The White Lotus Rebellion, occurring from 1794 to 1804 in central China, began as a tax protest. It was led by the White Lotus Society, a secret religious group with historical roots dating back to the Jin dynasty (265–420 CE). The Society is often associated with several uprisings, including the Red Turban Rebellion in 1352, which contributed to the fall of the Yuan dynasty and the rise of the Ming dynasty under Zhu Yuanzhang, the Hongwu Emperor.
However, scholars like Barend Joannes Ter Haar suggest that the White Lotus label was broadly applied by Ming and Qing officials to various unrelated religious movements and uprisings, often without a cohesive organizational structure. The rebels themselves did not consistently identify with the White Lotus name, which was often ascribed to them during intense government interrogations.
The White Lotus Rebellion's immediate precursor was the Wang Lun Uprising of 1774 in Shandong Province, led by Wang Lun, a martial artist and herbalist. Despite initial successes, Wang Lun's failure to build broad public support and share resources led to the quick collapse of his movement.
The White Lotus Rebellion itself emerged in the mountainous border region of Sichuan, Hubei, and Shaanxi provinces. Initially a tax protest, it quickly grew into a full-blown rebellion, promising personal salvation to its followers. The rebellion gained widespread support, posing a significant challenge to the Qing dynasty.
The Qianlong Emperor's initial efforts to suppress the rebellion were ineffective, as the rebels employed guerrilla tactics and easily blended back into civilian life. Qing troops, known for their brutality, were nicknamed the "Red Lotus." It wasn't until the early 1800s that the Qing government successfully suppressed the rebellion by implementing a combination of military action and social policies, including the formation of local militias and resettlement programs.
The rebellion exposed weaknesses in the Qing military and governance, contributing to the increasing frequency of rebellions in the 19th century. The suppression methods used by the Qing, particularly the formation of local militias, later influenced strategies employed during the Taiping Rebellion.