Questioning “Linear Christianity versus Cyclical China:” The Complexity of Time Perception with an Example of the Taiping Rebellion

This article examines the concept of time and its implications in the interactions between Chinese cultures and Protestantism. It challenges the common dichotomy of “linear Christianity versus cyclical China.” It argues that both time models coexist and often blend. The article explores this complexity through the example of the Taiping Rebellion (1850-64), influenced by Protestant missionaries in 19th-century China. In the Taiping movement's unique theology, time was conceived as both linear and cyclical, with their leadership's structure imbuing time with a mythical dimension. Ultimately, their expression of time reflects a negotiation between Christian and Chinese cultural frameworks.