Treasures are easy to understand as material rare treasures and precious possessions.

But the "treasure" mentioned by Zeng Guofan is not this. Even if we don't explain it, we can imagine that in the eyes of a generation of sages, its "treasure" must have something else.

Zeng Guofan mentioned many times his grandfather’s eight-character formula for managing the family: book, vegetable, fish, pig, morning, sweep, test, and treasure. Baozi is one of them.

What is "treasure"? Zeng Guofan said, "Kinfolk and neighbors are always around each other, offering greetings and condolences, asking for help in case of illness, and offering help to those who are in need. Duke Xinggang often said, 'The way one treats others is a priceless treasure.'"

Confucianism means that the family and the country are integrated. Having a country and a home, and having a home and a safe country, naturally also involves the relationship between relatives and neighbors. "Treating others" full of goodwill and good interaction is indeed a priceless treasure.

This ancient style of social moral construction deserves to be vigorously promoted and carried forward even by us today.

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? ——Morning reading thoughts on September 8, 2020