Page 38 - All About History 55 - 2017 UK

Time Traveller’s Handbook

YELLOW TURBAN

REBELLION Dos & don’ts

Adopt a pet cat. There will be
China, 184
hina has been ruled by the a widespread outbreak of
Han dynasty for almost 400 plague in 185, so keeping down
years but the golden age is the rat population near you is essential
Cover. In the capital of Luoyang, to avoid contagion.
the central government is weak
and corrupt. Emperor Ling has Keep a pig. Pork is extremely
been on the throne for 16 years but important to the Chinese diet
would rather spend time with his — pig breeders and butchers
concubines than run the country have high social status. General He Jin
— instead, the palace eunuchs plot comes from a family of butchers.
against the bureaucrats and sell
government positions to enrich Avoid Wan. The capital of
themselves. Two years of drought Nanyang is currently a rebel
followed by one of flooding have base. There is fierce fighting
led to widespread famine. Many there now and imperial troops will soon
see this as a sign that the emperor massacre the revolutionaries.
has lost his ‘Mandate from Heaven’.
Meanwhile, in the northeast of Bring a facemask. Imperial
the country, a Daoist faith healer Han troops use chariots with
called Zhang Jue is leading a bellows that pump calcium
rebellion. His followers wear yellow oxide powder at the enemy — an early
headscarves, or turbans, to signify form of chemical weapon!
that the ‘Blue Age’ of the Han Fig.01
dynasty is over and a new Open a shop. State-registered
‘Yellow Age’ has begun. merchants are considered
social parasites and beneath
contempt. They must wear white
WHERE TO STAY clothes by law so everyone can
The capital city of Luoyang recognise them.
is too dangerous right now.
Paranoid officials will seize Become a eunuch. Although
any strange outsiders and they currently have huge
arrest them as spies or power within the imperial
insurgents. But the provincial palace, things are about to change and
Fig.02
cities are even worse — you the Confucians will execute 2,000
risk being recruited to fight eunuchs in 189.
against the rebels by local
commanders, or caught up Pay a Daoist. The Yellow
in a siege when they attack. Turban Daoists follow many of
Your best bet is to hide out the teachings of the Five Pecks
in the smaller villages in the of Rice movement. Leaders only accept
rebel-held provinces in the rice from their followers, not money.
northwest of the country.
Julu County (now Pingxiang Wear red. In the Han dynasty,
in Hebei province) is the red is the colour of the fire
birthplace of the Yellow element and is worn by
Turban leadership, but it isn’t members of court — particularly red
strategically important by socks or shoes.
itself so it won’t be targeted
by imperial forces.
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