Request documentary information on Li Hongzhang, Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, and Ji Xiaolan

Li Hongzhang (1823～1901)

An important military and political minister in the late Qing Dynasty, the founder and commander-in-chief of the Huai Army, and the main advocate of the Westernization Movement. The courtesy names are Zifu and Jianfu, and the nicknames are Shaoquan and Yisou. A native of Hefei, Anhui. In the 27th year of Daoguang reign (1847), he became a Jinshi. At the same time, he studied under Zeng Guofan and focused on the study of world affairs. In the third year of Xianfeng (1853), he was ordered to return home to organize regiment training, and led troops to fight against the Taiping Army many times. In the winter of 1858, he entered the Zeng Guofan shogunate to assist in business affairs. In 1860, he took command of the Huaiyang Navy. After the Hunan Army occupied Anqing, they were recommended by Zeng Guofan as "talented people who could be put to great use" and ordered to recruit brave men in the Fei area. In the first year of Tongzhi (1862), the fifth battalion of Huaiyong was organized. The Shanghai system above Zeng Guofan was the "place to raise wages and nourishment". Huaiyong was ordered to arrive in Shanghai on a British ship and form an army of his own, which was called the Huai Army. Xuan was recommended by Zeng Guofan to serve as governor of Jiangsu. With local real power in hand, they vigorously expanded their troops in Jiangsu and adopted new Western guns and artillery. The Huai army increased from more than 6,000 to 60,000 to 70,000 in two years, becoming a well-equipped local armed force with strong combat effectiveness in the Qing army. . The later Huai clique warlord group gradually formed on this basis. After Li Hongzhang arrived in Shanghai, he and foreign mercenaries (later formed into the Changsheng Army) attacked the Taiping Army. In 1863 and 1864, he led the Huai army to capture Suzhou, Changzhou and other places, and worked with the Hunan army to suppress the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

Starting from the 1960s, Li Hongzhang actively prepared to build a new military industry, imitated foreign ships and cannons, and began to engage in the Westernization cause of "self-improvement". In 1865, Jiangnan Machinery Manufacturing Bureau and Jinling Machinery Manufacturing Bureau were established in Shanghai and Jiangning (today's Nanjing, Jiangsu Province) respectively. In the same year, he acted as the governor of Liangjiang and mobilized tens of thousands of Huai Army troops to fight against the Nian Army in the Central Plains. In 1866, he succeeded Zeng Guofan as the Imperial Envoy, responsible for suppressing the Nian Army. The following year, he was awarded the title of Governor of Huguang. Afterwards, strategies such as "encirclement on the spot" and "strengthening the wall and clearing the country" were adopted to successively wipe out the Eastern and Western Nien armies between Shandong and Jiangsu, as well as between Zhili (about today's Hebei) and Shandong. In 1870, Zeng Guofan succeeded Zeng Guofan as governor-general of Zhili and minister of commerce in Beiyang. He controlled Beiyang for 25 years, and participated in taking charge of the diplomatic, military and economic power of the Qing government, becoming the most powerful frontier official in the late Qing Dynasty.

Starting from the 1870s, Li Hongzhang further expanded the Westernization cause. In order to advertise "self-improvement" and "seeking wealth", he founded a series of civilian enterprises mainly in the form of "official-supervised commercial enterprises". At the same time, preparations were made for the Beiyang coastal defense, mainly outsourcing and supplemented by self-made, and the Beiyang Navy was built in the 14th year of Guangxu (1888). In order to cultivate the talents needed for "self-improvement" and "seeking wealth", various new schools were also established and students were sent to study in Europe and the United States. All these Westernization undertakings had a profound impact on the development of modern Chinese society. The huge disparity in power between China and foreign countries caused Li Hongzhang to develop serious "foreign fear" thoughts, and he always adhered to the policy of "compromising and seeking perfection" in foreign negotiations. Died in November 1901. He was given the posthumous title Wenzhong and was granted the title of first-class marquis in Jin Dynasty. Author of "The Complete Works of Duke Li Wenzhong".

Li Hongzhang was a powerful figure in the late Qing Dynasty. His life was almost always related to the late Qing Dynasty. The fate of China in the late Qing Dynasty was closely related to Li Hongzhang. Li Hongzhang started his career by suppressing peasant uprisings, and the blood of Taiping Army and Nian Army soldiers stained his forehead red; he visited overseas and founded modern Chinese enterprises. He was a pioneer of the Westernization Movement and left an indelible legacy in the process of China's modernization. The Treaty of Shimonoseki and the Treaty of Xinchou were negotiated and finally concluded by him. His words and deeds were related to the fate of the late Qing government to a certain extent. As Liang Qichao said in "The Biography of Li Hongzhang": "In the past forty years, almost all major events in China have something to do with Li Hongzhang."

