Research Into Zeng Guofan’s Ethical Thought Of Talent

Zeng Guofan’s ethical ideas of talents are reflection of his ethical thought and ethical practice, which have a distinctive brand of the times, they were deeply rooted in the social soil, and achieved success in the practice. To explore Zeng Guofan’s ideas of talents, we have to explore the social backgrounds. At that time,The Qing Dynasty was declining, the society was destructing by the Opium War, the political situations were very confusing, the loose morals of talent were widely spreading. Both he corruption of morale and official administration, made Zeng Guofan consider the ideas of talents and practice it. It can be say that the phenomenons of Qing’s loose morals provided a social background for Zeng Guofan’s thought. Zeng Guofan was a lucky man, because he met the Taiping Rebellion. He understood loose morals of talents more and more through the rebellion,so that he put the problems of talents on the first place. In the practice of managing his military affairs Zeng Guofan practiced his thought all the time. In addition to social backgrounds, his personal experience, his practice of the politics and militaries, are also the backgrounds of his thought, when he was a office at court, he had practice to change the loose morals, when he managed the military, he had practice his thought, and he always pay attention to the morals of talents. Because of these, Zeng Guofan has a systematic ethical ideas of talents. Howerer,his thought is established on the traditional cultures of talents. His ethical ideas of talents are influenced by Confucianism, Taoism and Mohistism. Zeng Guofan assimilated the three thought and establised a more openning thought.on the other hand, he is also deeply influenced by The Smmary of the Hunan cultures, so that his thought has a character of applying. So Confucianism, Taoism, Mohistism and The Smmary of the Hunan cultures are the solid cultural foundation for Zeng Guofan’s ethical ideas of talents.In conclusion, Zeng Guofan’s ethical ideas of talents can be generalized to four aspects:First, the standards of talents. The standards of Zeng Guofan’s talents have two important categories:Morals and abilities,offical airs and vlillage airs. He focused on morals, which are inherited from traditional cultures. And he put morals on the first place. Besides he also liked the men who have the village airs, and he thought the village air were an important standard of talent.Zeng Guofan also has his own ethical standards and ethical principles of talents. His ethical standards are plain, loyalty and selfless. All of these are the important categories of the traditional ethical thought,and widely used in the area of ethical talents. His ethical principle are diligent, forgiveness, honest and wise, which are also important categories of the traditional ethical thought. In conclution, The standard of Zeng Guofan’s talent included in the the traditional ethical thought, so his thought is quite opening.Second, the ethical ideas of begging talents. Zeng Guofan believes that all the talents can be used.so he insist that all the talent should be beged.besides,he believe that there is no personnal reletionship on begging, with these principles, Zeng Guofan asserts three ethical methods of begging talents, they are sincere of begging, courtesy of respecting and modest of treating. His ethical principles and methods of talents are logical. Because of the ethical principles, talents can be seeked sincerely, then they will be respected by courtesy and treated by modest.Zeng Guofan is not the man who only know theory, instead he also know how to practice. So Zeng Guofan practice his ethical principles and methods in two aspects:first, begging the men from the mountains; second choosing talents for office. The practice of begging mountain people is the reflection of his ethical principles and methods.Third, the ethical ideas of nurturing talents. Besides begging talents, Zeng Guofan also pays attention to nurture talents. He believes that most of the talents should be cultivated and nurtured. Zeng Guofan’s ethical ideas of nurturing include ethical principles, ethical methods and ethical practice. Transferring the mood of the society and madding the country strongly are his ethical principles. Tough love and strict criticism, educating diligently and bundling strictly, are his ethical methods. Cultivation of talents, edification of family are his ethical practice.Zeng Guofan’s ethical methods of talents are embodied the main role of the talents nurturers. If the nurtures set a good example, and educate the talents hardly, more talents will be nurtured. Zeng Guofan’s ethical practice of talents are embodied the main role of nurturing environment. He ids trying to nurture talents through the infection of the environment. In this way, he wanted to create a good moral environment. On the other hand, the ethical methods and practice are reflections of his ethical principles, because they are served for changing the mood of the society and madding the country strongly.Fourth, the ethical ideas of using talents. The standards of talents, the ethical ideas of begging talents, the ethical ideas of nurturing talents, are all served for using talents. Zeng Guofan not only inherited traditional ideas of Appreciating use, and deepeded into receiving widely with caution. Besides, Pragmatic is also his ethical principles. From choosing of loyalism bloody to using the silent and plain people in the military, and the principle of endurance in managing solider, Zeng Guofan practise his ethical ideas of talents hardly. It can say that Xiangjun is his stage of practicing, which is never found in the history.In conclusion, Zeng Guofan’s ethical ideas of using talents are not only emphasis on traditional cultures, but also creative new thought. Zeng Guofan’s ethical methods of using talents are not innovated. The two methods he insists can be found in the traditional culture, he doesn’t creative new methods. However, the ethical principles of his using talents is quite distinct. Since he practiced them widely in the military.Zeng Guofan’s ethical ideas of talents have three characters. First his ideas including morals and abilities, which can be found easily in the traditional cultures. However, he insist on putting morals in the first place. Second, his ethical ideas of talents are not utopian, but pragmatic, so his ideas have the character of statecraft. So he put the ability on very important place, which make his moral character practice unrealistic. Third, his ethical ideas of talents have the typical character of his times. Zeng Guofan’s ethical idea of talents are successed in practice undoubtedly. He even led the Xiangjun defeated Taiping Army, which was too strong for the Qing Dynasty to defeat. However, Zeng Guofan’s ideas are also have limitations, how to see the successes and the limitations of his ethical ideas of talents, how to affirm its historical value, are also important. Finally, with the right evaluation of his ideas, we must know that the contemporary revelations of his ideas are a practical problem.