Zeng Guofan (1811--1872) was one of the most influential figures in Chinese history. He came to Beijing as a scholar from a

remote mountain village in Shuangfeng, Hunan to take the exam. After being a Jinshi in the capital for ten years, he moved seven times and was promoted ten times in a row. At the age of 37, he was appointed as the Minister of Rites and reached the second rank. Immediately after Chuangjian returned to his hometown due to his mother's death, just as the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom swept across the land of Xianghu, he took advantage of the situation and pulled up a special militia, the Hunan Army, in his hometown, and went through hardships to pacify the Qing Dynasty. Tianxia, ??

was named a first-class Yongyihou, and became the first person in the Qing Dynasty to be awarded the title of Wuhou by a scholar. He later served as the governor of Liangjiang and the governor of Zhili

and held a first-class official position. , was given the posthumous title "Wen Zheng" after his death. The era that Zeng Guofan lived in was a turbulent era in which the Qing Dynasty changed from the prosperous period of Qian and Jiaqing

to decline and decline, with internal and external troubles coming one after another. Due to the efforts of Zeng Guofan and others to turn the tide,

There was a situation of "Tongzhi Zhongxing", and Zeng Guofan was the central figure in this transitional period, exerting a remarkable impact on politics, military, culture, economy and other aspects. This influence was not only felt at that time, but also continues to this day. Thus making him the most prominent and controversial historical figure in modern China.

1) A young man succeeds in his career and has a prosperous career

Zeng Guofan, also known as Bohan and Disheng. Born in 1811 in Heyetang, Jingzi Town, Shuangfeng County, Hunan Province, into a wealthy landlord family. Our ancestors were mainly farmers and lived a relatively comfortable life. Although his grandfather Zeng Yuping had little education, he had rich experience

; his father Zeng Linshu was a scholar at a private school and was full of knowledge. As the eldest son and grandson, Zeng Guofan naturally received the care and love of his two ancestors. , they were eager for their son to become a dragon, so they began to educate Zeng Guofan on feudal ethics early. Zeng Guofan entered a private school when he was 6 years old. He was able to read eight-legged prose and recite the Five Classics when he was 8 years old. He was able to read Zhou Rites and Selected Historical Records when he was 14 years old. He also participated in the Changsha Boy Examination. , and his excellent grades were all classified as excellent, which shows that he was talented, intelligent, diligent and studious since he was a child. By 1832, he passed the examination as a scholar and married Ouyang Cangming's daughter, embarking on a big step in his life. Zeng Guofan passed the Jinshi examination at the age of 28. From then on, he embarked on an official career step by step and became the right disciple of the Minister of Military Aircraft Mu Zhang

A. During his more than ten years in Beijing, he successively served as a concubine of the Hanlin Academy, moved to serve as a minister, served as a lecturer, served as a minister of the Wenyuan Pavilion, served as a cabinet minister, inspected the affairs of the Chinese calligraphy department, served as the minister of the Ministry of Rites and In the Ministry of War, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Punishment,

Ministry of Civil Affairs and other positions, Zeng Guofan followed this official career path and was promoted to the second-grade official position step by step. From the perspective of literary talent

Zeng Guofan's smooth career was related to his love of learning. He studied tirelessly and studied day and night, especially after he took the imperial examination in Beijing and entered the common hall to study. , "Making reading a career every day". He was diligent in asking for help, not ashamed to ask his subordinates, had a good knowledge of history, valued Neo-Confucianism, and read a large number of poems and ancient prose. He was talented and full of knowledge. It is rare to find such diligent and diligent scholars among officials.

Because he read a lot of books and dabbled in literature, he had his own unique views on politics: If a ruler wants to be a "sage inside and king outside", he must freely use Confucianism and Legalism to govern the world. He admired Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism and believed that Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism was orthodox to the Tao of Confucius and Mencius, and that future emperors and ministers should learn from it. In particular, he once advocated or reported to the emperor,

proposing methods for governing the world, involving official governance and integrity, selection and use of materials, material and financial use, military strength and military tactics

etc. In response to the imperial edict, he stated his political views and said: "What we should focus on today is to employ people. There is no shortage of talents. If you want to be effective

and stimulate them, you must rely on the emperor's wonderful use. There is a way to transfer and a way to cultivate. , there are methods of inspection, and the three cannot be abolished. I think there are two common problems with officials in the capital today, which are shrinkage and triviality, and two common problems with foreign officials, which are perfunctory. > Said Yongqian.

The customs are the same, but if you want to stay in peace, if you are unwilling to cheer up, you will encounter difficulties and the country will be short of talents.

