Prince Gong Yixin
Prince Gong Yixin is the son of Emperor Daoguang, the sixth brother of Emperor Xianfeng, and his biological mother, Queen Xiaojing. During the Tongzhi and Guangxu dynasties, he was in charge of national affairs and foreign affairs, and was an important historical figure in the late Qing Dynasty.
Prince Gong was extremely smart and versatile in both civil and military affairs since he was a child, and was deeply appreciated by Emperor Daoguang. However, due to lack of experience and poor understanding of the old emperor's psychology, he was defeated in the competition for the throne by Emperor Xianfeng who was trained by Du Shoutian. The old emperor's will named him Prince Gong, so that he could show his talents on the political stage of the late Qing Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Xianfeng, due to the influence of the Taiping Rebellion in the south, a small number of farmers in Zhili rose up to respond, and Prince Gong took on the important task of defending the capital. He was good at planning and using troops. In the fifth year of Xianfeng, he defeated the Northern Expedition led by Li Kaifang and Lin Fengxiang. The "rebellious party" in Zhili Province was completely eliminated.
After the death of Emperor Xianfeng, Prince Gong and Empress Dowager Cixi launched a coup, overthrowing Minister Gu Ming headed by Sushun, and taking full control of the central government. Later, due to his sophistication and shrewdness, the Empress Dowager Cixi decided to eat this political enemy. However, Prince Gong's high prestige in the court, and the support of his trusted ministers and members of the royal family, Cixi's plan failed in the end. In the seventh year of Tongzhi, Prince Gong defeated the Xinian army led by Zhang Zongyu and once again secured the important territory of the capital.
Prince Gong not only made many military exploits, but also participated in the Westernization Movement. He took advantage of being in charge of the Prime Minister's Office to fully support Li Hongzhang, Zhang Zhidong, Ding Richang and other local officials in their efforts to strengthen the country with the slogan of strengthening the army and enriching the country, and learning from advanced Western science. Although this movement was not successful, it was still a bold attempt, and it cultivated talents like Zhan Tianyou for the country and also fostered a number of national industries.
While Prince Gong was seriously ill, Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi visited him three times.
In the 24th year of Guangxu (1898), Prince Gong passed away at the age of 67. Emperor Guangxu came to pay homage in person and stayed away from court for five days.
Zeng Guofan
Life
Zeng Guofan (1811-1872) was originally named Zicheng, given the courtesy name Bohan, nicknamed Disheng, posthumous title Wenzheng, and was from Hunan. A military strategist, Neo-Confucianist, and statesman during the Qing Dynasty in China, he was one of the "famous ministers of the ZTE" and a litterateur. He was the founder of the "Xiangxiang School" of prose in the late Qing Dynasty. He rose to the rank of Governor of Liangjiang, Governor of Zhili, Bachelor of Wuyingdian, and was granted the title of First-class Yiyong Marquis. A native of Baiyangping, Xiangxiang, Changsha Prefecture, Hunan, it now belongs to Tianziping, Heye Town, Shuangfeng County, Hunan Province.
Born in 1811 in Heyetang, Jingzi Town, Shuangfeng County, Hunan Province, into a wealthy landlord family. There are nine brothers and sisters, Zeng Guofan is the eldest son. 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. As the eldest son and grandson, Zeng Guofan naturally received the ethical education from his two ancestors.
Zeng Guofan entered a private school when he was 6 years old. He could read eight-legged prose and recite the Five Classics when he was 8 years old. He was talented and intelligent since he was a child, and he was diligent and eager to learn. By 1832, he passed the examination as a scholar and married Ouyang Cangming's daughter.
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 Mu Zhang'a, the Minister of Military Aircraft. During his more than ten years in Beijing, he successively served as a concubine of the Hanlin Academy, a scholar in the Hanlin Academy, a lecturer in the Imperial Academy, a cabinet minister in the Wenyuan Pavilion, a cabinet bachelor, an inspector of the affairs of the Chinese Book Department, a minister in the Ministry of Rites, and a minister in the Ministry of War, Ministry of Works, and Ministry of Punishment. , Minister of Civil Affairs and other positions, Zeng Guofan followed this official career path and was promoted to the second-rank official position step by step. He moved seven times in ten years, jumped ten levels in a row, and jumped from the seventh rank to the second rank.
