Small Swords Society

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Small Swords Society
Hanyu Pinyin
Xiǎodāohuì
Xiǎo Dāo Huì
Wade–GilesHsiao-tao Hui
Hsiao Tao Hui

Small Swords Society or Small Sword Society was a political and military organisation active in

concessions, which were regarded as the only safe places. The rebellion was suppressed and the society expelled from Shanghai in February 1855.[2][4]

History

Headquarters of the Small Swords Society in Shanghai

The organization was founded in 1850 during the upheavals leading to the

Red Turban Rebellion in Guangdong province, and used their symbolism.[8]

The Society succeeded in seizing

Red Turban Rebellion in Humen to seize the city of Huizhou, near Guangzhou, Guangdong province, helping to galvanise that insurrection.[10]

In 1851 the Society occupied the

Chinese city of Shanghai without invading the foreign concessions. The circuit intendant was forced to flee.[11] Large numbers of Chinese refugees from surrounding areas flooded into the foreign concessions in this period, dramatically increasing the population there and giving rise to the prevalent longtang or shikumen-style housing which came to dominate Shanghai by the early 20th Century.[12]

The Society's headquarters were in the Yu Garden of Shanghai, at the heart of the old city and today a popular tourist attraction and shopping district. There is a small museum displaying artefacts of the Society in the gardens.

The Small Sword Society in Shanghai initially declared the re-establishment of Da Ming Guo (Chinese: 大明国), the Great Ming State, and elected Liu Lichuan as leader, who wrote to the Heavenly King of the Taiping Tianguo to join his rebellion, subsequently adopting the Taiping Tianguo name. The society took steps to issue currency, encourage trade and stabilise the food supply.[13]

Conflict broke out between the Fujian and Guangdong factions, over whether they should leave with the loot they had acquired. At first, the British and American authorities remained neutral, while the French supported the imperial government. However, some British and American sailors joined up with the Small Swords Society. When French troops were sent in to support Qing imperial troops, this caused the situation of Westerners fighting Westerners. The British and American authorities then declared the sailors' actions illegal and joined in support for the imperial armies. The society's forces tried to break out from the siege but was destroyed in February 1855.[14] Remnant forces regrouped with the Taiping army.[15]

References

  1. ISBN 9780674123014
    . p. 102–3.
  2. ^
    ISBN 9781860111402
    .
  3. ISBN 9781563248313
    . pp. 17–18.
  4. ISBN 0-7007-0439-6
    .
  5. ISBN 9004119442
    .
  6. ^ Johnson, Linda Cooke (1995). Shanghai: from market town to treaty port, 1074-1858. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. pp. 267–291.
  7. ^ "Small Sword proclamations". Chinese Works (Wade collection). Cambridge Digital Library. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  8. ISBN 0824825381
    .
  9. ^ Jimei District Website at the Wayback Machine (archived 2007-09-28)
  10. ISBN 0520212398
    .
  11. doi:10.1163/157006102775123030
    .
  12. S2CID 144325990
    .
  13. ISBN 978-1598844160
    .
  14. ISBN 978-0810863088
    .
  15. ISBN 978-1598844153
    .
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