Janus: Papers of Sir Harry Parkes

Manuscripts/MS Parkes contains:
<-- See earlier
38	Maps
39	Architectural drawings
40	Railway photographs
41	Portrait photographs
42	Envelopes and covers
43	Documents in Chinese re Second Opium War
44	Documents in Chinese re the Taiping Rebellion
45	Documents in Chinese re Sino-Japanese relations and Liu-ch'iu
46	Miscellaneous documents in Chinese
47	Documents in Japanese
48	Letter in Korean

More information

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Papers of Sir Harry Parkes

Title	Documents in Chinese re the Taiping Rebellion
Reference	MS Parkes 44
Covering Dates	circa 1860-circa 1864
Extent and Medium	1 folder

Content and context

Documents in Chinese relating to the Taiping Rebellion, including correspondence between the Qing government and foreign diplomats and communications between the Taiping leaders and foreign missionaries, diplomats and commanders of the British and French allied forces. Some documents includes short notes in English describing their contents. The papers are in Chinese only unless otherwise indicated.

Manuscripts/MS Parkes 44 contains:

Memorial from Hsüeh Huan. A copy of the memorial of Hsüeh Huan, Governor-General of Liang-Chiang, reporting the details of the battle to defend Shanghai, asking for reinforcements, and recommending awards for certain people, dated the 10th year, 7th month, 11 day of Xianfeng's reign (27 August 1860). The document includes a short English note: 'Rebels (?) Shanghai 1860'.
1 sheet.

1860

Interview between John Griffith and Hung Jen-kan. A copy of a record of a interview between Yang Tu-hsin [John Griffith] and Hung Jen-kan [Hong Rengan] about Taiping ideology and belief, dated the 10th year, 10th month, 7th day of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period (16 November 1860). The document includes an English note reading 'Kan Wang to [John] Chalmers'.
1 sheet.

1860

Letter from Hung Jen-kan. A copy of a letter from Hung Jen-kan [Hong Rengan] to Li Ya-ke [James Legge] and Kan Tzu-shih [John Chalmers], dated the 10th year, 10th month, 17th day of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period (26 November 1860), with a drawing of Hung's official seal and a drawing of an envelope including the Chinese notes 'This is the front.' and 'This is the back.'.
2 sheets.

1860

Taiping public proclamations. Three official public proclamations: (a) an official proclamation from seven Kings urging the people to forsake the darkness for light, dated the 10th month of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period (November 1860); (b) an undated official notice issued by Kan Wang (Shield King) Hung [Hong Rengan] urging that the Taiping army be strictly disciplined and obey the laws; and (c) an undated official notice issued by Kan Wang Hung ordering the promulgation of the Taiping ideology and denouncing the crimes of the Manchu rulers against Han Chinese. The document is penned in black ink on rice paper bound in the traditional Chinese way with paper strings.
7 sheets.

circa 1860

Proclamation to Nanking. A transcript of the proclamation to the people of Nanking by Tsan Wang (Adviser King) Meng [Shih-yung], Kan Wang (Shield King) Hung [Hong Rengan] and Chang Wang Lin [Shao-chang] of an imperial edict ordering the resumption of commerce and for garrison troops to open up the wasteland for the growing of grain in the rural area of Nanking, including the arrangements, dated the 10th year, 12th month of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period (January 1861). The document includes a short English note about places near Nanking.
3 sheets.

Jan. 1861

Letter from Liang Feng-ch'ao and Hsiao Chih-ch'u. A letter from Liang Feng-ch'ao and Hsiao Chih-ch'u to the Commander-in-chief of the British fleet seeking friendly relations with the British based on their shared belief in God, dated the 11th year, 1st month of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period (February 1861). The letter is written in black ink on yellow paper (probably gaomen paper), and begins with 'Shu chih' (Letter to) on the covering page. The official, rectangular seals of Liang and Hsiao are printed in parallel in red ink. They bear the authors' titles and names and include dragon patterns. Liang's seal is on the left, and Hsiao's on the right.
1 sheet.

