This sentence is from Zeng Guofan's family letter, which means that if you go from the new house to the old house, you must always walk on your feet and not sit in a sedan or horseback.
Zeng Guofan opposed large-scale construction projects and built huge houses in his hometown. The Zeng family's old house in Xiangxiang has a history of more than a hundred years. As the Zeng brothers became more prosperous, guests often came to visit. The old house seemed somewhat out of date. In 1865, Zeng Guoquan invested 7,000 copper coins to renovate the old house. Zeng Guofan was very angry when he learned about it. He thought that the ninth brother was "extravagant like this". It was easy to move into a new house but difficult to move out. This practice did not set a good example for future generations and would cause endless harm. "When you are born in troubled times, you must not have extra wealth at home. Too much wealth will eventually lead to trouble. And you must not be too comfortable and lazy. If you go from a new house to an old one, you must always walk, not sit in a sedan or horseback. You also often climb mountains, and also You can practice your muscles. If an official's family does not accumulate money, the children will feel that they have nothing to rely on. If they are not diligent for a day, they will be in danger of hunger and cold. Then the children will gradually work hard and become self-reliant." In anger, he vowed never to step foot into the new house. Zeng Guofan stayed in the old house every time he returned to his hometown and never entered a new house in his life. Zeng Guofan also opposed the purchase of private land by his family. He wrote in his diary: "For the rest of my life, it was a bad habit of an official to build a house and buy land, and I vowed not to do it." In the fifth year of Xianfeng's reign, Mrs. Ouyang privately bought land at her natal home in Hengyang. After Zeng Guofan found out, he immediately transferred the land and kept it at home. The letter expressed opposition to the land purchase.
"Zeng Guofan's Letters from Home" (Part 1) Reading Notes
The temperature is getting warmer, and it seems that the mood has gradually returned to calm after the adjustment throughout the winter. It seems that I have begun to miss the charm of ordinary life, and I should go around Those who can't be kept are also gone, those who can't be kept can't be kept, and those who can't be driven away can't be driven away. Maybe this is the meaning of fate.
I moved most of the bookcases into my work unit, and I was the only one in the huge office. Even though there were people coming and going outside the door, I was still quiet and peaceful inside. Suddenly, the allusion between "outsiders" and "insiders" came to mind, and I smiled and gave up.
The book from Zeng Gong’s family that I bought during my postgraduate studies followed me from Nanjing to Suzhou, and then from Suzhou back to Nanjing. The book has not been turned over, but unfortunately it was worn out by the bumps and wanderings. It even followed me back home. When I got home, my mother thought the book had been put in the basement. This definition was already given to me before I even read the book. I think I am the one who should be ashamed.
, think whatever you should think, this is your own thing. So after I returned home from sweeping the tomb during the Qingming Festival, I took it out of the bookcase and took it away. It was time to read it. .
Read a few quietly every day, think about your thoughts after reading every day, and read through it afterwards. It can be regarded as your own explanation of this book, or your own reflection on the first half of 2011. Account. .
The first letter from home, Zeng Gong is a typical person who prepares for rainy days and is prepared for danger in times of peace. This can be seen from the fact that he named his study "Qiuque Zhai". Thanks. .
The second family letter showed great interest in his grandfather’s eight-character ancestral precepts: morning, sweep, kao, treasure, book, vegetable, fish, pig. . This is the eight-character formula for managing a family, which embodies the essence of Zeng's life. . Get up early, clean, respect your ancestors, be kind to your relatives and neighbors, read, grow vegetables, raise fish, raise pigs, be a farmer, be an official, be a businessman and be virtuous.
The focus of the third letter home is "to learn is like boiling meat."
