Tang Haoming Collection · Zhang Zhidong

Author: People's Literature Publishing House
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-07-01
Features: Zhang Zhidong came slightly later than Zeng Guofan and was one of the early advocates of the Self-Strengthening Movement in modern China. He was also one of the leaders of the Northern Warlord Army. The slogan "Chinese learning as the essence, Western learning for the practical use" was proposed by him and is still frequently mentioned today. From the perspective of overall national policy, this slogan remains a subject of ongoing debate with no definitive conclusion. Writing historical fiction requires the ability to capture the spirit of a particular era. Figures like Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Zhang Zhidong, and Li Hongzhang were all versatile talents, capable of both destruction and construction, who were also known for their poetic and artistic inclinations, as well as their dignified and composed demeanor. They lived in an era of great change, handled military and state affairs, and interacted with top talents both domestically and internationally. They were truly "selfless in virtue, selfless in achievement, and selfless in words," seemingly capable of everything. Strangely enough, it is often in the great era of blood and fire that history concentrates such a group of outstanding figures.