Li Hongzhang was also a rather complicated person. He was passionate about power. , had long controlled the domestic, foreign and military power of the Qing government, and gathered a group of military and political talents for his use; some colleagues called him killable, Kang Youwei refused to join the Qiang Society, and Sun Yat-sen wrote to him for reform. And so on, making Li Hongzhang's life extremely legendary.

Introduction to Zeng Guofan

On October 11, the 16th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1811), in a remote village called Baiyangping in Xiangxiang County, Changsha Prefecture, Hunan, a Zeng Guofan was born. Zeng Guofan was a very influential figure in the history of the late Qing Dynasty.

Zeng Guofan did not have a prominent family background. It was not until his grandfather Zeng Yuping became a local small landowner with more than 100 acres of land, and his father Zeng Linshu did not become a scholar until he was 43 years old.

But Chinese people always like to attach some supernatural things to big figures, and Zeng Guofan is no exception.

Birth: The Myth of the Reincarnation of the Giant Python

Legend has it that the night before Zeng Guofan was born, his great-grandfather Zeng Jingxi had a dream: a giant python was hovering in the sky and circling around the house. Afterwards, he entered the courtyard and squatted for a long time. The old man was puzzled the next morning, and then someone told him: "Congratulations, father-in-law, I have a great-grandson this morning." When the old man heard this, he suddenly realized that the new-born great-grandson was the reincarnation of the python. He recalled that when the famous Tang Dynasty general Guo Ziyi was born, his grandfather also dreamed of a big python entering the door, so he thought that the Zeng family would also produce a noble man in the future. Soon the theory that Zeng Guofan was reincarnated as a python spread in the local area. As Zeng Guofan's fame grew, this statement spread further and further.

It was a coincidence that Zeng Guofan had scabies, but he did not have much itching or pain when he was a child. After reaching the age of 35, Zeng Guofan's fame and official fortune were rising day by day, and the scabies on his body also expanded day by day, making it extremely itchy. Zeng Guofan recorded many times in his diary that he was miserable.

Behind Zeng Guofan’s ancestral house, “there was an ancient tree surrounded by vines. The tree was already withered and the vines grew bigger and more luxuriant. They looked like dragons and shaded an acre, which is the most beautiful tree in the world. Rare ones". This giant vine looks like a giant python, and the locals call it the python vine. When Zeng Guofan was alive, the leaves and branches of the vine were swaying in the wind with great pride; after Zeng Guofan's death, the leaves of the vine fell and the branches withered, and he died soon after. People find this very strange.

In this way, the giant python fell into sleep, the ringworm was like scales, the vines in the ancestral house were like pythons, and all kinds of strange things happened to Zeng Guofan. Some people took advantage of the situation and fabricated the myth that Zeng Guofan was the reincarnation of the giant python.

Of course, the above legends are either coincidences, attachments, or fabrications and cannot be trusted. However, if we put aside the qualitative evaluation of merits and demerits, Zeng Guofan's life's conduct and achievements are indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people, and sometimes it is even a bit like God's help.

Get ahead: Don’t believe in books, believe in luck

According to the "Miscellaneous Knowledge of Men'an" written by Zhu Kejing of the Qing Dynasty, Zeng Guofan once told Wu Minshu and Guo Songtao that the inscription after his death came from this The two wrote the book, but added the following words: "Don't believe in books, believe in luck. Public words will tell the world."

Zeng Guofan's luck often manifests itself at critical moments in his life.

Successful in the scientific examination, Zeng Guofan entered the Hanlin Academy as a teacher at the age of 6. He took the boy's examination at the age of 14 and took the examination 7 times. He did not become a student (scholar) until he was 23 years old. In the second year, he won the first place in the Hunan Provincial Examination. Thirty-six people were elected. When he was 28 years old, he went to the capital to take the examination, and got the 3rd and 42nd place, and was granted the same status as a Jinshi. Generally speaking, those who become Jinshi are qualified to be officials, but it is not easy to become a high official. The "shortcut to the south" at that time was to go to the Hanlin Academy for gold-plating - if you were admitted to the Hanlin Academy, your promotion would be accelerated. At that time, the Jinshi were divided into the top three, and there were three Jinshi in the first grade, namely the number one scholar, the second best scholar, and the third best scholar. They were generally appointed as editors, editors and other officials of the Hanlin Academy after the rankings were announced. Jinshi in the second and third grades must pass the following "Chao Kao" to enter the Hanlin Academy. Generally speaking, the chance of entering the Hanlin Academy as a top three scholar is low. It is said that Zeng Guofan was very depressed after knowing that he was ranked among the top three, and he immediately wanted to go home. I reluctantly took the imperial examination because of my friends' persuasion. As a result, Zeng Guofan's results in the imperial examination were surprisingly good, ranking first and third (after the test paper was submitted to the imperial examination, he was specially mentioned as first and second). He was converted into a commoner and entered the Hanlin Academy for further study. Two years later, Shu Jishi left the hall and was awarded the title of Zeng Guofan by the Hanlin Academy for review, and he was ranked seventh grade. From then on, he began his 12-year career as an eunuch in the capital.

