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Zeng Guofan

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Zeng Guofan, Marquis Yiyong ( traditional Chinese : 曾國藩 ; simplified Chinese : 曾国藩 ; pinyin : Zēng Guófān ; Wade–Giles : Tseng Kuo-fan ; 26 November 1811 – 12 March 1872), birth name Zeng Zicheng , courtesy name Bohan ( 伯涵 ), was a Chinese statesman and military general of the late Qing dynasty . He is best known for raising and organizing the Xiang Army to aid the Qing military in suppressing the Taiping Rebellion and restoring the stability of the Qing Empire. Along with other prominent figures such as Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang of his time, Zeng set the scene for the Tongzhi Restoration , an attempt to arrest the decline of the Qing dynasty. Zeng was known for his strategic perception, administrative skill and noble personality on Confucian practice, but also for his ruthlessness in repressing rebellions.

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57-619: Born Zeng Zicheng in Xiangxiang , Hunan Province in 1811, Zeng was the grandson of Zeng Yuping , a farmer with social and political ambitions. He was also a descendant of the philosopher Zengzi , a student of Confucius . He studied in Yuelu Academy in Changsha Prefecture , where he passed the prefectural examination in 1833, only a year after his father, Zeng Linshu. He passed the provincial examination ( juren )

114-527: A baturu , and to his being decorated with a yellow riding-jacket . Meanwhile, in his absence, the rebels retook Wuchang and burnt the protecting fleet. The tide quickly turned, however, on May 1, 1854, Zeng defeated the Taiping at Xiangtan and in July at Yuezhou . Zeng succeeded in clearing the country round Poyang Lake , and subsequently in ridding Jiangsu Province of the rebels. In January–February 1855

171-541: A famous diplomat in the late Qing dynasty. Zeng's ninth brother, Zeng Guoquan , was an ambitious general in the Xiang Army . He was later appointed Viceroy of Liangjiang in 1884. Zeng's great-granddaughter, Zeng Baosun , was a feminist, historian, and Christian educator. Zeng is said to be a descendant of Zengzi , who in turn was said to be a descendant of King Shao Kang of the Xia dynasty . Zeng's legacy in history

228-456: A few counties in the southwest bordering Jiangxi province; and the Huizhou dialects are spoken in about ten counties in the far south, a small but highly diverse and unique group of Chinese dialects. Huangmeixi , which originated in the environs of Anqing in southwestern Anhui, is a form of traditional Chinese opera popular across China. Huiju , a form of traditional opera originating in

285-511: A fleet of war junks and multiple arsenals, with which he attacked the rebels. This force eventually became known as the Xiang Army (a.k.a. Hunan Army or Chu Army). In training and commanding the Xiang Army, Zeng emphasized "family ties, individual responsibility, flexible yet responsible discipline, enhanced military pay, respect for intellectuals serving in the army, and a strong bond between officers and soldiers." In his first engagement with

342-413: A new field of thought aiding in business or bureaucratic dealings, as in the "self-help" 99 Strategems from Zeng Guofan . Xiangxiang Xiangxiang ( simplified Chinese : 湘乡 ; traditional Chinese : 湘鄉 ; pinyin : Xiāngxiāng ) is a county-level city under the administration of Xiangtan , Hunan province, China. Located on Central Hunan and the west of Xiangtan, Xiangxiang

399-577: A place name, 'Xiangxiang' dates back to BCE 3 in the Eastern Han dynasty when Emperor Ai of Han ( 刘欣 ) bestowed it upon Changsha Prince Liu Chang ( 刘昌 ). In the years leading up to 1952, Xiangxiang's territory included present day Shaoshan , Shuangfeng County and Loudi . There are numerous township-level divisions in Xiangxiang. This Hunan location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Anhui Anhui

456-643: A unique cultural sphere. After the Qin dynasty unified China in 221 BC, the territory of modern Anhui belonged to different prefectures, including Jiujiang, Zhang, Tang, and Sishui. The lands became part of the Yang , Yu , and Xu prefectures during the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD). During the Three Kingdoms era (222–280), Anhui was dominated at various times by Eastern Wu and Cao Wei . By

