Qing official who raised the Hunan army 湘军 that defeated the Taiping rebels and backed the first efforts to modernize China. His letters home, 曾国藩家书, are still read as advice on life and leadership.
Zeng Guofan suppressed the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
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usage
After defeats in 1854 he nearly drowned himself, and in his report to the throne he called himself 屡败屡战, 'beaten again and again, fighting on again and again'. Turned round, 屡战屡败 means 'fought again and again, lost every time'.
