Everyone expects their descendants to be big officials, but I don't want to be a big official. I hope to be a sensible gentleman. -"Zeng Guofan's Letter"
Children in the capital are all bad because of the word arrogance. You and your brothers warn them to tell them. -"Zeng Guofan's Letter"
All aristocratic children, like the poor, can achieve great things; If you are tainted with wealth and habits, you can't expect to succeed. -"Zeng Guofan's Home"
Zeng Guofan's masterpiece "The Debate of Reading Characters"
1. So we work hard, try to get rid of the arrogance, and try to avoid complacency, so that we won't be laughed at by others and make progress.
2. Family defeat is inseparable from luxury, people defeat is inseparable from escape, and people defeat is inseparable from arrogance.
3. Sages, heroes and ambitious people through the ages are nothing more than a word "diligence".
Believing in fortune telling and geomantic omen are all caused by delusion. Smart people live by benevolence and righteousness, so they don't believe in benevolence and righteousness.
The most important thing in the world is reading. However, reading occupies a position, but in character, it is not in position.
6. I don't know familiar words after reading them for a long time. You will still live after reading it, but you will know that suspicious people are confused and people who think too much are confused.
7. Vegetarian food is not turbid; Stay alone, not turbid; Sitting still is not turbid; Reading is not turbid.
8. A person who likes reading can't have a bad character; A person with good character can't have bad luck in this life.
9. A person's heart can be calm, even though everything is changing, nothing is clear. If you are not quiet, you will live at leisure, and you will be quiet. Quiet in the heart, not in the realm.
10. Scholarship does not seek wealth, reading does not seek officials, Xiu De does not seek newspapers, and writing does not seek biography. For example, if you don't get drunk after drinking, Tao Ran is full of joy and there is no meaning in it. If you want to tell the difference, you have forgotten the words.