Zeng Guofan's life is inseparable from the suppression of the Taiping Rebellion. In 1852, Zeng Guofan died at home because of his mother. At this time, the Taiping Rebellion had swept half of China. Although the Qing government mobilized a large number of Eight Banners and Green Camp officers and soldiers from all over the country to deal with the Taiping Army, this decadent armed force was vulnerable to a single blow. Therefore, the Qing government repeatedly issued orders to reward regiment training, trying to use the armed landlords in various places to curb the development of revolutionary forces. This provided an opportunity for the emergence of Zeng Guofan's Hunan Army. In 1853, the Qing government gave him the opportunity to seek strength to suppress the Taiping Rebellion. He took advantage of the situation and established a local regiment called the Hunan Army in his hometown of Hunan, relying on complex interpersonal relationships such as masters, apprentices, relatives, and friends.
Zeng Guofan brutally suppressed the Taiping Rebellion and used harsh punishments. It is said in history that "one person was sent to the magistrate of the state and another person was sent to judge the bandits. If the punishment was serious, he would be executed, and if the punishment was serious, he would be killed with a cane, and if the light was light, he would be whipped a thousand times. ... The case was imminent. The confession will be rectified immediately, and there will be no delay." Not only did he directly kill people, but his father and fourth brother also killed people. Some people accused him of killing too many people and called him "Zeng Shatou" and "Zeng Butcher". It is said that when a child in Nanjing cries at night, his mother will say, "Zeng is here to shave his head," and the child will stop crying. During the battle with the Taiping Army, Zeng Guofan used methods of plundering property and granting officials and rewards to boost morale and develop the Hunan Army's fierce nature of leading the disabled. Among the armed forces of the Qing Dynasty with backward military quality, the Hunan Army became one of the main forces fighting the Taiping Rebellion in southern China. Zeng Guofan was awarded the title of first-class Yongyi Marquis, becoming the first scholar in the Qing Dynasty to be granted the title of Wuhou. He later served as governor of Liangjiang and governor of Zhili, with a first-class official position.
Zeng Guofan wrote a lot in his life, but The "Family Letter" is the most widely circulated and has the greatest influence. In 1879, seven years after Zeng Guofan's death, Chuanzhong Bookstore printed the "Family Letters of Zeng Wenzhenggong" edited by Li Hanzhang and Li Hongzhang.
Zeng Guofan himself was also good at utilizing talents, and other famous officials in the Qing Dynasty such as Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang were closely related to him. Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang and others called Zeng Guofan their teacher. Zeng Guofan once said, "Li Shaoquan worked hard to be an official, and Yu Yinfu (Yu Yue) worked hard to write books."
After the defeat of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the remaining Taiping Army in Jiangbei joined the Nian Army. The Qing court ordered Zeng Guofan to supervise the military affairs of Zhili, Shandong, and Henan provinces. Zeng Guofan led the Hunan Army of 20,000 and the Huai Army of 60,000, equipped with foreign guns and cannons, and went north to "suppress Nian". His policy was to "focus on greeting and suppression, not on pursuit", and proposed plans such as "key defense" in an attempt to control Nian. The army blocked the canal and Shahe areas, leaving the Nian army with nowhere to escape, and then destroyed them. However, the Nian army broke through Zeng Guofan's defense line and entered Shandong, which completely bankrupted Zeng Guofan's strategic plan. Zeng Guofan was dismissed and replaced by Li Hongzhang.
In 1870, Zeng Guofan, who was serving as the governor of Zhili, was ordered to go to Tianjin to handle the Tianjin religious case. On June 21, 1870, thousands of people in Tianjin gathered in front of the French Catholic Church because they suspected that the Catholic Church was using the nursery as a prostitute to abduct people and torture and kill babies. The French Consul Feng Daye believed that the government was not serious about suppressing the government. He encountered Liu Jie, the magistrate of Tianjin, with a gun on the street. He opened fire during a dispute and killed one of Liu Jie's servants on the spot. In anger, the public first killed Feng, the French Consul in Tianjin. Daye and his secretary Simon later killed 10 nuns, 2 priests, 2 other French consulate personnel, 2 French expatriates, 3 Russian expatriates and more than 30 Chinese believers, and burned down the French consulate and Wanghailou Catholic Church. and 4 Christian churches run by local British and American missionaries. After the incident, Britain, the United States, France and other countries jointly protested and dispatched warships to show off their power. After Zeng Guofan arrived in Tianjin, he considered the situation at that time and was unwilling to go to war with France. "But he hoped for a quick peace, regardless of whether he was guilty of crime." At the request of France, he discussed and decided to execute the 18 people who led the killings and send him into military exile. 25 people, and Zhang Guangzao, the prefect of Tianjin, and Liu Jie, the county magistrate, were dismissed from their posts and sent to Heilongjiang. They compensated foreigners for their losses of 460,000 taels of silver, and Chonghou sent a mission to France to apologize. The result of this negotiation was very dissatisfying to both the imperial court and public opinion, which greatly affected Zeng Guofan's reputation and aroused the condemnation of both the government and the public across the country. Even his fellow Hunan residents smashed and burned a plaque in the Huguang Guild Hall boasting of his achievements.
