In this article, I have compiled ten of Zeng Guofan’s most classic sayings for everyone. Let’s take a look!

Ten classic sayings by Zeng Guofan

1. The beauty of the voice and hearing can be relied upon but not relied upon. Those who are happy at the beginning do not have to end well, and those who have traveled a hundred miles are half ninety.

You can rely on a good reputation, but you cannot rely on it too much. Those who start well may not necessarily end well. Those who aim at a hundred miles can only be said to be halfway there.

2. The spirit should always be sufficient for the task, so that the energy will be filled and the mind will not be distracted.

The spirit should always be kept strong, enough to cope with the affairs that one needs to deal with, so that one can be energetic and not distracted.

3. Choosing a friend is the first priority, and you must choose someone with great ambitions

Selected from "The Complete Works of Zeng Wenzhenggong" by Zeng Guofan of the Qing Dynasty. Choosing friends to associate with is a top priority in life, and you must choose those with high ambitions to make friends with.

4. Everything must be checked day by day. Once it is ignored, it will be difficult to remedy it later.

Anything that needs to be done every day, if you put it off until later, it will be difficult to make up for it later.

5. If a person does not study, that is, if he calls himself a scholar, he must be engaged in "University". The "Great Learning" has three principles: enlightening virtue, promoting new people, and pursuing perfection, which are all my duties.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t study, but if you think you are a scholar, you must do things according to what is said in "The University". The program of "The Great Learning" can be summarized into three points: enlightening morality, new people, and striving for perfection, and these three points should be regarded as a matter of duty.

6. The first is ambition, the second is knowledge, and the third is perseverance.

People must first have ambition, secondly have knowledge, and thirdly have perseverance.

7. Keep your ambition strong, work hard, and work hard. No matter how big or small, you will succeed.

Strengthen his will, let his heart endure hardship, and let his body get exercise. No matter how big or small things are, you will definitely achieve something.

8. If you are too rich and noble, you are not a good elephant.

The general idea is that if a family is too prominent, sometimes it is not a good thing. The so-called prosperity will lead to decline, which can also be understood as wealth brings disaster.

9. Everything must be checked day by day. Once it is ignored, it will be difficult to remedy it later.

Anything that needs to be done every day, if you put it off until later, it will be difficult to make up for it later.

10. The more you use your spirit, the better it will come out. Don’t be too protective of your body because of your weak body. Wisdom becomes clearer the more painful it is, and it cannot be suddenly destroyed by circumstances.

The more you use your spirit, the stronger it becomes. Don’t take too much care of your body just because your body is always weak. Wisdom is stimulated the more difficult the environment is, and you should not be discouraged immediately just because the situation is occasionally unfavorable. Zeng Guofan's most classic sayings:

1. The mediocre people in the world, both ancient and modern, are all defeated by the word laziness; the talents in the world, ancient and modern, are all defeated by the word arrogance.

2. When scholars study, they must first be ambitious, secondly knowledgeable, and thirdly perseverant. If you have ambition, you will never be willing to be humble. If you have knowledge, you know that knowledge is endless, and you dare not be satisfied with just one thing. You are like a river boy looking at the sea, or a well frog looking at the sky, both of which have no knowledge. With perseverance, nothing can be accomplished. All three are indispensable.

3. No love in the past, no love in the present, no welcome in the future.

4. The sky illuminates the sea with countless flowers, and the flowing water and high mountains make the heart aware of itself.

5. When ordinary people do something, they must concentrate on it with all their concentration, without any change in thoughts. Do this, think that, sit on this mountain, and look at that mountain. People have no permanence and achieve nothing throughout their lives.