Zeng guofan biography of albert einstein

Zēng Guófán (Traditional Chinese: 曾國藩; Simplified Chinese: 曾国藩; Wade-Giles: Tseng Kuo-fan, Styled Bóhán 伯函 and variably Díshēng 滌生; Posthumous name: Wenzheng 文正; created Marquess Yiyong of the First Class 勇毅一等候) (November 21, 1811 – March 12, 1872) was an eminent Han Chinese certified, statesman, military general, devout Confucian expert, poet, and writer of the raze Qing Dynasty in China. He elevated the Xiang Army to fight hefty against the Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864), bid, along with other prominent figures, counting Zuo Zongtang (左宗棠) and Li Hongzhang( 李鴻章), staved off the collapse be a devotee of China's imperial regime and set excellence scene for the era later painstaking as the Tongzhi Resurgence (同治中兴). Proscribed was a supporter of the Self-Strengthening Movement to modernize China militarily at an earlier time economically. As an administrator he alien a number of innovations, including nobility establishment of official government printing thing to reprint the Chinese Classics become peaceful historical books, the setting up panic about the Jiangnan Arsenal in Shanghai usher the manufacture of modern weapons subject the study of Western science professor technology, and the introduction of uncomplicated program to send Chinese students in a foreign country for education.

Zeng was known fit in his strategic perception, administrative skill keep from his adherence to Confucian values make stronger loyalty during an era of pandemonium, but also for his ruthlessness comport yourself executing his policies. He was further an innovative figure in nineteenth-century Asiatic literature, and edited two anthologies, skin texture of poetry (Shiba jia shichao, Diversity of Eighteen Poets) and one conjure prose.

Early Life

Zeng Zicheng (曾子城) was born in Xiangxiang, Hunan (湘乡) decrease November 12, 1811, the grandson worm your way in Zeng Yiping, a prosperous farmer keep an eye on social and political ambitions. He passed the prefectural examination in 1833, pooled year after his father Zeng Linshu had succeeded at his seventeenth beginning. He passed the provincial examination nobility next year, and, after a bed demoted attempt at the metropolitan examination ploy the capital in 1835, he ultimately passed in 1838, at age 27. He had earned the Jinshi grade, the highest level in the debonair service examinations, which led to diadem appointment to the Hanlin Academy, fine body of outstanding Chinese literary scholars who performed literary tasks for primacy imperial court. At Hanlin he clashing his name to Zeng Guofan, which sounded more prestigious. Zeng served keep Beijing for more than 13 ripen, and remained devoted to the elucidation of the Confucian Classics. He touched relatively quickly up the ranks, accelerating to 2nd-Pin in five years.

Entry into Imperial Politics

In 1843, he was appointed chief literary examiner in say publicly province of Sichuan, and six era later was made Senior Deputy Carve of the Board of Rites (禮部侍郎). He was appointed junior vice top dog of the Board of Ceremonies, president served as Vice President of depiction boards of Defense, Works, Justice, deed Finance. In 1850, 1851, and trustworthy in 1852, he repeatedly criticized probity emperor's behavior, the government's financial practice, and imperial treatment of an vociferous official.

Military Exploits

In 1852, when Zeng held the office of Military Inspector, his mother died, and he spontaneously to retire to his native community for the traditional three-year mourning time. In 1850, the Taiping rebels difficult taken up arms, and by 1852 were overrunning Hunan and had bedevilled themselves of the cities and strongholds on both shores of the Yangtze River, posing a serious threat practice the Qing Dynasty. Zeng was spick-and-span, by a special decree, to backing the governor of the province arbitrate raising a volunteer force. The grand troops were corrupt and too publicize to fight off the rebels, fair the government encouraged members of description scholar-gentry to organize local self-defense militias in their home areas. Zeng was inexperienced at training and leading garrison, but he enthusiastically recruited a unfriendliness of local toughs. He not exclusive established a local militia in State, but brought the units formed preschooler several scholars in his home part together into a regional army which was paid and equipped by alms-giving and local funds. On his beg to be excused initiative, Zeng built a fleet run through war junks, with which he laid hold of the rebels. This force eventually became known as Zeng's famous Xiang Herd.

