THE SPLIT 221 to Hong's visions of 1837.For in that vision,and as constantly retold in Taiping texts,and even revisited in the minds of Hong's disciples,the figure of God the Father was wearing a black dragon robe in Heaven.18 In 1849,Hong's loyalest followers were promised that if they persevered and were victorious one day they would wear dragon robes and horn belts, whereas if they did evil they would be killed.9 During the early cam- paigns of 1850,Hong's own rural retreat was euphemistically known as the Golden Dragon Palace,and was visited by all the leading Taiping commanders,including Yang Xiuqing.20 Hong Xiuquan defends himself by saying to Yang that their Elder Brother,Jesus,long before in the This- tle Mountain area came down to earth and announced that"dragons are demons"although "the dragon of the Golden Dragon Hall was not a demon but a truly precious creature,"and Hong chose to focus on the first part of these remarks and not the second.21 One of the inner Taiping texts,not yet distributed to all the Taiping followers but known to Hong-and surely to Yang as well-quoted Jesus' remarks in the Pingnan Mountains,autumn of 1848,as follows: "Hong Xiuquan,my own younger brother,can it be you do not know the astral prophecy of the dragon demon?The dragon of the sea is this same leader of the demon devils,and he that the people of the world call the devil Yan Luo is that same dragon of the Eastern Sea.He is the one who can change his form,and deceives the souls of those who live on earth.When you some time ago came up to Heaven,and together with the great army of the Heavenly Host fought against that square-headed red-eyed demon devil leader,that too was him.Have you now forgotten that?"And the Heavenly King replied,"I would have forgotten had my Heavenly Elder Brother not reminded me."22 In glossing this sacred text in the direction desired by Yang-as Hong forthwith meekly does,with the words"From now on,whenever dragons are engraved by our Heavenly Kingdom or Heavenly Court,all shall be considered as precious golden dragons,and there is no need to regard them with glaring eyes"-Hong has in fact yielded up a point in a long- standing argument over imagery and iconography,and their relationship to idolatry. It is essential to Hong Xiuquan,if he is to keep his paramount position within the Taiping movement,that the central truth of his journey to Heaven not be disputed.Yang may speak with the voice of God,but Hong has seen and talked with God,recorded the color of His beard and clothes,and has seen and talked with Jesus.Thus when he is presentedTHE SP1~IT 221 1。 Hong’s visions of1837,For in that vision,and as constantly rctold in I aiping tcxts, and cvcn rcvisitcd in thc∏1inds °f Hong’s disciplcs, thc igurc of CJod thc Fathcr、 vas、Vcaring a black dragon robC in Hcavcn1: in 1849,Hong’ s loyalcst R,llo、 vcrs wcrc proΠ1iscd that if thcy pcrscvcrcd 三nd、VCrc victorious onc day thcy、 vould、 vcar dragon robCs and horn bclts, 、vhcrcas if thcy did cvⅡ thcy 、vould bc kⅡ lcd.19 During thc carly cam￾Paigns of1850,Hong’ so、vn rural rctrcat、 vas cuphcΠ1isticaⅡy kno、vn as thc Goldcn Dragon Palacc, and was visitcd by all thc lcading Taiping =o∏111,andcrs,including Yang Xiuqing.20Hong9muquan dcfcnds hirnsclf by saying to Yang that thcir Eldcr Brothcr,Jcsus,l° ng bcforc in thc'Γ his￾tlc1√ Iountain arca camc do、 vn to carth and announccd that“dragons arc dcmons’’ although “thc dragon of thc Goldcn Dragon Hall Ⅵ/as not a dcmon but a truly prccious crcaturc,’ ’and Hong chosc to focus on thc srst part°f thCsc rcmarks and not thc sccond.21 Onc of thc inncr Taiping tcxts,not yct distributcd to all thc Taiping roⅡ owcFs but kn° wn to Hong and surdyto Yang as wcll quotcd Jcsus’ rcmarks in thc Pingnan h/Iountains,autumn of1848,as follo、 vs∶ ‘‘Hong Xiuquan,rny oⅥ`n youngcr brothcr,can it bc you do not knoⅥ `thc astral prophccy of thc dragon dCmonP Thc dragon of thc sca is this samc lcadcr ofthc dcm°n dcv⒒ s,and hc thatthc pcoplc ofthc Ⅵ/orld call thc dcvil Yan Luo 1s that samc dragon of thc Eastcrn Sca. Hc ls thc onc who can changc his f° rn、 and dcccivcs thc souls of thosc、 vho1ivc On carth,、 Vhcn you somc tirnc ago camc up to HCaven,and togcthcr、 vith thc grcat army of thc Hcavcnly Host fought against that squarc-hcadcd rcd-cycd dcmon dcvil lcadcr,thattoo was him,Havc you now forgottcn that氵 ”And thc Hcavcnly ×ling rcphcd,“ I、vould havc forgottcn had my Hcavcnly Eldcr Brothcr not rCr丫 )1ndCd mc,’22 In glossing this sacrcd tcxt in thc dircction dcsircd by Yang— —as Hong forthwith mcckly docs,with thc words“ From now on,whcncvcr dragons arc cngravcd by our Hcavcnly κ1ingd°m or Hcavcnly Court,all shall bc considcrcd as prccious goldcn dragons,and thcrc is no nccd to rcgard thcm with glaring cycs’ ’一ˉHong has in fact yicldcd up a point in a long冖 standing argumcnt ovCr imagcry and iconography,and thcir rclationship to idolatry, It is csscntial to Hong Xiuquan,if hc is to kccp his paramount position within thc Taiping movcmCnt,that thc ccntral truth of his journcy to Hcavcn n°t bc disputcd。 Yang may spcak 、vith thc voicc of CJod, but H°ng has sccn and talkcd、 vith God,rccordcd thc color of His bcard and clothcs,and has sccn and talkcd、vith Jcsus· Thus、vhcn hc is prcscntcd