"In order to cheer up the officials, the emperor must set an example. He tried his best to flaunt feudal ethics in theory and practice to safeguard the fundamental interests of the landlord class. From a military point of view, he did not have the qualifications Prerequisites

However, it is precisely because of his success that he has won the favor of the emperor and his colleagues. He is grateful for the emperor's kindness, thanks

the emperor's wishes, and is willing to devote himself to protecting his master. Efforts are reflected in the painstaking efforts to build the Hunan Army, and the painstaking efforts to train a regular army whose combat effectiveness is better than that of the Green Camp. They have made great achievements in suppressing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and fought for the Qing Dynasty from west to east. Killed,

Fought all his life until he died on the throne of the governor of Liangjiang.

2) Zeng Guofan's ideological and academic affairs

Zeng Guofan was a famous politician in modern times. , who had a clear view of the corruption and decline of the Qing Dynasty after the "Qianjia Dynasty". He said: "Poverty in the country is not a problem, but the people's morale is distracted, which is a big problem. "As for "Scholar-bureaucrats are accustomed to worrying about their appearance

", "Chang is a kind of style that is neither white nor black, neither painful nor weak", and "hate inferior bones". He believes that "officials

The bad governance is due to the group curtain, and it is the theory of asking officials to eliminate the flaws of the curtain, and sincerity is the source." Based on this, Zeng Guofan proposed,

"The key to administration is to win people." , in times of crisis, people with both moral integrity and weapons are needed to promote integrity, practice benevolent governance, and oppose tyranny and disturbing the people. Those officials who are corrupt, pervert the law, and fishermen must be severely punished.

Punishment. As for the financial and economic matters related to the national destiny and people's livelihood, Zeng Guofan believes that the way to manage finances is to be prudent and down-to-earth. , not to seek quick results." Zeng Guofan mentioned agriculture as a basic strategic position in the national economy. He believed that "the people's livelihood should be based on matters first, and the national economy should be blessed with good years." He

Required that "today's prefectures and counties should give priority to agriculture." Affected by the two Opium Wars, Zeng Guofan had his own views on Sino-Western relations. He hated the Westerners' invasion of China very much, and believed that he could not be allowed to sleep beside his bed. He opposed borrowing help from teachers to suppress the war, and felt deeply ashamed to rely on foreign countries." On the other hand, he was not blindly xenophobic and advocated

Learn its advanced science and technology from the West.

"The Classic of Scholarship and Theory"

Zeng Guofan was a famous Neo-Confucian master in the late Qing Dynasty, with profound academic attainments. He said: "Those who can really read are both good and valuable

Also powerful." They must have the spirit of "three years of old rain, refinement turns to blue, and the solitary lamp's eyes stay green for five nights." The beauty of writing may be masculine

, "emphasizing force to obtain the dangerous power"; or feminine beauty, "emphasizing force to obtain the natural flavor". When writing articles,

it is necessary to work hard on momentum. "Qi can hold the power of reason to act, and then even if you talk about reason, you will not be discouraged." It is necessary to pay attention to the appropriate detail and summary.

The details are as detailed as the others, and the summary is as detailed as the others. "Those who know the position first and then, the cutting and cutting of the complex and simplified" is also "the first important thing for writers".

For Wengui to find his own way, "the way of writing is to have a bright and majestic atmosphere as the most difficult and valuable." "The clear rhyme is not lacking, and the tone is sonorous, which is the most wonderful thing in the article."

"The Art of Managing a Household and Teaching Children"

The famous historian Mr. Zhong Shuhe said that it is a fact that Zeng Guofan succeeded in teaching his children. It cannot be erased, and there is no need

to erase it. Zeng Guofan believes that the following ten things should be paid attention to when raising a family: 1. Manage family affairs diligently and strictly enforce family rules. 2.

Perform filial piety and brotherhood, and eliminate arrogance and arrogance. 3. “Taking the habit of hard work as the first priority”. 4. The way to live at home is not to have excess wealth.

5. Marriage "does not necessarily mean a wealthy family." 6. Avoid extravagance in housework and favor frugality. 7. The eight characters for managing a family: kao, treasure,

zao, sweep, book, sparse, fish, pig. 8. When interacting with relatives, it is advisable to value affection over material things. 9. Don’t get tired of daily chores.

10. Choose a good teacher to seek advice from.

"Strategy for Battle on the Battlefield"

Zeng Guofan started his career by organizing and training the Hunan Army. He governed the country as a scholar and suppressed the largest peasant uprising in Chinese history——

The Taiping Rebellion had a rich military ideological connotation and was truly outstanding. He believed that it was not about having more soldiers but about being good at them.

