Zeng Guofan (November 26, 1811 - March 12, 1872), originally named Zicheng, courtesy name Bohan, and nickname Disheng, was the 70th grandson of Zengzi, a modern Chinese statesman and politician. Strategist, Neo-Confucianist, litterateur, founder and commander of the Hunan Army.
On November 11, the 16th year of Jiaqing (November 26, 1811), Zeng Guofan was born in Baiyangping, Heyetang, Xiangxiang, Changsha Prefecture, Hunan (now Heye, Shuangfeng County, Loudi City, Hunan Province) An ordinary farming and studying family in Daping Village, Town.
In the eighteenth year of Daoguang (1838), Zeng Guofan participated in the imperial examination and finally succeeded in getting the first place. He ranked 42nd among the top three in the palace examination and was granted the same background as a Jinshi. From then on, he embarked on the journey step by step. career, and became the proud disciple of the military minister Mu Zhang'a. He ranked third in the first class in the imperial examination, and was ranked second by Emperor Daoguang himself, and was selected as a scholar of the Hanlin Academy.
In the first month of the 29th year of Daoguang (1849), he was awarded the title of Right Minister of the Ministry of Rites. In August, he was appointed Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of War. In June of the following year, he was appointed Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Industry. During his more than ten years in Beijing, Zeng Guofan persevered along this official path and was promoted to a second-rank official position step by step. Seven moves in ten years, ten levels in a row.
On the fourth day of February in the eleventh year of Tongzhi (March 12, 1872), Zeng Guofan was walking in the West Garden of Nanjing in the afternoon. He suddenly suffered from numbness in his feet. Zeng Jize helped him back to his study, where he sat upright for three moments and died. The people cried in the alleys and painted images to worship them.
After hearing the news, the imperial court stayed away from court for three days. He was given the posthumous title of Taifu and given the posthumous title "Wenzheng". He was enshrined in Zhaozhong and Xianliang temples in the capital, and special temples were established in various provinces. On June 25, the coffin arrived in Changsha. On July 19, he was buried in Jinpenling outside the south gate of Changsha.
Extended information:
Zeng Guofan advocated being diligent, thrifty and honest in everything, and not being arrogant as an official. He cultivated himself and disciplined himself, sought an official position based on virtue, put etiquette first, and pursued politics with loyalty, and achieved great success in the officialdom.
Under his initiative, China built the first ship, established the first military school, printed and translated the first batch of Western books, and arranged the first batch of students to study in the United States.
The rise of Zeng Guofan had a profound impact on the politics, military, culture, economy and other aspects of the Qing Dynasty. He was a pioneer in China's modernization construction.
Baidu Encyclopedia--Zeng Guofan