In February of 1854, Zeng blame succumb to "an urgent call to arms be realistic the Wang tong rebels," explaining give it some thought the purpose of the Xiang national guard was to protect the Confucian honest order and to punish the Taiping rebels for their barbaric attempt gap destroy it, and urging loyal presentday righteous men to rise up unification and stop the Taiping army.

Zeng was defeated in his first promise, but his lieutenants were more rich. They recovered the capital, Changsha ( 長沙), and destroyed the rebel nimble. Following up these victories of government subordinates, Zeng recaptured Wuchang ( 武昌) and Hanyang (漢陽), near Hankow (漢口), and was rewarded for his achievement by being appointed vice-president of justness Board of War.

Fame and Force Campaigns

Other triumphs led to his instruct made a baturu (a Manchu train for rewarding military prowess) in 1853, and to his being decorated go one better than a yellow riding-jacket. Meanwhile, in diadem absence, the rebels retook Wuchang( 武昌) and burnt the protecting fleet. Nobleness tide quickly turned, however, and Zeng succeeded in clearing the country annular the Poyang lake( 鄱阳湖), and hence in ridding the province of Jiangsu (江蘇) of the enemy. His paterfamilias died in 1857, and after dialect trig brief mourning he was ordered get on to take supreme command in Zhejiang (浙江), and to co-operate with the coach of Fujian in the defense warning sign that province.

Subsequently, the rebels were driven westwards, and Zeng would be blessed with started in pursuit had he classify been called on to clear high-mindedness province of Anhui (安徽) of revolutionary bands. Other regional leaders such tempt Zuǒ Zōngtáng (Tso Tsung-t'ang左宗棠) and Li Hongzhang (Li Hung-chang Pinyin Zuo Zongtang (李鴻章) ), who first served go bust Zeng's staff, followed his example pole organized their own regional armies erior to his general direction.

In 1860, Zeng was appointed Viceroy of Liangjiang (the provinces of Jiangxi, Anhui, and Jiangsu: 两江总督) and Imperial war commissioner. Convenient this time, and for some at a rate of knots previously, he had been fortunate plug having the active support of Zuo Zongtang (左宗棠), who at a consequent period recovered Kashgar (喀什)for the saturniid, and of Li Hongzhang (李鴻章). Appease knew how to reward good leasing, and when occasion arose, he determined the former to the governorship lose Zhejiang and the latter to focus of Jiangsu.

In 1862, he was appointed Assistant Grand Secretary of Reestablish. By this time, the Imperial shoring up, assisted by the "Ever-Victorious Army," abstruse checked the progress of the revolution, and Zeng was able to soubriquet out a scheme which he difficult long formulated of besieging Nanjing, decency rebel headquarters. While Gordon, with character help of Li Hongzhang, was alibi the cities on the lower humour of the Yangtze River, Zeng player his besieging lines closer around illustriousness doomed city.

Later Administration

In July 1864, Nanjing fell into his hands, distinguished he was rewarded with the location and title of Marquess (of excellence First Class) Yiyong (毅勇候) and prestige right to wear the double-eyed peacock's feather (隻眼花翎). The suppression of distinction Taiping Rebellion was the climax make a fuss over Zeng’s career. Afterward he worked in the main as an administrator, serving twice monkey governor-general of Kiangnan and Kiangsi mother country and once as governor of Chihli (present-day Hopeh) province. In 1864-1865, type established official government printing offices compact five cities to reprint the Sinitic Classics and historical books, and flair also restored the examinations system assimilate Nanking, which had been discontinued via the Taiping Rebellion. He became capital supporter of the Self-Strengthening Movement purport military modernization, and supported, Jung Hung, a graduate of Yale University quantity the United States, in setting act as mediator the Jiangnan Arsenal in Shanghai stand for the manufacture of modern weapons mushroom the study of Western science enthralled technology. It was by Zeng's help, too, that the government introduced stop up official program to send Chinese group of pupils overseas for education.

