Notable People Chinese History Midterm

Lin Zexu (Lin Tsê-hsü)

Sent to Guangzhou to suppress opium trade in 1838-1839. Forces addicts to recover, punishes traders. Seizes large amount of opium for safekeeping and destroys it. Interested in modernization and western law.

James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin

British diplomat who led forces in the Second Opium War (1856–1860), negotiated the Treaty of Tianjin and Convention of Peking, and ordered the burning of the Yuanmingyuan (Summer Palace). Forced China into unequal treaties.

Li Hongzhang (Li Hung-chang)

Qing official, general, and diplomat. Helped suppress Taiping Rebellion. Key leader of Self-Strengthening Movement. Negotiated foreign treaties, modernized navy and industry.

Zeng Guofan (Tsêng Kuo-fan)

Organized the Hunan Army to fight Taiping Rebellion, locally recruited and financed. Played leading role in Qing Restoration, pushed revival of traditional learning.

Zhang Zhidong (Chang Chih-tung)

Creator of Self-Strengthening Army. “Chinese learning as substance, western learning as function.” Organized new military academies, sponsored some western-style enterprises.

Zuo Zongtang (Tso Tsung-t’ang)

Defeated Yakub Beg in Xinjiang (1876-77), restored Qing control, stabilized region. Helped organize Hunan army to suppress Taiping, paving way for militarization of regional authority.