Xianfeng arrived in Yuan Di on May 16th, eight years.

Comments:

Zeng Guofan talked about the importance of respect here, thinking that respect is the king of virtue, an attitude towards life that exists without proof and a prerequisite for doing things.

Zeng Guofan once said, what is respect?

Respect, caution, seriousness, attention, disagreement. Respect yourself, be single-minded and steady inside, and be neat and serious in appearance, so-called pro-Zhuang. When you receive others, everyone is treated as an important guest, regardless of rank. If you want to help, you need more respect. This respectful attitude is like a sense of respect for ancestors.

In the final analysis, respect is a strict requirement for oneself, an exercise and promotion of one's conduct, and a kind of cultivation. Practice yourself well, and then get in touch with the outside world. People are willing to cooperate with you and talk to you.

Day 107 | Week 16-2

Xianfeng arrived in Yuan Di on May 30th, 8th year.

Comments:

Everything often starts with a good beginning, but often ends with an imperfect ending. In our daily life, there are really too many things that have a beginning and no end.

Why is this the result? That is, most of us don't have the final thinking from beginning to end.

If you want to know what you need and what you want to achieve, then take this end point as the starting point and deduce your own logic. Then do things according to this logic, and constantly adjust according to the situation in the process of doing it.

It is the easiest to start a thing, but it is often the most difficult to end it. This also tests a person's patience, willingness to endure long-term feedback, continue to pay, and finally reach the finish line.

It is great to be able to accomplish one thing. It is even more remarkable to be able to do this well.

Day 108 | Week 16-3

Xianfeng eight years on June 4th, addressed to Yuan Di.

Comments:

Zeng Guofan, who had been idle at home for more than a year, finally got the imperial edict and ordered him to go out of the mountains and return to the battlefield against the Kingdom of Tian Ping.

But this time, it's different from before. After more than a year's reflection and understanding at home, Zeng Guofan reshaped his life philosophy. Start to rely on the strength of others and do things with a softer attitude.

The meaning of the Covenant can be understood separately. J: simple; Purpose: meaning, thought; Humble: small things, details; Thinking: thinking.

This vocabulary illustrates two principles that need attention: 1. Follow the simplest underlying logic and truth; 2. Think about the details, think about it. This is the exquisiteness that Zeng Guofan emphasized. It's wonderful to do your own thing well, and it's a great achievement to do it to the extreme.

If you don't want to be broad, as for other grand things, things that you can't manage at present, there is no need to have your own desire for control and utilitarianism, and you don't want to force them.

That's actually how things are done. Following the simplest underlying logic and slowly accumulating from small things is the big thing.

Day 109 | Week 16-4

Xianfeng arrived in Yuan Di on July 14th, eight years.

Comments:

If something is delayed, what will our mood be like? Anxiety, irritability, impatience ... this should be for sure.

In fact, Ceng Guoquan, Zeng Guofan's younger brother, was in a bad mood when he attacked Ji 'an. Zeng Guofan quickly wrote to persuade his brother not to worry. Settle your mind, sort out the thread of things, and slowly and steadily, in order to do things well.

If you are anxious and angry, it's basically over. It is definitely not possible.

This is what you are doing, and things are watching you.

Zeng Guofan gave his younger brother a four-word motto, "Respect him for a long time", from The Analects of Confucius Gongye Chang: Confucius said, "Yan Ping is good at making friends with people, but respects him for a long time." Yan is, in the Chinese textbook "Yan Zi Chu", a dog hole was drilled. He is good at making friends, and the secret lies in "respecting him for a long time".

The longer the contact, the more respect you should have. We describe the beauty of husband and wife's feelings as guests, and the word respect here also means this.

Because of disrespect, friends finally turned against each other; Families break up because of disrespect. Respect is not polite, not hypocritical, but sincere.

Zeng Guofan finally said, making friends is like this, isn't it the same to do things? Doing things seriously is a sense of respect for things. If you fool things, the last thing will fool you.

Day 1 10 | Week 16-5

On July 21st, the eighth year of Xianfeng, Jize was given a letter.

Comments:

This is a relatively complete exposition of Zeng Guofan's reading psychology, which appeared in a letter to his son. In fact, Zeng Guofan wrote many letters to his son, all about the mentality of reading. This shows that I have high hopes for my son.

The mental method of reading is four words. Read and write, and do it every day. This is daily homework. Reading is dabbling, reading is reading classics, and only by reading classics loudly can we appreciate a wonderful thing. Writing is practicing calligraphy. Nowadays, most people use electronic office, but writing good handwriting is definitely a big plus, and it is also very calm. As for writing, there is a very important point here. You can't think your article is ugly. Be enterprising and write as much as possible. The more you write, the more sensitive you will be to the text, and the better your overall grasp of the article will be.

There is not much room for interpretation of this passage, but it is written sincerely and enjoyed reading.

day 1 1 1 | week 16-6

On July 21st, the eighth year of Xianfeng, Jize was given a letter.

Comments:

Respect and forgiveness is Zeng Guofan's way of being a man, which is extracted and summarized from the speeches of many sages. Zhonggong Wenren is from Yan Yuan's The Analects of Confucius.

Zeng Guofan's respect and forgiveness come from the "benevolence" of his family.

The Analects of Wei Linggong talks about:

"See its participation in the former;" When you stand, it means that when you see the words "faithfulness and respect", you stand straight in front of you for you to see; When the car is driving, it seems that these words are leaning against the crossbar in front of the car to show you. Let you supervise yourself all the time and carry out loyalty and respect.

Zeng Guofan expounded respect and forgiveness.

Respect is not to divide people into three, six and nine classes. Everyone needs to respect them and take their appearance as clothes seriously. This is respect for others. I am talking to myself.

Forgiveness is inner kindness and courtesy, and it is not difficult to treat others. At the same time, help others if you can. If not, then reflect on yourself and change yourself. Try to make yourself capable of helping others. Forgive me for talking to others.

Zeng Guofan believes that forgiveness is easier because it is external. But respect is more difficult because it is internalized. It's hard, but I'll do it anyway. Because this is the foundation of my own virtue.

Treat yourself strictly, treat others easily, and don't be embarrassed. This is respect and forgiveness. But many times, most of us do the opposite, do not respect, do not forgive, and finally achieve nothing.

Day 1 12 | Week 16-7

On August 3, the eighth year of Xianfeng, Jize was given a letter.

Comments:

The realm of reading must be like this.

The confusion about the first chapter of Li Lou and the aforementioned chapter "Lovers don't kiss" was gradually dispelled by my own experience. This is introspection.

I am reading, and the book is looking at people. Only when you have experienced it and put your life into it can you read the classic taste when you are studying. Classics are tea, and life experience is good water. If you want to drink good tea, you need good water to boil and make tea slowly.

Zeng Guofan cited four examples to help his son understand the meaning of swimming modestly, that is, moistening flowers, filling rice, swimming fish and soaking feet. Modesty means that readers can read with an empty cup mentality and a learning attitude, rather than finding fault. As we said, Han Yong moistens things silently. Books are like water. If you read slowly and read a lot, books will constantly nourish your soul.

Good readers regard books as water. Perhaps this is the high realm of reading. There is no utilitarian heart, but let the water of books flow slowly in my heart, let my heart dry up and keep my love for life.