The Research On Zeng Guofan Legal Thought

As the master of traditional Chinese culture, Zeng Guofan lived in the specific era of the third change of Chinese legal culture. On the one hand, he inherited the essence of Confucianism, on the other hand facing his country's weak and poor reality, he gradually formed statecraft ideology, and became the representative of the third generation of "JingShi Group". Zeng Guofan's legal thinking is the important component of his thought of statecraft ideology. In his view, it is neccessary for "Rule of Rites" to apply the law, so he advocated combination of ritual and law.Zeng Guofan adhered to ceremony as the prerequisite conditions, and proposed that severe penalties should be applied in order to realize administering officials, common people and lawsuit according to law. Consequently, governing the world by humanity would be achieved. He thought it is certain to occure through ceremony with law, the law-based methods and means.Zeng Guofan ruled the military by law and took the love for common pepole as a fundamental; He held Tuanlian and builded New Army; He setup Xiang Army's three established principles; He governed the military by ritual and strengthened control; He changed the restructuring of Zhili military and formulated three martial law; He rectified the entire Army and developed further military reform; He tried to fall prices of silver and arranged financial; He reduced or Stoped tariffs and presented memorials to stop taxation; He established Shanhou Bureau. He took those measures to stop burglary and placate people.Zeng Guofan formulated "Zhili-defendants of 10", "Zhili-defendants deadline historians statute" and other legal documents. He detained Zhang Shusheng and cleared up lawsuit and spunished judicial corruption. So he became a brilliant example of clear-up lawsuit and realized his desire that the world is chaotic, but the law can not be spent.In the specific law enforcement, disregarding of the man involved who is civilians or powerful ministers or generals, Zeng Guofan was trying hard to achieve "justice". He surveryed public feeling and up holded oppression of people; He summarily enforced the law and applied stern law in times of trouble; He declared Three-Point Law and punished Cheng GuoRui and Qishan.Thus he impartially executed the law. While country was so poor that she has no diplomacy, Zeng Guofan rejected foreign Soldiers four times and dissoluted the Whole Fleet; He always insisted on restricting foreigns by foreigns and negotiating with foreign representations according to the treaty; He properly handled Tianjin church case. By all those activitys, he wanted to refuse powers and defend national sovereignty and finally achieve the wish of gradual self-improvement.