Zeng Guofan (Volume 1, 2, 3)

Author: Tang Haoming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: Liang Qichao once said to the world, "Zeng Wenzheng was not only a great figure of modern times but also one of the few truly outstanding individuals in history. He was not only a great figure in our country but also one of the few truly outstanding individuals in the entire world." Chiang Kai-shek once said to his son Chiang Jingguo, "Regarding the methods of reading and writing Chinese, they are elaborately discussed in Zeng Gong's family precepts and letters. If you can carefully study his family precepts and letters, you will not only gain insights into traditional Chinese culture but also cultivate both spiritual and moral qualities that can make you a great political leader in China. You should not dismiss them because his era has passed." Mao Zedong once said to his friend Li Jinxi, "Among my contemporaries, I am particularly impressed by Zeng Wenzheng. His handling of the Hong and Yang rebellion was perfect in every way. If a person of our time were to replace him in that position, could they achieve such perfection?" So, who exactly was this Zeng Wenzheng, and what extraordinary qualities did he possess that earned such high regard from these three figures? However, in modern times, some Chinese have criticized Zeng Wenzheng as a villain, a hypocrite, an unvirtuous descendant of the Han, and later as a traitor, a sellout, and a butcher. It seems that these terms have become the definitive condemnation of this person. In the five thousand years of Chinese civilization, the contrast in the final judgment of a single individual is so extreme that it is hard to find another example. Just this alone is enough to spark endless curiosity and exploration. So, let us push open the rusty historical gate together and enter the of that bloody and stormy era one hundred and fifty years ago.