“With few soldiers, a country is strong” and “the more soldiers, the weaker the force; the more pay, the poorer the country becomes.” He advocates the separation of military and political affairs and takes responsibility for them. He purchased foreign guns, cannons, and ships to promote the modernization of Chinese military weapons. In running the army, strict military discipline is the first priority, and at the same time, he strives to cultivate "harmony" and unite the officers and soldiers. He believes that "the general has a desire to die, but the soldiers have no spirit of life." There are four requirements for selection: "The first is to know people well and be good at assigning tasks; the second is to be good at understanding the enemy's situation; the third is to be courageous and knowledgeable when facing battle;

The fourth is to keep the camp in order." The most abundant part of Zeng Guofan's military thought that is worth learning from today is his strategy and tactics. For example:

"Use troops to move like rabbits and remain as quiet as virgins", the art of subject and object, "forge a stronghold and fight to the death", the navy cannot

attack with the wind and choose the camp wisely , "Self-governance first, then control the enemy", deep ditches and high fortresses, tunnel siege techniques, combination of water and land, static braking, "first pull out the roots, then trim the branches and leaves" and so on.

"The Way to Make Friends in the World"

Zeng Guofan is quite insightful about the way to make friends. He believes that making friends requires elegance and magnanimity, and one must "be sincere and upright, tolerate humiliation and magnanimity, and

The disadvantages of selfless suspicion." "Don't take advantage of others in anything. Don't take people's wealth lightly." It is necessary to brainstorm and discuss,

to listen without becoming deaf. "The way to look at people is to be ethical but not official, to be more logical and less eloquent." In terms of life

Zeng Guofan believed that "in these troubled times, the poorer the better." As a high-ranking official, "it is always better to have less money and less production."

“Patience is the first priority for an official position”, “Virtue is lost by being full, and blessings are lost by arrogance.” A person must pay attention to the word "light"

"It is not only about wealth, fame and fortune, but whether a child's surname is prosperous or not is determined by heaven, which is determined by knowledge and virtue.

Whether it is established or not is largely a matter of heaven, and should be laughed off and forgotten.” "You don't have to have success by yourself, and you don't have to have fame by yourself."

"After success, you have to retreat, and the more anxious you are, the better." Zeng Guofan wrote twelve aphorisms, which basically summarized his way of making friends.

"Secrets of Self-cultivation"

Zeng Guofan summarized twelve methods of self-cultivation: respect, sit quietly, get up early, read well, read history, speak carefully, nourish Qi, and maintain health

The body, the sun knows where it is, the moon is not dead, it can’t write, and it doesn’t go out at night. He believes that the ancients have four principles for self-cultivation: "

Be cautious and alone, and you will have peace of mind; respect for the master will make you strong; asking for help will make others happy; and being sincere will make you divine." Zeng Guofan did not believe in medicine, monks or witches, or immortals. He should be sincere and clever, adhere to the Tao and be true, and not admire wealth and honor. "Worry." Zeng Guofan believed: "There are about five things in health preservation: one is to sleep and eat regularly, the other is to punish poverty, the third is to abstain from sex, the fourth is to wash your feet before going to bed every night, and the fifth is to wash your feet before going to bed every night. Walk three thousand steps each after two meals a day. "In order to maintain health, the four words "seeing",

"rest", "sleep" and "eating" are the most important. To maintain health, you need to know how to regulate health.

There are mixed reviews and criticisms

"If you praise him, you will be a saint, if you deceive him, he will be the culprit."

Just as Zhang Binglin, the weird hero in the Revolution of 1911, said of Zeng Guofan, in the past hundred years, benevolence sees benevolence and wisdom sees wisdom.

There are some who praise Zeng Guofan, and there are also those who criticize him. . As early as when Zeng Guofan suppressed the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, some people accused him of killing too many people and gave him the nickname "Zeng Shatou". By the time of the "Tianjin Mission Case" in 1870, many people called him a traitor. Zeng Guofan also felt that "the gods should be blamed internally, and the blame should be dealt with clearly", and he even worried about being surrounded on all sides.

After the Revolution of 1911, some revolutionaries said that he was "the first to rectify the law on the spot" and that he was a traitor with lasting infamy.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the historians even scolded him. In the end, we denounce them as defenders of the feudal landlord class, spiritual idols of the landlord and comprador class, traitors, traitors, murderers who kill without blinking an eye, and replace them with executioners, etc., and completely deny them. History is an organic combination of various complex factors, and the same is true for historical objects. It is not objective to give simple and one-sided affirmation or denial to complex historical figures. All of them are inconsistent with the Marxist historical materialism and the requirements of seeking truth from facts.

Since the 1980s, academic research on Zeng Guofan has gradually deepened, and his evaluation has become relatively objective.