Zeng Gong borrowed other people's words to express his views on learning, "to learn is like boiling meat, you must first use Cook over high heat, then warm over low heat." That is to say, when reading, you need to concentrate on reading in a short period of time to grasp the general outline of the book you are reading, and then slowly chew on the chapters, chapters and even every word in it before you can read it thoroughly. This is probably what I haven’t noticed the most in my own study. On the one hand, I don’t use “fierce cooking” and my study time is still not concentrated enough. On the other hand, I tend to pursue speed and ignore details, which is “burning with fire”. It's not enough." This letter from Zeng Gong is for his younger brothers. Think about it, if you have such an elder brother who can provide you with ideological and method guidance from a high position in the early stage of your studies, how can you fail to succeed?
Zeng Gong mentioned a point of view in the middle of this family letter: "If a scholar can excel in his studies, how can he not be famous for his studies?" In other words, if a person really excels in his studies, as long as he How can you not succeed if you really work hard without slacking off? This was probably the encouragement given to me by the young Zeng Gongququ at that time. I think it’s the same for myself. I regret that I haven’t fought hard for that matter so far, so I can’t experience the joyful feeling of getting to the end. To a large extent, I don’t have it. Really use 100% of your strength to fight for it.
The fourth letter home: Talking about things to gain knowledge
This is a key chapter taught by a teacher when I was forced to take literature and art as an elective during my graduate school. Unfortunately, I loved it too much at that time. I play and skip classes all the time, but I don’t have the slightest memory of it. Today I saw that Zeng Gong used a long chapter in his teachings to his brothers to talk about "investigating things to gain knowledge". After reading it, I realized that I had missed something very important.
There is another point in this family letter that is worth thinking about. He advised his fourth brother to study hard and overcome his impatience. He said, "As long as you can work hard and be self-reliant, you can study in the family school." You can study in a wilderness or a bustling place, and you can study even if you have to work with pigs for a salary. If you can't work hard and stand on your own, a private school is not suitable for studying. Why should you choose a place where you can't study? Time? But ask yourself if your ambition is true!”
I was shocked when I read this paragraph. This is basically a lesson to myself. We have a habit of blaming external circumstances for our own failures. , blaming it on unfavorable conditions, blaming it on the pressure imposed on oneself, that is, unwilling to reflect on one's own heart, unwilling to ask oneself whether he really wants to learn, or to really invest his energy. In fact, my father always thought that I complained too much about the outside world and was never willing to face up to my own shortcomings. The major setbacks in my life in the second half of 2008 and the worsening situation in April 2009 were all caused by my own problems. But he refused to admit it. . Two years later, looking back, I really want to ask myself, wasn’t the tragedy of that day caused by my own pride and arrogance?
The eighth letter home
In fact, it is Zeng Gong’s own study schedule, which contains things he requires himself to complete every day: write a diary every day and record his bad deeds during the day. Behavior, inner self-examination; read 10 pages of history every day; talk about it after tea every day.
To be honest, we all know how to write diaries, but how many people are willing to analyze themselves severely in diaries? It is estimated that many people are unable to do so, and most of them are blogs, which are more beautification than analysis. That’s all. Reading history is something I have always wanted to do. When I was in graduate school, a teacher once said that if you encounter problems that cannot be solved in real life, you should go back and read history. History books contain all the problems that arise in society, and also All solutions are provided. I always think that as long as I have enough time in the future, or in the second half of the year, I must read the General History of China, the General History of the World, the Cambridge History of China, and my favorite Montaigne Essays. .
The eleventh letter home: Zeng Gong talked about two issues about learning. One is that learning requires accumulation over time. When you accumulate to a certain level, you will have a feeling of sudden enlightenment. . I think this is just like the old man Qian Zhongshu who once said with a smile that he didn't like reading since he was a child, and was forced by his father to read ancient books. As a result, he read and squirted, and one day he became enlightened. . I just thought, when will I get the idea? The two are not to limit knowledge to books only. There is also university knowledge for daily use at home. This is a motto. You can learn a lot from your parents, from socializing with friends around you, from observing colleagues doing things, and from listening to leaders’ speeches. The only difference here is whether the person listening, the person watching, and the person observing are attentive.
