The Empress Dowager Cixi was the last paramount ruler of the Qing Dynasty. While she governed primarily through the regency, her stranglehold on court power held firm for five decades. Cixi remains a larger-than-life figure, acquiring a reputation for corruption and financial mismanagement (most famously with regards to her “stone boat” in the new Summer Palace)… Read more »
With the aid of Li Hongzhang (1823-1901), Feng was finally able to take back his hometown of Suzhou from the Taiping Rebels. Li immediately made Feng his top advisor, and began promoting and enacting many of Feng’s ideas on self-strengthening from Dissenting Views from a Hut near Bin. In 1865, following Feng’s guidance, Li also had the… Read more »
Zeng Guofan (1811 – 1872) was a contemporary of Feng Guifen’s, who, unlike Feng, was able to successfully raise an army to defend his hometown against the Taiping. Feng convinced Zeng to send his top lieutenant, Li Hongzhang, to come to Feng’s aid and liberate Suzhou from the rebels. Zeng was impressed with Feng’s thinking… Read more »