With the publication of novels and legends about Zeng Guofan, more and more people are interested in them. They hope

to learn more about Zeng Guofan through the characters described by the writer. Understand Zeng Guofan's knowledge, opinions and ideas, and gain a more direct, clear and in-depth glimpse into his inner world.

3) Anecdotes

The mystery of Mao Zedong’s “sole obedience to Zeng Wenzheng”

When Mao Zedong was young, he had great admiration for Zeng Guofan, which is now in the Shaoshan Memorial Hall In the "Books of the Zeng Guofan Family" published during the Guangxu period, several volumes have "Collection of Yongs" written in Mao's handwriting on the title pages. He once said: Zeng Guofan's achievements and articles and ideas can be used as lessons for future generations. It is believed that the "Hundred Schools of Classics and History" compiled by Zeng is "prepared with a group of books and can only be found", and is an introductory book to Chinese studies. Zeng Guofan attached great importance to spiritual education when he was running the army, and Mao paid great attention to this throughout his life. He once said that "loving the people is the most important thing in running a military". When Mao established the Red Army, he formulated the "Three Major Disciplines and Eight Points of Attention".

Chiang Kai-shek admired the mystery of Zeng Guofan

Chiang warned his subordinates many times: "You should read more about Zeng Wenzheng, Hu Linyi and other book editions and calligraphy rituals", "Zeng Wenzheng

Family letters and book etiquette... are a must-read for any politician." When reviewing "Annotations on Zeng Hu Zhibing's Quotations," he said:

Mr. Zeng is a sufficient teacher for us. That’s it. At Huangpu Military Academy, he taught students with Zeng Guofan's "Folk Song of Love". He

said that I think Zeng and Zuo were able to defeat Hong and Yang because their moral knowledge, spirit and confidence were superior to their enemies.

The mystery of "praise him as a saint, deceive him as the culprit"

After Zeng Guofan was once praised as Confucius and Zhuzi, he once again revived the sage of Confucianism; made achievements and transferred A great man and sage of fortune

he was the first famous minister of Xiantong Zhongxing in the Qing Dynasty. However, some people also called him a thief, a culprit, a traitor, a sinner of the nation, a "shaved man" who took advantage of his power and killed indiscriminately, and a "hypocrite" who had a good reputation and lost his morals.

The mystery of the enduring influence of "Zeng Guofan's Family Letters" on history

After the defeat of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Qing court was extremely suspicious of the powerful Zeng Guofan, and made some moves to show its intentions

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Publish "Family Letters" on things that go against personal character.

The mystery of taking a concubine in violation of the imperial ban

At the age of fifty-one, during the funeral of Emperor Xianfeng, he secretly married a concubine, which was "violating the rules and immoral", so some people criticized him As a "hypocrite". Zeng Guofan acted with "clumsy sincerity" and "perseverance" all his life. "A person with extraordinary appearance has triangular eyes, often as if he is sleeping

, his body is average for a normal person, his steps are extremely heavy, and his speech is slow."

The mystery of "Love money all your life"

When he was thirty years old, he made a blue satin mandarin jacket and wore it once during celebrations and New Year. Thirty years later, the clothes were as good as new.

During his tenure as the Governor-General of Nanjing, his wife and daughters-in-law were required to spin linen and cook every night.

IV) Chronology of Major Events

November 26, 1811 (the 16th year of Jiaqing) (October 11 of the lunar calendar)

Born in Shuangfeng, Hunan Province He lives in Tianping Village, Heye Township, County, and his nickname is Kuanyi.

In 1815 (the 20th year of Jiaqing), he was 5 years old.

Literate and study at home. A year later, he entered the private school "Li Jian Zhai".

In the spring of 1826 (the 6th year of Daoguang), when he was 16 years old, he took the Changsha Prefecture Examination (Tongzi Examination) and ranked seventh.

In 1830 (the 10th year of Daoguang), he was 20 years old.

Student at the Tang Ancestral Hall in Hengyang and studied under Wang Jue'an. One year later, he transferred to Xiangxiang Lianbin Academy. Change your name to Di Sheng.

In the autumn of 1833 (the 13th year of Daoguang), at the age of 23, he took part in the Xiangxiang County Examination and was admitted as a scholar.

In the spring of 1834 (the 14th year of Daoguang), at the age of 24, he entered Yuelu Academy. In autumn, he took the thirty-sixth place in the provincial examination. In winter, when I went to Beijing to prepare for the examination, I passed by Changsha and met Liu Rong.

In 1835 (the 15th year of Daoguang), he was 25 years old.

In April, he failed the examination and stayed in Beijing to study at the Changsha Guild Hall.

In the spring of 1836 (the 16th year of Daoguang), at the age of 26, Enke failed again in the examination and left Beijing to return home. Arriving in Changsha, I met Liu Rong and Guo Songtao at the Xiangxiang Guild Hall for two months.

