Guanwen Explained

Honorific Prefix:First Class Count Guowei
Guanwen
Office:Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall
Term Start:1862
Term End:1871
Office1:Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Library
Term Start1:1860
Term End1:1862
Office2:Assistant Grand Secretary
Term Start2:1858
Term End2:1860
Office3:Viceroy of Zhili
Term Start3:1867
Term End3:1868
Predecessor3:Liu Changyou
Successor3:Zeng Guofan
Office4:Viceroy of Huguang
Term Start4:1855
Term End4:1866
Predecessor4:Yang Pei
Successor4:Tang Tingxiang (acting)
Occupation:politician, general
Birth Date:1798
Blank1:Clan name
Data1:Wanggiya (王佳)
Blank2:Courtesy name
Data2:Xiufeng (秀峰)
Blank3:Posthumous name
Data3:Wengong (文恭)
Allegiance:Qing dynasty
Branch:Han Chinese Imperial Household Department Plain White Banner
Manchu Plain White Banner
Rank:General
Commands:Green Standard Army
Battles:Taiping Rebellion

Guanwen (Manchu: m={{ManchuSibeUnicode|ᡤᡠᠸᠠᠨᠸᡝᠨ, 1798  - 1871), courtesy name Xiufeng, was a Manchu official, Grand Secretariat, military general, Viceroy of Zhili, Huguang and commander of the Army Group Central Plain during the late Qing dynasty in China.

Guanwen was born in a Manchu clan Wanggiya. He raised the Green Standard Army to fight effectively against the Taiping Rebellion and restored the stability of the Qing dynasty along with other prominent figures, including Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang, setting the scene for the era later known as the "Tongzhi Restoration" (Chinese: 同治中兴). He was known for his strategic perception and administrative skill.

Oversight of the Xiang Army

Guanwen was appointed Viceroy of Huguang from 1856 when the civil war. This was after two previous holders of the post had been killed in battle and another had committed suicide. Guanwen led the 600,000-strong Green Standard Army in the Central Plain.

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