513-776: A year later, and by 1838, at age 27, he had passed the imperial examination , a prestigious achievement in China. He had earned the jinshi degree, the highest level in the civil service examinations, which led to his appointment to the Hanlin Academy , a body of outstanding Chinese literary scholars who performed literary tasks for the imperial court. It was at the Hanlin Academy where Zeng changed his given name to "Guofan", which sounded more prestigious. Zeng served in Beijing for more than 13 years, and remained devoted to

570-814: Is Wǎn ( 皖 ), corresponding to the historical state of Wan  [ zh ] , and is also used to refer to the Wan River and Mount Tianzhu . The provincial government of Anhui includes a Governor, Provincial Congress, the People's Political Consultative Conference, and the Provincial Higher People's Court. Aside from managing local government departments, the Anhui provincial government manages 16 cities, 62 counties, 43 county-level districts and 1,522 townships. Anhui's total GDP ranked 14th among China's 31 province-level regions as of 2022 . Anhui

627-465: Is a medium size deciduous tree whose natural range is restricted to the valleys of the Langya limestone mountains of Chu Xian . The tree was most commonly found on the flood plains, indicating a tolerance of periodic inundation. U. gaussenii is now the world's rarest and most endangered elm species, with only approximately 30 trees known to survive in the wild in 2009. The province is also home to

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684-513: Is an inland province located in East China . Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei . The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai rivers , bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the east, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei and Henan to the west, and Shandong to the north. With a population of 61 million, Anhui is the 9th most populous province in China. It is

741-425: Is bordered by Ningxiang County and Shaoshan City to the north, Xiangtan County to the east, Shuangfeng County to the south, Louxing District of Loudi City to the west, it has an area of 1,912.7 km (738.5 sq mi) with a population of rough 850,000 (as of 2012). It has four subdistricts, 15 towns and three townships under its jurisdiction, the government seat is Wangchunmen ( 望春门街道 ). As

798-562: Is famous for the She Inkstone , one of the most preferred types of inkstones (a required tool in traditional calligraphy). Anhui has some good universities. Most universities in Anhui are located in Hefei, Wuhu, Bengbu, Maanshan, some of them are pretty well known. Specifically, Hefei is one of the most important research central cities in China with leading basic scientific research capability. Anhui's principal tourism sites include

855-433: Is known for its use of wild game and herbs, both land and sea, and comparatively simple methods of preparation. Anhui has a high concentration of traditional products related to calligraphy: Xuanzhou (today Xuancheng ) and Huizhou (today Huangshan City ) are revered for producing Xuan Paper and Hui Ink , respectively, which are traditionally considered the best types of paper and ink for Chinese calligraphy . She County

912-401: Is located at No.317, Suzhou Road. The Provincial Higher People's Court is located at no. 472 Changjiang Rd. Typically, annual provincial congress meeting is held in the first quarter of each year shortly before national congress meeting and the annual meeting of CPPCC is held in the first quarter or the fourth quarter of each year. Agriculture in Anhui varies according to the climate zones. To

969-673: Is structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in mainland China. The Governor of Anhui ( 安徽省省长 ) is the highest-ranking official in the Anhui Provincial People's Government. However, in the province's dual party-government governing system, the Governor has less power than the Anhui Chinese Communist Party Provincial Committee Secretary ( 安徽省委书记 ), colloquially termed

1026-591: Is the Yangtze River . The highest peak in Anhui is Lotus Peak, part of Huangshan in southeastern Anhui. It has an altitude of 1873 m (6,145 ft). Major rivers include the Huai River in the north and the Yangtze in the south. The largest lake is Lake Chaohu situated in the center of the province, with an area of about 800 km (310 sq mi). The southeastern part of the province near

1083-664: Is twofold. On one hand he is criticised as a staunchly conservative traitor, but on another he is seen as a hero in preserving order and stability. Many in China and abroad admire his ability to successfully survive in the ruthless bureaucracy of the late Qing dynasty. Many have blamed Zeng for all the civilian losses and damages done during the Taiping Rebellion , while others criticise him for being too friendly with certain foreign ideas. Much Chinese language historiography, including numerous biographies, has questioned what made him fight for an essentially foreign dynasty. Since

