《左宗棠全集（套装共15册）》包括《左宗棠全集：奏稿（1-9）》、《左宗棠全集：附册》、《左宗棠全集：家书诗文》、《左宗棠全集：札件》、《左宗棠全集：书信（1-3）》。左宗棠（1812～1885）是中国近代史上一位十分重要而又极其复杂的人物。他比曾国藩仅小2岁，与曾同时而齐名，都是清末湘军首领，共同镇压过太平军和捻军；又都是清末洋务运动的倡导者和力行者。而他比曾国藩晚逝世13年，较曾进行了更多的历史活动：先是领军镇压陕甘回民起义；继之大举督师西征，歼灭入侵新疆达15年并获得英、俄等国支持的西亚浩罕汗国阿古柏匪帮，收复祖国辽阔领土新疆，并促成新疆建省，推进西部开发；最后人值军机、总督两江、督办福建军务，病殁于抗法前线。他是一位很值得深入研究的历史人物。自左宗棠逝世后的百馀年来，人们对他的生平和思想，对他的历史功过，对他在中国近代史上的地位、作用和影响，断断续续作过一些研究，也取得了一些有价值的成果，但是认识仍很不一致，需要进一步加以探讨。为了给左宗棠研究提供尽可能充分、可信的第一手资料，也为了及时整理和积累地方文献，推进湖湘文化研究，岳麓书社于1983至1996年间，集省内一批专家学者，费13年之功，陆续整理出版了15卷本、逾800万字的《左宗棠全集》。( Collected Works of Zuo Zongtang (15 Volumes) include Collected Works of Zuo Zongtang: Memorial to the Throne (1-9)Collected Works of Zuo Zongtang: Appendix;Collected Works of Zuo Zongtang: Family Letters, Poems and Essays;Collected Works of Zuo Zongtang:Documents; Collected Works of Zuo Zongtang:Correspondence (1-3).Zuo Zongtang (1812-1885) was a highly eminent and complex figure in early modern China.2 years younger than Zeng Guofan, he was a contemporary and an equal to Zeng. Both led the Xiang Army in late Qing to combat the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom rebels and the Nian Army; Both were proponents and practitioners of the Self-Strengthening Movement.He survived Zeng Guofan for 13 years and was involved in more historical activities than Zeng:Suppressing the rebellion of Hui Muslims in Shaanxi and Gansu; directing the troops westward and defeating the Muslim rebels under Yaqub Beg which had occupied Xinjiang for 15 years with the support of Britain and Russia, etc. and realizing Qing’s reconquest of Xinjiang; facilitating the conversion of Xinjiang into a province, promoting the development of the west region, and service as commander-in-chief and Imperial Commissioner of the military and Inspector-General overseeing coastal defence in Fujian Province. He died of natural causes shortly after a truce was signed between France and China in Fuzhou in 1885.He was a historical figure of academic importance.More than a century has passed since his death. People had made some attempts at studying his life, thoughts, merits, demerits as well as role and influence in early modern China with mixed results. We still need to further these efforts.To offer richer and more reliable first-hand materials for Zuo Zongtang scholarship, and to reorganized the local documents as early as possible to promote the study of culture in Hunan, the Yuelu Publishing House engaged experts and scholars from 1983 to 1996 and published the 15-volume collection with a word count to 8 million characters.)