I have received all your letters, and I will remit you another 500 yen here. Since my son has gone to China and it's only April, why do you want to take away my daughter's career? What a strange thing! You go here to study. Study hard first, you don't have to make friends to pay the bill. Money worth 1000 dollars is enough for one year. Why not use it up before April? If your application is reasonable, although you earn 100 yuan a day, your strength is enough for you, especially if you are not an ear. If you waste so much, eating and drinking will not be extravagant, and there will be other expenses in your daily life.

You also read Mencius? A person who has made great achievements must first suffer from his mind, his bones and muscles, his body and skin, and his body before he can achieve anything. My son depends on your father's protection, so we don't need this. However, we should also understand the difficulties of the draft and do our duty of learning. If not, I can't help it if I return to China after my studies. I'm afraid I can't hope for you from time to time! It's great to waste your energy and energy and your time because you have less money. I wrote to warn you before that you must study hard. How can you forget? Time is precious, learning is not easy, and there is sweetness in bitterness. You should know for yourself, don't be trained by the old people.

Translation:

I already know everything in your letter. Now I will remit you another 500 yen. You have only been abroad for four months. Why did you spend all the money you brought? This is really strange! The purpose of your visit is to study. Study should focus on hard work, and you don't have to worry about making friends and socializing. You have brought enough money for more than a year. Why did it run out in less than four months? If I spend it where I should, even if I spend 100 yuan a day, I can afford it according to my financial resources. But you shouldn't. Besides, such waste must not be spent on diet and daily life, but must be spent on other things.

You have read Mencius, haven't you? Generally speaking, if a person wants to do something, he must first make his heart suffer and his body suffer from hunger, trouble and worry, so that he can do something in the future. You rely on my father's protection, you don't need to do this, but you should know the hardships of labor and do your duty of studying. If not, even if you go back to China after your studies, there is definitely nothing you can do. Spending money is a trivial matter, but it is a big thing because it wastes study, energy and time. I have written to warn you before that you must study hard. How could you forget? Time is precious and learning is not easy. You should experience the joys and sorrows in the middle, and don't live up to the old man's teaching.

Read a letter from home

Zhang Zhidong's son has been a stubborn man since he was a child, not the material for reading. Zhang Zhidong said that he can be a scholar at most until he dies. Fortunately, the imperial examination was abolished, otherwise he would not be a lifelong talent. It is precisely because of this that Zhang Zhidong sent him to the Japanese NCO School to practice martial arts. On the one hand, "do not violate your temperament"; On the one hand, "the autumn of national military use" can make his son a "useful talent", which can be regarded as teaching students in accordance with their aptitude. This son is also an expert in spending money. Maybe he likes whoring and gambling in Tokyo, so Zhang Zhidong warned him not to "treat himself as a child" but to "treat himself as a poor man and work hard for what he has learned". "Don't make a mistake."

"Know your son better than your father." Zhang Zhidong's reminder should not be said to hit the nail on the head, nor can it be said to be untimely.

Thought of article

The Ten Commandments is a masterpiece of self-cultivation, which is short and long, concise, and its main purpose is to persuade my son to study hard and be determined to cultivate himself, and avoid absurdity and rashness.

Brief introduction of the author

Zhang Zhidong (1837 ~ 1909), Xiao and Xiang Tao. Nanpi, Zhili (now Hebei), was born in Xingyi Prefecture, Guizhou (now Anlong County, Guizhou). In the second year of Tongzhi in Qing Dynasty (1863), he was a scholar and was edited by the Hanlin Academy. Tongzhi for six years (1867), served as a college student of Hubei politics. In the 12th year of Tongzhi (1873), he was appointed as the deputy examiner's palace after having obtained the provincial examination in Zhongde, Sichuan, and transferred to study politics in Sichuan. I have studied politics in Sichuan for more than three years. I cleared away the disadvantages accumulated in the imperial examination field, rectified the atmosphere of scholars, established an academy for respecting classics and trained talents. Later, he served as a bachelor of cabinet, governor of Shanxi, governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, governor of Huguang, governor of Liangjiang and minister of military aircraft. There is "Guangyatang Poetry Collection".

References:

Baidu encyclopedia-commandment book