Zeng Guofan was awarded the imperial examination in 1840, and by 1849 he had been promoted to the right minister of the Ministry of Rites. He moved seven times in ten years, jumped ten levels, and became a second-rank official. He said in a letter to a friend: "Recalling that we drove in and out of the Sishan Hua Hall and walked through Wanshun Store, we were so wild and dirty. We didn't care about how quickly we got there. Even if he knows three people well, he would not dare to praise him unkindly." It can be seen that Zeng Guofan himself did not expect that his promotion would be so fast.

Zeng Guofan was promoted to extraordinary heights, not only because of his own hard work and ability, but more importantly, because of the appreciation and support he received from powerful ministers who had great power at that time. Mu Zhang'a became notorious in later generations.

Mu Zhang'a was Zeng Guofan's chief executive (examiner) when he took the examination in 1838, so the two had a teacher-student relationship. Mu Zhang'a's appreciation and care enabled Zeng Guofan to continue to be promoted in his official position.

Zeng Guofan's official career was smooth, so he was naturally grateful to the court he served. Faced with the internal troubles at that time, he was even more eager to do something for the court. Perhaps in his opinion, the biggest disaster at that time was not foreign warships, but the deep-rooted social conflicts caused by the unhealthy political atmosphere of the government and the public and the corrupt officials and the people. Therefore, after Emperor Xianfeng came to the throne, he published a book titled "Respecting Chen Shengde's Three Rules to Prevent Corruption". The general meaning was to advise Emperor Xianfeng not to neglect important matters because of being preoccupied with details, and not to pursue practical results because of being pretentious. Don't let your ministers know what to do by being arbitrary in everything. Such sharp criticism was undoubtedly risky at a time when submissiveness had become the norm. Zeng Guofan himself was of course very clear, "When I first came to the throne, I was still afraid of being exposed to unexpected consequences, and my career would ignore the gains, losses, misfortunes and blessings." In fact, Emperor Xianfeng was indeed very angry after reading the excerpt, and "wanted to commit a crime". He gave up after the ministers begged for mercy, and even pretended to "excellent edicts and praises." It can be seen from this incident that Zeng Guofan still has a strong sense of responsibility for the court he served. This sense of responsibility comes from his gratitude for the court's favor on the one hand, and from the influence of Confucian culture on the other. More importantly, he The fate of an individual is closely related to the fate of this court. Zeng Guofan wanted to be a loyal minister, but he couldn't stand the corruption and stagnation of the officialdom. He wanted to alert the emperor through his own efforts and change the status quo to a certain extent. As a result, his requests and suggestions were not taken seriously at all, and instead he became increasingly isolated among the courtiers. At this time, Mu Zhang'a, whom he relied on, had also been deposed, and there was no room for him to display his power in the capital. Zeng Guofan wrote in a poem: "If you don't have the skills to mend the sky, it's better to just work with a hoe." This shows that he has already begun to quit.

In the second year of Xianfeng (1852), the imperial court ordered Zeng Guofan to go to Jiangxi to preside over the provincial examination. He was relieved and immediately left Beijing. On the way, he learned that his mother had passed away, so he had to go home for the funeral. In the few months after Zeng Guofan returned to his hometown, the political situation across the country changed greatly. The momentum of the Taiping Army rapidly increased. The Green Camp troops that the Qing government relied on were vulnerable. The Qing government urgently ordered various places to step up the establishment of regiment training. In January 1853, Zeng Guofan was appointed Minister of Hunan League Training. History once again gave Zeng Guofan an opportunity to show his talents.

