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The program "Zeng Guofan's Family Instructions" on Baijia Lecture Forum is great! ! !
Appraisal of Zeng Guofan
"Being immortal through virtue, meritorious services and words" is the highest ideal state pursued by ancient Chinese intellectuals. For Zeng Guofan, "establishing morality" and "establishing reputation" seem to be out of the question based on his personal efforts and development. Only by "making meritorious deeds" and by helping the Qing court to suppress the Taiping Rebellion, could Zeng Guofan be able to integrate personal governance, academic governance, family governance, world governance, political governance, and military governance into one, thus becoming a teacher, a general, and a prime minister. The so-called "perfect man".
1. The pioneer of China’s modern modernization construction
Zeng Guofan was the first person in Chinese history who truly “opened his eyes to see the world” and actively practiced it. Under his guidance, China built the first ship, ushering in modern manufacturing; established the first military engineering school, the beginning of modern higher education in China; translated and printed Western books for the first time, which not only laid the foundation of modern Chinese science and technology , and greatly broadened the horizons of the Chinese people; arranged for the first batch of students to study in the United States, and cultivated a large number of talents for the country, including Tang Shaoyi, the first prime minister of the Republic of China, Zhan Tianyou, the "father of railways" in China, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the late Qing Dynasty ( Minister Liang Dunyan and Tang Guoan, the first president of Tsinghua University, are among the best.
2. The founder of China's ideological and political work
Zeng Guofan claimed: "I am a talent for training, not a talent for battle." He taught soldiers "to point out the stubborn stone by speaking the Dharma. The bitter mouth drips the blood of the cuckoo.” He trained troops in the spirit of Confucianism, turning the Hunan Army into an ideological team. He composed and sung the "Song of Love for the Folk", which greatly shocked the Hunan Army. Mao Zedong's "Three Major Disciplines and Eight Points of Attention" was based on this. Chiang Kai-shek When Huangpu founded the army, his "Folk Song of Love" was also printed and distributed to students to sing, with great success. He saw that Hong Xiuquan's worship of Catholicism was not in line with China's national conditions, so he wrote an article "An Message to the Cantonese Bandits", which caused many intellectuals to take off their long robes and lead the peasants with black legs to surrender to the banner of the Hunan Army and fight against the Taiping Army. fought and won the final victory.
3. Cultivate oneself, manage one’s family and govern the country, China’s most perfect person throughout the ages
Since ancient times, China has made meritorious deeds (accomplishing great undertakings), established moral principles (becoming a spiritual role model for the world), and established good reputations (becoming a spiritual model for the world). Later generations left behind the theory of "Three Immortals", but there are only a few people who can truly realize it, and Zeng Guofan is one of them. He defeated the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and saved the Qing Dynasty, and was the "savior" of the Qing Dynasty; he "rescued the current ills", purified the political style, and learned Western culture, which led to the emergence of "Tongzhi Zhongsheng" in the late Qing Dynasty; he was strict with himself and respected integrity. , flaunted morality, practiced it personally, and gained support from the top to the bottom; his academic articles were eclectic, profound, and he was the master of modern Confucianism. "His works are a must-read for any politician" (Chiang Kai-shek), and he realized the Confucian ideals of self-cultivation, family order, country governance, and He is the "three immortal" cause of peace in the world, meritorious service, morality, and speech. He deserves to be called "the most perfect man in China through the ages."
4. The fastest promotion, the best official, the most stable role model
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“In politics, one must learn from Zeng Guofan, and in business, one must learn from Hu Xueyan.” Since modern times, Zeng Guofan has been regarded as an "official model" by political figures. This is because, firstly, he was promoted the fastest, reaching the second rank at the age of thirty-seven, and was the only one in the Qing Dynasty; secondly, he was the best official, with outstanding political voice and good governance of the people; thirdly, he was the most stable official. , experienced all the turmoil in the officialdom and remained safe and sound, with unfailing honor and favor. He is familiar with Chinese history, has a thorough understanding of the ways of officialdom, and has accumulated a set of unique skills in officialdom, which he uses in Chinese officialdom to make him invincible and invincible.
