A Fractured Empire and the Rise of the Taiping

In the early 1850s, the Qing Dynasty faced its greatest crisis: the Taiping Rebellion. Led by the self-proclaimed “Younger Brother of Jesus,” Hong Xiuquan, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had seized Nanjing in 1853, establishing a rival regime that threatened to topple the Qing. As Taiping forces launched their Western Expedition toward Wuhan, the Xianfeng Emperor scrambled to mobilize defenses.

It was in this chaos that Zeng Guofan, a scholar-official known for his Neo-Confucian principles, was ordered to raise a militia in Hengzhou. Unlike the corrupt and ineffective Green Standard Army, Zeng’s force—later known as the Xiang Army—would become a disciplined, locally funded unit. But its beginnings were far from glorious.

The Clash of Visions: Zeng Guofan vs. Jiang Zhongyuan

Zeng’s cautious approach collided with the urgency of Jiang Zhongyuan, a fellow official who had witnessed Taiping brutality firsthand. In November 1853, when the emperor ordered Zeng to reinforce Hubei, Jiang had already leaked Zeng’s plans to the court. Furious, Zeng confronted Jiang: “I intended to report only after training was complete. Must you always be so reckless?”

Jiang’s reply dripped with sarcasm: “You’ve buried yourself in books. Zhu Xi spoke of unifying knowledge and action—real warfare trains soldiers faster than drills. Besides,” he mocked, “the emperor isn’t asking you to lead. Why panic?”

To Zeng, this was intolerable. Sending untested troops to support incompetent generals was suicide. His response to the emperor? A plea to stay: “Bandits in Hengzhou will ally with the Taiping if I leave.”

The Emperor’s Fury and Zeng’s Defiance

By February 1854, Xianfeng lost patience. Taiping forces attacked Anhui and Huangzhou, yet Zeng repeatedly refused orders, citing unfinished preparations. The emperor’s rebuke was scathing: “You boast as if Hengzhou would vanish without you. Prove your worth, or be exposed as a fraud.”

Zeng’s emotional reply mixed vulnerability with resolve: “My forces lack ships and training. Sending them now guarantees defeat. If you insist, I will go—but only to die.” He recounted humiliations in Changsha and Hengzhou, writing, “Officers mock me; even you misunderstand. Let me prepare, and I will achieve the impossible.”

Moved, Xianfeng relented: “Your loyalty is clear. I will wait.”

The Mutiny Within: Wang Zhen’s Revolt

Zeng’s troubles weren’t limited to the throne. Wang Zhen, a talented officer and disciple of philosopher Luo Zenan, had grown disillusioned. Initially praising Wang as “brilliant and ambitious,” Zeng now saw him as a rival. When Wang defied orders to recruit 3,000 soldiers in Changsha—without Zeng’s approval—the rift became irreparable.

Zeng demanded Wang return with just 1,500 men. Wang refused. After failed attempts to replace Wang’s officers, Zeng declared: “The Xiang Army has no place for rebels.” Wang’s expulsion cemented Zeng’s authority but cost the army a capable leader.

The Making of a Legend

Zeng’s delays, though criticized, were strategic. By 1854, his Xiang Army—now a disciplined force with a formidable navy—began turning the tide against the Taiping. His emphasis on loyalty, training, and local funding became a blueprint for later militias like Li Hongzhang’s Huai Army.

Legacy: The Scholar Who Saved the Qing

Zeng’s story reveals the paradox of his success: rigid principles paired with pragmatic flexibility. His defiance of the emperor and purging of rivals underscored his belief in controlled transformation. Modern historians debate whether his methods prolonged the Qing’s decline, but none deny his role in its survival.

The Xiang Army’s legacy endures in military reforms and the rise of regional power—a testament to the reluctant general who refused to rush into history’s fires unprepared.