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Zeng Guofan

Qing official from Xiangxiang who raised the Xiang Army, defeated the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in 1864 and set up one of the first modern arsenals at Anqing

Also known as Chuming Zicheng · Zi Bohan · Hao Disheng · Wen Zheng · Yi Deng Yi Yong Hou

Zeng Guofan, first named Zicheng, courtesy name Bohan, styled Disheng, came from Xiangxiang in Hunan. He passed the jinshi examination in 1838, entered the Hanlin Academy and within ten years became a vice-minister of rites. While at home mourning his mother in 1852 he was ordered to help organize the Hunan militia, which he built into the Xiang Army to fight the Taiping. Made acting governor-general of Liangjiang in 1860, he set up an arsenal at Anqing after taking the city the next year, and when his brother Zeng Guoquan captured the Taiping capital Nanjing in 1864 he was created a marquis of the first rank. He later served as governor-general of Zhili and again of Liangjiang, handled the Tianjin massacre of 1870, and in 1871 joined Li Hongzhang in proposing that boys be sent to study in America. He died in office at Nanjing early in 1872 and was named Wenzheng; the first group of students sailed that autumn.

Life and times

  1. 1811 CEBornQing
  2. 1851Taiping RebellionTook partage 40The massive civil rebellion that shattered the centralization of the late Qing.
  3. 1861Self-Strengthening MovementTook partage 50Self-Strengthening officials founded arsenals, shipyards, and technical schools to introduce machine production, modern weapons, translation, and naval training.
    1. Self-Strengthening Arsenals and Beiyang FleetFounding Jiangnan Arsenal & Beiyang Fleet in Modernization Drive
  4. 1872 CEDied

Works

  1. Literature · Prose9
    1. Family Letters of Zeng GuofanQingOver a thousand letters from Zeng Guofan to his family on study, conduct, household and war
    2. Proclamation Against the Cantonese BanditsQingZeng Guofan's 1854 call to arms against the Taipings in defence of Confucian order
    3. On the Origin of TalentQingZeng Guofan's 1846 essay after Han Yu: a few leaders' aims shape customs and talent
    4. Miscellaneous Selections from the Classics, Histories and Hundred SchoolsQingZeng Guofan's 26-juan anthology of prose from the classics on, in eleven genres
    5. Family Letters of Zeng Guofan: On StudyQing
    6. +4 more
      1. Family Letters of Zeng Guofan: On Self-CultivationQing
      2. Family Letters of Zeng Guofan: On the FamilyQing
      3. Family Letters of Zeng Guofan: To Jize, on How to Read (21st day, 7th month, 1858)Qing
      4. Miscellaneous Selections from the Classics, Histories and Hundred Schools: Preface and PrinciplesQing
  2. Literature · Sayings6
    1. Neither May Be Neglected for the OtherQingIdiom in Zeng Guofan's letter on reading: give both sides their due
    2. Thousands Upon Thousands of WordsQingIdiom from Zeng Guofan's letters: all the sages' words come down to respect and empathy
    3. Seek the Fault in OneselfQingIdiom from the Mencius: the archer who misses blames himself, not the winner
    4. Not a Blade of Grass Left: Zeng Guofan's Proclamation Against the TaipingQingIdiom from Zeng Guofan's proclamation: plundered so thoroughly no grass remains
    5. Storming Cities and Seizing TerritoryQingIdiom from the Huainanzi, used by Zeng Guofan: wide reading conquers new ground
    6. +1 more
      1. Jade and Stone Burned Together: Zeng Guofan's WarningQingIdiom in Zeng Guofan's proclamation of 1854: jade and stone consumed in one fire

Family tree

  1. Direct kin
    Zeng Guofan
    Son
    Zeng Jize

Connections

  1. Shared events2
    1. Hong Xiuquan1814 CE–1864 CE
    2. Yixin1833 CE–1898 CE
  2. Others2
    1. Zuo ZongtangOfficer in his raised army · 1812 CE–1885 CE
    2. Li HongzhangStaff aide · 1823 CE–1901 CE