Adam H. Greenwood and Dr. Chris Crowe, English

The Taiping, a native Chinese Christian movement and rebellion in the 1850s and 1860s, had prophecy, polygamy, and wanted to set up God’s kingdom here on the earth. These positions earned them the opposition of China’s missionaries and colonial powers, not to mention that of their own government, the Manchu Imperial dynasty.

My novel centers on this real historical phenomenon through the experiences of a real person, Augustus F. Lindley, a merchant who sympathized with the Taiping cause and eventually joined their war against their attackers.

As background for the novel, I built on previous research I had done on the Taiping for a history class on Christianity in China. I researched the Taiping religion and culture, the events of the Taiping Rebellion, contemporary Chinese culture, colonial diplomacy and policies in China, and the mid-19th century expatriate experience in China. The memoirs of Lindley and others were invaluable.

I also researched novel writing, especially historical novel writing. I have so far written character sketches, a 26-page plot outline, and the first three chapters of the novel, in addition to a few fragments at other points on the outline.