Famous: "Zeng Shaved his Head", "Zeng Butcher" and "The First Famous Minister of ZTE"

It can be said that Zeng Guofan truly came to the forefront of history and exerted his influence on modern Chinese history. His unique influence began when he organized group training in his hometown of Xiang and assisted local officials in preparing for "anti-suppression" campaigns. This is not only related to the honor and disgrace of Zeng Guofan's life, but also related to the destiny of the Qing Dynasty. From this moment on, Zeng Guofan's talents and personality were gradually demonstrated; also from this moment on, people gave him all kinds of infamy and reputation.

"Zeng shaved his head" and "Zeng butcher". Affected by the huge momentum of the Taiping Army, the political situation in Hunan was turbulent. Many farmers who were dissatisfied with the oppression of local officials and the exploitation of landlords and gentry took the opportunity to start activities. Zeng Guofan saw that the situation in Hunan was serious and there was a danger of a large-scale uprising, so he decisively adopted an iron-fisted and high-pressure policy. On the one hand, the gentry is encouraged to hunt down and bundle away people of their own hometown and tribe who dare to resist. "In light cases, they will be punished by family punishment, and in serious cases, they will be put to death." . On the other hand, a case investigation bureau was set up directly in the Tuanlian Minister's Residence, and "one person from the magistrate and one person from the prefecture were assigned to interrogate the bandits. If the case was serious, they would be sentenced to death, and if the light was light, they would be killed with a cane, and if the light was light, they would be whipped a thousand times. . . . The case will be heard immediately, and the justice will be carried out immediately, and there is no expectation of delay." The case bureau has become an agency outside the judicial department that can arrest, interrogate, and kill people at will. Because of the harsh torture, those caught for interrogation rarely survived. According to Zeng Guofan's own report, as of June of the third year of Xianfeng (1853), in just four months, the case investigation bureau had directly killed 137 people, of whom 104 were "set to justice" and "set to death" 2, and 31 were "killed in prison".

Not only did he directly kill people, but his father and fourth brother also killed people at home, so much so that Xiong, the county magistrate, knew that the injustice was too great and was not good for him, so he would cry privately every few days. Someone asked him why, and he said: "Fourth Master Zeng wants to kill someone with my own hands again.

”

Under Zeng Guofan’s policy of terror, the local landlords and gentry in Hunan reared their heads again. Hunan not only failed to become the new source of the Taiping Revolution, but instead became a solid rear base for Zeng Guofan’s group to suppress the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Emperor Xianfeng He admired Zeng Guofan's actions very much. He commented on Zeng Guofan's memorial: "Bandits must be dealt with strictly and all roots must be eliminated. "However, the common people and public opinion fiercely criticized Zeng Guofan's massacre policy, and nicknames and curses such as "Zeng had his head shaved" and "Zeng butcher" spread throughout Hunan Province.

"Zhongxing's first famous official" . For the Qing court, Zeng Guofan was able to lead the Hunan army he cultivated to suppress the Taiping Rebellion that almost destroyed the Qing Dynasty, saved the Qing Dynasty from its imminent collapse, and brought the Qing Dynasty to its knees. It led to the so-called "Tongzhi Zhongxing", which is of course a "great contribution", and he is worthy of the "reputation" of "the first famous minister of Zhongxing". Regarding the battle between Zeng Guofan and the Taiping Army, it is introduced in many historical books, here. Needless to say. He started to lead troops as a Confucian scholar, started to organize regiment training, and finally trained the first army with "soldiers as generals" in modern China, and suppressed the massive Taiping Rebellion. The reasons why Not only was he "God bless him", but he was indeed extraordinary.

From the perspective of military management, the regular army of the Qing Dynasty was mainly divided into two parts: the "Eight Banners" and the "Green Camp". Both the Eight Banners and the Green Camp had soldiers. After the father dies, the son succeeds, from generation to generation. Because there has been no war for a long time, the habit of arrogance and laziness has been developed, and the fighting ability is very poor. Also, because the soldiers are returned to the country, "generals and generals do not know each other, and soldiers do not know each other. Victory will lead to each other." "Jealous, will not save each other when defeated", so the combat effectiveness is very poor. Zeng Guofan saw this very clearly, so he had to start over and train a new army.

First of all, change the world's military system into a recruiting system. From In terms of soldiers, we mainly recruit strong and simple mountain farmers. We do not accept camp soldiers or cunning people. As for officers, we mainly recruit gentlemen and scholars. Zeng Guofan also proposed several standards for Hunan Army officers: “The first is to be able to govern the people, the second is to not be afraid of death, the third is to not seek fame and fortune, and the fourth is to endure hardship. "It can be seen that the selection is very strict. From the perspective of military organization, a system in which superiors select subordinates is implemented. That is, the commander is selected by the general, the battalion officers are selected by the commander, the sentry officers are selected by the battalion officers, and the commanders are selected by the sentry officers. , soldiers are selected by their commanders. Zeng Guofan believes that in this way, the superiors select the subordinates. The superiors and subordinates often have relationships with fellow villagers, friends, teachers and students, and the subordinates will be grateful for the kindness of their superiors. In this way, it is easier to unite in peacetime and to interact with each other in times of crisis. He said: "The best way to lead with courage is to use kindness rather than kindness, and to use power better than to use courtesy. "We lead our troops bravely, just like fathers and brothers lead their children." "In this way, the problem of unity among the whole army can be basically solved.