The fifteenth family letter:
Here Zeng Gong advises his younger brother to first engage in the writings of his ancestors instead of studying to prepare for exams. . Mr. Zeng, who came from a scientific background, spoke from the bottom of his heart because he had experienced and felt it. Many people still don’t know what reading is for. . Especially for children in school and students in the ivory tower, I think only those who have entered society and experienced the application of knowledge will understand the real purpose of studying and learning.
The seventeenth letter from home:
Zeng Gong continued to talk about his "persistence". He believed that even people with average qualifications like his fourth brother, if they are willing to use perseverance to make up for it, will definitely succeed. It can become an atmosphere.
After thinking about it, who is not a person with mediocre qualifications? Who can have Zhuge Liang’s talent and strategy, with all kinds of obstacles in his mind? There are only a few geniuses, but there are many people with the ability to succeed. This is not The credit for luck ultimately comes down to how much "Heng" is used.
The twenty-second letter from home:
This letter from home is my favorite one I have read so far, not only because of the reputation of this letter from home, but also because of its far-reaching reputation. What's more, it is an article that has important moral and ethical values ??in life, both in ancient and modern times. What I admire the most is that at this time, Mr. Zeng had just turned 30. At this time, Mr. Zeng had just experienced a huge leap in his official career (he jumped four levels in a row, unprecedented and unprecedented). It can be said that he was proud of his officialdom. At that time, he was able to have such a far-sighted vision, which is hard to be praised by future generations. .
Zeng Gong expressed two ideas in this family letter:
First, an official must be honest and honest, and do not have the thought of making money as an official. He believes that "people who are officials are often kinder to their wives and less generous to their brothers. They enrich themselves in the family and are unkind to their relatives and clan members. Since I was thirty years old, I have regarded it as a shame to become an official and make a fortune. I have used my eunuchs to accumulate money and leave The descendants are shameful and hateful, so they make a selfish oath and never rely on being an official to make money for future generations. The gods will show that they will not break their promises."
From the perspective of history books and other aspects of research, although Zeng Gong is not. He has been completely clean and honest throughout his life, but he has been basically clean and honest. This may be due to his persistence in Confucian moral values ??as a senior intellectual.
The second one is the one that I appreciate the most. Zeng Gong did not leave any money to his descendants. . Anyone who has read the biography of Zeng Gong knows that the Zeng Gong family is full of talented people, and the founder is Zeng Guofan, who did not leave any money to his descendants, and his descendants are virtuous. There are very few families that have achieved achievements in various aspects such as knowledge and cultivation. They have been able to prosper for more than five generations and have everyone from generation to generation.
Tracing the origins must be inseparable from the teachings and example of the elders.
Zeng Gong said: "If a son is a virtuous son, he will be able to find his own food and clothing without relying on the eunuch's purse; if a son is unworthy, if he accumulates more money, he will commit one more crime, and later he will commit adultery and evil. , will definitely tarnish the family reputation." Think about how many incidents related to the "second generation in charge" and the "second generation of the rich" have appeared frequently. Is it a problem of the social moral value system or a problem of family education.
In other words, Zeng Gong left another huge wealth to his descendants - education. This is the truly inexhaustible gold mine.
Twenty-eighth family letter: This family letter tells about a very remarkable daughter-in-law of Mr. Zeng, the old lady Guo Yun. This man who lost his husband very early was able to turn his children into talents, and there are many diplomats in his reserve, which is really admirable. Perhaps on the one hand, it was due to the teachings of her father-in-law Zeng Guofan, and on the other hand, it was also due to the person's own talents. According to the memories of her granddaughter Zeng Baosun, this old woman was very world-minded as early as the last century. This old woman did not approve of the eight-part essay and did not want her children to take the scholar examination. Instead, she hoped that they would read more foreign books. For literature, we must read newspapers and ancient books every day. Girls are not allowed to learn how to cook from female workers. Instead, they are required to learn painting and poetry. . I think today, it would be amazing for people of the grandma generation to tell their grandchildren that you are going to do these things. It's no wonder that all the children from this family will become successful in the future, and more importantly, the Zeng Gong lineage comes from this group of children raised and educated by Guo Yun. . . It is already very difficult to find a talented person in a family. If everyone is a talented person and both men and women are outstanding, then we can only be amazed and admired.