In 1838 (the 18th year of Daoguang), at the age of 28,

won the 38th place in the imperial examination. After the trial, it was renamed Guofan. He ranked 42nd among the top three in the palace examination and was awarded the title of Jinshi.

Chaokao ranked first and third, and Emperor Daoguang ranked second. He was awarded the title of Shujishi of Hanlin Academy. At the end of the year

Begging for leave and returning home.

In 1839 (the 19th year of Daoguang), he was 29 years old.

In the summer, he left Hengyang and visited Du Gongbu Temple and Shigu Academy. In autumn, he left Shaoyang and visited Wugang, Xinhua, Lantian, and Yongfeng. In December, his son Ji Zesheng left home and set off for Beijing. I started writing a diary this year and kept doing it until the end.

I will not stop.

In 1840 (the 20th year of Daoguang), he was 30 years old.

In May, Shu Jishi left the hall, ranked 19th in the second class, and was awarded the Imperial Academy for review. In July, he fell ill and was treated and nursed by Ouyang Zhaoxiong and Wu Tingdong. He recovered within two months, and the three became good friends.

In 1841 (the 21st year of Daoguang), at the age of 31,

In August, he and Woren went to visit Tang Jian, a master of Neo-Confucianism, to ask for advice on academic methods and the key to self-examination. "Examination of ethics and career", "Fumigated by righteousness". In November, he served as the co-editor of the National History Museum, studying the past history and distinguishing the pros and cons. This year, I enjoy reading the "Collected Documents of Tao Wenyi" presented by Hu Linyi. Writing "Lixu", he directly explained the sufferings of the people and whipped up corruption.

Regular treatment.

In 1842 (the 22nd year of Daoguang), he was 32 years old

Dedicated to the study of Cheng and Zhu, he must do the daily routine: getting up early, worshiping the Lord, sitting quietly, reading without hesitation, reading history, and speaking carefully. ,

Nurture Qi, protect yourself, know where you are with the sun, forget what you can do every month, write words, and don’t go out at night.

In 1843 (the 23rd year of Daoguang), at the age of 33,

In April, he was promoted to lecturer of the Hanlin Academy. In July, he was appointed as the chief examiner of the Provincial Examination (Sichuan). In December, he was appointed as the school manager of Wenyuan Pavilion.

In August, he was awarded the post of lecturer of Hanlin Academy.

In 1844 (the 24th year of Daoguang), at the age of 34,

In August, Guo Songtao introduced Jiang Zhongyuan to meet him and became his teacher and student. He was sent to the Hanlin Academy to teach common people and good scholars.

In 1845 (the 25th year of Daoguang), at the age of 35,

In October, he was promoted to a bachelor's degree in the Hanlin Academy. Li Hongzhang went to Beijing to take the imperial examination, and his family members came to work under him.

In 1846 (the 26th year of Daoguang), at the age of 36,

In January, he was appointed as the official minister of Wenyuan Pavilion. He wrote in his bookstore: "Qiu Que Zhai". During the summer and autumn, while recuperating in Chengnan Newspaper

Guosi, I had in-depth discussions on Sinology and Song Dynasty with my roommate Liu Chuanying, and realized that learning must return to its original mission and "hold the balance between dual uses."

In 1847 (the 27th year of Daoguang), at the age of 37,

In July, he was promoted to cabinet bachelor and concurrently minister of the Ministry of Rites. In November, the imperial Martial Arts Examination was held as president, and the imperial examination papers were read

Minister.

In 1848 (the 28th year of Daoguang), at the age of 38,

In March, his son Ji Hongsheng was born.

In October, the speeches of famous ministers and Confucian scholars from ancient and modern times were collected and compiled into "Zeng Family Instructions" in thirty-two items, divided into three categories: self-cultivation, family management, and country governance.

In 1849 (the 29th year of Daoguang), at the age of 39,

In February, he was promoted to the right minister of the Ministry of Rites. In September, he was appointed as the right minister of the Ministry of War.

At the age of 40 in 1850 (the 30th year of Daoguang)

In April, he published "Chen Yanshu in Response to the Imperial Edict", directly exposing the officialdom's "sluggishness and conformity" and the officials' "fear" and "softness" .

"What I have to say today is to use one's ears." In July, he also served as Zuo Shilang of the Department of Administration.

At the age of 41 in 1851 (the first year of Xianfeng)

In January, Hong Xiuquan organized an uprising in Jintian Village, Guiping, Guangxi. In May, Emperor Xianfeng "thrown it to the ground angrily" in order to punish him.

In 1852 (the second year of Xianfeng), he was 42 years old.

