In the long river of history, why did Zuo Zongtang and Zeng Guofan, who were former acquaintances, break up so much in their later years? This seems to be an ungrateful story, but digging deeper into the friendship and disputes between these two **, the truth is far simpler than we imagined.
Zuo Zongtang's evaluation of Zeng Guofan can't help but make people feel the subtle changes in the relationship between the two. When they first met, Zeng Guofan was inconspicuous next to Zhang Liangji, the governor of Hunan, but he attracted everyone with his extraordinary aura and outstanding eloquence in talking about Changsha's defense, and even made it difficult for Zhang Liangji and Zeng Guofan, two second-class **s***, to interject.
However, Zuo Zongtang's evaluation of Zeng Guofan is "a little less talented", describing Zeng Guofan's talent as mediocre. Regarding Zeng Guofan's achievements in pacifying the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Zuo Zongtang said in a sarcastic tone: "Even if Zeng Guofan jumped into the river and died in Tongguan, will no one be able to replace him to quell the rebellion in the southeast?" I don't think so. ”
However, in the end, the reason for the open break between the two can be described as the Hong Tianguifu incident. Zeng Guofan reported to the imperial court that Hong Tianguifu had died after pacifying the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but Zuo Zongtang accused Zeng Guofan of lying about the military situation, suspecting that he was suspected of inviting merit. The dispute was fierce and the city was full of turmoil.
Zeng Guofan's staff Xue Fucheng wrote in "Yong'an Notes": "Since Tongzhi Jiazi and Zeng Wenzhenggong broke off their friendship, Zuo Wenxianggong has not been able to communicate with each other. Why Zeng Zuo's friendship boat capsized is not only the Hong Tianguifu incident.
Digging deeper into the details of the relationship between the two, we found that the reason for the break was not singular. From the unfriendliness of words, especially Zuo Zongtang's evaluation of Zeng Guofan, we see that Zuo Zongtang dominates this friendship. He was unimpressed by Zeng Guofan's recommendation for an official position, and politely rejected Zeng Guofan's invitation to the position of prefect, believing that although the prefect was in a high position, he had no real power, and disdained it. In contrast, he said that only the position of Governor and Governor was worthy of his talent.
This lofty attitude became the main reason for Zuo Zongtang's break with Zeng Guofan. Zuo Zongtang had a disparaging view of Tsang's talent and fighting spirit, believing that Tsang's performance after the defeat was too weak. Regarding Zeng Guofan's experience of committing suicide by throwing himself into the river, Zuo Zongtang was even more disapproving, denouncing him for being too fragile and irresponsible to the Hunan army and the Qing court.
The gap in talent and fighting spirit made Zuo Zongtang lose his respect for Zeng Guofan. Although Zeng Guofan had a record in pacifying the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, in Zuo Zongtang's eyes, he still seemed "weak" and "fragile", and it was difficult to compare with Zuo Zongtang.
However, the two may not have broken up due to a disagreement of personal opinions. One view is that the Qing court's fear of the Han ** was an important reason for the open break between the two. In the Qing Dynasty, ethnic minorities held power, and they were afraid of the excessive power of the Han people, and they were also worried about their unity. Zeng and Zuo are both Han **, and their personal relationships were very good in their early years. Faced with the jealousy of the Qing court, the two may choose to break openly in order to avoid potential threats.
Although this possibility exists, whether the rupture is a play or not is still a question of motivation, which only the two parties Zeng and Zuo understand. The changes in the friendship between the two and the reasons for the complete break are all conclusive and verifiable historical events.
In the picture scroll of history, although the friendship between Zuo Zongtang and Zeng Guofan ended in a break, the twists and turns behind it make people sigh. This is a historical chapter of friendship and contradictions, leaving many complex and profound imprints.