Died of illness in Nanjing on the fourth day of February in the eleventh year of Tongzhi (Gregorian calendar: March 20, 1872). The imperial court gave him the title of Taifu, and he was given the posthumous title "Wenzheng" after his death. Many descendants of his family became officials, such as Zeng Jize.
Zeng Guofan's literary achievements
Zeng Guofan inherited Fang Bao and Yao Nai of the Tongcheng School and established his own style, establishing the "Xiangxiang School" of ancient prose in the late Qing Dynasty. When he discussed ancient prose, he emphasized sonorous tone. The ancient prose is profound and majestic, and can convey the atmosphere of the Han Dynasty. Therefore, it has a majestic and magnificent artistic conception, which can overcome the shortcomings of the Tongcheng School and be called it by later generations. Zeng's patriarchal clan originated in Tongcheng, but it has undergone some changes and development. He also selected and compiled a "Miscellaneous Notes on Classics and History" as a model of writing. It was not limited to Tongcheng, and was known as the Xiangxiang School in the world. Yan Fu and Lin Shu in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, as well as Tan Sitong and Liang Qichao, were all influenced by his writing style. Author of "The Complete Works of Zeng Wenzhenggong".
Zeng Guofan's military achievements
In November of the second year of Xianfeng (1852), the Taiping Army marched out from the north of Hunan and captured Hanyang.
In 1853, Zeng Guofan established a local regiment called the Hunan Army, which was divided into two types: Army and Navy. The soldiers mainly recruited farmers from the Xiangxiang area. The salary was about three times that of the general green camp. The entire army only obeyed Zeng Guofan. In 1854, a total of 6,500 men from the 13th Battalion of the Army and 5,000 men from the 10th Battalion of the Navy gathered in Xiangtan and took the oath to fight. In the first battle, Zeng Guofan was defeated by the Taiping Army in Yuezhou and Jinggang, and suffered successive defeats. Zeng Guofan almost jumped into the water and committed suicide. When writing the letter, he could only laugh at himself as "repeated defeats and repeated battles." Later, they reorganized their military strength, regained Yuezhou and Wuchang, and the Taiping Army withdrew from Hunan. In May 1858, Jiujiang was captured with great momentum; in 1860, Zeng Guoquan besieged Anqing and was famous for "forcing a stronghold and fighting to the death". In 1864, the Hunan Army captured Tianjing (Nanjing).
The Taiping Army resisted the Hunan Army and caused the Hunan Army to suffer a lot. When the city of Nanjing was destroyed, Zeng Guofan said: "Today's bandit rebellion in Guangdong has ravaged sixteen provinces, and more than 600 cities have fallen." Among them, the fierce chieftains and fierce party members, such as Li Kaifang who defended Fengguantun, Lin Qirong who defended Jiujiang, and Ye Yunlai who defended Anqing, were all tenacious and unyielding. This time on the slopes of Jinling City, not one of the more than 100,000 thieves surrendered. They even gathered a crowd to burn themselves without regret. He is a rare drama bandit in ancient and modern times." After Zeng Guofan entered Nanjing, he implemented the "Three Lights" policy. "...Search and kill in sections. In three days, more than 100,000 thieves were killed. The Qinhuai River was long, and the corpses were like hemp...for three days and nights, the fire continued." In fact, more than ten people were killed. Most of the thousands of people are ordinary people. Nanjing scribe Li Gui said: "When it comes to the government and the army, the looting after a defeat or the burning and killing after a victory are both unbearable to hear and unbearable to see. Their cruelty is actually worse than that of "thieves"." "I don't want to say anything, and I don't dare to say anything." (Li Gui: "Memory of Pain") Zeng Guofan's aide Zhao Liewen recorded in detail the destruction of Nanjing in "The Diary of Nengjingju": "... there were ten dead bodies along the street. Nine of them were old. Children under the age of two or three were also killed for fun, and there were no women under the age of forty. All the old people were wounded, maybe more than ten times, or dozens of times..." Zeng Guoquan killed many people and set his troops to burn the city. "Snow Commander" Peng Yulin was dissatisfied when he saw this. He wrote to Zeng Guofan twice (the siege of Anqing in 1861 and the siege of Jinling in 1864), demanding that his relatives be extinguished. Zeng Guoquan robbed a large amount of property in Nanjing. Zeng Guofan reported to the court that "the fake palace and thieves' den were burned to ashes. There is no such thing as a treasury. However, they returned to their old nest without any goods. It was beyond the plans of the ministers. It is also unprecedented." A rare thing." Zeng Guofan executed Li Xiucheng for murder and silence.
