Zuo Zongtang, one of the four famous Zhongxing ministers in the history of the late Qing Dynasty, he was erudite and well-read. Despite the twists and turns on the road of life, he has always been determined to pursue and dare to take responsibility. It not only calmed down turmoil with its outstanding war wisdom, but also made great contributions to the economy and culture. This article will take you to uncover Zuo Zongtang's legendary life.
Zuo Zongtang, whose name is Ji Gao, is a peasant in Hunan Province, as a government official and an outstanding general in the Qing Dynasty, and has a far-reaching influence with his outstanding talents. In his long life, after the setbacks of the imperial examination, he devoted himself to Rong with a patriotic heart, commanded the campaign with resourcefulness, recovered the territory of Xinjiang, opened up the new territory of Northwest China, and established the status of one of the "Four Famous Ministers of Zhongxing" in the late Qing Dynasty. It's a pity that Zuo Zongtang's tortuous life path has caused widespread controversy because of the details. However, in the torrent of history, more and more voices of support for him gradually appeared, Zuo Zongtang has superb chess skills, and is praised as a "Go master", he has been fond of games since he was a child, and loves to read, which is enough to confirm that he is truly an extraordinary person.
Those familiar with history will know that Zuo Zongtang's genius and personality were already on the horizon as a child. Under the influence of his family, he showed extraordinary talent at a young age, and at the age of 14 he was admitted to the show, and in 1832, he showed outstanding literary attainments. However, the road to the imperial examination was not all smooth sailing, and he failed many times and even lost confidence one after another, but the belief of "applying what he has learned and caring for the world" buried deep in his heart drove him to struggle forward.
Despite the hardships of life, Zuo Zongtang did not become decadent. With his talent and perseverance, he managed to attract the attention of many well-known people, among whom Lin Zexu greatly appreciated him and decided that he had extraordinary talents. At that time, when the country was in crisis, Zuo Zongtang participated in the Westernization Movement of the late Qing Dynasty, advocated a series of factories and enterprises, invested in water conservancy projects, and developed the military industry, thus beginning the process of his contribution to the society.
In the first year of Xianfeng (1851 AD), Zuo Zongtang actively responded to the invitation of Zhang Liangji, the governor of Hunan, and became his staff. In 1866, Zuo Zongtang was awarded the title of Governor of Fujian and Zhejiang for his outstanding contributions to the suppression of the Taiping Rebellion. Subsequently, he was ordered to deal with the Shaanxi-Gansu Hui Rebellion, and successfully quelled the rebellion the following year, and then commanded the Hunan army to launch a counteroffensive in the inland areas, and Song Kai returned to the court. In 1875, when Japan invaded Taiwan, Zuo Zongtang resolutely opposed compromise and resolutely resisted. In military affairs, he is familiar with geography, Xi with the art of war, good at innovation, and able to formulate effective strategies and tactics according to the actual situation.
At the end of the 19th century, Zuo Zongtang was ordered to move westward to recover the lost territory in Xinjiang. Since the ninth year of Guangxu (1883 AD), Zuo Zongtang led the Qing army to actively prepare for war, and after hardships, finally succeeded in defeating the enemy forces and fully recovering Xinjiang, since then Xinjiang has belonged to the Chinese territory and established Xinjiang Province.
In 1885, Zuo Zongtang, who was already the age of sixtieth birthday, died with regret at the age of 73. The whole family wept solemnly. The imperial court bestowed on him the title of Taifu, and his high demeanor and dedication were widely praised, and he was honored as "Zuo Taifu".
Zuo Zongtang, although he has been a source of controversy all his life, his outstanding achievements can be said to be forever recorded in history. He is loyal to the country and for the benefit of his family, which can be called a model of a generation, and will always be remembered and respected.
参考资料左宗棠私人著作《左文襄公全集》