Twenty-ninth family letter: This is also a very important family letter. Zeng Gong ranked the four situations of the family: "I think carefully about the families of officials in the world, and they can be enjoyed by just one generation. Their descendants are arrogant at first, then wandering, and end up in a ravine. There are only a few who can live happily for one or two generations. In a merchant's family, those who are diligent and thrifty can live on for three or four generations; in a farming and reading family, those who are simple can live on for five or six generations. They are filial friends. A family can last for ten or eight generations. "In Zeng Gong's view, the so-called power and money are probably the least valuable treasures that can make a family prosperous. Extend good luck to many generations.
Just like there are so many second-generation managers and second-generation rich people nowadays, it is difficult to imagine how much glory they will have left when they reach their forties, and whether they will still be able to survive when they are in their destiny. We don’t know about the crazy life we ??lived when we were young, and I’m afraid they may not know either.
PS: I’m too busy today, and my reading is always interrupted by non-stop things. I only read these two letters home in one afternoon. In addition, I need to have a meeting to summarize tomorrow, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend a wedding on the weekend. Free time. . Be sure to get started on Sunday night with confidence. .
I haven’t touched this book for a week. This week has been dedicated to the troublesome daily newspaper, TV station and museum. Running around in these three places, I can’t even pick up a book and glance at it twice. There is no chance. Fortunately, today, everything is over and I can concentrate on reading. .
Article 38: When I see "Those who enjoy the happiness of the people, the people also enjoy the happiness of the people", I immediately feel happy. Isn't this the most common thing we have seen in articles on essays? If you use it When you memorize and prepare the eight-part essay for argumentation, you may find this sentence annoying, but if you do things sincerely, you will find this sentence simple and unpretentious yet boundless in love. The Prime Minister once said this, and he did so, which is why he has won the love of so many people. Therefore, the old saying is true. It is just that our knowledge is too shallow, our experience is too little, and our experience is not rich, so we cannot understand it. Society is really an unfathomable teacher. She has too much knowledge and experience, but we need to discover and think about it ourselves.
Letter 39: Mentioning Zuo Zongtang. . To be honest, the thing that impressed me most about Zuo Zongtang was probably the joke in TBBT about the people eating Zuo Zongtang's chicken. However, I don't know more about this historical figure than Zeng Gong. According to the information I have checked, this is also thought to be a late bloomer. He studied behind closed doors for many years and became famous in his late middle age. Perhaps those days behind closed doors were the days when he kept a low profile and bided his time. . According to this, in fact, as long as you devote yourself to cultivating your moral character and persisting in your ideals, you will definitely succeed. Those who fail should be those who give up midway.
Letter 42: People should not blame fate entirely. Those who are full of complaints will probably accomplish nothing!
Zeng Gong advised his sixth brother not to "blame all the blame on fate", but to complain less and to reflect more on himself. He said, "If you blame Heaven for no reason, God will not allow it; if you blame it for no reason, God will not allow it." People will be dissatisfied. The principle of induction will naturally follow." Studying is like this, seeking fame and fame is like this, living is like this, and this may be the case throughout a person's life. Complaining too much always blames external reasons for one's own failures, which are nothing more than bad luck and bad encounters with people, but they are always unwilling to think about how much they have done and how much they have worked hard. There is no shortcut to success. No matter how much you put in, you will definitely get back. As for many people who think that they never get anything despite their efforts, the only explanation can only be that they don’t work hard enough and don’t do enough. That’s it.