1140-678: The Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In 1938, large areas in north and central Anhui were severely damaged by the decision of President Chiang Kai-shek to demolish a critical dam on the Yellow River , hoping that would physically impede the ongoing invasion by the Imperial Japanese Army and prevent them from capturing Zhengzhou . Within only ten days of the dam breaking, the water and sands drowned all of north and middle area of this province, resulting in

1197-757: The Chinese alligator ( Alligator sinensis , simplified Chinese : 扬子鳄 ; traditional Chinese : 揚子 鱷 ; pinyin : yángzǐ'è ), also known as the Yangtze alligator , China alligator, or historically the muddy dragon, a critically endangered crocodilian . Anhui is divided into sixteen prefecture-level divisions : all prefecture-level cities : These 16 prefecture-level cities are in turn subdivided into 104 county-level divisions (45 districts , 9 county-level cities , and 50 counties ). Those are in turn divided into 1,512 township-level divisions (997 towns , 230 townships , 9 ethnic townships , and 276 subdistricts ). The Politics of Anhui Province

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1254-815: The Cultural Revolution , criticism of Zeng gradually began to disappear. Tang Haoming published in 1992 his three-book trilogy Zeng Guofan , a novelisation of Zeng's life during and after the Taiping Rebellion. This trilogy characterised Zeng as a common person, but had adopted a much more positive view of Zeng. Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek also praised Zeng's ability in military and political affairs. In recent years, Zeng's life and his works have been widely celebrated, especially as an example of local pride in Hunan Province . Zeng's leadership and military skills had been used by many as

1311-520: The Huizhou -speaking areas of southern Anhui, is one of the major precursors of Beijing Opera ; in the 1950s, Huiju (which had disappeared) was revived. Luju is a type of traditional opera found across central Anhui, from east to west. Anhui cuisine is one of the eight great traditions of Chinese cuisine . Combining elements of cooking from northern Anhui, south-central Anhui, and the Huizhou-speaking areas of southern Anhui, Anhui cuisine

1368-598: The Neolithic period (8000–2000 BC). In relation to these cultures, archeologists have discovered through excavation a 4500-year-old city called the Nanchengzi Ruins in Guzhen County , after they discovered a Neolithic city wall and a moat that was part of a much larger and integrated city in the region during their 2013 disinterment. There are many historical sites located in the province dating to

1425-479: The Self-Strengthening Movement led by Li Hongzhang during the later Qing; at this time, western weapons, factories and administrative theories were being introduced into China. Over the next 50 years, Anhui became one of the country's most radically liberal areas, with important 20th-century figures moving to the province, like the poet and diplomat Hu Shih , and Chen Duxiu , the founder of

1482-754: The Song dynasty (960–1279), the economy and culture of area was flourishing. Anhui became part of the province of Henan during the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368); during the Ming dynasty the area was directly administrated by the imperial capital in Nanjing . Anhui and Jiangsu were merged into one province under the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) until 1666, during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor . It played an important role in

1539-498: The Taiping Rebellion after encountering them for the first time. Unlike his contemporaries, who had multiple wives or kept concubines , Zeng was officially married only once, to a woman of the Ouyang family when he was in his late teens. He had three sons and five daughters with her, and two of his eldest children died young. His eldest son, Zeng Jize , who inherited his noble peerage "First Class Marquis Yiyong", went on to become

1596-635: The Third Front campaign to build basic and national defense industries in protected locations, in case of invasion by the Soviet Union or United States. The centerpiece of the Shanghai Small Third Front was the "rear base" in Anhui which served as "a multi-function manufacturing base for anti-aircraft and anti-tank weaponry". During the late 1990s Anhui became one of China's fastest-growing provinces. The province forms part of