Feb. 1861

Edict of Hung Ch'iu-ch'uan. A copy of an edict from Hung Ch'iu-ch'uan [Hong Xiuquan] to the foreigners concerning (1) the Taiping police and foreign trade and merchants; (2) the appointment of the Rev. Issachar Roberts as foreign secretary of state in the Taiping government, charged with judicial and mercantile affairs; and (3) a request for foreign diplomatic communities to elect a just and impartial (in terms of not being in favour of the Ch'ing government) man as a representative to assist Roberts. The document includes an English note reading 'Edict - Translated by Forrest', and the handwriting suggests that the copy was probably made by Robert J. Forrest. A date of the '2nd moon, 7th day' (13 March 1861) is given at the end of the document, which may refer to when the copy was made rather than the original. Forrest's translation is incomplete and he appears to have ignored parts which he didn't understand.
1 sheet.

circa 1861

Despatch from foreign consuls and commanders. A diplomatic despatch from foreign diplomats and military officials at Ningpo to the Commander-in-chief of the Taiping Army at Ningpo making four demands, 28 November 1861. The letter is signed by Frederick Harvey, the British Consul at Ningpo; Pi Li-ke (William Breck), the American Consul at Ningpo; Ha (Lt Henry Huxham), Commander of the British naval force at Ningpo; and Ho (Captain M. Leon Obry?), Commander of the French naval force at Ningpo. This document is very likely the first draft of the despatch which was produced immediately after a meeting held by the four men on 28th November.
1 sheet.

1861

Despatch from foreign consuls and commanders. A diplomatic despatch from foreign consuls and military officials at Ningpo to the Commander-in-chief of the Taiping Army at Ningpo making four demands, 2 December 1861. The letter is signed by the British Consul at Ningpo (Frederick Harvey); American Consul at Ningpo (William Breck); Ha (Lt Henry Huxham), Commander of the British naval force at Ningpo; and Ho (Captain M. Leon Obry?), Commander of the French naval force at Ningpo. The document was probably produced after a meeting held by the four men on 28th November. There is an English note on the covering page reading 'Ningpo Foreign Consuls to Rebel Chiefs Dec. 2 (?) 1861.'.
1 sheet.

1861

Placard of Huang and Fan. A big placard issued by Huang [Ch'eng-chung] and Fan [Ju-tseng], Chief Generals of the Taiping forces at Ningpo, reassuring the people of Yin county, Ningpo, about peace and order, and emphasising the Taiping's policy of promoting commerce and the people's welfare, dated the 11th year, 11th month of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period (December 1861). The placard (125.5 cm x 62 cm) is in black ink on white paper, with the text punctuated by red ink. There is no official seal.
1 sheet.

Nov. 1861

Letter from Harry Parkes. 'Pa ling-shih shen Li fu': a copy of a letter from Consul Harry Parkes to Governor Li Hung-chang, dated the 3rd year, 4th month, 13th day of Tongzhi's reign (18 May 1864). Parkes writes that there is a rumour that Li wanted to disarm and then disband the 'Ever-Victorious Army', and he asks him to confirm whether this is true. He also offers to arrange a meeting if the Governor considers it unsuitable to discuss the matter by letter.
1 sheet.

1864

Letter from Li Hung-chang. 'Li fu-yüan cha Pa ling-shih': a copy of a reply from Li Hung-chang to a letter from Consul Harry Parkes of 18 May 1864, regarding Gordon's desire for the 'Ever-Victorious Army to be disbanded, Li's preservation of part of the Army, the currently situation on the battlefields, and the defence in Shanghai, dated the 3rd year, 4th month, 18th day of Tongzhi's reign (23 May 1864). The original western day is given as the 13th, but should actually be the 23rd (see Fang Shih-ming and Fang Hsiao-fen, eds, 'Chung-kuo shih li-jih yü Chung-hsi li-jih tui-chao piao' [Historical dates in Chinese history with comparative Chinese-Western calendars] (Shanghai, 1987).
3 sheets.

