#i'm really not as well-versed in this overall dynasty as i'd like

[ultranos]

okay do you have any thoughts on the historical basis of the white lotus society? because I had my mind absolutely blown when I was listening to my history of china podcast and the host casually dropped the name 'white lotus society' and 'millenarian cult' in the same sentence during his episode on the rise of the ming dynasty. the thought of iroh in an ascetic society characterized by their belief that the second buddha was going to destroy the wicked and bring paradise to believers is wild.

It’s kind of wild, especially if you consider how they kind of kept starting rebellions. The Red Turban Rebellion led to the leader founding the Ming dynasty. So that’s...awkward, if Iroh is supposed to be the leader. And then there’s the White Lotus Rebellion, which was started as antitax, of all things.

Actually, no the really awkward part is how the methods used to deal with the White Lotus Rebellion was then used to suppress the Taiping Rebellion, which was the bloodiest civil war in history. And I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to reference the White Lotus Rebellion, since the Qing troops got the nickname “Red Lotus Society”.

But I admit Ming and Qing dynasty history is not my strong suit. I just kinda know that all the social upheaval in the Qing era probably did not help things when European powers decided to show up with their opium.