Secondly, increase the soldiers' pay and induce them to gain benefits. The Hunan Army's monthly pay is three to four times that of the Green Camp soldiers. In this way, "the soldiers will be more happy." , strive to join the army.

Again, pay attention to the discipline education and political education of the army. Zeng Guofan saw that the Qing army not only had poor combat effectiveness because of its lax military discipline, but also had a bad reputation among the people. In order to gain political Taking the initiative, he emphasized strict military discipline in order to win the hearts of the people. As a cultural military commander, Zeng Guofan, as a Confucian, personally lectured the soldiers who were mainly farmers during military exercises. Ideological and spiritual education, "repeatedly preached to thousands of words, but did not disturb the people."

From a political point of view, Zeng Guofan paid great attention to gaining political initiative in the contest with the Taiping Army.

First of all, he beautified the suppression of the Taiping Rebellion as not only "protecting the country" but also "protecting religion." The most intense attack on Hong Xiuquan in "The Cantonese Bandits" is:

When it was difficult to arouse the support of the people in the name of the Qing Dynasty, he brought up Confucius and Mencius and attacked the Taiping Army’s belief in Heavenly Father and Heavenly Brother. The key point was to destroy Confucianism and wipe out traditional culture. So His suppression became a just action to continue the Chinese cultural lineage. Zeng Guofan's approach did win the support of some people.

Secondly, he also paid attention to calming the people and telling them not to flee. , for this reason, he composed a folk song "Don't Run Away":

Although everyone is full of rumors, we must not run away randomly!

I am in a remote place in the mountains. There are no roads in all directions.

I have traveled through most of the world, but this is the only place where I can avoid chaos.

I have traveled all over the world, but this is the only place where I feel most comfortable.

There are many disturbances elsewhere, but this is indeed Taoyuan Cave.

If you think this place is not quiet, it will be harder to escape with your life elsewhere!

……

Everyone must protect our country and remember not to listen to rumors.

Despite the rumors, we stayed on the fishing boat.

When one family is stable, there is no need to be surprised; when ten families are in peace, there is no need to hide from soldiers.

If one person is in charge, he is not afraid, but a hundred people have control in their hearts.

You will never leave your hometown, and you will never change your mind.

Local affairs are handled together, and everyone has a peaceful meal.

Judging from the above analysis, Zeng Guofan did have inherent reasons for his final victory in the war against the Taiping Army. Without him, the declining late Qing government might not be able to withstand the Taiping Army's rapid offensive.

In the later period of the suppression of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, he, as a Neo-Confucian, pioneered the modern trend and launched the Westernization Movement, and was hailed as the "Father of Chinese Modernization" by later generations. It does not seem to be an exaggeration to say that he influenced the course of modern Chinese history to a certain extent. At that time, Zeng Guofan also ushered in the peak of his life and career, and was praised as a "famous general of ZTE" and a "famous minister of the ancient times". Compared with his brother Zeng Guoquan and other Hunan army generals, Zeng Guofan was relatively sober. He knew that his reputation would inevitably arouse the suspicion of the court, so he was cautious in everything, and even took the initiative to ask for the abolition of part of the Hunan army, so that after Tianjing was conquered Zeng Guoquan, the brother who committed plunder and massacre, returned home to recuperate. The reason why Zeng Guofan did this was simply to maintain profits and maintain peace, and to achieve perfect merits. However, history played a big joke on him. First, he was impeached for his ineffective suppression of the Tianjin religious case, and then he caused trouble because of his ineffective handling of the Tianjin religious case. Scolds abounded, and his reputation was tarnished.

