THE SPLIT 225 “eminence”of the other kings,just as the“kindness and liberality”of Yang the Comforter is separated from the mere "tolerance"of the other kings.30 On March 2,1854,God pays another visit to earth through the mouth of Yang.This time,His message is in two parts.One part is again directed against the veterans from Guangxi,especially those of the highest ranks, just below the kings;three of these men are manacled and lectured on duty and morality before they are released.Two other men,senior Guang- xi veterans,are brought forward and accused in front of all their col- leagues of sleeping with their wives on four or five occasions,instead of following the Taiping prohibitions of sexual love until such time as final victory over the demons has been won.One of these men-now a minister at court,and in earlier days the collaborator with Hong Xiuquan on the expanded Taiping version of the Ten Commandments-is given a pardon after he makes a full confession.The other is condemned to death,along with his wife,by being beheaded in public,on the grounds that they tried to suborn their female staff from revealing the news of what they had done.31 In making his accusations,God through Yang reminds the Tai- ping officials of the penetrating power of his vision,which has led him to unmask traitors in the Taiping ranks on crucial occasions in the past,both in the Guiping region and in occupied Yongan.By pinning this scrutiny to the intimate activities of the bedchamber,Yang even more strongly makes the point that no one can escape God's all-seeing eyes and Yang's network of informers.32 In the second part of his March message God speaks through Yang of the fundamental virtues that are embedded in China's classical texts.God first states his position elliptically,through a riddle-like couplet: The heroes of old are never lost to us, For their achievements have been preserved for us in the pages of books. Once the Taiping officials,on God's urgings,have done their best to explain this utterance,God through Yang gives his own elaboration: "You should ask Fourth Brother [Yangl to notify your Heavenly King that among the ancient books which were condemned as demonic are Four Books and Thirteen Classics which advocate Heavenly feeling and truth. These books exhort people to be filial and loyal to their country.For this reason,East King requested me to order the preservation of those books. You should keep the books in compliance with truth,filial piety,and loyaity,THE SPL1T 225 “crnincncc” of thc Othcr kings, just as thc “kindncss and libcrality” of Yang thc Comfortcr is scparatcd frol△ l thc lucrc‘ ‘tolCrancc’ ’of thC Othcr kings,30 On Ⅸ淫arch2,1854,Cyod pays anothcr visit to carth through thc mouth of Yang,1Γ his tirnc,His rncssagc is in t、vo parts.Onc part is again dircctcd against thc vctcrans from Guangxi,cspccially thosc of thc highcst ranks, just bclow thc kings;thrcc of thcsc mcn alc manaClcd and lcctulcd on duty and rnorahty bcforc thcy arc rclcascd。 T、vo othcr rncn,scnior Guang一 xi vctcrans, arc brought forward and accuscd in front of aⅡ thcir col一 lcagucs of slccping、 vith thcir、 vivcs on four or6vc Occasions,instcad of folloⅥ `ing thc Taiping prohibitions of scxual lovc until such tirnc as snal victory ovcr thc dcmons has bccn won.Onc ofthcsc rncn_-noⅥ /a∏1inistcr at court,and in carhcr days thc coⅡ aborator with Hong Xiuquan on thc cxpandcd Taiping vcrsion ofthc'Γ cn Corll】nandmcnts-— is givcn a pardon aftcr hc lnakcs a full confcssion,Thc othcr is condcmncd to dcath,along Ⅵ/ith his、vifc,by bcing bchcadcd in pubhc,on thc grounds that thcy tricd to suborn thcir fcmalc stafFˉ flom rcvcaling thc ncws of What thcy had donc。 31 In making his accusations,(sod through、 'ang rclllinds thc'Γ ai￾ping onscials。 f thc pcnctrating po、 vcr of his Vision,、 vhich has lcd hirn to unmask tr’ itors in thc Taiping ranks on crucial occasions in rhc past,b° th in thc Guiping rcgion and in occupicd Yongan By pinning this scfutiny to thc intimatc activitics of thc bcdchambcr, Yang cvcn morc strongly makcs thc point that no onc Can csCapc God’ s all-sccing cycs and Yang’ s nctWork ofinformcrs,2 In thc sccond part of his March mcssagc C)od spcaks through Yang of thc fundamcntal virtucs that arc cmbcddcd in China’ s classical tcxts.God 6rst statcs his position clliptically,thr。 ugh a ridd1c-hkc couplct∶ Thc hcr。 cs of old arc ncvcr lost to us, F° r thcir achicvcn△cnts havc bccn prcscrVcd f0r usin thc pagcs of books Oncc thc Taiping omcials, 。n God’ s urgings, havc donc thcir bcst to cxplain this uttcrancc,God through1冫 ang givcs his° xx/n claboration∶ “You should ask Fourth Brothcr丨 Yanglto n。 ti± y your Hcavcnly King that among thc ancicnt books 、vhich Ⅵ/erc condcmncd as dcmonic arc Four Books and Thirtccn Classics Ⅵ`hich advocatc Hcavcnly fcchng and truth, Thcsc books cxhort pcoplc to bc nlial and loyal t° thcir country,For this rcason,East X1ing rcqucstcd llac to ordcr thc prcscrvation of thosc books You sh° uld kccp thc booksin comphancc Ⅵ`ith truth,shaI Picty,and loytlIty