The Hunan Army (Complete in 6 Volumes)

“Xiang Army” was the name given to the local armed forces of Hunan in the late Qing dynasty. They were first called the “Xiang Braves” and later the “Xiang Army.” Founded by Zeng Guofan, the Xiang Army established an infantry, a navy, a military administration office, and a supply bureau. Its leading officers were mainly from Hunan, and Zeng Guofan was connected to them as a fellow native, teacher, classmate, or relative. The army valued education. Battalion commanders recruited their own soldiers and appointed platoon and company leaders. Later, intermediate commanders and senior commanders were placed above the battalion commanders, each overseeing anywhere from several to dozens of battalions. Every rank was subordinate to the one above it, and the entire army obeyed only Zeng Guofan.

When the nation was in danger, a single order sent the Xiang Army rushing thousands of miles to the rescue. It fought Russia in Xinjiang, Japan in Liaoning, the Eight-Nation Alliance in Shanxi, and both Japan and France in Taiwan and Guangxi. Through battles with peasant rebel forces across the country and foreign invaders, the Xiang Army rapidly grew in strength. Twenty-nine Xiang Army generals rose to the rank of provincial governor, hundreds held high provincial and regional offices, and countless others received the rank of seventh-grade official. “Nine out of ten of the ministers and generals who restored the dynasty came from Hunan”; “Since ancient times, no army is complete without Hunan, and the Xiang Army of the realm comes from Xiangxiang.” The Xiang Army had six major factions, led by Zeng Guofan, Hu Linyi, Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang, Jiang Zhongyuan, and Wang Kaiyun.

Yang Du said, “If China is ever to perish, it will only be when every Hunanese has died.” The Xiang Army was a “Heaven-Reliant Sword” and a “Stone to Mend the Sky.” The eight words that define the spirit of Hunan are “loyalty, responsibility, truth-seeking, and striving for strength.”