Zuo Zongtang

The courtesy name is Jigao. Xiangyin people. Daoguang raised people. In the early years of Xianfeng's reign, Zhang Liangji and Luo Bingzhang successively served as governors of Hunan, praising and assisting in military affairs. In 1860, the Taiping Army conquered Suzhou, Hangzhou and other places. Zeng Guofan, Hu Linyi and others strongly recommended him. The Qing government specially appointed him as the fourth-rank Jingqing, and recruited 5,000 "Chu troops" to lead them to aid Zhejiang. He was granted the title of Governor of Zhejiang and Governor of Fujian and Zhejiang. In 1864, Hangzhou was captured. Then he attacked and destroyed the remaining Taiping Army in Jiaying Prefecture (now Meixian County), Guangdong. Later, Mawei Shipyard was set up in Fuzhou to manufacture ships. He was appointed governor-general of Shaanxi-Gansu and imperial envoy, overseeing the military affairs of Shaanxi-Gansu and suppressing the uprising of the Nian Army and the northwest Hui people. Founded a manufacturing bureau in Lanzhou. In 1875 (the first year of Guangxu), he was appointed as the Imperial Envoy to supervise the military affairs of Xinjiang. He went on an expedition to Xinjiang to defeat Aguba, eliminate the invading reactionary regime, recover Xinjiang, rectify and reform the politics and military of Xinjiang, and suggested changing Xinjiang into a province and strengthening border defense. , established free schools, corrected taxes, etc., which effectively promoted the political, economic, and cultural development of Xinjiang. During the negotiations between China and Russia on Ili, they actively prepared for war and thwarted Tsarist Russia's conspiracy to invade and occupy Ili. In 1881, he was transferred to the post of Minister of Military Aircraft. He is seeking to be transferred to the post of Governor of Liangjiang and Minister of Commerce. During the Sino-French War, he went to Fuzhou to supervise the coastal defense, actively supported the Taiwan military and civilians in their anti-French struggle, and recruited the Ke Jing Army to participate in the Anti-French War on the front lines of Guangdong and Guangxi. Died of illness in Fuzhou. He is the author of "The Complete Works of Zuo Wen and Duke Xiang".

Ji Yun

Introduction to Ji Yun

Ji Yun, (pictured on the right) is also known as Xiaolan, Chunfan, his late name is Shiyun, and his Taoist name is Guan Yi Taoist. He was born in June of the second year of Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty (1724) and died in February of the tenth year of Jiaqing (1805). He lived through Yongzheng, Qianlong and Jiaqing dynasties at the age of 82. Because he was "smart and eager to learn, he could write essays, and he would be wise in politics if taught" (an inscription given by Emperor Jiaqing), so he was given the posthumous title of Wenda after his death, and was known as Wenda Gong in his hometown.

Ji Yun’s ancestral home is Shangyuan County, Yingtian Prefecture, and his family is said to be Jijiabian. In the second year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1404), he was ordered to "move to Shijifu" (Qianlong's "Xianxian Chronicle"), and then moved to Xianxian County. He entered Sijia in Anminli and lived in Jingcheng Town, ninety miles east of Xianxian County. By the time Ji Xiaolan arrived, he had moved north for fourteen generations.

There is evidence that all seven generations since Ji Xiaolan were scholars. The great ancestor Ji Kun (1570-1642) was born in Xiang. He failed in many tests and was famous for his poems. He was the author of the collection of poems "The Remaining Manuscripts of Kao Pavilion". His great-grandfather Ji Yu (1632-1716) was a disciple of the doctoral program at the age of seventeen. He later entered the Imperial Academy and was praised by the emperor for his talent and learning. Grandfather Ji Tianshen (1665-1732) was a supervisor and served as county magistrate. His father, Ji Rongshu (1685-1764), was an imperial examination candidate in the 52nd year of Kangxi (1713). He served successively as an official in the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Punishment, and was sent to the prefecture of Yao'an in Yunnan Province. He had a virtuous voice in politics.

His moral articles were all famous for a while, and he was especially good at textual criticism. He wrote books such as "Tang Yun Kao", "Du Lv Shu", "Yutai Xin Yong Kao Yi" and other books. By the time of Ji Rongshu, the Ji family had declined but was reviving, and they paid more attention to reading. There is also a saying in his legacy: "Poverty should not interrupt the fragrance of books." Ji Xiaolan is the second son of Ji Rongshu. He was born into such a scholarly family.

