In July 1850 the Taiping rebellion, initiated by Hung Hsiu-ch'üan [q. v.], broke out at Chin-t'ien ts'un in the district of Kuei-p'ing, Kwangsi. As the governor of Kwangsi had failed to check the uprising Hsiang Jung was transferred to that province as commander-in-chief to suppress the insurgents, but his efforts were likewise unsuccessful. By 1851 the rebels had extended their activities from Kuei-p'ing to the neighboring districts of Kuei-hsien, Wu-hsüan and Hsiang-chou.
Aware of the danger of the uprising and the weakness of the government forces, the Emperor appointed Grand Secretary Sai-shang-a (see under Ch'ung-ch'i) Imperial Commissioner in charge of military affairs in Kwangsi, with Wu-lan-t'ai 烏蘭泰 (T. 遠芳, posthumous name 武壯, d. 1852) as assistant commander. Their army, consisting of bannermen and the militia from Hunan and Szechwan, made a general advance on the Taipings in Hsiang-chou and harried them in several engagements. But on September 25, 1851, the rebels fled to Yung-an-chou, Kwangsi and organized their own government. Before long the imperial forces besieged Yung-an-chou, but owing to differences of opinion between Hsiang Jung, Wu-lan-t'ai and other generals over military tactics, and because of faulty cooperation, the Taipings were able, one rainy night (April 6, 1852), to escape the siege of Yung-an-chou and proceed first to Kuei-lin, then capital of Kwangsi (April 18), and later to Ch'üan-chou (June 3). From Ch'üan-chou they advanced to Yung-chou in Hunan (June 9), thence to Tao-chou, Chên-chou and Changsha, capital of Hunan, which city they attacked in vain from September 11 to November 30 (1852), when they abandoned the siege and went northward to Yochow. For failing to stem the tide, Sai-shang-a was dismissed and Hsiang Jung was deprived of his rank.
Nevertheless Hsiang Jung persistently pursued the rebels from Kwangsi to Hunan and on to Hupeh whose capital, Wuchang, fell into the insurgent's hands on January 12, 1853. Hsiang and other generals fought day and night to recover Wuchang which the enemy finally relinquished on February 9. For thus doggedly chasing the rebels Hsiang Jung had his rank restored to him and he was appointed Imperial Commissioner in place of Sai-shang-a. But soon thereafter (February 18) the Taipings took Kiukiang and thence sailed rapidly down the Yangtze and captured Nanking (March 19-21) which was made the capital of the "Tai-p'ing T'ien-kuo" or Heavenly Kingdom of Peace.
About ten days after the fall of Nanking Hsiang Jung reached that city and stationed his large force not far from the walls—at Hsiao-ling wei 孝陵衛, the tomb of the first Ming emperor. His quarters came to be called the Great Camp of Kiangnan (江南大營) and those of another army of considerable strength, which had concentrated at Yangchow, were known as the Great Camp of Kiangpei (see under Tê-hsing-a). Thereupon the Taipings sent an expedition to North China (see under Sêng-ko-lin-ch'in) and another to South China in order to shake the rear of Hsiang Jung's position. Hsiang's troops, consisting of his own regulars and militia from several provinces, advanced on Nanking from the east, the south, and the north (a large contemporary wall map in the Library of Congress shows pictorially the disposition of the forces). Yet despite frequent engagements outside the walls, none of his efforts were conclusive. He sent a detachment to frustrate the enemy's advance on Soochow and Ch'ang-chou, and dispatched a brigade to Wu-hu to repulse a rebel attack on his rear. In 1854 his defensive tactics near Nanking were particularly effective, and by 1855 Hsiang was in a favorable position. His forces had conquered Wu-hu and repulsed a furious attack on his camp.
But unfortunately in 1856 Hsiang Jung met a decisive defeat. It was the plan of the Taipings to divide his forces by making an assault on Ning-kuo in Anhwei and on Chinkiang in Kiangsu. Hsiang fell into their plot by sending relief expeditions to these cities. Taking advantage of Hsiang's weakness, the Taiping strategist, Yang Hsiu-ch'ing [q. v.], aided by the combined forces of Shih Ta-k'ai, Ch'ên Yü-ch'êng [qq. v.] and others, made a general attack on the Great Camp outside Nanking. Theirs was a smashing blow which divided the imperalists and compelled a general retreat to Tan-yang. At this critical moment, according to the Taiping leader, Li Hsiu-ch'êng [q. v.], Hsiang Jung committed suicide. The government accounts, however, state that Hsiang died of disappointment, vexation, and illness. He was canonized as Chung-wu 忠武 and was posthumously given the hereditary rank of Ch'ing-ch'ê tu-yü of the first class.
After the death of Hsiang Jung, Ho-ch'un 和春 (T. 雨亭, d. 1860) succeeded him as imperial commissioner and Chang Kuo-liang 張國樑 (T. 殿臣, original ming 嘉祥, d. May
293
