Zeng Guofan And China's Early Time Modernization Of Science And Technology

In the process of modernization in China, first it was started in the field of science and technology. Herefrom, the modernization was expanded to the areas of ideology and culture. In order to study Zeng Guofan, who was the earliest initiator of westernization movement, we focus on the development of neoteric science and technology, which will play an important role in understanding early process of modernization, or even current process of modernization.There were profound social background and historical reasons in China, when Zeng Guofan carried through the forepart attempt on modern science and technology. Internationally, rapid development of modern science and technology promoted capitalism progressing by leaps and bounds. Development of capitalist countries wanted to outspread without restraint by colonization. Therefore, China's entrance, which was sealed for a long time, was driven out by capitalist countries armed with advanced weapon, which developed from modern science and technology. In the other hand, inside China, domestic peasant warfare was blustery here and there. Taiping Kingdom established peasantry regime and had confronted each other with Qing dynasty government for more than ten years. These war factors caused it into history necessity to develop modern science and technology. In such big history background Zeng Guofan had his thought changed profoundly and gradually turn into a pioneer of westernization movement from a traditional feudalist bureaucracy. From this, he impelled the difficult process of development of modern science and technology in China.From the very beginning originating first batch of neoteric military affairs industry in China, including Anking ordnance institute and Jiangnan shop of war, appointing and promoting numbers of modern times scientists and technicians; to establishing Jiangnan shop of war translation hall and presenting a memorial to the emperor to dispatch first batch of Chinese foreign students to the United States, Zeng Guofan had experienced a process from shallow to deep in his attempting neoteric science and technology. But, at the very start, this process showed very difficulty because of its background particularity and caused Zeng Guofan become a big dispute character in China modern history. Although he had social class and era inevitable limitation, these Zeng Guofan's initial attempts had played a positive role, which can not be belittled, to the development of modern science and technology in China, and promoted trudge modern Chinese science and technology moving towards the historical arena accompanied by political movement, which had brought tremendous strength to transform our society. These experiences and lectures bring us a lot of references and revelation for our country's present reform and opening policy as well as modernization, and have profound historical significance and reality significance.