The original text reads: When studying, a Gai scholar should have ambition first, knowledge second and perseverance third. If you are ambitious, you will not be indecent; If you have knowledge, you will know that knowledge is endless, and you dare not be self-sufficient. For example, Hebo's view of the sea, like a well frog's glimpse of the sky, is also ignorant; Nothing is impossible if there is constancy. These three are indispensable. "This sentence comes from Zeng Guopan's" Zeng Guo Pan Jia Xun ",and the central idea is the three keys to reading.

It means: when reading, intellectuals should have ambition, insight and perseverance. If you are ambitious, you will never be willing to be at the bottom. If you have knowledge, you know that knowledge is endless and you dare not be satisfied with a little income; For example, looking at the sea with Hebo's eyes and peeping at the sky with a frog in the well are all reasons for ignorance. With perseverance, there is absolutely nothing impossible. None of these three aspects can be done without one.

Zeng Guofan was a controversial figure in the late Qing Dynasty. He had both the reputation of a famous minister of ZTE and the reputation of a traitor, which was mixed. Both people who appreciated him and those who despised him admired his letters from home. It can be seen that his letters from home were not only a collection of letters that recorded his daily life, but also a book with wisdom in dealing with people and educating children.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Zeng Guo Pan Jiaxun.