In January, he published the "Preparation of Folk Sufferings". In July, he was appointed as the examiner of Jiangxi Provincial Examination. Arriving at Xiaochiyi in Taihu County, Anwei, I got the news of my mother's obituary and returned home for the funeral. Arrive home in early October. The Taiping Army left Guangxi and entered Hunan, attacking Changsha in September and Yuezhou in October.

In 1853 (the 3rd year of Xianfeng), he was 43 years old.

On January 21, he took over the task of helping the Hunan regiment train. Guo Songtao persuaded him to leave Baosangzi. On the 30th, arrived in Changsha and Hunan Province

Governor Zhang Liangji organized group training. On March 19, the Taiping Army captured Jiangning and made Tianjing its capital. In September, Zou Zhunzhun moved to Hengzhou for military training. In November, the Hengzhou Shipyard was built to build warships. Send people to Guangdong to purchase foreign artillery and prepare for the establishment of a navy.

In 1854 (the 4th year of Xianfeng), he was 44 years old.

On February 25, he was ordered to lead an army to attack the Taiping Army. Published "An Appeal to the Cantonese Bandits". He ordered Chu Ruhang to be the president of the Navy and Taqibu to be the vanguard of the army. He commanded 17,000 people and marched northward. In May, he was defeated in Jinggang, committed suicide and was rescued.

On July 25, after reorganizing the land and water armies, they sent out troops to capture Yuezhou. Take Wuchang on October 14th. Emperor Xianfeng ordered him to deploy the governor of Hubei. It was withdrawn after 7 days. The title of Minister of the Ministry of War was changed. On December 2, Tianjia Town was captured.

In 1855 (the fifth year of Xianfeng), he was 45 years old.

On the night of February 12, Shi Dakai launched a general attack on the Hunan Army's water camp and burned more than 100 Hunan Army warships. Zeng Guofan's ship was captured, and "all documents and documents were lost." "The public was extremely angry and wanted to ride their horses to the enemy to die." Luo Zenan and Liu Rong strongly advised him to stop.

In July of 1856 (the 6th year of Xianfeng), at the age of 46, he was trapped in Nanchang. On September 2, after the internal strife between Yang and Hong (Tianjing Incident), the Taiping Army's vitality was seriously damaged. In October, Zeng Guofan formed the Jizi Battalion in Changzhou to aid Jiangxi.

In 1857 (the 7th year of Xianfeng), he was 47 years old.

On February 27, his father passed away, and he and Di Guohua returned home to attend the funeral. In July, he went to court twice, requesting that the system be finalized at home, and was granted permission by Emperor Xianfeng. This was the year when the "Siyun Pavilion" was built.

In 1858 (the 8th year of Xianfeng), at the age of 48,

On May 19, Li Xubin and Yang Yuebin led the land and water armies to capture Jiujiang. The first Guohua entered Li Mu. On July 13, he received an order to handle military affairs in Zhejiang and set off on the 17th. On August 5, arrived in Wuchang. Discuss with Hu Linyi how to advance the army and raise

payments. On November 15, Li Xubin and Zeng Guohua died in the Battle of Sanhe. In December, he wrote "Love Folk Song" to train the Hunan Army.

In 1859 (the 9th year of Xianfeng), at the age of 49,

In January, Li Hongzhang came to Jianchang for a visit and stayed in camp to assist with military affairs. That month, Zeng Guobao changed his name to Zhenqian and joined the Hunan Army to avenge his brother Guohua. In February, he wrote "Portraits of Sages". In November, he planned a four-pronged invasion strategy to capture Anqing.

At the age of 50 in 1860 (the 10th year of Xianfeng)

In May, 26 volumes of "Miscellaneous Notes of One Hundred Schools of Classics and History" were compiled, "taking the essence and using macro", "exerting the essence of the four volumes" want".

In June, Zuo Zongtang came to the camp and stayed for two decades to discuss the overall situation of the southeast. He was ordered to act as the governor of Liangjiang with the title of Minister of War.

In July, the general capital of Liangjiang was appointed, and the imperial minister supervised the military affairs in the south of the Yangtze River. On October 18, discussed with Hu Linyi and Li Xubin

the strategy of aiding the North.

Shangshu asked to lead troops north to wipe out King Qin and "snow the anger of the sky". In December, the Qimen camp was trapped twice.

The Taiping Army was only 20 miles away from the camp, making it "extremely dangerous."