1653-1033: The Tongling Yangtze River Bridge , was completed in 1995. As of October 2014, Anhui had four bridges across the Yangtze, at Ma'anshan , Wuhu , Tongling, and Anqing . Anhui lacked a developed railway network until this century: most cities are now connected by a high-speed train system. Hefei South railway station is the high-speed train hub. The province set an ambitious plan from 2015 to 2025 for highways including: G3 Beijing-Taipei Expressway G40 Shanghai-Xi'an Expressway G42 Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway S24 Changshu-Hefei Expressway Hefei and Wuhu have subway systems. The Hefei Metro has 2 completed lines, 3 lines under construction and another 10 lines planned. The Wuhu Metro has 2 subway lines under construction and another 3 lines planned. The province has 5 major commercial airports and another 4 are under construction. Hefei Xinqiao International Airport and Huangshan International Airport are

1710-583: The Viceroy of Zhili , where, after the Tianjin Massacre (1870), Zeng failed to carry out the wishes of the imperial court. Instead of the desired policy towards foreigners, Zeng took on a more diplomatic stance. After this rebuff, he retired to his viceroyalty at Nanjing, where he died in 1872 mysteriously in Hong Xiuquan 's former mansion. Zeng was a voluminous writer. His papers addressed to

1767-469: The "Anhui Party Chief". Most provincial government departments and the Governor office are located at No.1 Zhongshan Road, moved from old downtown of Hefei since 2016. Provincial government is responsible to manage 16 prefecture-level cities, 105 counties, 1845 townships and different departments in Anhui. The Anhui Provincial People's Congress is just located near provincial government. The Provincial Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)

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1824-739: The 2 international airports. The 5 airports in operation are: Han Chinese make up the vast majority of the population. The Hui and She are the two largest minorities . Anhui has a highly unbalanced gender ratio. According to a 2009 study published in the British Medical Journal , in the 1–4 age group, there are 138 boys for every 100 girls, making it among the most unbalanced of provinces in China. Religion in Anhui The predominant religions in Anhui are Chinese folk religions , Taoist traditions and Chinese Buddhism . According to surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, 4.64% of

1881-455: The 22nd largest Chinese province based on area, and the 12th most densely-populated region of all 34 Chinese provincial regions. Anhui's population is mostly composed of Han Chinese . Languages spoken within the province include Lower Yangtze Mandarin , Wu , Hui , Gan and small portion of Central Plains Mandarin . The name "Anhui" derives from the names of two cities: Anqing and Huizhou (now Huangshan City ). The abbreviation for Anhui

1938-703: The China Yangtze River Delta Economic Area, which is the most developed area of China. Anhui is topographically diverse. The north is part of the North China Plain while the north-central areas are part of the Huai River watershed. Both regions are flat, and densely populated. The land becomes more uneven further south, with the Dabie Mountains occupying much of southwestern Anhui and a series of hills and ranges cutting through southeastern Anhui, between which

1995-584: The Ever Victorious Army was clearing the cities on the lower waters of the Yangtze River with support from Li Hongzhang, Zeng drew closer his besieging lines around the city. In July 1864, Tianjing fell into Zeng's hands, and he was rewarded with the noble peerage "First Class Marquis Yiyong" ( 一等毅勇侯 ) and the right to wear the double-eyed peacock's feather . He, Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang were collectively called "Zeng, Zuo, Li" –

2052-531: The Xiang Army sufferers a disastrous defeat at Jiujiang , Jiangxi , leading to Zeng attempting suicide. His father died in 1857, and after a brief mourning he was ordered to take supreme command in Zhejiang Province , and to cooperate with the governor of Fujian Province in defence. Subsequently, the rebels were driven westwards, and Zeng would have started in pursuit had he not been called on to clear Anhui Province of rebel forces. In June 1860, he

2109-466: The Yangtse Delta at Wuhu . Wuhu Export Processing Zone was approved to be a national level export processing zone, with a total planned area of 2.95 km (1.14 sq mi). Historically, Anhui's transport network was hampered by the lack of bridges across the Yangtze River , which divides the province into northern and southern regions. The first bridge across the Yangtze in Anhui,

