18 1 1 was born in a wealthy landlord family in heyetang, Jingzi town, Shuangfeng county, Hunan province. There are nine brothers and sisters, Zeng Guofan is the eldest son. The ancestors were mainly farmers, and their lives were relatively affluent. Grandpa Zeng Yuping's education is not high, but he has rich experience; Father Zeng Linshu is a scholar, and Zeng Guofan, the eldest son and grandson, was naturally educated by two ancestors.
Zeng Guofan entered school at the age of 6, read eight-part essay and recited five classics at the age of 8, read Zhou Li and Selected Works of Historical Records at the age of 14, and took part in the boy test in Changsha. His excellent grades are listed as excellent, which shows that he has been smart and diligent since he was a child. At 1832, he was admitted to a scholar and married Ouyang Cangming's daughter.
Zeng Guofan was admitted to Jinshi at the age of 28. From then on, he stepped onto the road of official career step by step, and became the right-hand man of Zhang Mu, Minister of Military Aircraft. After more than ten years in Beijing, he successively served as imperial academy Jishi Shu, transferred to school, gave lectures, served as Wen Yuan Pavilion, served as a cabinet bachelor, inspected Chinese book affairs, served as assistant minister of Ministry of War, assistant minister of Ministry of Industry, assistant minister of punishments and assistant minister of official department. Zeng Guofan was promoted to the second-class position step by step along this career path. Moving seven times in ten years, jumping ten times in a row, jumping from seven products to two products,
Zeng Guofan's life can't be separated from suppressing the Taiping Rebellion. 1852, Zeng Guofan was at home because his mother died. At this time, the Taiping Rebellion has swept half of China. Although the Qing government mobilized a large number of Eight Banners green camp officers and men from all over the country to deal with the Taiping Army, this decadent armed force was vulnerable. Therefore, the Qing government issued many orders to reward the Yong Tuan, trying to use the landlord armed forces in various places to curb the development of revolutionary forces, which provided an opportunity for the emergence of Zeng Guofan's Xiang Army. 1853, the Qing government gave him the opportunity to seek strength to suppress the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Relying on complicated interpersonal relationships such as mentoring, relatives and friends, he established a local group training called Xiang Army in his hometown of Hunan. Zeng Guofan brutally suppressed the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom uprising and used harsh laws. History says that "one person is sent to be known, and another person is sent to judge robbers." If the solution is serious, it will be decided. If it is light, it will be killed. If it is light, it will be blamed. ..... The case will be tried immediately and the law will be implemented immediately. There is no expectation of delay. " Not only did he kill people directly, but his father and four brothers also killed people. Some people accused him of killing too many people and called him "once bald" and "once butcher". It is said that children in Nanjing cry at night, and when their mother says "I shaved my head", the children stop crying. In the battle with the Taiping Army, Zeng Guofan used methods such as looting property and conferring officials to boost morale, which formed the nature of the Xiang Army warrior's disability. Xiang Army became one of the main forces in the Qing army with backward military quality to fight against the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in the south of China. Zeng Guofan was named the first-class brave marquis, becoming the first person to seal the marquis of Wu as a scholar in the Qing Dynasty. Later, he served as the governor of Liangjiang and Zhili, and his official residence was a product.
Zeng Guofan wrote a lot in his life, but his letters from home were the most widely circulated and had the greatest influence. 1879, that is, seven years after Zeng Guofan's death, Nakagawa Bookstore carved Zeng Gong's letter edited by Li and Li Hongzhang.
Zeng Guofan himself was also good at employing people, and other famous ministers in Qing Dynasty, such as Zuo and Li Hongzhang, were closely related to him. Zuo and Li Hongzhang called Zeng Guofan a teacher. Zeng Guofan once said, "Li Shaoquan tried his best to be an official, and Yu (Yu Yue) tried his best to write a book".
After the failure of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Taiping Army joined the Nian Army in the rest of Jiangbei, and the Qing court ordered Zeng Guofan to supervise the military affairs of Zhili, Shandong and Henan provinces. Zeng Guofan led 20,000 Xiang troops and 60,000 Huai troops, equipped with foreign guns and guns, and "suppressed twists" in the north. His policy was to "suppress hard rather than pursue hard" and put forward plans such as "key fortification" in an attempt to block the Nian army in the canal and Shahe area, so that it had nowhere to escape and was eliminated. However, the Nian Army broke through Zeng Guofan's defense line and entered Shandong, which bankrupt Zeng Guofan's strategic plan. Zeng Guofan was removed from office and replaced by Li Hongzhang.
