Zuo Zongtang (1812-1885), a native of Xiangyin, Hunan, was an outstanding politician, military strategist and patriot in modern China. When people talk about Xinjiang today, they always think of Zuo Zongtang. From 1865 to 1877, the Central Asian Khanate of Akmegit (White Mosque) Burke Agubai, known as the Butcher of Central Asia, invaded Xinjiang with the support of Tsarist And British imperialism and established the so-called Hongfu Khanate. Zuo Zongtang, the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, vigorously defied the public opinion, and resolutely led an army of 80,000 people out of Yangguan in the west with the body of the wind and candles. Zuo Zongtang borrowed loans from foreign banks and used force to defeat Agubai's invading army and defend territorial integrity and national unity.
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Zuo Zongtang announced the recovery of Xinjiang in January 1878, and subsequently, Zuo Zongtang's action became a major event affecting the current situation at home and abroad, attracting the attention of foreign people. At the same time, the British newspaper commented: "Zuo Zongtang's conspiracy to move, the old Cheng is heavy, it is absolutely not what Westerners can expect... Usually, Europeans despise China and believe that Chinese cannot use soldiers. Looking at the restoration of China (Xinjiang) today, it is enough to sober up our Europeans. ”
Zuo Zongtang's opponent: Agubai who invaded Xinjiang
A few months after Zuo Zongtang regained Xinjiang, the British scholar Paul Jie wrote a biography of Agubai who invaded China's Xinjiang, which was soon published in London. At that time, the officers and soldiers under Zuo Zongtang cut open Agubai's grave in Kashgar, Xinjiang, and had already thrown Agubai's bones to ashes. Agubai violently killed Korla first, and the officers and soldiers of Zuo Zongtang, who hated the aggression, did not give up their punishment for Agubai. The British scholar Paul Jie commented on Zuo Zongtang in his biography of Agubai Burke: "The Chinese army and its generals have accomplished feats that any country can be proud of... (Recovery of Xinjiang) shows Zuo Zongtang's extraordinary talent, and also shows the obedience, bravery and endurance of Zuo Zongtang's soldiers. ”
Officers and soldiers under Zuo Zongtang
The British scholar Paul Jay predicted the fate of Ili in the Biography of Agubai Burke. At that time, although Ili had not yet been recovered, Paul Jie had already confirmed in his writings that Ili would definitely be recovered by the Qing government. The book says that the Qing government has recovered Xinjiang, and that Tsarist Russia has no need or excuse to help the Qing government "take charge" of Ili. That is to say, the Qing government recovered Xinjiang and met the conditions that Tsarist Russia had promised to return Ili to the Qing government. Moreover, Zuo Zongtang and all the Chinese believe that their cause is just. Tsarist Russia could not have the same self-confidence, both in terms of troop strength and moral stance. ”
Tianshan North and South Good Pastures
Twelve years after Zuo Zongtang recovered Xinjiang, in 1890, the American scholar Ming Enpu published the book "The Temperament of Chinese". The American scholar's view is: "Zuo Zongtang's recovery of Xinjiang is the most spectacular in the chronicle of any modern country." The British scholar McGowan commented in the "History of the Chinese Empire": "Zuo Zongtang's brilliant battle can be compared with the most brilliant and brilliant feats of the commanders of Western countries." ”
Pinghu Lake in Xinjiang
These views of the academic community influenced the American high-level at that time. In 1944, US Vice President Wallace visited China via Moscow. Wallace's first stop on his visit to China was In Urumqi, and during his stay in Urumqi, Wallace made a special trip to the Zuo Zongtang Memorial Hall in the city. After Zuo Zongtang's death, the people of Xinjiang built an ancestral hall covering an area of 20,000 square meters, or memorial hall, in Urumqi in honor of this outstanding military figure. Wallace arrived in Urumqi and specially presented a flower basket to Zuo Zongtang's portrait.
U.S. Vice President Wallace visited China in 1944
The nationalist military and political leaders accompanying Wallace were greatly puzzled and deeply puzzled. Subsequently, the second stop of US Vice President Wallace's visit to China went to Lanzhou, Gansu. At wallace's welcome party in Lanzhou, he made an impromptu speech and spoke highly of Zuo Zongtang -
"Zuo Zongtang is one of the great figures in the world in the past hundred years. He moved the gate of China from Shanghai to Dihua (Urumqi), expanding the Chinese's vision to Russia, to Central Asia Minor, and even to the whole world... I was the first international friend to visit China from the front door of China, and I have infinite respect for Zuo Zongtang. ”
(Text/Fan Forward)