When Ji Xiaolan was a child, he lived in Cuierzhuang, three miles east of Jingcheng. He began to study at the age of four. At the age of eleven, he went to Beijing with his father and studied in Yunjingshe. He was a scholar at the age of twenty-one. At the age of twenty-four, he took the Shuntianfu Township Examination and was named Jieyuan. Then my mother died, and I mourned at home and studied behind closed doors. He is talented, quick in writing and diligent in learning. Be knowledgeable about the past and the present. As he said, "he writes obscene dialogues, stays up all night to come up with ideas, and communicates with the world with his articles." He is broad-minded, witty and humorous, and often makes surprising and witty remarks, making him famous in the world. At the age of thirty-one, he passed the Jinshi examination and ranked fourth in the second class. He entered the Hanlin Academy as a Shujishi, was appointed editor, and handled academic affairs. Ding's father was worried when he was sent to Fujian to study politics for a year. After serving the throne, he moved to serve as a reading and lecturer, and was promoted to the right concubine, in charge of the prince's affairs. In the thirty-third year of Qianlong's reign (1768), he was granted the title of Magistrate of Duyun, Guizhou Province. Before he could take up the post, he stayed in office with a fourth-grade service and was promoted to a bachelor's degree. In the same year, he was relegated to Urumqi Sasuke Military Affairs because of the Lu Jian Zeng Yanwu case. He was summoned back, granted the title of editor, resumed his position as a bachelor, and was appointed as the chief compiler of "Sikuquanshu". After 13 years of bleak work, "Sikuquanshu" was completed, with a huge number of chapters, including 3,461 categories, 79,309 volumes, and The four parts are Jing, Shi, Zi and Ji. Ji and personally wrote the "Summary of the General Catalog of Sikuquanshu", which consists of 200 volumes. Each book is summarized, the pros and cons are summarized, the pros and cons are reviewed, the main purpose of each book and the origin of the work are discussed, the pros and cons are examined, and the text is distinguished. A masterpiece representing the achievements of bibliography in the Qing Dynasty. "Summary of the General Catalog of Sikuquanshu" is actually an academic history, which introduces each book, its origin, value, etc. It became an entry point for later scholars to study these ancient books. Many great scholars admit that they started their studies from the "Summary of the General Catalog of the Complete Library Siku". At the same time, he was also ordered to strive for excellence on the basis of the "Summary of the General Catalog of the Complete Library Siku" and compile twenty volumes of the "Concise Catalog of the Complete Collection of the Four Repositories", which is a gateway to the "Complete Library of the Four Repositories" and an important tool for studying literature and history. Book. The completion of the "Sikuquanshu" is undoubtedly a major contribution to the collection and arrangement of ancient books, preservation and promotion of historical and cultural heritage. Ji Xiaolan devoted all his energy to this, so there are few other works. "Sikuquanshu" and "Sikuquanshu General Catalog" are undoubtedly the crystallization of collective wisdom, but Ji Yun's key role in them cannot be ignored at all. As far as the "General Catalog" is concerned, the writing style of the whole book is consistent and the ideological themes are coherent, which all demonstrate the important role of Ji Yun's "consistency in writing". Zhu Gui, the chief reader of the Siku Library, wrote in Ji Yun's epitaph: "In the Gongguan Bookstore, the pen was sharpened and assessed, and it was deleted and designated as the "General Catalog of the Whole Book"." Zhang Weiping's "Tingsonglu Wenchao" said: "It may be said that Ji Wenda Why didn’t Gong (Yun) write a book after reading all the books? Yu said: Wen Da’s whole life’s energy can be seen in the “Summary of Siku Quanshu”, so why bother writing more books? "Editing the General Catalog" or Ji Yun's "lifetime energy is concentrated in the book "Summary", all show that Ji Yun's devotion to the "General Catalog" has been recognized by his time and later generations. In this sense, the "General Catalog" reflects Ji Yun's academic and cultural thoughts to the greatest extent, so it is not a tree without roots. As Huang Yunmei said: "From a formal point of view, "Summary" seems to be the product of many people's efforts. In fact, the book has been added, deleted, edited and neatly drawn together. The will of many people is no longer visible. What is visible is It is just the opinion of the Ji family."

Since the publication of the "Sikuquanshu" compiled by Ji Yun and the "Zongmu" edited by himself, it has been highly praised by scholars of all ages. Ruan Yuan said: "Emperor Gaozongchun ordered the Sikuquanshu to be compiled, and Gong (Ji Yun) summarized its completion. All the gains and losses of the annotations of the Six Classics, the similarities and differences in historical records, the branches and sects of the collections, and the outlines and traces of the origins There are more than 10,000 types of "General Catalog" compiled, and archeology must seek for them to be fair and fair. "Jiang Fan pointed out: "The "Sikuquanshu Synopsis" and "Concise Catalog" are both published. Hands, a large collection of classics and history, as well as medical divination, poetry and music. His comments are profound and profound, his words are clear and logical, and his knowledge is superior to that of Wang Zhongbao and Ruan Xiaoxu. He can be said to be a master of Confucianism. The cultural impact of this masterpiece is lasting. In the late Qing Dynasty, Zhang Zhidong said to scholars: "Now I have a good teacher for all living beings. If you read "Summary of the Complete Collection of Four Treasures", you will know a little bit about the way of learning." Yu Jiaxi, who has studied the book in depth, said : "The "Summary" is an unprecedented work, and it can serve as a gateway to reading. Scholars have no choice but to care about it.