1870, Zeng Guofan, then governor of Zhili, was ordered to go to Tianjin to handle the Tianjin religious plan. On June 2 1870, thousands of people gathered in front of the French Catholic Church in Tianjin, suspecting that the Catholic Church used the nursery as a crutch to kidnap people and kill babies. Uncle Feng, the French consul, believes that there is no hard pressure from the government. He ran into Liu Jie, the magistrate of Tianjin, with a gun in the street. He shot and killed a servant in Liu Jie on the spot because of an argument. In public anger, he first killed Uncle Feng, the French consul, and his secretary Simon, then killed 10 nuns, 2 priests, 2 other French consulate staff, 2 French nationals, 3 Russian nationals and more than 30 China believers, and burned the French consulate and Wanghai. After the incident, Britain, the United States, France and other countries jointly protested and dispatched warships to show off their strength. After Zeng Guofan arrived in Tianjin, considering the situation at that time, he didn't want to go to war with France. "However, the quick success of Hebei lottery is not one of the courtship crimes." At the request of France, it was decided to finally kill 18 people who took the lead in killing people, exile 25 people, and send Tianjin magistrate Zhang Guangzao and magistrate Liu Jie to Heilongjiang to compensate foreigners for the loss of 462,000 silver, and Chonghou sent a mission to France. As a result of this negotiation, the court and the people in public opinion were very dissatisfied, which greatly affected Zeng Guofan's reputation and caused the national ruling and opposition parties to scold him. Even his fellow villagers in Hunan smashed and burned the plaque boasting about his fame in Huguang Hall.
He died in Nanjing on February 4th, 11th year of Tongzhi (Gregorian calendar:1March 20th, 872). The court gave a teacher a gift, and he was named "Zheng Wen" after his death. There are many officials in the descendants of his family, such as Ceng Jize.
Zeng Guofan's literary achievements
Zeng Guofan inherited the independent style of Tongcheng School Fang Bao and Yao Nai, and founded the "Xiangxiang School", an ancient prose in the late Qing Dynasty. He talks about ancient prose, emphasizes the sonorous tone and tries his best to cover it up. Ancient prose is profound and magnificent, which can convey the spirit of Han Fu, so it has a magnificent artistic conception and can get rid of the disadvantages of Tongcheng School, which is called by later generations. The Zeng family had a patriarchal clan system in Tongcheng, but it changed and developed later. As a model of the text, he compiled a hundred kinds of miscellaneous notes on classics and history, which is not controlled by Tongcheng and is called Xiangxiang School in the world. Yan Fu, Lin Shu, Tan Sitong and Liang Qichao were all influenced by his writing style in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. Author of The Complete Works of Zeng.
Zeng Guofan's Military Contribution
In the second year of Xianfeng (1852), in November, the Taiping Army left northern Hunan and conquered Hanyang. 1853, Zeng Guofan established Yingyong, a place called Xiang Army, which was divided into army and navy. Soldiers recruited farmers in Xiangxiang area, and their wages were about three times that of green camp. The whole army only takes orders from Zeng Guofan. 1854, 6,500 men from the 13th Battalion of the Army and 5,000 men from the 10th Battalion of the Navy will gather in Xiangtan to take the oath of resistance. The first battle was defeated by Taiping Army in Yuezhou and Jinggang. Zeng Guofan drowned himself several times. When he writes a book, he can only laugh at himself with "repeated defeats and repeated wars." After the reorganization of the army, Yuezhou and Wuchang were reoccupied, and the Taiping Army withdrew from Hunan. 1May, 858, Jiujiang was stormed. 1860, Ceng Guoquan surrounded Anqing, which was famous for "building a base to fight to the death". 1864, Xiang army attacked Tianjing (Nanjing).