PS: I can only smile bitterly. How long has it been since the last time I picked up this book? It’s been a month. It’s hard for me to imagine that it’s actually been a month. I’m exhausted from the messy government affairs. But The long road seems to have no end in sight, when will it stop. .
When I saw countless interruptions in my study plan posts, I really felt that work makes people unable to control themselves and unable to choose. . . You still have to keep reading, no matter how busy you are. . .
Letter 43: The ancients had distinctions between direct descendants and common concubines, and Mr. Zeng was not exempt from the custom.
Zeng Gong married his daughter-in-law. Originally everything was satisfactory, but who would have thought that this one was the direct descendant of the common concubine. He hesitated on the issue. He used his wife's mouth to say that he needed to consider and postpone the marriage. Although it later proved that the old man in the family was a deterrent, he still let the marriage be settled. This matter is now considered a tea after dinner. As far as the subject of my discussion is concerned, it is a bad feudal custom that should be despised and abandoned by everyone. However, we have to ask ourselves, who doesn’t have any distinction in mind, and who can treat everyone equally?
Let’s put aside the so-called self-questioning and torture. Let’s take a look at my nominally enlightened and humane unit. It has a very high degree of identity distinction. It has a watershed difference in its attitude towards locals and outsiders. It also treats its staff. There is a huge gap between the treatment of non-staff personnel and temporary workers. Isn't this the modern evolution of direct descendants and concubines? Can ability really protect one's legitimate rights and interests? I'm afraid not necessarily!
The fifty-second letter from home: If you buy a house, you will definitely need a loft
I talked with Ye Tou (my immediate boss) about the study room. His old man’s house is on the third floor, and the top floor is a There are tens of thousands of his books in the attic. I visited it once and was amazed. There are treasures everywhere. So I said the same was true for Mr. Zeng. Every time he wrote a letter home, he would have someone copy it for archives. This awareness of preserving intellectual property is so advanced. Without this awareness, I am afraid that Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek would be There wouldn't be that masterpiece "The Complete Works of Zeng Gong" beside my pillow.
The fifty-eighth letter from home: Those who enjoy great fame without any real reason are bound to be in trouble
When I was young, my mother often said that people who get rich inexplicably will suffer somewhere. One calamity. According to her old man's thinking, luck is measured. If you used it too much before, it will definitely suffer somewhere when you get old. I didn't have a chance to test her theory because I didn't have any experience of being hit by my wallet halfway. What Zeng Gong said here, "Those who enjoy great fame without any real reason are bound to be in strange disasters" is probably also the "law of conservation of luck". The so-called great fame and power do not come without reason. .
To use an old saying, it is: Those who are famous all over the world are actually hard to live up to. He also said: The person who suddenly became famous is unknown. . . I felt flustered when I saw it.
The 62nd letter leaves children and grandchildren with nothing to rely on
What does it mean to rely on? What does dependence mean? We are all dependent children, relying on our parents’ love, care and money, so We are children who will not grow up. What does independence mean? It means caring for yourself, taking care of yourself, and supporting yourself. Unfortunately, it is so difficult.
Zeng Gong wrote in this family letter: Living in troubled times, the way to live at home is not to have extra wealth. Too much wealth will eventually lead to disaster. Don't be too comfortable and lazy. If you are going from a new home to an old home, you must always walk and do not ride in a sedan or horseback. You can also practice your muscles by climbing mountains frequently. If an official's family does not accumulate money, the children will feel that they have nothing to rely on. If they are not diligent for a day, they will be in danger of hunger and cold. Then the children will gradually work hard and know how to plan, so they can stand on their own.
Tang Haoming’s comment put it very well: Human nature has a side of indolence and indolence. If there is enough money for them to spend, what else do they have to endure hardship? This is also the reason why China cannot be rich for more than three generations.
