From the outbreak of the First Opium War in 1840 to the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912, it is known as the Late Qing Dynasty. In the late Qing Dynasty, there were many ZTE celebrities who turned the tide. Among them, Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang, and Zhang Zhidong are known as the "Four Famous Ministers of Zhongxing".
Among the four famous ministers of the late Qing Dynasty, who had the largest official position, the highest title, and the most honorable title?
1. Official positions
The highest official position that Zeng Guofan had held was that of Wu Yingdian University, the highest official position that Li Hongzhang had ever held was that of Wenhuadian University, the highest official position that Zuo Zongtang had ever held was that of Dongge University, and the highest official position that Zhang Zhidong had ever held was that of Tirenge University.
During the Qing Dynasty, all university scholars belonged to Zhengyipin. When an official becomes a university scholar, he is equivalent to a "very popular minister." In this way, Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang and Zhang Zhidong have the same official position.
However, even if it is a university fellow of the same level, there is a ranking order. Qing Dynasty scholars were divided into "Three Halls and Three Pavilions", namely Bohol Hall University Scholars, Wenhuadian University Scholars, Wuyingdian University Scholars, Wenyuange University Scholars, Dongge University Scholars, and Tirenge University Scholars. If the four famous ministers of Zhongxing ascended to the dynasty at the same time, they must be Li Hongzhang first, Zeng Guofan second, Zuo Zongtang third, and Zhang Zhidong fourth.
2. Knighthood
In July 1864, zeng guofan led the Xiang army to conquer tianjing, the capital of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, ending the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement that swept half of China. The Qing court immediately made Zeng Guofan the Marquis of Yiyong of the First Rank.
In 1864, after Zuo Zongtang led his troops to recover all of Zhejiang, he was awarded the title of Second Class Kejingbo by the Qing court. In 1876, Zuo Zongtang marched west and spent less than two years recovering the entire territory of Xinjiang except Ili, encircling more than 1 million square kilometers of land for China, and creating a miracle of the loss and recovery of territory in the late Qing Dynasty. In order to reward Zuo Zongtang for his merits, the Qing court was awarded the title of Marquis of Kejing of the Second Rank.
In 1864, after Li Hongzhang led his troops to recover all of Jiangsu, he was awarded the title of First Class Su Yibo by the Qing court. In 1901, not long after Li Hongzhang was ordered to sign the Treaty of Xinugi, he "did not have a phlegm cough and did not eat and drink", died of illness, and was posthumously awarded the title of Marquis of Suyi of the First Rank by the Qing court.
Zhang Zhidong was the only one among the four famous ministers of the late Qing Dynasty who had not made military merits, so he did not receive a knighthood in his lifetime.
If you take the titles actually obtained before his death, Zeng Guofan is the highest, Zuo Zongtang is second, Li Hongzhang is the third, and Zhang Zhidong is the lowest (there is no title). If you count the additional titles after death, then Zeng Guofan is still the highest, Li Hongzhang is second, Zuo Zongtang is third, and Zhang Zhidong is the lowest (no title).
3. Nicknames
On March 12, 1872, Zeng Guofan died of illness while serving as governor of Liangjiang at the age of 62. The Qing court resigned from the dynasty for three days and posthumously gave him the title of "Wenzheng".
On September 5, 1885, Zuo Zongtang died of illness in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, at the age of 74, while supervising the affairs of the Fujian Navy as the Minister of Chincha. The Qing court heard the news and posthumously gave him the nickname "Wenxiang".
On November 7, 1901, Li Hongzhang died of illness at the Xianliang Temple in Beijing at the age of 79. The Qing court posthumously gave him the title of "Wen Zhong".
On October 4, 1909, Zhang Zhidong died of illness at the baimi xie street apartment in Beijing at the age of 73, and the Qing court posthumously gave him the nickname "Wenxiang". Zhang Zhidong's nickname is the same as Zuo Zongtang's.
Which of the three titles of "Wenzheng", "Wenxiang" and "Wenzhong" is the most respected?
According to the etiquette system of the Qing Dynasty, "Wenzheng" had the highest title and ranked first. In the Qing Dynasty, in the past 300 years, only 8 "Wenzheng" titles have been posthumously awarded, namely Tang Bin, Liu Tongxun, Zhu Jue, Cao Zhenyong, Du Shoutian, Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzao, and Sun Jianai.
After "Wenzheng", "Wenzhong" ranked fourth, and "Wenxiang" ranked twenty-third.
Therefore, Zeng Guofan's title is the most respected, Li Hongzhang is second, and Zuo Zongtang and Zhang Zhidong are the lowest.
In fact, in addition to official positions, titles, and titles, there is another thing that can also reflect the identity, status, and treatment of officials. That's Hua Ling.
Hua Ling is a kind of crown ornament on the top of an official's head, also known as wearing a flower plume on the top. There are three types of flowers: three-eyed flower plume, two-eyed flower plume, and one-eyed flower plume. Three-eyed flowers are the most honorable, followed by two-eyed flowers, and one-eyed flowers are the lowest.
In the nearly 300 years since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, there are only a few ministers who have obtained the three-eyed plume, a total of only 7 people, and Li Hongzhang is among them. Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, and Zhang Zhidong all received only double-eyed plumes.