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In 1837, the visions began for Hong Xiuquan: old men were telling him he would be worshipped; Confucius was repenting for his faithlessness; black-bearded men waited on clouds for his body to be lifted by angels to the gates of Heaven. Such high self-affinity does not go un-remarked particularly when 20 million had perished, starved or tortured by beastly diseases. The out-of-body experiences brought on by over-zealous praise soon turned an innocent child into the self-proclaimed brother of Jesus, who launched the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing Dynasty. Here, the enhanced negative photograph is a reminder of how over-embellished childhood egos may not flourish in the way intended, but rather take over the natural self, and grow to seek only greater vindication. [Jack Mur] |