The Sixty-Ninth Letter: I wish my descendants to be gentlemen and not high officials
This is a letter from home that can be compared with Zhuge Liang’s letter of commandments to his son. Zeng Gong wrote it to his son. , the book of commandments was written by Zhuge Liang to his son. It was a loving father's thinking for half his life, hoping that his descendants could understand its true meaning. I really like this short letter home. If I have children of my own in the future, this will also be the most important direction for me to educate my children. . . .
Zeng Gong said: Most people hope that their descendants will become high officials, but I don’t want to be high officials. I hope to be gentlemen who are educated and sensible. A gentleman is diligent, thrifty and self-sufficient, accustomed to hard work, able to take pleasure in things, and able to deal with appointments. . . In the house of an official, it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go back from luxury to frugality. . . All wealth and fame are determined by destiny, half determined by human power and half determined by heavenly events. However, learning to be a sage is entirely up to oneself and does not interfere with destiny. . . .
The Seventy-Fourth Letter of Great Scale and Comprehensive Secrets
There are two propositions in this family letter:
1. Those who achieved great things in ancient times, Large scale and comprehensive management are indispensable. 2. Big talents and big tools
The so-called "big scale" refers to big ambitions, big plans, and big goals. This is a goal that a person must have, otherwise there will be no motivation to move forward. To borrow the famous saying of Wen Baobao: Look up at the stars and keep your feet on the ground. . So the grand scale is looking up at the stars in the sky. After that, we still need to keep our feet on the ground, which is Zongli Miwei.
As the saying goes, "Great talent means big tools", the situation is very important, and the size of the talent depends on the size of the situation. The device is the measure.
I think in life, we must first cultivate tolerance, and then cultivate knowledge. Just like parents educate their children, the first thing they want is to cultivate their children to be adults, and then to cultivate their children to become talents. . .
The seventy-seventh letter is always important in life
Zeng Gong said: "When a person does something, he must concentrate on it with all his energy and be unremitting from beginning to end, without any change in thoughts. Thinking like this, sitting on this mountain and looking at that mountain. If you don’t have perseverance, you will achieve nothing in your life. "When I read it, I felt like I was sweating. The word "persistence" is difficult, and it is difficult to reach the sky. How many people can really do it. Do it. Often when the impulse comes, one will set a goal for oneself, but in the process of completing the goal, one encounters countless challenges. How long can one persist at this time? I admire people who can persevere very much, because this kind of people have extraordinary perseverance, self-control, patience and determination. People who can complete one "persistence" will definitely be able to complete countless "perseverances" below.
Letter 79 How difficult is it to be sincere!
How difficult is it to be sincere? I don't know that in this kind of life circle, trying to be "sincere" will often be ridiculed by many people. Just like my honest response to a problem, I might be criticized by my boss, who said, "Family scandals should not be made public." Just like my honest expression of my attitude, I would be laughed at by my colleagues as "too stupid." Just like my sincere expression of my thoughts, I would be criticized by my friends. Too "naive"; many times "sincerity" is a kind of verbal praise, but it cannot be implemented with actions. Just like the country says every day that we want to build an "honest" society, but there are still milk powder incidents, steamed bun incidents, bean sprout incidents, and watermelon incidents. Where does this "integrity" come from?
Zeng Gong calls himself "clumsy and sincere". Can he really do this in officialdom and on the battlefield? I'm afraid this is something that Mr. Zeng encouraged himself but couldn't put into practice.
The 80th letter: Doing a small thing well is much more important than dreaming about a big thing
Zeng Gong said to his younger brother: To run an army, you must be down-to-earth and diligent in small things, so that you can rise in the future. And meritorious. What is Keqin Xiaowu? "In ancient times, those who succeeded in becoming great relied on hard work and small things. A building of a hundred feet is based on flat ground; a piece of silk of a thousand feet is accumulated one foot and one inch; a bell of ten thousand stones is accumulated by one baht and one tael." The so-called "Kind of diligence" "Little things" means doing a small thing down-to-earth. If a small thing can be done well, then a big thing can also be done well.
