THE SPLIT 219 It is at the end of December 1853 that Yang Xiuqing changes the rules as they have begun to coalesce,and begins to speak once again publicly as the voice of God.This is the first clear move in a sequence that will take Yang himself and thousands of other Taiping followers to their death. The timing and the precise motivation for the change are ambiguous.The news from the northern expedition is bad but not yet disastrous,and Yang has ordered massive reinforcements to move north from Yangzhou;the western expedition has temporarily stalled,but has already achieved remarkable successes;and the French have visited Nanjing on the Cassini and left again without making any offers of support despite Taiping encouragement. The visitation is announced abruptly,in the middle of a working day, after the North King and other senior officials have conferred with Yang about their administrative duties.Four of Yang's palace women officials, with their assistants,are the only ones with him,and it is to these women that God first speaks through Yang's mouth.God's message to these women is that Hong Xiuquan,the Heavenly King,has grown both harsh and indulgent with his power:harsh to the women who serve in atten- dance on him,and indulgent to his son the Young Monarch,now four years old.In particular,four of the palace women who work for the Heav- enly King-the message names them individually-should be released from their palace duties with Hong and sent to live instead in the palace complex of Yang,the East King.Their duties could be taken over by any of Hong's other palace women.By the time the North King and the other Taiping officials arrive,God has returned to Heaven,so kneeling they receive the message from the women of the court.In a second swift visit through Yang,this time at the court of Hong Xiuquan,God orders the Heavenly King to receive forty blows of the rod for his derelictions.Only when Hong prostrates himself to receive the blows does God forgive him and return to Heaven.12 The charges of harshness and indulgence are then discussed by Yang Xiuqing:the Young Monarch,Hong's four-year-old son,is self-indulgent and willful-he plays in the rain,despite the possible harm,and that must be stopped.He smashes presents that he is given,and that too must cease, lest as a ruler in the future he abuse the people.3 The harshness to the women has also taken various forms:when palace women dig an orna- mental pool for Hong,he treats it as a general might a military operation, ordering them to work through rain or snow.The concubines have been allowed to sneer at and scold the women officials,preventing them from doing their duty in the palace,and when the women officials are attendingTHE sPLIT 219 Itis at thc cnd of Dcccmbcr1853that γ 冫ang Xiuqing changcs thc rulcs 三s thcy havc bcgun to coalcscc,and bcgins to spcak oncc again pubhcly as 1hc voicc of God,This is thc nrst cIcar rnovc in a scqucncc that、 vⅡl takc 、 ˉ ang hirnsclf and thousands of othcr Taiping follo、 vcrs to thcir dcath l hc tirning and thc prccisc rnotivation for thc changc arc ambiguous.Thc △C`Vs from thc northcrn cxpcdition is bad but n。 t yct disastrous,and Yang ias Ordcrcd massivc rcinforccmcnts to moVc north frolyl Yangzhou;thc △cstCrn CXpcdition has tcmporarⅡ y stallcd, but has alrcady achicvcd rcmarkablc succcsscs;and thc Frcnch havc visitcd Naniing on thc C夕 “ '`2丿 三nd lCft again without making any o￡ ￡crs of support dCspitc Taiping :ncouragcmcnt。 Thc visitaoon is announccd abrupdy,in thc∏ 1iddlc of a、 vorking day, =rtcr thc North I(ing and othcr scnior ofscials havc confcrrcd、 vith Yang 三bout thcir adrninistrativc dutics。 Four of Yang’ s palacc、 vomcn offIcials, 、ith thcir assistants,arc thc only oncs with hirn,and it is to thcsc、 vomCn that God srst spcaks through Yang’ s mouth。 CJod’ s mcssagc to thCsC 、vomcn is that Hong Xiuquan,thc Hcavcnly】 (ing,has gro、 vn both harsh jnd indulgcnt with his polx/cr:harsh to thc、 vomcn who scrvc in attcn￾dancc On hirn,and indulgcnt to his son thc Young Monarch,no、 v four )Cars old· In particular,four ofthc palacc、 vomCn、Vho work forthc Hcav- :nly King— —thc mcssagc namcs thcn△ individually— —should bc rclcascd from thcir palacc dutics、 vith Hong and scnt to livc instcad in thc palacc :omplcx of Yang,thc East I《 ing.Thcir dutics could bc takcn ovcr by any of Hong’ s othcr palacc、 vomcn.By thc tirnc thc North I《Ling and thc othcr Taiping ofscials arrivc,(jod has rcturncd to Hcavcn,so kncchng thcy rcccivc thc mcssagc f1· om thc womcn ofthC court。 In a sccond swift visit through Yang,this tirnc at thc court of Hong Xiuquan,(jod ordcrs thc Hcavcnly King to rcccivc forty bloⅥ/s of thc rod for his dcrchctions.Only “hcn Hong prostratcs hirnsclf to rcccivc thc blows docs CJod forgivc hirn and rcturn to Hcavcn,2 Thc chargcs of harshncss and indulgcncc arc thcn discusscd by γ 厂ang Xiuqing:thc Young NIonarch,Hong’ s four-ycar一old son,is sclf-indulgcnt and、vⅡ lful——hc plays in thc rain,dcspitc thc possiblc harn1,and that rnust bc stoppcd.Hc smashcs prcscnts that hc is givcn,and that too must ccasc, lcst as a rulcr in thc futurc hc abusc thc pcoplc,13'Γ hc harshncss to thc `vomcn has also takcn various forms: 、vhcn palacc womcn dig an orna￾mcntal pool for I△ong,hc trcats it as a gcncral rnight a rnⅡ itary opcration, ordcring thcnn t0、 vork through rain or snoⅥ /,Thc concubincs havc bccn allo、vcd to snccr at and scold thc、 vomcn ofscials,prcvcnting thcn△ from d° ing thcir duty in thc palacc,and、 vhcn thc womcn ofncials arc attcnding