Taiping Army resisted Xiang Army, which made Xiang Army suffer enough. When Nanjing was broken, Zeng Guofan said, "The change of Guangdong bandits has ravaged 16 provinces and captured more than 600 cities. Among them, Li guarding Feng Guantun, Kai Wing Lam guarding Jiujiang and Ye guarding Anqing are even more indomitable. On the slope of Jinling City, more than 100,000 thieves did not surrender, and they gathered and burned themselves without regret. It is a rare drama in ancient and modern times. " After Zeng Guofan entered Nanjing, he carried out the "three-light policy" and "... searched and killed in sections, killing more than 100 thousand thieves in three days. Qinhuai River is full of bodies ... The flame lasted for three days and nights. In fact, more than100000 are ordinary people. Li Gui, a Nanjing scholar, said: "If you stand on the side of the government forces, you will be plundered after the defeat, or burned and killed after the victory. Especially when it is unbearable, it is even more cruel than a" thief ". I don't want to say anything, nor dare I say anything. (Gui Li: Sad Memories) Zhao Liewen, Zeng Guofan's aide, recorded the destruction of Nanjing in detail in the Quiet Diary: "... nine times out of ten people who died along the street were old people. Those who have children under two or three years old also think it is a game, crawling on the road. All the women are under 40 years old, and all of them are injured by the elderly, or dozens of knives, dozens of knives ... ". Ceng Guoquan is a mass murderer and shuddering. "Xue Shuai" Peng Yulin is not satisfied with this. He wrote to Zeng Guofan twice (the siege of Anqing in 65438+the siege of Jinling in 08665438 +65438 +0864), demanding to put aside the righteousness above family. Ceng Guoquan robbed a lot of property in Nanking, and Zeng Guofan told the court that "a pavilion of a false palace thief burned to ashes, regardless of who donated it to the state treasury. However, it is never uncommon to restore the old nest without any goods, which is beyond my original intention. " Zeng Guofan put Li Xiucheng to death to cover his mouth.
Zeng Guofan's Thoughts and Academics
Zeng Guofan, as a famous politician in modern times, was indifferent to the corruption and decline of the Qing Dynasty after experiencing the "prosperous time of Ganjia". He said: "The country is poor, but people are scattered, which is very serious." As for "scholar-officials are used to being worried and accommodating", "prosperous times are neither white nor black, neither painful nor itchy" nor "hating secondary bones". He believes that "the bad governance of officials is all caused by group curtains, and it is sincere to seek officials to eliminate the disadvantages of curtains." Based on this, Zeng Guofan put forward that "the administration should get the people first". For those who need both morality and tools in times of crisis, they should advocate honesty, respect benevolent government, oppose tyranny and disturb the people, and must severely punish those officials who take bribes and pervert the law. As for the financial and economic relationship between the national movement and people's livelihood, Zeng Guofan believes that the way to manage money is to make full use of the surplus and deficiency, be down-to-earth, be honest and clean, and "gradually seek rectification, not be eager for quick success." Zeng Guofan mentioned agriculture as the basic strategic position of the national economy. He believes that "people's livelihood comes first, and the national economy takes good years as credit." He demanded that "in today's counties, emphasizing agriculture is the first priority." Influenced by the two Opium Wars, Zeng Guofan had his own views on the diplomatic relations between China and the West. On the one hand, he hates westerners invading China, thinks that others should not snore and sleep next to his couch, and opposes borrowing teachers to help him suppress it, so he is deeply ashamed of using foreign countries. "On the other hand, it is not blindly exclusive and advocates learning its advanced science and technology from the West.
Study and discuss Tao's classics
Zeng Guofan was a famous master of Neo-Confucianism in the late Qing Dynasty, with profound academic attainments. He said: "A person who can really read is good and more expensive than being strong", and he should have the spirit of "three years of old rain, three years of diligence, five nights of solitude and eternal youth". The beauty of writing or masculinity, "focusing on adventure"; Or female beauty, "it is important to get a natural taste." To write an article, you need to work hard on the momentum. "You can rely on reason to do things with anger, but no matter how reasonable it is, it is not gray." We should pay attention to appropriate details, people's details, people's details, and "those who know the position one after another, cut short" is also "the writer's first priority." For Wengui, we should find our own way. "The way to write lies in the beautiful weather." . "Clear rhyme, sonorous, is the first wonderful scene of the article".
The art of parenthood
Mr Zhong Shuhe, a famous historian, said that Zeng Guofan's adopted son was successful. It can't be erased, and there's no need to erase it. Zeng Guofan believes that the following ten things should be paid attention to in parenting: 1. Diligent housekeeping, strict family rules. Second, be filial and get rid of arrogance. Third, "do things first". Fourth, the way to stay at home can't have more money. Fifth, getting married "is not necessarily rich and famous." Sixth, family affairs should be extravagant and frugal. Seven, housekeeping: test, treasure, morning, sweep, book, sparse, fish, pig. Eight, relatives should value feelings over things. Don't get tired of housework. Ten, choose a good teacher for advice.