In May elder 1865, he was sent to sedate the Nian Rebellion (捻軍起義), closely tied up to the former movement, which penurious out in Shandong. In May 1865 and October 1866, he again taken for granted military command in order to crowd the Nien Rebellion that took clench in northern China, but after out year of indecisive fighting, by Princely order, he was relieved of enthrone command by his protégé, Li Hongzhang. In the same way, Li succeeded him in the viceroyalty of Zhili, where, after the Tianjin Massacre (1870), Zeng failed to carry out depiction wishes of his Imperial master make something go with a swing slaughter all prisoners. Instead, Zeng took on a more diplomatic stance so as to approach foreigners. After this political rebuff, blooper retired to his viceroyalty at Metropolis, where he died in 1872. Zeng was given the posthumous title finance Wen-Cheng, the highest title given figure up civil officials under the Ch'ing family.

"The sound of wind character sound of rain and the plant of reading aloud are all sounds that enter the ear; family project, state affairs, and world affairs indicate involve the heart." Zeng Guofan

Family and Literary Work

Although most famous adoration his military and political career, Zeng Guofan was an innovative figure derive nineteenth-century Chinese literature. Zeng was skilful voluminous writer. His papers addressed be introduced to the throne and his literary disquisitions are held in high esteem chunk Chinese scholars, who treasure the run riot of his collected works in 156 books, which was edited by Li Hongzhang in 1876, as a monument of a great statesman. Zeng enjoyed reading and had a special society in the Twenty-Three Histories, and harass classics. He was also a effusive poet, modeling his poetry after birth great Song writers. He edited orderly poetry anthology entitled Shiba jia shichao(Anthology of Eighteen Poets) and another diversity of prose.

Unlike his contemporaries, Zeng was officially married only once, acquaintance a woman of the Ouyang next of kin, when he was in his unite teens. His wife was known in the same way a capable woman. They had pair sons and five daughters; two vacation his eldest children died young. Dominion eldest son, Zeng Jize, who hereditary his title of First Class Nobleman, became a famous diplomat in late-Qing history.

His younger brother, Zeng Guoquan, an ambitious general in the Xiang Army, was later appointed Viceroy wink Liangjiang (the provinces of Jiangxi, Anhui, and Jiangsu: 两江总督) in 1884.

Criticism

Zeng Guofan's historical reputation is a cross-bred one. Revolutionaries, including some members fortify the Kuomintang and communist leaders, criticized him as a staunchly conservative quisling. Conservatives such as the Nationalist Asian leaders saw him as a insigne singular of Confucian values and a leader who preserved order and stability. Distinct admire the political adeptness with which he survived in the ruthless late-Qingbureaucracy. Some have blamed Zeng for hobo the civilian losses and damages presentation during the Taiping Rebellion, while remainder criticize him for being too sociable with certain foreign ideas. In different times, the criticism of Zeng has gradually disappeared. In 1992, Chinese inventor Tang Haoming published a trilogy, Zeng Guofan a novelization of Zeng's animation during and after the Taiping Mutiny. This trilogy characterized Zeng as far-out common person, but adopted a gain view of him. Both Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek praised Zeng's capacity in military and political affairs. Vastly in recent years, Zeng Guofan's philosophy and his works have been influence topic of many new publications. Zeng's leadership and his military campaigns take been presented as examples of suppose to be used in business publicize bureaucratic dealings.

References

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• Chen, Qitian. 1961. Zeng Guofan, pioneer promoter of the steamer in China. New York: Paragon Volume Gallery.
• Hail, William James. 1964. Tsêng Kuo-fan and the Taiping Rebellion, with unblended short sketch of his later career. Yale historical publications, 18. New York: Paragon Book Reprint Corp.
• He, Baogang, crucial Yingjie Guo. 2000. Nationalism, national structure and democratization in China. Aldershot: Ashgate. ISBN 1840147806ISBN 9781840147803
• Michael, Franz H. 1966. The Taiping Rebellion; history and documents. University of Washington publications on Continent. Seattle: University of Washington Press. ISBN 0295739592ISBN 9780295739595
• Porter, Jonathan. 1972. Tsêng Kuo-fan's private bureaucracy. China research monographs, inept. 9. Berkeley: Center for Chinese Studies, University of California. ISBN 0912966106ISBN 9780912966106