In modern Chinese history, Zeng Guofan is undoubtedly an unavoidable name. A mere scholar who ventured into military affairs, he raised a formidable Xiang army that ultimately extinguished the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement that swept across half of China. People marvel at his achievements and are curious about what this seemingly 'clumsy' scholar used as a 'divine strategy' to defeat those brave and fierce Taiping troops with flexible tactics.
The answer may surprise you: what he relied on was precisely what he summarized as 'building a solid camp, fighting a dull battle.' This tactic, which sounds utterly unremarkable and even a bit 'foolish', how could it become a magic weapon for victory in an era that revered clever strategies?
——【·Main Text·】——
The dilemma of a genius opponent and a 'clumsy' commander
To understand Zeng Guofan's tactics, one must first look at his opponent—the Taiping army. Early leaders of the Taiping army, such as Shi Dakai, indeed displayed astonishing military talent. They excelled in mobile warfare, being elusive and often able to exploit the weaknesses of the Qing army, concentrating superior forces to achieve quick victories. Their morale was high, and they fought bravely, starting from a corner of Guangxi and fighting all the way to Nanjing to establish their capital, relying on this momentum and flexible tactics.
And Zeng Guofan? He himself admitted to being of average talent, and his style of action is known for being 'steady' and 'clumsy'. At the beginning of leading his troops, faced with the fierce offensive of the Taiping army, this scholar-general repeatedly suffered defeats and was even once disheartened to the point of almost committing suicide. The traditional Eight Banners and Green Standard troops were no match, and although his newly trained Xiang army was brave, it still lagged behind the seasoned Taiping army in tactical quality and battlefield experience. Using clever strategies? He felt inferior to his opponents. Competing in bravery and ruthlessness? He also couldn't gain an advantage in the early stages. In this predicament, Zeng Guofan had to find a path that belonged to him and was suitable for the Xiang army.
'Build a solid camp, fight a dull battle': the great wisdom within the stupid method
After reflecting on the pain, Zeng Guofan tailored this seemingly 'foolish' tactical core for the Xiang army:
Building a solid camp: This is not just about setting up a camp but is an extremely strict and standardized defensive engineering. Whenever the Xiang army arrived at a location, regardless of the weather, after half a day's march, they must reserve half a day's time to construct fortifications. They first dig deep trenches (usually two), with specific width and depth requirements; then build high walls (also in two layers), with strict height and thickness standards. The layout within the camp is orderly, with sentries everywhere, and shifts taking place at night, creating a defense system as solid as a fortress.
Fighting a dull battle: It means not easily taking the initiative, not pursuing surprise attacks or clever plans, but steadily and methodically advancing. The Xiang army is like a snail, marching only twenty to thirty miles a day, slowly but steadily pushing forward. In an attack, they first surround the enemy with camps and trenches, trapping them, then gradually consume them. They never engage in large-scale wild battles, maximizing the avoidance of exposing their own weaknesses.
What did this set of tactics sacrifice? Mobility! The marching speed of the Xiang army was appallingly slow. Even his student Li Hongzhang once dismissively said: 'I thought the Xiang army had some remarkable tactics, but it turned out they just hid in the walls when the enemy came.'
But what did this set of tactics achieve? Survival! Zeng Guofan deeply understood the essence of (Sun Tzu's Art of War): 'The good warriors of the past first made themselves invincible to await the enemy's vulnerability.' What he first needed to do was to ensure his army stood on unassailable ground.
Why can 'dull battles' restrain 'clever strategies'?
Zeng Guofan's 'stupid' method precisely hit the 'seven inches' of the Taiping army:
Eliminate your 'fast legs': The Taiping army was adept at mobile warfare... forcing the Taiping army to abandon their best tactics and engage in positional warfare and attrition battles against the Xiang army.
Reducing one's own mistakes: The battlefield is ever-changing... as long as the camps are firmly established and discipline is strictly maintained... it is not easy to be defeated by the enemy in one strike. This greatly improved the army's 'error tolerance rate.'
Exerting one's own advantages: The Qing court, although corrupt... engaging in attrition warfare and siege warfare can better exploit this resource advantage, dragging the Taiping army down to defeat and starvation.
Psychological pressure: Imagine... that feeling of helplessness and suffocation is enough to destroy the morale of an army.
From Anqing to Tianjing: The glorious victory of dull battles
Practice is the only standard for testing truth. The effects of 'building a solid camp, fighting a dull battle' quickly became evident on the battlefield.
Besieging Anqing: Anqing is the western gateway to Tianjing (Nanjing)... In the end, Anqing was breached, and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom suffered significant injuries.
Capturing Tianjing: The battle to attack Tianjing is a classic example of 'building a solid camp, fighting a dull battle'... In the end, Tianjing was breached, and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom announced its demise.
It was precisely with this seemingly 'clumsy' tactic that Zeng Guofan and his Xiang army ground down the once invincible Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
(——【·Epilogue·】——)
Zeng Guofan's 'building a solid camp, fighting a dull battle' is not some earth-shattering military invention... returning to the simplest military principles: first seek to be invincible, then seek victory; steadily advance, step by step.
The success of this set of tactics is better described not as Zeng Guofan being 'stupid', but rather as his profound understanding of the wisdom of seeming foolish and pragmatism. He deeply understood the strengths and weaknesses of himself and his army, and accurately grasped the advantages and weaknesses of his opponents, ultimately choosing a path best suited for himself and most capable of defeating the enemy.
In that tumultuous era, Zeng Guofan used his 'stupid' methods to teach a lesson to all those eager for quick success and superstitious about clever tricks: sometimes, the simplest and most solid methods are the most effective. Establish a solid foundation and achieve excellence in simple tasks, which itself is a remarkable wisdom. This may be the most valuable insight that 'building a solid camp, fighting a dull battle' leaves for future generations.