5. The number one master in recruiting, cultivating, recommending and using talents
Zeng Guofan devoted his life to making friends, recruiting, cultivating, recommending and using talents. His shogunate was the largest and most influential in Chinese history. The largest shogunate gathered almost the best talents in the country. In order to recruit and retain talents, he showed his humble old face and repeatedly wrote letters recommending his subordinates, seeking officials, power and positions for his subordinates. He recommended as many as a thousand subordinates in his life, and there were more than 40 people who reached the rank of governor-general. They include strategic and operational military talents such as Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang, Guo Songtao, Peng Yulin, and Li Hanzhang, as well as first-class scholars and scientists such as Yu Yue, Li Shanlan, Hua Hengfang, and Xu Shou.
6. The most successful person in traditional Chinese culture in housekeeping and educating children
Zeng Guofan is the best son, who can make his parents feel at ease; he is the best brother, who teaches and takes care of his younger siblings and is considerate to every detail. , Zeng Guofan was a kind father and a good example for his children. His "Letter from Home" emphasizes life ideals, spiritual realm and moral cultivation. In a modern society where family ties between flesh and blood are becoming increasingly indifferent and neighbors and relatives are strangers, it does have the value of persuading people to become secular and is worth reading by everyone. Most official families cannot flourish for more than three generations, but the Zeng family has talented people from generation to generation. There have been a number of famous diplomats, poets, and educators such as Zeng Jize, Zeng Guangjun, Zeng Yoonong, Zeng Baosun, Zeng Xianzhi, and Zeng Zhaolun. , scientists and senior cadres.
7. Model figures of traditional Chinese culture and personality
Zeng Guofan was "middle-class" among the scholar-bureaucrats of his generation and was rather blunt, but he had great ambition, stubborn character and extraordinary will. Strong, studious and inquisitive, he is beyond the reach of others. Since he was a boy, he has been "devoted to knowledge and practice, determined to set himself apart from the popular customs". He writes a diary every day to reflect on himself. There is not a day in his life when he does not monitor himself and teach himself a lesson.
He treats his superiors, subordinates, and colleagues with humility, self-restraint, and open-mindedness. He has many friends in his life and is very respected by others. He maintains "sincerity" and works hard. No matter how big a blow he suffers, he never loses heart. Be able to keep trying and persevere to the end. This is the fundamental secret of his success.
"The Classic of Scholarship and Theory"
Zeng Guofan was a famous Neo-Confucian master in the late Qing Dynasty, with profound academic attainments. He said: "A person who can really read is good and valuable, and powerful." He must have the spirit of "three years of old rain, refined blue, five nights of solitary lamp, eyes evergreen". The beauty of writing may be masculine, "strengthening to obtain the dangerous power"; or feminine beauty, "emphasizing to obtain the natural flavor". When writing articles, you need to work hard on momentum. "Qi can hold the reason to action, and then even if you talk about reason, you will not be disappointed." It is necessary to pay attention to the appropriate detail and summary, and the details are as detailed as the person's summary, and "the one who knows the position is in order, and the editing is complex and simple", which is also "the first important thing for writers". For Wengui to find his own way, "the way of writing is to have a bright and majestic atmosphere as the most difficult and valuable." "The rhyme is clear and the tone is sonorous, which is the most wonderful thing in the article."
"The Art of Managing a Household and Teaching Children"
The famous historian Mr. Zhong Shuhe said that it is a fact that Zeng Guofan succeeded in teaching his children. It cannot be erased and there is no need to erase it. Zeng Guofan believes that the following ten things should be paid attention to when raising a family: 1. Manage family affairs diligently and strictly enforce family rules. 2. Fulfill filial piety and brotherhood and eliminate arrogance and arrogance. 3. “Taking the habit of hard work as the first priority”. 4. The way to live at home is not to have excess wealth. 5. Marriage "does not necessarily mean a wealthy family." 6. Avoid extravagance in housework and favor frugality. 7. The eight characters for managing a family: Kao, Bao, Zao, Sweep, Shu, Shu, Fish, and Pig. 8. When interacting with relatives, it is advisable to value affection over material things. 9. Don’t get tired of daily chores. 10. Choose a good teacher to seek advice from.
