Analysis On Zeng Guofan's Educational Thought And The Practical Significance

The study on Zeng Guofan's educational thought had begun since he passed away. The Collected Works of Zeng Wenzheng compiled by Li Hongzhang was printed in the year of 1877, six years after his death. Zeng Guofan's thought, especially that of the family education surpassed his times, having an enormous impact not only on his family, but also on the later generations. Some famous modern people, such as Rong Hong, Liang Qichao, Mao Zedong and jiang Jieshi, all spoke highly of his thought. The young Mao Zedong praised so highly of him that in a letter to a friend he wrote: "I only admire Zeng Wenzheng among all the modern people." After the extablishment of PRC, the study of Zeng Guofan's thought ceased for a period. At that time, he was regarded as a "Killer" and "traitor" because of his repression of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and his weakness in the Tianjin Missionary case. At the same time, however, the study in Taiwan, Hong Kong and foreign countries developed fast. From 1980s, with the great efforts of related department and experts of Hunan Province, Zeng Guofan's maniscripts and home letters were all sorted out and Complete Works of Zeng Huofan was published, which caused close attention and active response of the academic world and other worlds of the society. From then on, the study of Zeng Guofan entered a new stage. It started from Hunan and spread to other places of home and abroad, and this climax of study produced rich research results.The study on Zeng Guofan of home and abroad has lasted more than 100 years, including various aspects as politics, economy, military affairs, diplomacy, education, science and technology, and culture, etc., and produced rich research results. In my opinion, the results of his educational thought are not systemic and complete enough to understand his education system as a whole. Some might say that the limitation of times and class decided his lack of complete education system, but I think, despite his limitations, we can still try to find and summarize the initial stage of his education system with his far-reaching impact especailly in morality cultivation and academic research.This is will study Zeng Guofan's educational thought from the three aspects of education purpose, education contents and education methods, trying to systematize his education system. The thesis also will analyze the impact on his times and the later times, and to summarize its practical significance on the educational thought and educational practice of our modern socialist society.