ABSTRACT
ZENG GUOFAN 曾國藩(1811-72) Scholar, general and loyal statesman of the late Qing dynasty. Born in Hunan (the older name of which is X i a n g 藩). Zeng had a successful official career, rising to posts in the Hanlin Academy and the Board of Rites and in 1853 he was ordered by the imperial court to raise troops, the Xiang Army, in his home province to suppress the Taiping Rebellion. He was the inspiration for Li Hongzhang, s Huai Army and backed the construction of the Jiangnan Arsenal and other Self-Strengthening Movement enterprises.
