Lai Wenguang

Key Information

Lai Wenguang
Born	1827 (1827) Meizhou, Guangdong, Qing dynasty
Died	10 January 1868(1868-01-10) (aged 40–41) Yangzhou, Nanjing, Qing dynasty
Allegiance	Qing dynasty (to 1849) Taiping (to 1864) Nian Rebellion(to 1868)
Service years	1856–1868
Rank	Colonel General
Unit	Eastern Nian Army
Conflicts	Eastern Front Battle of Jiangnan (1860) Battle of Shanghai(1860), first time, Fallen down Qingpu District in June Western Front Third Battle of Wuhan(1856) Battle of Sanhe(1858) Battle of Guanzhong (1861) Hubei Pocket(1864) Nian Rebellion(1864-1868) Battle of Inlon River(1867)
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Lai Wenguang (Chinese: 賴文光; 1827–1868) was a Chinese military leader of the Taiping Rebellion and Nian Rebellion, and known during his military tenure as the King of Zun (遵王). He served under Hong Xiuquan's Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and was the younger brother of Hong Xiuquan's wife. He led Taiping forces to many military victories. Lai became the leader of Eastern Nian Army in 1866.^[when?][1] In June 1865, he commanded Nian cavalry forces of 90,000 in surrounding and attacking the capital Beijing, nearly successfully. Lai surrendered to Qing forces on January 5, 1868.^[1] He was executed by Li Hongzhang after interrogation in February.

Lai Wenguang attracted many northern Chinese to unite fighting against the Qing government because people believed the Aisin Gioro had a secret agenda to stage a coup against Empress Dowager Cixi.^{[citation needed]}

His elder brother Lai Hanying was a king in the Taiping Rebellion early on, and one of the few of kings still alive after the civil war ended in 1870.^{[citation needed]} As a child, future revolutionary Sun Yat-sen often heard the story of the Taiping Rebellion.