" He also talked about the emergence of Confucian scholars in large numbers after Jiandao in the Qing Dynasty. "Everyone has contributed to their efforts" and regarded it as a guide. "It has been a great contribution and its application has been widely used." He criticized many shortcomings of the "General Catalog" , but he also admitted that he "knows a little about academic knowledge and was actually given the gift of the General Catalog"

Ji Yun spent ten years studying in Sikuguan, "from beginning to end, without a breath", and his hard work was endless. It goes without saying that it was also a fruitful decade in his life. He was both gratified by the historical opportunity that "the king's affairs are suitable for me" and he was also proud of the realization of his wish of "expecting things to be beneficial to the world". It says in the poem "Self-titled Collation of Siku Shu and Inkstone": "There are more than a hundred thousand toothpicks for correction, and every drop of them wets the thirsty jade toad." History has a white head and a smile on each other. I have read books that have never been seen in the world. ""I have read books that have never been seen in the world" is just an appearance. The monument established by Ji Yun and his colleagues for Chinese academic culture is invisible and eternal! During the period of editing "Sikuquanshu", Ji Xiaolan was promoted from a bachelor's degree student to a scholar. He was a bachelor of the cabinet, and was appointed minister of the Ministry of War for a time. He continued to serve as minister of the cabinet, and was favored by the emperor. When the Sikuquanshu was completed, he was moved to the Ministry of Rites to serve as a minister. Emperor Qianlong was particularly gracious and gave him a special gift of riding a horse in the Forbidden City. In the eighth year of Jiaqing (1803), the emperor sent someone to congratulate Ji Xiaolan and gave him a treasure. He was also a supervisor of the Imperial Academy. After he was sixty years old, he served as governor of the capital five times and served as minister of the Ministry of Rites three times. After Ji Xiaolan's death, he built a tomb in Beicun, five miles south of Cuierzhuang, and sent officials to pay tribute at Linxue in Beicun. The emperor also personally wrote an inscription for him, which was a moment of great honor and sorrow.

According to Ji Xiaolan's own statement, there are slight differences from the above. Ji Xiaolan once said in his later years, " I studied poetry in my early years, during which I was very high-spirited and sang with everyone in the world, never wanting to be left behind. Now I am almost 80 years old, but I am afraid to say a word, and I dare not save the manuscripts I have written in my life." He said this is because as his experience increases, when he looks back at his proud works, most of them are These are all things that the ancients have said, and he has worked so hard to write them, but it is just in vain. Judging from Ji Xiaolan's words, it is not that he "has never written a book". In his early years, he was brave enough to write poems and poems, but later on. He gradually gained a deeper understanding of the world in which he lived, and became less and less afraid to engage in writing, and he also did not dare to save his manuscripts. To say that he stopped writing because he was afraid of not being able to surpass the ancients seems to be a very reluctant reason. There is also a huge social and political background behind this reason, that is, the strengthening of ideological control during the Qianlong period, and literary prisons were common.

Ji Xiaolan did two things most in his life, one was to preside over the imperial examinations, and the other was to do two things. Leading the editing. He was an examiner for the Provincial Examination twice and an examiner for the Civil and Military Examination six times. He had a large number of corporals and had great influence in the scholarly community. He presided over the editing more times and served as the editor of Wuying Palace. , Compiler of the Santong Museum, Chief Compiler of the Meritorious Officials Museum, Chief Compiler of the National History Museum, Chief Collector of the Fanglue Museum, Chief Compiler of the Sikuquan Library, Chief Compiler of the Excerpts of the Martyrs of the Victorious Heroes, Chief Officer of the Official List, and Eight Banners The president of Tongzhi Hall, the vice president of Shilu Hall, the vice president of Huidian Hall, etc. are not overly praised. In his later years, Ji Xiaolan once wrote an elegiac couplet: "The rise and fall of officials are like gulls; the collection of books about life and death is like a book." "Silverfish" can be regarded as a true portrayal of his life.

Mr. Lu Xun, in "A Brief History of Chinese Novels", said that Ji Xiaolan "has a noble and tolerant attitude towards life, and a desire to forgive others", which is very pertinent. He and Those hypocritical Taoists are two completely different characters. Both Ji Xiaolan and his works are worth studying.