The full text of Zeng Guofan's family motto

There is no other way to seek excellence in your career than to concentrate on it day by day. As the proverb goes: "Many arts do not nourish one's health", which means one is not specialized. I dug many wells but there was no spring to drink from. It was my fault that I was not expert.

Brothers must always strive to be professional. If Jiu Di is determined to learn calligraphy, there is no need to waste his career. However, when practicing calligraphy every day, you must raise your spirit. You can understand it at any time and in any situation. Fourth brother and sixth brother, I wonder if they have any special interests? If they are determined to be poor in sutras, they must focus on observing one sutra; if they are determined to create righteousness. If you want to write ancient Chinese prose, you must read a collection of manuscripts. The same is true for writing poems in various styles, and the same is true for writing test posts. It is absolutely impossible to run both businesses at the same time. If you run both businesses, you will be unable to do anything.

Reference translation: To be academically proficient, there is no other way but a special word. The proverb says: "Many arts do not nourish one's health", which refers to lack of specialization. I dug many wells but had no spring water to drink, which was due to my incompetence.

My brothers must work hard to study their majors. If Jiu Di is determined to practice calligraphy, there is no need to give up all his studies, but he must not lose energy when practicing calligraphy every day. He can gain insights at any time and in any situation. Fourth brother and sixth brother, I wonder if you have any special interests? If you aspire to study classics, you must specialize in one classic; if you aspire to study imperial examination articles, you must read a collection of manuscripts; if you aspire to ancient Chinese literature, you must read a collection of essays. The same applies to writing all kinds of poems, and the same applies to writing essays. You must not do everything, otherwise you will be unable to do anything. Extended information

Twelve principles of self-cultivation in "Zeng Guofan's Family Instructions"

1. Main respect: neat and serious, never be careless. When there is nothing to do, the mind is in the cavity; when there is something to do, it is focused and undivided, like the rising sun.

2. Sit quietly: No matter the time of day, sit quietly for half an hour every day, experience the benevolence of tranquility that generates yang and return, and stand in a straight position to concentrate on life, like the town of a tripod.

3. Get up early: Get up at dawn, and don’t fall in love after waking up.

4. Read books carefully: Don’t read other books until you finish reading one book, read here and there, just follow the outside world, and take ten leaves as a guide every day.

5. Reading history: Bing purchased twenty-three histories and read ten leaves every day, even if something happened, he would not stop.

6. A word of caution: Paying attention at all times is the first priority.

7. Nourishing Qi: Qi is stored in the Dantian, and there is nothing that cannot be said to others.

8. Preserve yourself: save labor, abstain from food and drink, and always take care of your health.

9. You will know your death every day: write down a story every day over tea. It is divided into moral gate, cultural gate, economic gate and art gate.

10. Don’t forget what you can do every month: compose several poems every month to test the amount of accumulated principles and whether the Qi is nourished. Don’t just dwell on it, which is the easiest way to become discouraged.

11. Writing: Write for half an hour after breakfast. Treat all writing and ink as your own homework, and do not leave it to tomorrow. The more it accumulates, the harder it will be to clear it up.

12. Not going out at night: exhausted from work, so quit!

Reference material: Baidu Encyclopedia_Zeng Guofan’s Family Instructions