In 1861 (the 11th year of Xianfeng), he was 51 years old

August 23 was the date of "Revisiting the Purchase of Cannons for Foreign Ships": "Purchasing cannons for foreign ships will save the world today. The first priority

"On September 5, the Hunan Army captured Anqing. On the 25th, he moved to Anqing. On November 20, he was ordered to supervise the military affairs of four provinces (Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi), and all the governors and towns below were under control. In December, the Ordnance Institute was established in Anguan. At the end of the year, the strategy of the three route armies' advance was decided: "To besiege Jinling's vassal state, Quan, while Zhejiang's affairs belong to Zuo Zongtang, and Su's affairs belong to Li Hongzhang, so the situation of purging the southeast was decided.

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In 1862 (the first year of Tongzhi), at the age of 52

On January 31, he was appointed as the governor of Liangjiang and co-organizer of the bachelor's degree. On February 14, Zeng Guoquan was awarded the post of governor of Zhejiang.

Zongtang led his army into Zhejiang from Jiangxi. In May, Zeng Guoquan led his army to Yuhuatai and besieged Tianjing together with Peng Yulin's navy. . On July 18, he further elaborated on the interests of borrowing troops to assist in the suppression: "

The islanders are using the suppression as a means of profit... and China will take on China's troubles." Foreigners cannot be allowed to "ravage China's land" by assisting in the suppression. In September, the Tongcheng Confucian scholars Fang Dongshu and Dai Junheng 6 died in the war but were not buried. The tomb was built and buried properly. In December, Zeng Guobao died of illness in the Hunan Army Camp in Yuhuatai. At the end of the year, Hua Hengfang and Xu Shou tried to build China's first steam engine. After Zeng Guofan saw him, he wrote in his diary that day: "I am secretly delighted that the foreigners are so clever that our country can do the same. They cannot be proud of me because they know nothing about them!" ”

In 1863 (the 2nd year of Tongzhi), he was 53 years old

On January 28, Zeng Guofan boarded my country’s first wooden-shell small steamer built by the Anqing Ordnance Factory for a trial voyage Later,

he was happy to name it "Huang Hu". On May 7, he sent a letter to the Prime Minister's International Affairs Office, saying that "foreigners have the intention of bullying, but they even gave it to them." It can be overpowered; the Chinese are naturally timid, but they are forced to be in a place where they can be timid." They opposed the purchase of ships that were commanded and controlled by naval colonels. On June 13, Shi Dakai defeated the Dadu River . In September, he met with Rong Hong and discussed the establishment of a factory that could produce machinery. On December 3, he paid Rong Hong 68,000 taels to go to the United States to purchase machinery.

At the age of 54 in 1864 (3rd year of Tongzhi)

In January, Li Fengbao was sent to measure the sand lines of the islands off Jiangsu and Zhejiang. In May, many of the books in Jiangsu and Zhejiang were damaged by military action.

The book publishing regulations were set up in Anqing to publish various classics and histories. On June 3, Hong Xiuquan died in Tianjing, and his eldest son succeeded to the throne on July 19. The Hunan army captured Qia. In Tianjing, the Taiping Army failed. In July, Zeng Guofan rewarded the prince Taibao and the first-class marquis. On August 15, Zeng Guofan rewarded the prince Shaobao and the first-class earl. p>

25,000 people.

In October, the army moved to Anling. In November, the levy of houses and acres was suspended. In December, he presided over the restoration of Jiangnan Gongyuan.

Complementary Jiangnan Rural Examination, Jiangnan Excellent Gong Examination

At the age of 55 in 1865 (the 4th year of Tongzhi)

In January, 17 memorials by officials since the Han and Tang Dynasties were selected and compiled. "Mingyuan Hall Paper". In March, he presided over the renovation of Zhongshan and Zunjing academies. He adopted eight hundred orphans and donated money from his own money to teach.

On May 26, following the order: Lead the army to Shandong to suppress the rebellion. In June, he presided over the compilation of the completed manuscript of "Wang Chuanshan's Letters", totaling 320 volumes, and submitted it to Jinling Book Company for publication. On June 18, the strategy for going north to suppress the enemy was to fortify important towns, encircle rivers, clear the fields and inspect the waders, and pursue them with horse teams. In September, he arrived in Xuzhou via Yangzhou and Qingjiangpu. Troops were deployed along the way to defend and encircle them, and posters were posted along the way to recruit recruits. In October

Move Jinling Manufacturing Bureau to Haihongkou, merge it with Li Hongzhang's original artillery bureau and the iron factory purchased from the Americans,

Add the ones purchased by Rong Hong More than 100 machines were built into the Jiangnan Manufacturing Administration. In December, the Yangtze River Navy's permanent charter

and operating regulations were approved.

In 1866 (the 5th year of Tongzhi), at the age of 56,

In March, he went from Xuzhou to Jining, visiting the tombs of Mencius, Confucius and Zeng along the way. On September 24, the Nian Army broke through the defense line and entered Shandong. I asked for leave twice in a row and was transferred from camp to camp. In October, he reported: The suppression of the disease is ineffective, and it is difficult to recover quickly. Please organize a co-organizer.

