Predecessors Zhangzhou militias under
Zhu Yigui rebelled against the Qing in 1721 and fought against militias mostly composed of Quanzhou and Hakka people.
Start of rebellion Lin was an immigrant from
Zhangzhou who came to Taiwan with his relatives in the 1770s. They were involved in the secret anti-Qing
Tiandihui (Heaven and Earth Society). Internecine fighting between Zhangzhou, Quanzhou and Hakka plagued the island. In 1786, the Qing-appointed Governor of Taiwan, , discovered and suppressed the Tiandihui. He also arrested Lin Shuangwen's uncles. The Tiandihui members gathered
Ming loyalists, and , and other leaders organized the rest of the society members in a revolt in an attempt to free his uncle. On January 16, 1787, Lin murdered Sun Jingsui and other officials. The number of insurgents quickly rose to 50,000 people. By February, in less than a year, the rebels occupied almost all of southern Taiwan except for
Zhuluo County and Lugangzhen (). They managed to push out some government forces out of Lin's home base in
Changhua and Tamsui. In response, Qing troops were sent to suppress them in a hurry. The eastern insurgents defeated the poorly organized troops and had to resist falling to the enemy. However, Lin's Zhangzhou forces fought against militias made out of mostly Quanzhou and Hakka people - who together made up approximately half of the Han migrants to Taiwan, with Lin's Zhangzhou people comprising the other half. Militias made out of majority Quanzhou and Hakka people cooperated with the Qing army to defeat Lin's armies. The Tiandihui rebels under Lin Shuangwen performed rituals like cockerel sacrifice.
Quanzhou and Hakka By this point, the fighting was drawing in Zhangzhou people beyond just the society members, and activating the old feuds; this brought out
Quanzhou networks (as well as Hakka) on behalf of the government. Lin's forces were made mostly of Zhangzhou people, and the Zhangzhou and Quanzhou people were already feuding with each other, so the rebellion sparked a large-scale battle between the two sides. The Quanzhou faction formed their own army and cooperated with the Qing forces to resist Lin. Zhangzhou militias also fought against Hakka militias. Hakka people from Taozhumiao (), Liudui (), and other places organized a Taiwan Hakka volunteer army. The Hakka cooperated with the Qing army to defeat Lin's forces and defend their homes. Under the leadership of Chen Ziyun (), the Qing and Hakka forces battled in
Hsinchu and other places. Eventually, the government sent sufficient force to restore order. The governors of Zhejiang and Fujian then sent Fuzhou general
Hengrui (
恆瑞) and 4,000 troops to Taiwan to help quell the rebellion. After April 23, another 10,000 Qing troops were sent to Taiwan, and then another 7,000 were added.
Qing reinforcements Finally, in December 10, the Qing imperial court sent
Fuk'anggan to quell the rebellion with a force of 20,000 soldiers, while , Counsellor of the Police, deployed nearly 3,000 people to fight the insurgents with the majority from the
Green Standard Army and a minority from the
Eight Banners. These new troops were well equipped, disciplined and had necessary combat experience which proved enough to route the insurgents. The Qing annihilated Lin's army and captured Lin on February 10, 1788. As many as 300,000 took part in the rebellion. The Ming loyalists had lost the war, their leaders were executed, and the remaining rebels hid among the locals. == Punishment ==