2166-655: The Yangtze River has many lakes as well. As with topography, the province differs in climate from north to south. The north is more temperate with more distinct seasons. January temperatures average at around −1 to 2 °C north of the Huai River, and 0 to 3 °C south of the Huai River; in July temperatures average 27 °C or above. Plum rains occur in June and July and may cause flooding. Anhui has 16 cities. Economically, top 3 cities are, Hefei , Wuhu and Anqing . The Anhui elm , Ulmus gaussenii W. C. Cheng ,

2223-673: The Yangtze river. Dialects to the north (e.g. Bengbu dialect ) are classified as Zhongyuan Mandarin , together with dialects in provinces such as Henan and Shandong; dialects in the central parts (e.g. Hefei dialect ) are classified as Jianghuai Mandarin , together with dialects in the central parts of neighboring Jiangsu province. Non-Mandarin dialects are spoken to the south of the Yangzi: dialects of Wu are spoken in Xuancheng prefecture-level city , though these are rapidly being replaced by Jianghuai Mandarin; dialects of Gan are spoken in

2280-532: The deaths of between 500,000 and 900,000 Chinese people, as well as an unknown number of Japanese soldiers. Following the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1945, the capital city of Anhui moved to Hefei , then a small town. The provincial government made significant investments for its development. After 1949, the government launched projects to repair the damages suffered during World War II. The province underwent significant development via

2337-433: The east, Zhejiang and Jiangsu , Anhui has lagged markedly behind in economic development, with a GDP per capita around half of those two provinces in 2017 rapidly improved from 1/3 of those two provinces in 2010. However, the provincial GDP per capita is based on the population registered in the province (that is, with local Hukou ), but not necessarily residing there. There is significant regional disparity, where much of

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2394-542: The former to the governorship of Zhejiang and the latter to that of Jiangsu. In 1862, he was appointed Assistant Grand Secretary of State . At this time, the Qing imperial forces, assisted by the Ever Victorious Army , had checked the progress of the Taiping Rebellion, and Zeng was able to carry out a scheme which he had long formulated of besieging Tianjing , the rebel capital. While Charles George Gordon of

2451-578: The interpretation of the Confucian classics . He moved relatively quickly up the ranks with the aid of his teacher, Mujangga ; within five years, he had become a second-grade official. In 1843, Zeng was appointed as the chief literary examiner in Sichuan Province . Six years later, he was made Senior Deputy Secretary of the Board of Rites . When holding the office of Military Examiner (1851), he

2508-534: The military leaders who suppressed the Taiping Rebellion. After the suppression of the rebellion, the Nian Rebellion , closely related to the former Taiping movement, broke out in Shandong Province , and Zeng was sent to quell it. Success did not, however, always attend him on this campaign, and by imperial order he was relieved of his command by Li Hongzhang, who in the same way succeeded him as

2565-525: The north of the Huai River , wheat and sweet potatoes are grown, while to the south it is rice and wheat instead. As of 2022 , Anhui's nominal GDP was US$ 670 billion ( CN¥ 4.51 trilion), about 3.72% of the country's GDP and ranked 10th among province-level administrative units ; the province's primary, secondary and tertiary industries were worth CN¥351.37 billion (US$ 52.24 billion), CN¥1.8588 trillion (US$ 276.36 billion) and CN¥2.29433 trillion (US$ 341.1 billion) respectively. Its nominal GDP per capita

2622-507: The population believes and is involved in ancestor veneration , while 5.30% of the population identifies as Christian. According to a 2010 survey, Muslims constitute 0.58% of the population of Anhui. The reports didn't give figures for other types of religion; 89.48% of the population may be either irreligious or involved in worship of nature deities , Buddhism, Confucianism , Taoism and folk religious sects . Anhui spans many geographical and cultural regions. The northern, flatter parts of

2679-407: The pre-imperial period. The culture of northern Anhui was associated with that of the North China Plain , together with what is now Henan, northern Jiangsu, and southern Shandong. Central Anhui was densely populated, and consisted of the fertile Huai River watershed. Contrastingly, southern Anhui was closer to Jiangxi and southern Jiangsu ; the hills in the southeastern part of the province formed