This is the same as the previous "constancy". A big "constancy" requires the accumulation of many small "constants", and a grand goal requires the accumulation of countless "small goals". Just like I will set medium and long-term five-year goals, but I don’t know whether they can be achieved. I only know that I hope to be in that position in five years. So to achieve this goal, I also need annual goals, monthly goals, or even weekly and daily goals to accumulate. Only these daily persistence can finally bring yourself to that goal. Just like the Tathagata Buddha asked Tang Monk to learn the scriptures, he must set up 81 tribulations. We are destined to have countless tribulations in this process. Whether we can reach the end depends on "perseverance."
Call 82 What to do when faced with trouble?
What to do when faced with trouble? If it is a small matter in life, overcome it; if it is a big matter in life, find someone to work with to solve it; what if it is in officialdom? Tao Yuanming chose to live in seclusion in Nanshan Gorge, while Zeng Gong chose "patience". I think Zeng Gong had better self-control. Doing things against one's will is a kind of torture. I know it very well. Saying things against one's will is also a kind of torture. However, in the officialdom, these things happen every day. If you don't have good self-control, who can guarantee that you won't go crazy.
Letter 87 What is Yiyi?
During these days, I often talk about what is "comfortable". It seems that everyone always has countless troubles in life, for life, for family, for friends, and for lovers. When we live at a certain stage, we will have a definition of happiness at this stage. When this happiness is reached, we will enter another stage and increase the happiness again. My best friend and I once lamented that we were very happy to have a KFC meal when we were freshmen. We decided to eat it on Wednesday, so Monday and Tuesday were about imagining the happiness of having it in our mouths. We finished eating on Wednesday, and spent Thursday and Friday reminiscing. Such happiness. When I was in my junior and senior years, I started going to Pizza Hut places. Although I held a knife and fork and talked about life and ideals, after eating and going out, there was not much to remember. Wait until we are all working, have eaten in too many restaurants, seen too much of the world, and the days are passing by in a hurry, and we have almost forgotten what happiness feels like. Maybe it’s really because we have grown up, and a meal of KFC cannot represent happiness. Our definition of happiness has been continuously upgraded as the years go by. Maybe making a lot of money and being promoted to several levels of government is the happiness we should have now. definition. But why are we unhappy?
Are people happier if they are less satisfied? People who are more easily satisfied are more likely to be happy? We have discussed this issue but there is no result. Maybe there is no result at all. People are different and their needs are different. So naturally there is no absolute conclusion on the definition of happiness. But I saw Mr. Zeng’s family letter I lamented that "good times in life are rare." I was still very sad.
Letter 90: How to read and how to be a good person
This topic is so big that any one of them can be written into a book similar to the discussion of the mind. Zeng Gong set the method of reading into four parts: watching, reading, writing and composing. Seeing means reading; reading means reciting; writing means writing; and writing poetry.
This topic is too big for me, so I don’t want to say more. However, I was very interested in one of Zeng Gong's views in the article. He said: "When writing various articles, it is also advisable to establish a scale in your twenties and thirties; after thirty, it is extremely difficult to make progress."
What Zeng Gong means is that the foundation for poetry creation must be laid before the age of thirty. If the foundation is not laid during this period, it will be very difficult to surpass ordinary people's achievements in the future. Seeing this, I remembered that Ye Tou once said that if a person wants to practice calligraphy, he must be before the age of thirty. Otherwise, even if he has a lot of time after retirement, he will not be able to truly become a calligrapher. Especially practicing regular script, which requires the most basic foundation from an early age. I can't verify it because I don't have the wisdom to practice calligraphy. But I agree that people need to lay a good foundation at a young age. Only by studying during the period when your brain power, physical strength, and perseverance are at their best, can the knowledge gained be deeply ingrained, and only by working hard can you become stronger. There are really no geniuses in the world, only those who work alone where others cannot see them.