1864

Letter from Harry Parkes. 'Pa ling-shih shen fu': a copy of a reply from Consul Harry Parkes to a letter from Governor Li Hung-chang of 23 May 1864, emphasising the contribution of the Ever-Victorious Army to the battles to recover the cities and counties of Kiangsu and Chekiang provinces, and urging Li to conform with the 'Agreement regarding the Ever-Victorious Army' to not order the Army to go beyond the circumference of 100 li of Shanghai to fight. The letter is dated the 3rd year, 4th month, 27th day of Tongzhi's reign (1 June 1864).
1 sheet.

1864

Letter from Prince Kong. A letter from Prince Kong (I-hsin) to Charles Gordon, agreeing with Gordon's suggestion that Chinese officers should undergo training in the arts of artillery, and including a transcript of the imperial edict granting Gordon's promotion and rewards. The letter is dated the 3rd year, 5th month, 15th day of Tongzhi's reign (18 June 1864). It includes English notes in pencil reading 'Prince of Kung to Gordon' on the top of the covering page, and 'Prince Kung' on the bottom of the last page. The letter is written on one sheet; a second sheet is blank.
2 sheets.

1864

Letter from Harry Parkes. 'Pa ling-shih chih Li fu': a copy of a letter from Consul Harry Parkes to Governor Li Hung-chang, 24 September, pointing out problems that have arisen in Gordon's training programme for Chinese officers at Feng-huang-shan (Phoenix Hill - 25 miles from Shanghai). The letter does not give the year. However, the training programme was started by Gordon in May 1864 and abandoned by him later in the same year when he returned to England. The document includes an English note at the top of the covering page reading 'Copy of Consul's note to Fu-t'ai' (Fu-t'ai is an alternative address of the provincial governor).
1 sheet.

24 Sep. 1864

Military account of Taiping rebel. 'Kung-wei T'ien-fu, T'ien-hsiung, T'ien-en en-ch'ai T'ien-wang hsia-f'an tzuo-chu chiu-jen k'ai-ch'uan T'ien-kuo mie-yao hsien-chi ping-chü lu-ch'eng shu': a copy of an undated detailed account of a group of Taiping rebels' campaign and battles from the day of the uprising in Taiping village on 29 September 1850 (24th day, 8th month, 30th year of Taokuang's reign) to joining the Taiping army of Hung Hs'iu-ch'üan [Hong Xiuquan] at Chin-t'ian on 24th November 1850 (21st day, 10th month, 30th year of Taokuang's reign). The author is unknown, but was probably a member of this group of rebels. His narrative depicts the Heavenly Father helping the rebels to survive their many battles, which were fought mainly against the t'uan-lien, the officially-sanctioned gentry-led militia in the local area. The document includes two short English notes, one of which reads 'Given to Muirhead' (William Muirhead?).
1 sheet.

Taiping seal. An undated paper seal (51.9 cm x 12.8 cm) containing printed characters in black ink giving the name of 'T'ao-ni chu-chiang Fan (Commander-in-chief of the punitive expenditure Forces against those who are in defiance of Heavenly order)', and a rectangular official seal in red ink bearing the name and title of Fan Ju-tseng, a general of the Taiping Army.
1 sheet.

Public notice from Huang Ch'eng-chung. A public notice (81.6 cm x 24 cm) issued by Huang Ch'eng-chung, a Commander-in-chief in the Taiping Army on the Chekiang campaign, ordering his officers and soldiers to not enter the British properties in Ningpo, undated (possibly December 1861). The document is written in black ink on yellow paper, with punctuation in red ink, and includes a rectangular official seal. It contains a note recording that the notice was sent to the British [consulate] for mounting on the wall.
1 sheet.

circa 1861

Note re Jen Ch'eng-kung. A short note written in black ink on Chinese rice paper giving the titles, name and birth place of Mr Jen Ch'eng-kung, a native of Ch'ing-chow-fu, Shantung province. There is also an English note in pencil beneath the Chinese writing: 'This is a copy of a paper which Mr. Mathew Holmes took from a wall between Chang Ya Shen & Lai chou-foo in the territory depopulated by the Rebels.'.
1 bifolio.