Battlefield operational plan
Zeng Guofan started as a scholar who trained Xiang Army and governed the country, and suppressed the largest peasant uprising in China history-the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement. His military thought is extremely rich in connotation, and it does have something extraordinary. He believes that the number of soldiers is small, but fine, "serenade is strong", "the more soldiers, the weaker the strength; The more reimbursement, the poorer the country. " Advocate the separation of military and political affairs and take responsibility. He bought foreign guns, cannons and ships, which promoted the modernization of China's military weapons. To run the army, strict military discipline is the first, and at the same time, it is intended to cultivate "harmony" and the soldiers are United. He believes that "the general has the heart of death, and the foot soldiers have no life." There are four requirements for selecting candidates: "First, knowing people and being good at their duties, second, being good at containing the enemy's situation, third, being brave in doing things, and fourth, doing business in an orderly way." Zeng Guofan's strategy and tactics are the most abundant in his military thoughts, which are worth learning today. For example, "use soldiers like rabbits." Quiet as a virgin ",the technique of subject and object is wonderful," Zhazhai fights to the death ",the navy should not attack with the wind, choose a good camp," self-government first, then enemy control ",attack the city in deep trenches and high bases, attack the city in tunnels, cooperate with land and water, use static braking," pull out the roots first, then the headland "and so on.
The way to make friends in life
Zeng Guofan is quite insightful about the way of making friends. He believes that it is important to be generous to make friends, and to "be honest and upright, compromise and be tolerant, but be selfless and suspicious." "Don't take advantage of people. Don't take other people's money seriously. " Brainstorm, listen without being deaf. "The way to observe people is to be ethical but not bureaucratic, organize more and talk less." In terms of life, Zeng Guofan believes that "in this troubled times, the poorer the better." As a senior official, "it is always good to have less money and less production." "forbearance is the first priority for officials", "virtue is damaged by fullness, and happiness is reduced by arrogance". Men must be careful with the word "light". "It is not particularly rich and famous. The prosperity of his family name is determined by heaven, that is, whether the virtue of learning is established is mostly related to heaven. Just laugh it off." "Don't do your own work, don't do your own fame", "The sooner you retire, the better". Zeng Guofan wrote twelve proverbs, which basically summarized his way of making friends in life.
Self-cultivation strategy
Zeng Guofan summed up twelve aspects of cultivation: respect, sitting quietly, getting up early, reading books, reading history, being cautious, nourishing qi, keeping in good health, knowing that the sun will die, knowing that the moon will die, writing, and staying indoors at night. He believes that the ancient people's cultivation can have four functions: "being cautious and being kind, respecting and strengthening the body, begging and pleasing others, and being sincere and respecting them." Zeng Guofan did not believe in medicine, monks and witches, immortals, honesty, cleverness, truth and wealth. "Life is poor, know life has no worries." Zeng Guofan thought: "there are about five things in the method of keeping in good health: first, always sleep and eat;" Second, punish poverty; Third, abstinence; Fourth, wash your feet before going to bed every night; Fifth, walk three thousand steps after two meals a day. " The four words "eyesight", "rest", "sleep" and "diet" are the most important ways to maintain health, and you should know how to recuperate when you are recovering from illness.
Zeng Guofan ordered himself twelve courses:
Main aspects: neat and serious, clear and clear in the bow, such as the rising sun.
Sit-in: Sit-in for four hours at any time every day to keep calm, such as Zhen Ding.
Get up early: get up at dawn, and don't cling to love after waking up.
Reading is the only way: don't read his book until it is finished.
Reading history: read three histories (Historical Records, Hanshu and Houhanshu) and circle ten pages every day, although things are uninterrupted.
Attention: Pay attention to the moment, the first time.
Nourishing qi: there is nothing to say to people when the gas storage is demonstrated.
Fitness: saving labor, abstinence and dieting.
Know everything every day: read and record your thoughts every day. Seeking deep meaning is eccentricity.
Yuezi never forgets what he can do: write a few poems every month to test the accumulated amount and the prosperity of qi. Don't indulge in ignorance, it's easiest to drown your heart.
Writing: Write for half an hour after dinner. Any pen and ink entertainment is regarded as your own course. Never wait until tomorrow, the more you accumulate, the harder it is to get rid of it.
