Tomb of Feng Guifen

Tomb of Feng Guifen

The Tomb of Feng Guifen is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou City.

The Tomb of Feng Guifen is located in Cangshu Town. Feng Guifen passed away in Mudu in the thirteenth year of the Tongzhi era and was buried at Zhuwu in the northern part of Tianchi Mountain in Suzhou. Zuo Zongtang composed his biography, Li Hongzhang wrote his epitaph, which was then inscribed by Zuo Zongtang.

Feng Guifen (1809–1874), courtesy name Linyi, also known as Jingting (or Jingtng), and self-styled as the Hermit of Dengwei Mountain, was a native of Wuxian County, Suzhou Prefecture, Jiangsu Province (present-day Suzhou). He was the second-place scholar in the 20th year of the Daoguang era (1840) under the imperial examination list headed by Li Chenglin.

Feng Guifen came from a family of prominent lineage for generations. By his father’s generation, however, the family had suffered a devastating fire and never fully recovered. Feng Guifen was exceptionally intelligent from a young age, capable of reading several lines at a glance. At the age of 20, he became a student at the county school. Despite enduring poverty, Feng Guifen strove diligently. In his youth, he served as a clerk to the local county magistrate, managing financial and grain affairs. Due to the magistrate's… More details on Feng Guifen++

Zuo Zongtang, courtesy name Jigao, was a native of Xiangyin, Hunan. Born in the seventeenth year of the Jiaqing era (1812) during the Qing Dynasty, he passed the provincial imperial examination (Juren) in the twelfth year of the Daoguang era (1832). After failing the metropolitan imperial examination (Jinshi) three times, he abandoned the pursuit of civil service examinations, turned his attention to agricultural matters, and studied geography and military strategy.

In the second year of the Xianfeng era (1852), when the Taiping Army entered Hunan, Zuo Zongtang was invited to serve in the advisory councils of both Zhang Liangji and Luo Bingzhang, the governors of Hunan, where he provided strategic advice for suppressing the Taiping Rebellion. In the tenth year of the Xianfeng era (1860), recommended by Zeng Guofan, he was appointed as an acting official of the fourth rank to assist with military affairs in southern Anhui. Zuo Zongtang gathered former troops of Wang Xinzhi’s “Old Xiang Army”… More details on Zuo Zongtang++

Li Hongzhang (February 15, 1823 – November 7, 1901), style name Shaquan, also known as Yisou, and referred to as Li Zhongtang or Zhangtong, was a prominent statesman in the late Qing Dynasty. He served as Viceroy of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang Trade, and was granted the title of First Class Marquis of Suyi. Li Hongzhang, along with Zeng Guofan, Zhang Zhidong, and Zuo Zongtang, was known as one of the “Four Great Ministers of China’s Late Qing Renaissance.” He was also ranked among the “Three Great Figures of the 19th Century World” alongside Bismarck and Grant. During his tenure, Li Hongzhang suppressed the Taiping Rebellion, participated in the Self-Strengthening Movement, actively promoted the establishment of a modern navy and the creation of the Beiyang Fleet; yet ultimately had to sign the “Treaty of Vietnam” as a diplomatic representative… More details on Li Hongzhang++