That's what he said, even more so.
His two sons and Zeng are also very frugal. His second son was seriously ill, but he didn't even have the money to take medicine. Later, when Zuo learned the news, his eyes filled with tears. He generously gave Zeng timely help.
His ninth brother, Ceng Guoquan, renovated the old house in his hometown. When he learned this, he flew into a rage and said to his younger brother, "It's hard to go from luxury to simplicity. Either you tear down the new house, or I will never return to my hometown in my life! "
There are three reasons why Zeng Guofan values the word "poverty" so much: ① Poverty is our way of keeping in good health. Civil servants do not love money, officers are not afraid of death, and the country has hope. Poverty is the way to health. He cultivated their good habit of thrift from an early age. He wrote to his 9-year-old son and said, "Everyone wants his children to be big officials, but I don't want to be big officials. I hope to be a diligent and self-sufficient gentleman who can enjoy himself and keep appointments. "
He has a famous saying: scholars, farmers, workers and businessmen are diligent and thrifty, never frustrated, arrogant and extravagant, and never invincible. ③ It has something to do with life belief. When he was governor of the two rivers, he took his family to Nanjing. Li Hongzhang, commander-in-chief of Huai Army and student, invited Zeng's harem to dinner. His youngest unmarried daughters quarreled over a satin skirt left by his eldest sister-in-law and began to cry. Later, the famous old man (Zeng) recalled that she couldn't steal her sister and cried.
Zeng Guofan has been asking himself this question. When he was admitted to Jinshi, he made a jacket out of sky-blue satin, and he made such new clothes all his life. He wore this dress as soon as he put it on, and it has been worn for 30 years. I don't want to wear it at ordinary times. I only wear it during the New Year or related celebrations. His clothes were brand-new until I was old. He said: "As the old saying goes, clothes are not as good as new ones, but in my opinion, clothes are not as good as old ones." He thought it better to scrimp and save.
Zeng Guofan had a nickname "Prime Minister Yipin" because he only ate one dish per meal, that is, a bowl of rice and a bowl of vegetables. There is also a famous story about how he eats: he only eats the food in front of him. He served as governor of the two rivers and visited Yangzhou. As soon as Yangzhou salt merchants heard that the Governor of Liangjiang was coming, they prepared a grand banquet to entertain the Governor. He went to have a look and was shocked that the food was so luxurious. He didn't want to embarrass others, but he continued to eat. No matter how others advised him, he only ate the food in front of him and ate a few chopsticks, which made others wonder. After he went down, he said to the people around him, "I can't bear to eat a thousand dollars, and my eyes can't bear it." The world was in chaos and the people were displaced. How much did this meal cost people? How many meals!
Zeng Guofan has a famous couplet: feeding a group of spring, propping up two pairs of poor bones and making life full of vitality. "I can't stand poverty, quality, injustice and nothing." Facing the word "poverty", it is not easy for him to live in poverty all his life.
Be an official and learn from Zeng Guofan. If all officials can keep the word "poor" like Zeng Guofan, then our Chinese dream is just around the corner!