Source: Zeng Guofan Diary
Zeng Guofan was a politician, strategist, philosopher and writer in modern China, and the founder and commander-in-chief of Xiang Army. Born in a landlord family, he was diligent and studious since childhood and entered school at the age of 6. At the age of 8, he can read four books and recite five classics. At the age of 14, he can read Zhou Li and Historical Records. In the 18th year of Daoguang (1838), he entered imperial academy and studied under the military minister Zhang Mu. Reluctantly moved to a bachelor's degree in cabinet, assistant minister of does, assistant minister of military, industrial, criminal and official departments. We are close friends with university students such as Woren, Huining Road and Guizhen, and strive for "practical learning".
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Zeng Guofan's political achievements
Zeng Guofan, as a famous politician in modern times, was indifferent to the corruption and decline of the Qing dynasty after the "prosperous period". He said: "The country is poor, but people are scattered, which is very serious." As for "scholar-officials are used to being worried and accommodating", "prosperous times are neither white nor black, neither painful nor itchy" nor "hating secondary bones". He believes that "the bad governance of officials is all caused by group curtains, and it is sincere to seek officials to eliminate the disadvantages of curtains." Based on this, Zeng Guofan put forward that "the administration should get the people first", and those who need both morality and tools in times of crisis should advocate honesty, respect benevolent government, oppose tyranny and disturb the people, and must severely punish those officials who take bribes and pervert the law and enrich themselves.
Influenced by the two Opium Wars, Zeng Guofan had his own views on the diplomatic relations between China and the West. On the one hand, he hates westerners invading China, thinks that others should not snore and sleep next to his couch, and opposes using teachers to help him suppress it, so he is deeply ashamed of using foreign countries. "On the other hand, it is not blindly exclusive and advocates learning from advanced science and technology in the West. For example, he said that buying foreign cultural relics ... visiting thoughtful and intelligent people, starting with practice, and then working hard to build them, can curb hair entanglement and be diligent and far-sighted.
Zeng Guofan's Military Achievements
Zeng Guofan advocated loyalty to the monarch and morality, and ruled the army with Confucianism, which was also implemented in the aspects of selecting generals, recruiting soldiers, managing the army, and coordinating the internal and external relations of the army. Zeng Guofan's military thought is extremely rich in connotation. He believes that the number of soldiers is small, but fine, "serenade is strong", "the more soldiers, the weaker the strength; The more reimbursement, the poorer the country. " Advocate the separation of military and political affairs and take responsibility. He bought foreign guns, cannons and ships, which promoted the modernization of China's military weapons.
Zeng Guofan took great pains in the general plan of running the army, and advocated running the army with Confucianism, that is, educating officers and men with feudal ethics and training officers and men with benevolence, courtesy and loyalty as the foundation of running the army. His purpose is to maintain the morale of the army and cultivate a private army that is completely and absolutely subordinate to himself.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Zeng Guofan