The
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom developed a complicated
peerage
A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks.
Peerages include:
Australia
* Australian peers
Belgium
* Belgi ...
system for
noble ranks.
King/Prince
''Wang'' (王, lit. "king" or "prince") was the highest title of nobility, often hereditary, ranked just below the
Heavenly King. There were five ranks of ''wang'':
Non-hereditary nobility ranks
Below the king or prince, there were six ranks of nobility () in Taiping Heavenly Kingdom: ''E'' (義 ''Yì''), ''An'' (安 ''Ān''), ''Fu'' (福 ''Fú''), ''Yen'' (燕 ''Yān''), ''Yü'' (豫 ''Yù'') and ''Hou'' (侯 ''Hóu'').
The nobility titles were not hereditary.
''E'' and ''An'' were most highest ranks of the nobility, once they were very noble titles of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. If the
Heavenly King wanted to promote someone, he gave the person either ''E'' or ''An''. However, this rule was challenged after 1860 because the nobility titles had been given too freely.
Notable people
*
Chen Yucheng
Chen Yucheng (), born Chen Picheng (; 1837May 1862), was a Chinese general during the Taiping Rebellion and later served as the Heroic (Ying) Prince (or Brave King) of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in the later stages of the rebellion, nicknamed " ...
was titled Cheng Tian Yi (成天義) in 1857
*
Liang Chengfu
Liang Chengfu (; died 26 June 1865) was an eminent military leader of the Taiping Rebellion, and known during his military tenure as the King of Qi (啟王). He led Taiping forces to many military victories especially at Hubei and Shaanxi in cent ...
was titled Zeng Tian Yi (則天義) in 1860
*
Tan Shaoguang was titled Jian Tian Yi (建天義) in 1861
*
Ye Yenlai
Ye Yunlai (, died 1861) was a military leader of the Taiping Rebellion. He began his military career in the Jintian Uprising, later becoming a general, leading Taiping forces to many military victories. He was the chief commander defending Anqing ...
was titled Sho Tian An (受天安) in 1857
*
Hong Rengan
Hong Rengan (; 18 February 1822 – 23 November 1864) was an important leader of the Taiping Rebellion. He was a distant cousin of the movement's founder and spiritual leader Hong Xiuquan. His position as the Gan Wang (干王, lit. "the Shield Ki ...
was titled Gan Tian Fu (干天福) in 1859
*
Qin Rigang
Qin Rigang (秦日綱, 1821 – 1856), né Qin Richang (秦日昌), was a Hakka people, Hakka military leader of the Taiping Rebellion, known during his military tenure as the King of Yen (燕王). He served under Hong Xiuquan's Taiping Administr ...
was titled Ding Tian Yan (頂天燕) in 1856
* was titled Hu Tian Yu (護天豫) in 1854
See also
*
Royal and noble ranks of the Qing dynasty
Notes
References
*
Chinese nobility
Taiping Rebellion
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