There is no doubt that both of them are figures who paid homage to Hou Hou, and both of them are important figures who influenced the modern history of China. They turned out to be friends, but later they turned against each other. After his death, Zuo Zongtang had some regrets.

Zuo Zongtang was unhappy with Zeng Guofan for three reasons:

First, Zuo looked down on Zeng Guofan in talent. Who is Zuo Zongtang? Tao Shu takes the position of the highest administrative and military chief in Jiangsu, Jiangxi and Anhui provinces today, and Nabuyi Zuo Zongtang as his husband; After seeing Zuo Zongtang, Lin Zexu was "stunned as a peerless genius at first sight"; Before his debut, Zuo Zongtang was able to guide the governor to carry out his work as an ordinary people and hold the political situation in Hunan for many years. How awesome! Zeng Guofan, an ordinary person, looks very awkward, like a rural teacher. He speaks modestly and prudently, and acts indecisively. It is strange that Zuo Zongtang can look up to Zeng Guofan.

Second, because Zeng's studies were quite smooth, Zuo Zongtang was envious and jealous of it. After being humiliated in the scholar exam, Zeng Guofan made rapid progress in his studies and was finally admitted to the Hanlin Academy. After graduating from the Hanlin Academy, it moved ten years and seven years, and climbed to the high position of the deputy ministerial level. Although Zuo Zongtang is known as a child prodigy, man of great talent is well-educated and well-educated, but he is not good at exams, and his fame in his life is only limited to being a juror. Zuo Zongtang, who has a high opinion of himself, is bound to be unhappy with Zeng Guofan, a man who has prospered by virtue of his senior high school education (this is the same psychology as my unhappiness at Tsinghua Peking University).

thirdly, Zeng Guofan seriously stole Zuo Zongtang's limelight, which made Zuo Zongtang feel the regret of being beautiful all his life. Without Zeng Guofan, I would be the only one to pacify the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and wipe out the rest of the world. Now there is another Zeng Guofan, and you can take all the good things and names. Where can I put Zuo Zongtang?

in addition to the above three reasons, Zuo Zongtang's personality is the fundamental reason, so I won't elaborate on it. Although Zuo Zongtang is not very good to Zeng Guofan, Zeng Guofan has always shown forbearance to Zuo Zongtang, which is really awesome. Sages must be heroes, and heroes are not necessarily sages. Zeng Guofan is a sage, while Zuo Zongtang is only a hero, which is the fundamental difference between them.