This rural character became the backbone of Tseng Kuo-fan’s Hunan Army, which was recruited mainly from the hilly farm areas. Tseng’s home district of Hsiang-hsiang west of the Hsiang River ultimately furnished 52 generals (41.9%) and many of the rank and file,29 while such districts as Pao-ch’ing in the upper Tzu Valley and Hsin-ning near the mountainous Kwangsi border in the south also contributed many officers and men.]