Ninety-one: Self-examination and humility
These eight words are Zhu Xi’s method of reading. When I was studying "Literary Theory", the teacher talked about it, but it didn’t exist at all. Understand. In the age of youth and restlessness, who wants to see how the masters learn. When I truly realized my ignorance, I looked back at history and found that these methods were all around me, but I chose to turn a blind eye. What is meant by "personal observation" is to relate to oneself to understand the words in the book. Well, I guess it’s similar to how I write reading notes now.
What is meant by "humbly embracing"? It's really hard to understand. I couldn't figure it out after reading it for a long time. Maybe it's just like what Teacher Tang analyzed: when reading, read and accept the works of sages with a relaxed and enjoyable attitude. Instead of treating reading as a chore, which will lead to boredom and resistance. . Think about yourself, who is not? When parents force me to study in high school, I often do not do well. But when I get to college, I know where my interests lie and my desire to study cannot be stopped. When reading becomes a kind of happiness, I am afraid it will be a kind of enjoyment every day.
PS: To put it bluntly, in this family letter, Mr. Zeng’s signature is: Father’s name is born. . It still made my heart beat. I used to like someone who I liked the most, and he often liked to use this signature. Unfortunately, I didn’t understand what it meant at the time, I just thought it sounded good. Now that I’m watching it, my heart still beats. Gone far away.
Letter 93: Keeping Reading Notes Diligently
Zeng Gong taught his children how to read the Bible - and keep reading notes frequently. Reading notes focus on two aspects: when you encounter someone who has a clear understanding, write down your reading experience at the moment; when you encounter someone who has doubts, you put forward your doubts. In the future, as your knowledge continues to improve, you can review your previous doubts. If you have new understanding, it is also advisable to record the process. Many great scholars in ancient and modern times accumulated knowledge in this way over time. . . What else can I say, take notes on reading seriously.
The 100th letter to thirty-two sages of all ages
Thirty-two people in Zeng Disheng's "Portraits of Sages": Wenzhou, Confucius and Mencius, Banma Zuozhuang, Ge Lufanma, Zhou Cheng Zhu Zhang, Han Liuouzeng, Li Dusuhuang, Xu Zhengduma, Gu Qinyao Wang. . . . Looking at the sages listed by Zeng Gong, which one is not famous, which one is not illustrious in the history of Chinese literature, thought, and philosophy, but I only know their names. Even for Su Shi, I have written graduation thesis and special research, but I am afraid only I know how much I really know about him. The impetuousness of the academic world has penetrated between the lines of my writing. Every time a topic comes up, I first check to see if there is any previous experience. This is the way I do knowledge. A few days ago, Ye Tou talked to me a lot about the changes in the old and new May Fourth poems. I could only think of what the official answer was in the book, but I didn’t know what I really knew. I asked Ye Tou, if you saw what you said in the book, How to solve this ideological contradiction? He asked me to read, continue reading, and read as many monographs as possible written by Hong Kong people, Taiwanese people, Japanese people, and Westerners. Only by understanding different thinking can you get closer to the truth. Before leaving, he turned back with a strange smile and said: There is actually no truth in this world (haha, that expression is extremely cute!) It’s just a little bit of complaint!
At this point, it took nearly three months to finish reading the first book of Zeng Gong’s letters. It started with a very detailed description, but halfway through (about 50 letters), it started to become sloppy because my mood changed. Many things suddenly appeared around me, and I was caught off guard. I originally thought that my plan of writing at least two letters home every day could not be completed. How can one think when the mind is uncertain?
The records in the second half of the family letter are no longer detailed. Reading through the previous chapters is obviously much more profound and enlightening. The difference before and after was so obvious that I felt deeply ashamed. I hope that during the intensive reading of "Letter from Zeng Gong's Family" (Part 2), I can restrain my impetuous mentality and truly achieve Zeng Gong's "constancy".