Zeng Guofan's Thoughts and Academics
As a famous modern politician, Zeng Guofan had a clear understanding of the corruption and decline of the Qing Dynasty after the "Qianjia Dynasty". He said: "National poverty is not enough. , but the people's hearts are loose, and the trouble will be great." Regarding "the scholar-bureaucrats are accustomed to worrying about their appearance," "Chang is a kind of wind that is neither white nor black, neither painful nor itchy", and "hate the secondary bones." He believes that "the bad governance of officials is due to the group curtain, and seeking officials to eliminate the shortcomings of the curtain and sincerity is the theory to explore the source." Based on this, Zeng Guofan proposed that "the most important thing in administration is to recruit people." In times of crisis, people with both moral integrity and tools are needed to promote integrity, practice benevolent government, and oppose tyranny and disturbing the people. Officials who have committed crimes must be severely punished. As for the financial economy, which is related to the national destiny and the people's livelihood, Zeng Guofan believes that the way to manage finances is to consider the excess and the deficiency, be down-to-earth, and be honest and serve the public. "Seek rectification gradually, not to seek quick results." Zeng Guofan mentioned agriculture as a basic strategic position in the national economy. He believed that "people's livelihood should be prioritized, and the national economy should be blessed with good years." He demanded that "today's states and counties should give priority to agriculture." Affected by the two Opium Wars, Zeng Guofan had his own views on Sino-Western relations. On the one hand, he hated Westerners for invading China. He believed that others should not be allowed to snore next to his bed. He opposed borrowing troops to help suppress the war and felt deeply ashamed of relying on foreign countries. "; on the other hand, he is not blindly exclusive and advocates learning from the West's advanced science and technology.
"The Book of Scholarship"
Zeng Guofan was a famous Neo-Confucian master in the late Qing Dynasty. He has profound attainments. He said: "A person who can really read must be good and powerful." He must have the spirit of "three years of old rain to turn blue, and the solitary lamp to have eyes ever green", and "focus on the beauty of writing." "Taking the power of dangerous strength"; or the beauty of femininity, "focusing on the natural taste". When writing articles, you need to work hard on the momentum, "Qi can hold the reason to act, and then talk about the reason without being gray." Pay attention to the details. Appropriately, the details are as detailed as those of others, and "the one who knows the position is the first and most important thing for the writer", "the way of writing is the first step for writers". The bright and majestic atmosphere is the most difficult and precious." "The clear rhyme is not lacking, and the tone is sonorous, which is the first 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. Fulfill 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, Bao, Zao, Sweep, Shu, Shu, Fish, and 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 Taiping Rebellion, the largest peasant uprising in Chinese history. The connotation of his military thought is extremely rich, and he is indeed outstanding. He believes that it is not about having more soldiers but about being good at them. "With few soldiers, a country is strong." "The more soldiers, the weaker the force; the more pay, the poorer the country." He advocated the separation of military and political affairs and withheld their responsibilities. 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" so that the officers and soldiers are united. He believes that "the general has a desire to die, but the soldiers have no energy to live." 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, "Move your troops like rabbits and be still like virgins", the art of subject and object, "Fortify a strong stronghold and fight to the death", the navy must not attack with the wind, choose the camp wisely, "self-govern first, then control the enemy", deep trenches and high bases , authentic siege techniques, coordination of water and land, use of static braking, "first pull out the roots, then cut off the branches and leaves" and so on.