Don't be exhausted when you go out at night.
Zeng Guofan's evaluation
Liang Qichao mentioned Zeng Guofan in the preface of Zeng Zheng Wen Gong Jia Yan Chao. "Is it only built by modern people who have never seen it before?" Not only in China, but also in the world. . However, Wen is not an unparalleled genius. He is called the slowest of all sages. His suffering will also be the middle of his life; Those who are immortal in virtue, who have made contributions and made great achievements are determined to be refined, but they are trapped in it, knowing what they have done, but going forward bravely, going through all kinds of difficulties and obstacles without setbacks, not seeking immediate results, accumulating inch by inch, accepting vanity, being diligent, steadfast, sincere, handsome, brave and diligent.
Just like Zhang's evaluation of Zeng Guofan in the Revolution of 1911, in the past hundred years, different people have different views, including those who praised Zeng Guofan and those who scolded him. As early as when Zeng Guofan suppressed the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, some people accused him of killing too many people and gave him a nickname "Zeng shaved his head". By 1870, many people called him a traitor, so much so that Zeng Guofan felt that he was "blaming the gods inside and blaming the gods outside" and even had the fear of being besieged on all sides. After the Revolution of 1911, some revolutionaries said that he was "the first person to enforce the law on the spot" and a traitor with a long history. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, historians even scolded him to the end, denouncing him as a guardian of the feudal landlord class, a spiritual idol of the landlord and comprador class, a traitor, a traitor, a murderer without blinking an eye, and so on, completely denying him. Since 1980, the academic research on Zeng Guofan has gradually deepened, and his evaluation is relatively objective.
Mao Zedong and Jiang Zhongzheng are two famous figures in the modern history of China. They spoke highly of Zeng Guofan. Mao Zedong said "only Ceng Wenzheng".
Zeng Guofan's will
Yu Tong has been an official for more than 30 years, but he has achieved nothing in his studies, and his virtue is hard to see. The old man was hurt and ashamed. Today, I will say goodbye forever. I will teach your brother four things.
When you are cautious, you will feel at ease. Self-study is not difficult to cultivate the mind; It is difficult to raise your heart, but you should also be cautious. If you are cautious, you will be introspective and innocent, and you will be geological and supernatural. No one is ashamed, then Tianjun is calm, and this kind of heart is often lenient. This is the first road to self-improvement in life, the first road to happiness, and the first road to physical fitness.
Second, the Lord is strong. Quiet and unified internally, neat and serious externally, and exquisite; Go out, see the distinguished guests, sacrifice for the people and respect the sky; Self-cultivation is to protect the people, the world is peaceful, and it is also effective to respect each other. Smart and wise, all from this. Zhuang Jing is strong every day, and Anse steals every day. If no one, big or small, respects and dares not slack off, then no matter how strong the body is, what is there to doubt?
Third, seeking benevolence makes people happy. Every mortal's life is shaped by the principle of heaven and earth and the qi of heaven and earth. I have the same roots as the people. If you know yourself but don't know what people love, then you have lost the way to the source of great books. As for respecting officials and being generous, they have the responsibility to save the people from fire, water and hunger. As a lesson from the past, there is a general principle, that is, after feeling, you have the responsibility to feel. Confucius taught people not only to seek benevolence, but also to learn from others. Is there anyone who is unhappy to return to China?
Fourth, learning to work is a god. What a person wears in a day is commensurate with what he does in a day, so others will do it, and ghosts and gods will allow him to think that he is independent. If farmers weave girls all the year round, they will make a few feet of cloth, while a rich family will be happy all year round, but the food will be delicious and the clothes will be gorgeous. A high sleep, a cry of commitment, the most uneven thing in the world, how long can ghosts and gods not allow it? Ancient sages and sages are always trying to encourage themselves. For a plan, you must practice your skills, hone your bones and muscles, fight against difficulties and worry about dangers, and then you can increase your intelligence and gain knowledge. If you think about the world, you will starve yourself and drown yourself. If you don't die, you will be called an ancient jade. Dayu and Mozi are diligent for themselves and diligent for the people. Diligence leads to longevity, and evasion leads to death. Diligence leads to the use of material, and evasion leads to the abandonment of hard work. Diligence is what people learn, what God worships, and flight is what people don't help, and ghosts don't care.
These four articles are the fruits of your brother's ten years' life. Record them and pass them on to future generations. Then Yu Zeng's family can live forever and have talents.