There is a shortage of bachelors and governors of Liangjiang. In December, he returned as governor of Liangjiang.

In 1867 (the 6th year of Tongzhi), at the age of 57,

In March, a shipbuilding institute under the Jiangnan Manufacturing Administration was set up to trial-produce ships. A translation library is also planned to be established. In May, together with Li Hong

Zhang moved the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau from Hongkou to Gaochang Temple. The land was acquired and relocated, and regulations were greatly increased. In June, he was awarded a bachelor's degree from Tirenge University

.

In 1868 (the 7th year of Tongzhi), at the age of 58,

In April, he was awarded the title of Bachelor of Wuyingdian. On May 31st, he went to Shanghai to inspect the Jiangnan Manufacturing Administration. In August

he was ordered to be transferred to the post of governor of Zhili. In September, the first ship trial-produced by Jiangnan Shipyard sailed to Jiangning, where she boarded the ship for trial sailing and was named "Tianji". In December, he arrived in the capital and met with Nala and Emperor Tongzhi.

In 1869 (the 8th year of Tongzhi), he was 59 years old.

On February 27, Chen Zhili was informed of the matters to be handled, focusing on training troops, ordering officials, and regulating rivers. In June, Zhili military training was requested to be restructured according to the Hunan Army

system. In August, he wrote "Encouraging Learning to the Scholars of Zhili", proposing that Confucianism has four subjects: righteousness, textual research, economics, and rhetoric, and righteousness alone is the foundation of scholarship. In December, he reported: "Zhili's plan to clean up the accumulated prisons...

More than 41,000 cases have been concluded and canceled, and many of them have been written in dust to clean them up."

In 1870 (the 9th year of Tongzhi), he was 60 years old.

In April, his liver disease worsened and he became completely blind in his right eye. One month of sick leave is allowed. Leave will be extended for one month in May. In June, the Tianjin Mission Case

occurred, and he was ordered to deal with it. On July 11, arrived in Tianjin. Issue orders and report, requiring the people of Tianjin to report and expose the truth. On the 23rd

, French Minister Luo Shuya came to see him and demanded that Tianjin's Taoist officials, prefects, and county magistrates be killed in order to save the French consul. He also threatened

war, but Zeng Guofan sternly refused. On the 24th, he reported: There is no solid evidence for gouging out the eyes and dissecting the heart; the people of Tianjin are angry, and there is a reason for the incident. "In August, he reported that nine criminals had been arrested in this case, but Luo Shuya wanted to "discuss among the three of them", but it was difficult to agree to the request. The government and the county had no serious fault and it was considered a minor matter to hand it over to the Ministry of Punishment. In September, the governor of Liangjiang, Ma Xinyi, was assassinated. Zeng Guofan was transferred to two terms as governor, and Li Hongzhang was transferred to the post of governor of Zhili. On October 17, he set off south. On the 24th, when he was celebrating his sixtieth birthday, he was given a plaque with the title "Honoring a High Pillar". On the 24th, the writer gave four instructions: the first is to read carefully

and the mind will be at peace; the second is to be respectful to the Lord and the body will be strong; the third is to seek benevolence. People say that if you practice hard work on the fourth day, you will become a god.

In 1871 (the 10th year of Tongzhi), at the age of 61,

On August 19, Li Hongzhang jointly presented the "Proposed Selected Son". "The First Study Abroad". In September, he inspected the defense and training conditions of various amphibious and land battalions. He arrived in Shanghai in November and held a banquet in Shanghai on the 23rd to celebrate his 61st birthday.

In 1872 (the 11th year of Tongzhi), he was 62 years old.

On February 27, he led the memorial: urging the "issue of sending remaining students" to be implemented as soon as possible. It also proposed to establish a "Chinese Overseas Students Office" in the United States, and recommended Chen Lanbin and Rong Hong as chief and deputy committee members to be resident in the United States for management.

Established a Bureau for Children Studying Abroad in Shanghai, and recommended Liu Hanqing as "Prime Minister for the Selection and Sending of the Bureau to Shanghai". On March 1st, he developed symptoms of numbness in his feet

and his tongue was numb and unable to speak. On March 12, while walking in the West Garden of the Department in the afternoon, he suddenly suffered from numbness in his feet. Zeng Jize helped him back to his study room, where he sat upright for three moments and passed away. In that month, the Qing court heard of his obituary and stayed away from court for three days. He was given the posthumous title of Taifu and was given the posthumous title of Wenzheng. On June 25,

the coffin arrived in Changsha. On July 19, he was buried in Jinpenling outside the south gate of Changsha.