"The Way of Making Friends in the World"
Zeng Guofan is quite insightful about the way of making friends. He believes that making friends requires "honesty and integrity, tolerance of humiliation, and no suspicion of selfishness." Disadvantages". "Don't take advantage of others in anything. Don't take people's wealth lightly." We need to brainstorm ideas and listen without going 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 most important thing in being an official", "Virtue is lost by being full, and happiness is reduced by being arrogant". As a human being, you must pay attention to the word "light", "Not only wealth, fame, fame, and fortune, but whether a child's surname is prosperous or not is all determined by heaven, that is, whether the knowledge and virtues are established or not, it is mostly related to heavenly affairs, and can be laughed at and forgotten. Of". "You don't have to have success by yourself, and you don't have to have fame by yourself." Zeng Guofan wrote twelve aphorisms, which basically summarized his way of making friends.
"Secrets of Self-cultivation"
Zeng Guofan summarized the twelve methods of self-cultivation: respect, sit quietly, get up early, read well, read history, speak carefully, nourish the energy, protect the body, and know everything daily. I can't die without a month, I can't write, I can't go out at night. He believed that the ancients had four principles for self-cultivation: "Be cautious and independent, and your mind will be calm; respect for your master will make your body strong; asking for others will make you happy; and being sincere will make you admire your spirit." Zeng Guofan does not believe in medicine, monks and witches, or earthly immortals. He must be sincere, abstain from ingenuity, adhere to the Tao and be truthful, and do not admire wealth and honor. "There are limits in life, and you know your fate and have no worries." Zeng Guofan believes: "There are five things in the method of maintaining health. : The first is to sleep and eat regularly, the second is to punish poverty, the third is to abstain from sexual intercourse, the fourth is to wash feet every night before going to bed, and the fifth is to walk three thousand steps after two meals a day. The four words "," "sleep" and "food" are the most important, and you need to know how to regulate your health.
Zeng Guofan set twelve lessons for himself:
The main respect: orderly and solemn, Qingming is bowing, like the rising sun.
Sitting quietly: No matter what time of day, sit quietly for four moments every day, keeping your posture straight and concentrating on your life, like the town of a tripod.
Get up early: get up at dawn, don’t be infatuated after waking up.
Read the same book: Don’t read another book until you finish one.
Read history: read the three histories (referring to "Historical Records", "Hanshu", and "Houhanshu"), and circle ten pages every day, even if something happens.
Word of caution: Pay attention at all times, the first priority.
Nourishing Qi: Qi is stored in the Dantian, and there is nothing that cannot be said to others.
Protect yourself: save labor, abstinence, and diet.
Know what you have every day: read every day and record your insights. Seeking deep meaning is showing favoritism.
Yue Wu forgets what he can do: compose several poems every month to test the amount of accumulated principles and whether the Qi is nourished. Don't dwell on it for a while, as it is the easiest way to become discouraged.
Write: write for half an hour after dinner.
All communication with writing and ink should be regarded as one's own course. If you don't wait for tomorrow, the accumulated accumulation will become more difficult to clear.
Don’t go out at night. If you are tired of your work, you must quit.
Chronology of Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guofan was born in Tianping Village, Heye Township, Shuangfeng County, Hunan Province on November 26, 1811 (the 16th year of Jiaqing) (October 11 of the lunar calendar). His nickname was Kuanyi. .
In 1815 (the 20th year of Jiaqing), he was literate and studied at home at the age of 5. A year later, he entered the private school "Li Jian Zhai".
In the spring of 1826 (the 6th year of Daoguang), at the age of 16, he took the Changsha Prefectural Examination (Tongzi Examination) and ranked seventh.
In 1830 (the 10th year of Daoguang), at the age of 20, he studied 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 the winter, I went to Beijing to prepare for the examination. I passed through Changsha and met Liu Rong.
In April 1835 (the 15th year of Daoguang's reign), at the age of 25, 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 returned home from Beijing. After arriving in Changsha, I spent two months together with Liu Rong and Guo Songtao at the Xiangxiang Guild Hall.
