will be enabled to
carry out the duty of, first, regarding the interests of their
country, and, after that, attending to the welfare of their
family. Now,
th°aßrithraebfleernaanl also, there are many ladies; whose rank is
cal whoseofficers
placedes a ruendeimportantunder
these
; w
woulde dpou rnpoot sseal say
neglect their duties, but it may be that some of them have-
displeased their mistresses who may have scolded them a
little too severely. Now, if you do not allow these female
officers to state their grievances they will never get re-
dress; the women employed, therefore, should be per-
mitted to complain when you, our second elder brother,
would be able to make up your mind and decide between
the right and the wrong. This is one
in which Princes
may employ their subjects, according to propriety. More-
over, in the Royal there are the various operations of
erecting palaces, digging moats, throwing up banks, and
sweeping the Imperial gardens, which must all be attended
to by these female officers ; but you should issue your
orders how thc‘.ie things aro to be done. It is not at all
necessary that you should personally inspect these opera-
tions, for the &ffolestial Majesty extends to every spot, and

's It would ap,oear as if the women were engaged in this
laborious wort, iather heavy, we should eay, for Court ladics
to perform.

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