Zhang Zhidong, an important court official in the late Qing Dynasty, where did he come from?

Zhang Zhidong was an important official in the late Qing Dynasty. He was born into a eunuch family. Originally from Nanpi, Zhili, he was born in Xingyi Prefecture, Guizhou (now Longan County). Zhang Zhidong was a representative of the Qing school in his early days and devoted himself to the development of the Westernization Movement in his later years. Zhang Zhidong attached great importance to education, industry and military development all his life. He made great contributions to the implementation of the New Deal in the late Qing Dynasty.

1. Fight the French

When the Sino-French War broke out in Guangxu nine years, Zhang Zhidong, as a hawk, was appointed as the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi to resist the French invasion. In the tenth year of Guangxu, the French army invaded China's Taiwan Province Province, and Zhang Zhidong marched on the line, deploying troops and dispatching troops, which made great achievements for the French army. In the 11th year of Guangxu, the French army invaded Nanguan Town, and Zhang Zhidong appointed Feng Zicai to guard the pass, which dealt a heavy blow to the French army and directly reversed the whole war situation at that time. It can drive the French army out in one breath. Unfortunately, the Qing government was incompetent and insisted on peace, which wasted a good opportunity.

2. Pay attention to the development of education

Zhang Zhidong attaches great importance to the development of education. During his tenure as governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, he built an academy in Guangzhou and hired famous teachers to teach. In the fifteenth year of Guangxu, Zhang Zhidong was transferred to the governor of Huguang. During this period, he founded Self-improvement College, Agricultural College and Hubei Institute of Science and Technology, which laid the foundation for the later establishment of Wuhan University, Huazhong Agricultural University and Wuhan University of Science and Technology. Zhang Zhidong has made outstanding contributions to the education in China.

3. Develop industry

Zhang Zhidong also attaches great importance to the development of industry. When Zhang Zhidong was in Hubei, he established Hanyang Iron Works, which was built in the 19th year of Guangxu. This was the largest steel plant in Asia at that time. Zhang Zhidong also founded the Hubei weaving layout, which was put into operation in the eighteenth year of Guangxu and made a profit. Zhang Zhidong also realized the importance of the railway. He believes that railways are the lifeblood of the country and cannot be controlled by western countries. He presided over the construction of the Beijing-Han Railway.

Throughout Zhang Zhidong's life, he is indeed an effective minister in managing the world. He attached importance to education, developed industry and built railways, which not only benefited the late Qing government, but also benefited our descendants, and deserved our respect.