In 1838 (the 18th year of Daoguang), at the age of 28, he passed the 38th tribute examination. After the trial, it was renamed Guofan. He won the 42nd place in the top three in the palace examination and was granted the same background as a Jinshi. Chaokao ranked first and third, and Emperor Daoguang ranked second. He was awarded the title of Shujishi of Hanlin Academy. Begging for leave at the end of the year and returning home.
In the summer of 1839 (the 19th year of Daoguang), at the age of 29, 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.
In May of the 30th year of 1840 (the 20th year of Daoguang), Shuji Shi 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 of them became good friends.
In August 1841 (the 21st year of Daoguang), when he was 31 years old, 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. "Test one's morality and ask one's profession", "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. That year, I enjoyed reading the "Collected Documents of Tao Wenyi" presented by Hu Linyi. Writing "Lixu", he directly explained the sufferings of the people and criticized corrupt officials.
In 1842 (the 22nd year of Daoguang), he devoted himself to the study of Cheng and Zhu at the age of 32. He must do the daily routine: getting up early, worshiping, sitting in meditation, reading without hesitation, reading history, speaking carefully, nourishing energy, protecting the body, and knowing every day. After his death, he did not forget what he could do for a month, wrote calligraphy, and did not go out at night.
In 1843 (the 23rd year of Daoguang), at the age of 33 and in April, he was promoted to the post of lecturer of the Hanlin Academy. In July, he was appointed as the chief examiner of the Provincial Examination (Sichuan). In August, he was awarded the post of lecturer of Hanlin Academy. In December, he was appointed as the school administrator of Wenyuan Pavilion.
In August 1844 (the 24th year of Daoguang), at the age of 34, 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.
In October 1845 (the 25th year of Daoguang's reign), at the age of 35, he was promoted to a bachelor's degree at the Hanlin Academy. Li Hongzhang entered the capital to take the imperial examination, and his family members came to work under him.
In January 1846 (the 26th year of Daoguang), at the age of 36, 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 at Baoguo Temple in the south of the city, he and his roommate Liu Chuanying had in-depth discussions on Sinology and Song Dynasty.
In July 1847 (the 27th year of Daoguang), at the age of 37, he was promoted to the title of Bachelor of the Cabinet and concurrently Minister of Rites. In November, the imperial dynasty appointed the president of the martial arts examination and the minister of imperial examination.
In March 1848 (the 28th year of Daoguang), at the age of 38, his son Ji Hongsheng was born. In October, the speeches of famous officials and Confucian scholars from ancient and modern times were collected and compiled into "Zeng Family Instructions" with 32 items divided into three categories: self-cultivation, family management, and state governance.
In February 1849 (the 29th year of Daoguang), at the age of 39, 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.
In April of 1850 (the 30th year of Daoguang), when he was 40 years old, 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 only with the ears of the employer." In July, he also served as Zuo Shilang of the Department of Administration.
In January 1851 (the first year of Xianfeng), at the age of 41, 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 January 1852 (the 2nd year of Xianfeng), at the age of 42, he published a book on the sufferings of the people. In July, he was appointed as the examiner of Jiangxi Provincial Examination. Arriving at Xiaochiyi, Taihu County, Anhui Province, I heard about my mother's obituary and returned home to attend the funeral. Arrive home in early October. The Taiping Army left Guangxi and entered Hunan, attacking Changsha in September and Yuezhou in October.
On January 21, 1853 (the third year of Xianfeng), at the age of 43, he took over the task of helping to organize the training of the Hunan League. Guo Songtao persuaded him to leave Baosangzi. On the 30th, he arrived in Changsha and held team training with Hunan Governor Zhang Liangji. On March 19, the Taiping Army captured Jiangning and made Tianjing its capital. In September, Zhuzhun moved to Hengzhou to train troops. In November, the Hengzhou Shipyard was built to build warships. Send people to Guangdong to purchase foreign cannons and prepare to build a navy.
On February 25, 1854 (the 4th year of Xianfeng), at the age of 44, he was ordered to lead an expedition against the Taiping Army. Published "An Appeal to the Cantonese Bandits". He ordered Chu Ruhang to be the president of the navy and Taqib to be the vanguard of the army. They 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 his troops to take charge of 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.
On the night of February 12, 1855 (the fifth year of Xianfeng), 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 the documents and documents were lost." "The public was so angry that they wanted to ride their horses to the enemy to die." Luo Zenan and Liu Rong strongly advised him to stop.
