TITLE:
The Social Roles and Cultural Influence of Late Qing Huxiang Scholars: A Study Centered on the Chronological Biography of Tang Peng
AUTHORS:
Peng Qiao, Zhirong Qin, Yalan Li, Jing Yu
KEYWORDS:
Huxiang Scholars, Social Roles, Cultural Influence, Tang Peng, Late Qing Intellectual History
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.13 No.11,
November
25,
2025
ABSTRACT: The Huxiang scholars of the Late Qing period played a crucial role in China’s transition to modernity. Their social engagement and cultural practices profoundly shaped the course of history. Focusing on the Chronological Biography of Tang Peng, a Huxiang scholar active during the Daoguang reigns, this paper employs case study and documentary analysis to systematically examine his life trajectory, intellectual networks, ideological system, and political practice. The study reveals that Tang Peng’s Fuqiuzhi (Master of Floating Hill) articulates a comprehensive philosophy of statecraft, while his proposals for administrative and salt policy reform embody the pragmatic spirit of Huxiang culture. His political conduct as Censor demonstrated the moral agency of Confucian intellectuals yet also reflected the structural dilemmas that constrained reform in the Late Qing. Positioned as a transitional figure between Tao Shu, Wei Yuan, and Zeng Guofan, Tang Peng’s intellectual legacy provided theoretical groundwork for the rise of the Xiang Army. He stood at a critical juncture, where Chinese intellectual discourse began to shift from a reflexive critique of its own traditions toward the active exploration of modern frameworks. His life and thought illuminate both the historical value and inherent limitations of traditional literati during China’s modern transformation. This study offers a new micro-level perspective for understanding the role of Huxiang culture in the social changes of the Late Qing period.