Jiang Zhongyuan

Jiang Zhongyuan was born on August 1, 1812, in Xinning, Hunan.[1] He passed the provincial examination in 1837 and became a juren in 1837.[1] He then lived in Beijing for several years, passing a special examination in 1844 to receive the jinshi degree.[1] He then became an expectant director of district schools.[1] In 1847, having returned to Xinning, he trained a militia of approximately 2,000 men to combat Yao tribesmen and other disaffected locals.[1][2] For this he was awarded an expectant magistracy.[1] While away, the militia was kept somewhat intact by his brothers and family friends.[3]

Jiang was appointed acting magistrate of Xiushi from 1849 to 1850 and then became magistrate of Lishui.[1] In 1850, Jiang's friend, Zeng Guofan recommended Jiang for higher office to the Xianfeng Emperor.[1] Jiang did not travel to Beijing, however, but instead returned home to mourn the death of his father.[1]

After the Taiping Rebellion began in earnest, Jiang was recalled from morning to assist Grand Secretary Sai-shang-a in quelling the insurrection.[1] Jiang's volunteers were known as the Chu Yong (楚勇) and represented the first contingent of Hunanese to fight outside Hunan during the war.[1] It was also the first in a wave of local forces led by the gentry which would eventually subdue the Taiping and served as a model for those to follow.[4] Jiang was able to win a battle in Guangxi and was promoted to the rank of first-class sub-prefect.[1] However, a disagreement regarding military tactics discouraged from service and he retired for a time.[1]

In 1852, when the Taiping's threatened Guilin, Jiang returned to service, leading 1,000 recruits from Xinning to the front.[1] There, Jiang triumphed in three battles and lifted the siege of Guilin.[1] For this, Jiang was awarded the rank of prefect.[1] Afterwards, Jiang was able to stymie the Taiping's planned naval invasion of Hunan.[1] Five miles north of Quanzhou, Jiang dammed the Xiang River near the Suoyi ford and set an ambush for the Taiping navy.[3] The Taiping casualties were staggering; Jiang's forces captured, burned, or sunk 300 boats and approximately 10,000 Taiping troops were killed.[3] Feng Yunshan, South King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, was among the dead.[5]

Jiang was less successful in stopping the Taiping's subsequent overland invasion of Hunan; while Jiang was able to besiege some Taiping in Chenzhou for over a month, but the Taiping ultimately broke through and advanced to Changsha, the capital of Hunan.[1] Jiang assisted in defending Changsha and the Taiping eventually abandoned their siege of the city, travelling northward along the Yangtze.[1] Jiang remained behind to suppress small uprisings with his troops.[1]

In 1853, Jiang was promoted to intendant and then made provincial judge of Hubei.[1] Later in 1853, he was named assistant commander of the imperial armies in Jiangnan.[6] Before departing for the military headquarters in Jiangnan, he drafted an eight-point memorial on the military situation and submitted it to the throne.[6] Jiang never reached his destination; in Jiujiang he learned of a planned Taiping attack on Nanchang, left to reinforce the city, and arrived one day before the Taiping.[6] Jiang was besieged from June 22 until September 24, 1853.[6] When the siege was lifted by relief forces, Jiang was named governor of Anhui.[6]

Jiang then led a small force to Luzhou, the temporary capital of Anhui which was being threatened by the Taiping.[6] Outnumbered and insufficiently provisioned, Jiang was unable to hold the city in the face of improved Taiping siege-mining.[6][7] Jiang himself was wounded and captured.[8] He committed suicide by drowning on January 15, 1854.[9]

Jiang was posthumously granted the rank of governor-general, granted two minor hereditary ranks, and canonized as Zhonglie.[6] In 1864, his rank was raised again.[6] In 1856, a collection of his literary works was published, with a revised edition being printed in 1896.[6] The revised edition included a biography of Jiang written by Guo Songtao.[6] Jiang was said to be admired by his soldiers and has been characterized as being far-sighted, generous, brave and capable of brilliant leadership.[6][10]

Jiang was the oldest of four brothers.[6] Each of his brothers and several of his cousins also participated in the war against the Taipings, two of whom were eventually canonized.[6]