Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang were both important ministers of the late Qing Dynasty, and the four famous ministers of the late Qing Dynasty, and the two of them occupied two seats. Zeng Guofan founded the Xiang Army and was known as the "Famous Minister of Zhongxing"; Li Hongzhang founded the Huai Army, and also controlled the Beiyang Navy, which was deeply trusted by Cixi and was the most famous courtier in the late Qing Dynasty. As for the relationship between Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang, there have always been many opinions, and there are still various theories circulating in the anecdotes, so what is the relationship between these two famous ministers of the late Qing Dynasty?
What is certain is that Zeng Guofan was Li Hongzhang's predecessor, he was twelve years older than Li Hongzhang, and when Li Hongzhang first entered the career, he was already a courtier. Li Hongzhang was a young man with wisdom, familiar with the history of the Scriptures, and had extraordinary insights, and was deeply appreciated by many Beijing officials. In the twenty-fifth year of Daoguang (1845), Li Hongzhang entered Beijing to participate in the examination, but unfortunately fell off the list, and he was disheartened and submitted to Zeng Guofan as a "Nian family son". What Li Hongzhang did not expect was that Zeng Guofan actually took him under his wing and taught him carefully.
Zeng Guofan greatly appreciated Li Hongzhang, and he deeply felt the extraordinary qualities of this young man, so he let him follow him and learn the study of the world. After Suffering from lung disease, Zeng Guofan recuperated at Baoguo Temple, often talking with the scribe Liu Chuanying and other scholars about the Tao of Scripture and debating the way to save the country. Li Hongzhang," at Zeng Guofan's side, "lived day and night and stressed the study of righteousness and reason," laying the foundation for his thinking. Subsequently, Zeng Guofan promoted Li Hongzhang to his staff and let him participate in the construction of the Xiang Army.
Zeng Guofan was well aware that Li Hongzhang had a very high opinion of himself and was arrogant and arrogant, so he often let Li Hongzhang participate in the discussion of core secrets, and let Zuo Zongtang and other talents argue with Li Hongzhang to frustrate his sharpness. Under the tempering of Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang became more and more introverted and subtly learned from Zeng Guofan. Li Hongzhang once said gratefully: "I have learned a lot from many teachers, and I am not like this old man's good teacher, who has instructions at any time, anywhere, and at any time. In the past, the marshals of the past were clueless, and now they are like a compass, and they have benefited a lot. Therefore, Zeng Guofan was not only Li Hongzhang's teacher, but also his guide, and he had the grace of knowing him.
However, Li Hongzhang's personality doomed him and Zeng Guofan not to be the same person, in the process of suppressing the Taiping Army, Li Hongzhang often quarreled with Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang even left the Xiang army camp in a negative mood, and finally under the persuasion of his friend Hu Linyi, the two were reconciled. However, Li Hongzhang's return could not relieve the pressure on the Xiang army, and Zeng Guofan needed new support, so he asked Li Hongzhang to form the Huai Army. With the support of Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang soon formed the Huai Army and attacked the Taiping Army with his teacher. With the joint efforts of Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang, the Taiping Army was eventually suppressed.
Li Hongzhang in his youth
After the fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang both returned to the court and held great power. However, Li Hongzhang, who did not disband the Huai army, gradually surpassed Zeng Guofan' status, and the two represented different political interests. Therefore, these two former masters and apprentices and comrades-in-arms fought openly and secretly in the court.
However, in Li Hongzhang's heart, he has always regarded Zeng Guofan as his teacher, and after zeng guofan's death, Li Hongzhang was so sad that he wrote down the elegy: nearly thirty years of teaching, the salary has been passed down, the building of the house is the door to grow; the prestige is 90,000 miles, the internal and external security, and the world is difficult to meet the world.
It can be said that Li Hongzhang's later achievements are inseparable from zeng guofan's teaching and promotion. Although Li Hongzhang had disputes and contradictions with Zeng Guofan, this did not hinder his gratitude and respect for Zeng Guofan.