2736-400: The province, along the Huai River and further north, are most akin to neighboring provinces like Henan , Shandong and northern Jiangsu . In contrast, the southern, hilly parts of the province are more similar in culture and dialect to other southern, hilly provinces, like Zhejiang and Jiangxi . Mandarin dialects are spoken over the northern and central parts of the province, north of

2793-476: The rebels, Zeng was defeated, but his lieutenants were more successful. They recovered the provincial capital, Changsha , and destroyed the rebel fleet. Following up these victories of his subordinates, Zeng recaptured Wuchang and Hanyang , near Hankou , and was rewarded for his success by being appointed vice-president of the Board of War . The Xiang Army under Zeng contained some integrated Hangzhou drill groups. In 1853, other triumphs led to Zeng being made

2850-495: The throne and his literary disquisitions are held in high esteem by Chinese scholars, who treasure the edition of his collected works in 156 books, which was edited by Li Hongzhang in 1876, as a memorial of a great and incorruptible statesman. Zeng enjoyed reading and held a special interest in the Twenty-Four Histories and other Chinese classics . Zeng called Hakka females "big foot hillbilly witches" during

2907-470: The wealth is concentrated in industrial regions close to the Yangtze River , such as Hefei , Wuhu, and Ma'anshan. The province is home to a large cluster of white goods manufacture such as Haier, Hisense, Whirlpool, Gree, Royalstar, and Meling. Hefei Economic and Technological Development Zone is located in the southwest of Hefei and was established in 1993. It is located close to Hefei Luogang International Airport. Hefei Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone

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2964-410: The zone. Industries encouraged in the zone include chemical production and processing, electronics assembly & manufacturing, instruments & industrial equipment, medical Equipment and telecommunications. Established in 1993, Wuhu Economic and Technological Development Zone was the first state-level development zone approved by central government in Anhui, utilising the transportation advantage of

3021-625: Was US$ 10,943 (CN¥73,603) and ranked the 14th in the country. Natural resources of Anhui include iron in Ma'anshan , coal in Huainan , and copper in Tongling . There are industries related to these natural resources (e.g. steel industry at Ma'anshan). One of the famous Anhui-based corporations is the automobile company Chery , which is based in Wuhu . Compared to its more prosperous neighbours to

3078-516: Was appointed Viceroy of Liangjiang (covering Jiangxi , Anhui and Jiangsu provinces) and Imperial Commissioner , overseeing military affairs. At this time, and for some time previously, he had been fortunate in having the active support of Zuo Zongtang , who at a later period recovered Kashgar for the Qing Empire, and of Li Hongzhang . Like all true leaders of men, Zeng knew how to reward good service, and when occasion offered he appointed

3135-478: Was compelled by the death of his mother to return to Hunan Province to carry out filial mourning , which is supposed to last three years. Around the time, the Taiping rebels had overrun Hunan Province and captured the cities and strongholds on both shores of the Yangtze River . By a special decree, Zeng was ordered to assist the provincial governor in raising a volunteer force, and, on his own initiative, he built

3192-679: Was established 1667, during the reign of the Qing dynasty 's Kangxi Emperor . The province's nickname, "Wan", is taken from the name of a small state that existed in the region during the Spring and Autumn period (722–481 BC). The name "Wan" also corresponds to the province's Mount Tianzhu and state of Wan  [ zh ] . Evidence of human beings inhabiting what is now Anhui 20,000 years before present has been attested by archaeological findings in Fanchang County , related to he cultural domains of Yangshao and Longshan , dated to

3249-779: Was founded in October 1990 and approved by the State Council as a state-level Development Zone in March 1991. In 1997, the Development Zone was ratified as an APEC Science and Technology Industrial Park, with special open policies to APEC and EU members. Hefei High Tech Park was also approved as a National High Tech Export Base in 2000 and obtained the award of an Advanced High Tech Zone under the Torch Program in 2003. So far, more than 100 hi-tech enterprises have entered

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