In our daily work, we should stick to principles, be upright and be strict with ourselves. First of all, we shouldn't say anything that goes against our principles or conscience. Secondly, don't talk about other people's right and wrong, don't brag about your own trifles, don't blame others for being too young, don't look for privacy, and don't miss their old sins.
From: Zeng Guofan [Qing Dynasty] presented couplets.
"Keeping your heart" means keeping your inner moral bottom line, value bottom line and personality bottom line. When you are alone, it is just the opportunity and test to keep your heart. Zeng Guofan also regarded "cautious independence" as the first priority of self-cultivation. He must keep a diary every day, check and reflect on the words and deeds of the day, and see if there is any violation, honesty and dedication.
It can be seen that it is a pity to be unable to bear loneliness, and it is a defect to be a man if you can't keep your heart. Therefore, when you are alone, you might as well learn knowledge and improve your self-cultivation; Look at the feelings of life, learn to cherish what you have and care about your relatives and friends; Do exercise and realize the value of health. When you live alone, you should guard your own heart, a kind heart, a hardworking heart, a indifferent heart to fame and fortune, and a normal heart.
Extended data:
Focusing on the overall situation, the overall situation is strategy, that is, there must be a big pattern; Start small, small is tactics, that is, be careful. Here we are reminded that everything should be planned and acted from the "big" and "small" aspects, so as to reduce or avoid mistakes and make things smooth and complete.
Zeng Guofan's life practice has proved that to "do the right thing", it is more important to "do things correctly". People with high eyes and low eyes are often boasters, and those with high hands and low eyes are often difficult to achieve great things.
Keeping one's mouth shut is a concrete manifestation of one's self-cultivation level. Zeng Guofan's way of life cultivation also has a strong reference significance at present. "Living alone and guarding the heart" is the essence of self-cultivation and the realm of being a man. What exactly is "guarding the heart"? Is to keep your inner moral bottom line, value bottom line and personality bottom line.
When you are alone, it is just the opportunity and test to keep your heart. Persist in learning, improve yourself, and learn to cultivate your mind in order to keep your mind. Because guarding the heart is not a temporary thing, it cannot be done overnight. It requires constant introspection, comparison of everything and perseverance.
Zeng Guofan devoted himself to study in his early years, and his academic research ranged from history and ancient prose to calligraphy, neo-Confucianism and various laws and regulations.
He is thirsty for knowledge, comparable to Mei Zengliang and what a famous scholar, but he did not become a scholar with rich writings in the end, mainly because he didn't have time to write books, and he was promoted to a second-class official. He was busy fighting in officialdom, and then devoted himself to military campaigns, which made him unable to stick to the library and concentrate on his studies.
Nan, a famous contemporary scholar, said in The Analects of Confucius: "Zeng Guofan, a famous minister of ZTE in the Qing Dynasty, had thirteen sets of knowledge, two of which were handed down from generation to generation, one of which was a letter from Zeng Guofan." Today, people can study Zeng Guofan's letters. It records the main activities of Zeng Guofan's life and his main thoughts in politics, family management, scholarship and army management, which is a precious material for future generations to study Zeng Guofan's thoughts.
After the conquest of Tianjing, Zeng Guofan was in power and returned to Gao Zhen, which made the Qing Dynasty extremely uneasy. Emperor Xianfeng once sighed when the Xiang army regained Wuhan: "I went to half of Hong Xiuquan and came to Zeng Guofan." Zeng Guofan has rich political experience and historical knowledge, and is familiar with anecdotes of past dynasties. Therefore, after defeating the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, on the one hand, he killed the Xiang army, and on the other hand, he published letters to show his loyalty to the Qing court and stopped the jesters.
Zeng Guofan's letters have been widely circulated since ancient times. After many choices, a variety of versions have been formed. Generally speaking, there are more than 400 letters in his family, which lasted for 30 years from 20 years of Daoguang to/0/0 years of Tongzhi. Their contents include self-cultivation, child-rearing, housekeeping, making friends, employing people, dealing with society, managing money, studying, running the army and politics. These letters are true and detailed, ordinary and in-depth, and they are real and vivid treasures of life.