From Zeng Guofan's sixteen-character motto.

Zeng Guofan pursued Confucianism throughout his life, but he also embraced Western culture. He can be said to be a model for accepting advanced ideas in modern times. In addition, he is very strict in managing his family. He respects his parents and brothers very much, but does not seek selfishness. He treats his children strictly and independently and is self-reliant. His works include "Letters from the Family of Zeng Guofan", "Collected Works of Zeng Wenzhenggong", etc.

The most famous one is undoubtedly his sixteen-character motto: "Accommodate things as they come, don't welcome the future, don't be confused at the time, don't love the past."

The meaning of this sentence This means that everything should be allowed to take its course, face it calmly, live in the present, do not worry too much about things that have not happened in the future, do the things in front of you without any distractions, and do not miss or dwell on what has happened.

Strategies for running a family

Zeng Guofan believed that the most important thing was the principle of filial piety among family members. Filial piety is easy to understand, which means gratitude, respect and support for parents and elders. Brotherhood refers to the harmony and friendship between brothers, that is, the harmony and harmony between peers.

In Zeng Guofan’s family letters, it is generally believed that he wrote the most letters to his children. In fact, he wrote the most letters to his younger brothers, which shows that he attached great importance to the relationship between brothers.

Zeng Guofan once made a famous comment, saying that the rule of family prosperity is: the families of officials in the world generally decline after only one generation, because most of them are playboys; the families of merchants, that is, the families of private entrepreneurs A family can generally be passed down for three generations; a farming-reading family, that is, a family based on farming and studying, can generally thrive for five or six generations; and a filial friend's family, which means a family that pays attention to filial piety and brotherhood and manages the family with harmony, can often thrive. It lasts for ten generations and eight generations.