"Strategy for Battle on the Battlefield"
Zeng Guofan started his career by organizing and training the Hunan Army. He governed the country as a scholar and suppressed the Taiping Rebellion, the largest peasant uprising in Chinese history. The connotation of his military thought is extremely rich, and he is indeed outstanding. He believes that it is not about having more soldiers but about being good at them. "With few soldiers, a country is strong." "The more soldiers, the weaker the force; the more pay, the poorer the country." He advocated the separation of military and political affairs and withheld their responsibilities. He purchased foreign guns, cannons, and ships to promote the modernization of Chinese military weapons. In running the army, strict military discipline is the first priority, and at the same time, he strives to cultivate "harmony" so that the officers and soldiers are united. He believes that "the general has a desire to die, but the soldiers have no energy to live." There are four requirements for selection: "The first is to know people well and be good at assigning tasks; the second is to be good at understanding the enemy's situation; the third is to be courageous and knowledgeable when facing battle; the fourth is to keep camp affairs in order." The most abundant part of Zeng Guofan's military thought that is worth learning from today is his strategy and tactics. For example, "Move your troops like rabbits and be as quiet as virgins", the art of subject and object, "set up a strong stronghold and fight to the death", the navy must not attack with the wind, choose the camp wisely, "self-govern first, then control the enemy", deep trenches and high bases , authentic siege techniques, coordination of water and land, use of static braking, "first pull out the roots, then cut off the branches and leaves" and so on.
"The Way of Making Friends in the World"
Zeng Guofan is very insightful about the way of making friends. He believes that making friends requires "honesty and integrity, tolerance of humiliation, and no suspicion of selfishness." Disadvantages". "Don't take advantage of others in anything. Don't take people's wealth lightly." We need to brainstorm ideas and listen without going deaf. "The way to look at people is to be ethical but not official, to be more organized and less loud." In terms of life, Zeng Guofan believed that "in these troubled times, the poorer the better." As a high-ranking official, "it is always better to have less money and less production." "Patience is the most important thing in being an official", "Virtue is lost by being full, and happiness is reduced by being arrogant". As a human being, you must pay attention to the word "light", "Not only wealth, fame, fame, and fortune, but whether a child's surname is prosperous or not is all determined by heaven, that is, whether the knowledge and virtues are established or not, it is mostly related to heavenly affairs, and can be laughed at and forgotten. Of". "You don't have to have success by yourself, and you don't have to have fame by yourself." Zeng Guofan wrote twelve aphorisms, which basically summarized his way of making friends.
"Secrets of Self-cultivation"
Zeng Guofan summarized the twelve methods of self-cultivation: respect, sit quietly, get up early, read well, read history, speak carefully, nourish the energy, protect the body, and know everything daily. I can't die without a month, I can't write, I can't go out at night. He believed that the ancients had four principles for self-cultivation: "Be cautious and independent, and you will have peace of mind; respect for the Lord will make you strong; asking for others will make them happy; and sincerity will make you divine." Zeng Guofan does not believe in medicine, monks and witches, or earthly immortals. He must be sincere, abstain from ingenuity, adhere to the Tao and be truthful, and do not admire wealth and honor. "There are limits in life, and you know your fate and have no worries." Zeng Guofan believes: "There are five things to keep in good health. : The first is to sleep and eat regularly, the second is to punish poverty, the third is to abstain from sexual intercourse, the fourth is to wash feet every night before going to bed, and the fifth is to walk three thousand steps after two meals a day. The four words "," "sleep" and "food" are the most important, and you need to know how to regulate your health.
Zeng Guofan set twelve lessons for himself:
The main respect: orderly and solemn, Qingming is bowing, like the sun rising.
Sitting quietly: No matter what time of day, sit quietly for four moments every day, keeping your posture straight and concentrating on your life, like the town of a tripod.
Get up early: get up at dawn, don’t be infatuated after waking up.
Read the same book: Don’t read another book until you finish one.
Read history: read the three histories (referring to "Historical Records", "Hanshu", and "Houhanshu"), and circle ten pages every day, even if something happens.
Word of caution: Pay attention at all times, the first priority.
Nourishing Qi: Qi is stored in the Dantian, and there is nothing that cannot be said to others.
Protect yourself: save labor, abstinence, and diet.
Know what you don’t have every day: read every day and record your insights. Seeking deep meaning is showing favoritism.
Yue Wu forgets what he can do: compose several poems every month to test the amount of accumulated principles and whether the Qi is nourished. Don't dwell on it for a while, as it is the easiest way to become discouraged.
Write: write for half an hour after dinner. All communication with writing and ink should be regarded as one's own course. If you don't wait for tomorrow, the accumulated accumulation will become more difficult to clear.
Don’t go out at night. If you are tired of your work, you must quit.