In July 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 strength of the Taiping Army was seriously damaged. In October, Zeng Guofan formed the Jizi Battalion in Changzhou to aid Jiangxi.
On February 27, 1857 (the 7th year of Xianfeng), at the age of 47, his father passed away, and his brother Guohua returned to his hometown for 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.
On May 19, 1858 (the 8th year of Xianfeng), at the age of 48, Li Xubin and Yang Yuebin led the land and water armies to capture Jiujiang. His younger brother Guohua joined 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 troops and raise pay. On November 15, Li Xubin and Zeng Guohua died in the Battle of Sanhe. In December, he composed "Folk Song of Love" to train the Hunan Army.
In January of 1859 (the 9th year of Xianfeng), at the age of 49, 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.
In May of 1860 (the 10th year of Xianfeng), when he was 50 years old, he compiled 26 volumes of "Miscellaneous Notes on Classics and History", "taking the essence and using macro" and "exerting the essence of the four volumes". 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, he 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 heaven". In December, the Qimen Camp was trapped twice. The Taiping Army was only 20 miles away from the camp, which was "extremely dangerous."
On August 23, 1861 (the 11th year of Xianfeng), at the age of 51, it was "Revised Purchase of Foreign Ship Cannons": "Buying foreign ship cannons is the first priority to save the times today." 9 On March 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 the 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 Anqing. At the end of the year, the strategy of the three route armies' advance was decided: "To besiege Jinling's vassal state, Zuo Zongtang, and Suzhou to Li Hongzhang, so the southeastern purge was decided.
1862 On January 31, the first year of Tongzhi, he was appointed as the governor of Liangjiang and co-organizer of the bachelor's degree. On February 14, Zuo Zongtang led his army from Jiangxi to Zhejiang. In April, Li Hongzhang led his army to Zhejiang. Shanghai. In May, Zeng Guoquan led his troops to Yuhuatai, and together with Peng Yulin's navy, he besieged Tianjing. On July 18, in order to borrow troops to help suppress the enemy, Zeng Guoquan stated: "The islanders are using the suppression as a means of profit... ..And China is in charge of China's difficulties." Foreigners must not be allowed to "ravage China's land" by aiding in suppression.
In September, stone tombs were built for six Tongcheng Confucian scholars Fang Dongshu and Dai Junheng who died in the war but were not buried properly. In December, his younger brother Zeng Guobao died of illness in the Hunan Army Camp in Yuhuatai. At the end of the year, Hua Hengfang and Xu Shou and his son trial-produced China's first steam engine. After Zeng Guofan saw it, he wrote in his diary that day: "I am secretly delighted at the ingenuity of foreigners and our country can do it. They cannot be proud of me because they know nothing about it." On January 28, 1863 (the second year of Tongzhi), the Anqing Ordnance Institute built my country's first wooden-shelled small steamer. After Zeng Guofan boarded the ship for a trial voyage, he happily named it "Huang" "Felhorn". On May 7, he sent a letter to the Prime Minister's Office of International Affairs, stating that "foreigners have the intention of bullying, but they are given the power to bully; the Chinese are naturally timid, but they are forced to be timid." He opposed the purchase. A naval captain commands and controls the ship. In September, he met with Rong Hong and discussed the establishment of a factory that could produce waste products. On December 3, he paid Hong 68,000 taels and went to the United States to purchase machinery.
In January 1864 (3rd year of Tongzhi) at the age of 54, Li Fengbao was sent to measure the sand lines of islands off Jiangsu and Zhejiang. In May, many of the books in Jiangsu and Zhejiang were damaged due to military action. It was decided to publish the regulations, and a bookstore was set up in Anqing to publish various classics and histories. On June 3, Hong Xiuquan died of illness in Tianjing, and his eldest son succeeded him. On July 19, the Hunan Army captured Tianjing and the Taiping Army declared failure. In July, Zeng Guofan rewarded the crown prince Taibao and a first-class marquis. Zeng Guoquan rewarded Prince Shaobao and first-class earl. On August 15, the report approved the abolition of 25,000 Hunan troops. In October, the team moved to Anling. In November, the memorial stopped the collection of houses and acres. In December, he presided over the restoration of Jiangnan Gongyuan, conducted the Jiangnan Rural Examination, and conducted the Jiangnan Excellent Gong Examination.
