Zeng guofan biography sample

Dec 1, 2011 © Ulrich Theobald

Zeng Guofan 曾國藩 (1811-1872), actual name Zeng Zicheng 曾子城, courtesy name Juwu 居武, style Disheng 滌生, was one of the most important ministers of the late Qing period 清 (1644-1911).

He hailed from Xiangxiang 湘鄉 (modern Shuangfeng 雙峰, Hunan) and obtained the academic jinshi degree in 1838.

He entered the Hanlin Academy 翰林院 and became a secretary (sheren 舍人) of Mujangga 穆彰阿 (1782-1856), a member of the State Council (junjichu 軍機處).

In 1843, he was sent out as an examining editor (jiantaoguan 檢討官) to oversee the provincial examinations of Sichuan and therefore rose to the official rank of reader-in-waiting (shidu 侍讀).

He rose the ladder of official career by the offices of academician of the Grand Secretariat (neige xueshi 内閣學士) and vice minister (shilang 侍郎) of several ministries in sequence.

Zeng Guofan was influenced by thinkers of his own period that stressed the importance of adapting Neo-Confucian state philosophy to the circumstances Zeng Guofan 曾國藩 (www.chinaknowledge.de) GYSO