Page:Tseng Kuo Fan and the Taiping Rebellion.djvu/58

40 13. To make the heavenly city our capital; to found the heavenly kingdom, 14. [That] the ministers and people of all nations might do homage to their Father Emperor. 

The Trimetrical Classic also gives us a hint regarding these descents:

Another extract regarding the same year, which also appears in the proclamation sent to the British in 1858 may refer to one of these descents, though it gives the appearance of being a special manifestation of power.

In the year "Wu-shin" [1848], when the King of the South was besieged in Kwei-ping, We besought the Father to come down and manifest his terms. We had returned from Kwangsi to Kwang-tung. The Heavenly Father did come down to the world and rescued [the king of] the south. 

Hung Jin's account of what was happening during this year, while Fêng Yun-shan was absent in Kwangtung, pictures among the God-worshippers a great amount of disorder and dissension. From his description it would