In January 1865 (the 4th year of Tongzhi), at the age of 55, he selected 17 memorials written by ministers since the Han and Tang Dynasties and compiled "Ming Yuantang Papers". In March, he presided over the renovation of Zhongshan and Zunjing academies. Adopt eight hundred lonely and cold children, and donate money to teach and give prizes from his own money. On May 26, he received the order: lead the army to Shandong to suppress Terrorism. 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 of going north to suppress the enemy was to fortify important towns, draw rivers to encircle them, clear the fields and inspect the fairies, and track 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, the Jinling Manufacturing Bureau was moved to Haihongkou, merged with Li Hongzhang's original artillery bureau and the iron factory purchased from the Americans, and added more than 100 machines purchased by Rong Hong to establish the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau. In December, the permanent charter and operating regulations of the Yangtze River Navy were approved.
On September 24, 1866 (the fifth year of Tongzhi), the Nian army broke through the defense line and entered Shandong. I asked for leave twice in a row to recuperate. In October, he reported to Chen: The suppression is ineffective and the disease is difficult to recover quickly. Please open the vacancies for the co-organizer of the bachelor's degree and the governor of Liangjiang. In December, he returned as governor of Liangjiang.
In March 1867 (the 6th year of Tongzhi), at the age of 57, 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 Hongzhang, he moved the Jiangnan Manufacturing Administration from Hongkou to Gaochang Temple. The land was acquired and relocated, and regulations were greatly increased. In June, he was awarded the Bachelor of Tirenge degree.
In April 1868 (the 7th year of Tongzhi), at the age of 58, 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 it was boarded for a trial voyage and named "Tianji". In December, he arrived in the capital and met with Nala and Emperor Tongzhi.
On February 27, 1869 (the 8th year of Tongzhi), at the age of 59, Chen Zhili was informed of the matters to be handled, focusing on military training, ordering officials, and river management. In June, he requested that the Zhili army be trained according to the Hunan military system. In August, he wrote "Encouraging Learning to the Scholars of Zhili", proposing that Confucianism has four subjects: righteousness, textual criticism, economics, and rhetoric, and righteousness alone is the foundation of scholarship. In December, he reported: "Zhili cleans up the accumulated prisons... more than 41,000 cases have been closed and cancelled, and many of them have been cleared."
1870 In April of 2001 (the 9th year of Tongzhi), at the age of 60, his liver disease became increasingly severe 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 religious incident occurred and I 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 of the murderers in this case had been arrested, but Luo Shuya wanted "three people to negotiate for compensation", so it was difficult to agree to the request. The government and county had no serious fault and sent the case to the Ministry of Criminal Justice, which was considered a minor matter and the law was serious.
In September, Ma Xinyi, the governor of Liangjiang, was assassinated. Zeng Guofan was transferred to two terms as governor, and Li Hongzhang was transferred to replace the governor of Zhili. On October 17, we set off south. On November 3rd, his sixtieth birthday, he was given a plaque with the title "Honoring High Pillars". On the 24th, there are four daily lessons for writers: the first is to read carefully and the mind will be at ease, the second is to respect the Lord and the body will be strong, the third is to seek benevolence and others will speak, and the fourth is to practice hard work and the spirit will be respected.
On August 19, 1871 (the 10th year of Tongzhi), at the age of 61, Li Hongzhang and Li Hongzhang jointly played the "Planned Selection of Zi Di to Study Abroad". In September, we inspected the defense and training conditions of various amphibious and land battalions. Arrive in Shanghai in November.
On February 27, 1872 (the 11th year of Tongzhi), at the age of 62, he led the memorial: urging the "issue of sending remaining students" to be implemented as soon as possible. It also proposed the establishment of a "Chinese International Students Office" in the United States, and recommended Chen Lanbin and Rong Hong as chief and deputy committee members to be permanently managed in the United States. A bureau for studying abroad for young children was established in Shanghai, and Liu Hanqing was recommended as "prime minister for the selection and sending of children to the bureau in Shanghai."
On March 1st, I suddenly developed numbness in my feet and my tongue was numb and I couldn't speak. On March 12, while walking in the West Garden of the Department in the afternoon, his feet suddenly became numb. Zeng Jize helped him back to his study, where he sat upright for three moments and died. 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. On December 13 of the following year, he was buried in Fulong Mountain, Pingtang, Xiangxi, Shanhua County (now Wangcheng County). Buried together with his wife Ouyang.