Zeng Guoquan

Zeng Guoquan
Personal details
Born(1824-10-12)12 October 1824
Xiangxiang, Hunan Province, Qing Empire
Died13 November 1890(1890-11-13) (aged 66)
Jiangsu, Qing Empire
OccupationStatesman, general
Military service
AllegianceQing Empire
Branch/serviceXiang Army
Battles/warsTaiping Rebellion
Tianjing Massacre
Zeng Guoquan
Traditional Chinese曾國荃
Simplified Chinese曾国荃
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZēng Guóquán
Wade–GilesTseng Kuo-chüan
Yuanfu
(courtesy name)
Chinese沅甫
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYuánfǔ
Wade–GilesYüan-fu
Shuchun
(art name)
Traditional Chinese叔純
Simplified Chinese叔纯
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinShūchún
Wade–GilesShu-ch'un

Zeng Guoquan (12 October 1824 – 13 November 1890), courtesy name Yuanfu, art name Shuchun, was a Chinese official and military leader of the late Qing dynasty. He was the ninth brother of Zeng Guofan, a prominent statesman and general, and a descendant of the philosopher Zengzi. He served in the Xiang Army, a standing military force organised by his brother to counter the Taiping rebels, and was nicknamed "Ninth Marshal" (九帥). He was known for his expertise in siege warfare, particularly the use of trenches, hence he was also nicknamed "Zeng the Iron Container" (曾鐵桶). During the conquest of Tianjing (Nanjing), the capital of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Zeng was notorious for condoning massacres of the city populace, which resulted in him being called "Zeng the Butcher" (曾屠戶).