Nan huaijin, a famous scholar in Taiwan Province, said in his book The Analects of Confucius:
"Some people say that Zeng Guofan, a famous minister of ZTE in the Qing Dynasty, has thirteen sets of knowledge, and only one set has been handed down-Zeng Guofan's letter." In fact, there are two sets handed down, and the other is Zeng Guofan's fortune-telling knowledge-the art book.
The Biography of Zeng Guofan and the Draft of Qing History records: "The princes of the country are mighty and handsome, with triangular eyes." Every pair of guests, when looking at each other, don't say a word. When they saw it, they were frightened. When they retreat, they record their strengths and weaknesses. If they are unhappy, they will remember their shortcomings.
Zeng Guofan physiognomy formula:
Evil is looking at the eyes and nose, and true and false look at the lips;
Fame depends on spirit, wealth depends on spirit;
The mind depends on the fingers and claws, and the storm depends on the ribs;
If you want to see order, everything is in the language.
Zeng Guofan is an important historical figure in China's modern history, known as the "first minister" in the late Qing Dynasty, and later generations praised him as "a swan song" and "a model of officialdom". He purged the political style, advocated learning from the West and initiated "Tongzhi Zhongxing", which made the Qing Dynasty, whose building was about to collapse, linger on for another 60 years. His achievements are unparalleled, and his works and thoughts are equally far-reaching and favored by future generations.
As an outstanding and most controversial figure in China's modern history, his Letters from Zeng Guofan is an important material to study Zeng Guofan and the history of this period. Zeng Jiashu's writing is leisurely, free in form, free in thought and free in writing, and contains true knowledge and good words in daily family affairs. Although Zeng's works have been handed down from generation to generation, only one letter from home can reflect his knowledge and moral cultivation, thus winning the reputation of "the highest generation of moral articles" and becoming the last spiritual idol of China feudal society.
Zeng Guofan's life and death are uncertain. Zeng Guofan's success can be attributed to two factors: one is his ability to recognize and employ people, and the other is his strategy of "using Huang Lao internally". The former is found in the weapon left by Zeng Guofan, and most people can understand and use it. The latter is Zeng Guofan's letter.
-"Classics of Chinese Studies"
A Letter from Zeng Guofan is a thinker's observation and experience of the world, a scholar's experience of reading and learning, a successful person's struggle for his career, and a revelation of a great man's spiritual world with thousands of valleys in his chest.
-famous scholar Tang
Zeng Guofan is already a man far away from us, but he has a national and cultural load. In today's increasingly integrated global economy, it is particularly urgent and important to establish national cultural identity and national self-confidence. For tradition, dialogue may be much more effective than criticism. The constant dialogue between the new demand of reality and traditional culture is most likely to give a new interpretation to traditional spiritual resources, thus giving them a new meaning. I'm afraid this is the necessity of reading Zeng Guofan's letters. Reading letters from home is a dialogue with national cultural traditions, and the opportunity to solve the new needs of reality may be hidden in the dialogue between reality and tradition.
—— Famous scholar Xie Xizhang
Zeng Guofan, a famous minister of ZTE in the Qing Dynasty, has thirteen sets of knowledge, and only one set of letters from Zeng Guofan has been handed down.
-nan huaijin, master of Chinese studies.
Self, family, country and the world
Zeng Guofan is a famous figure in modern China, and he is one of the main idols worshipped by many people from Qing officials to modern times. In his youth, Mao Zedong once said, "Fools love their own people and serve Ceng Wenzheng alone." Visible zeng guofan's great influence.
Zeng Guofan's family education thought is mainly reflected in his letters to his sons Ji Ze, Ji Hong and their brothers.
There are more than 330 letters from Zeng Guofan, which is the most complete one in history. The book is divided into three categories: housekeeping, self-cultivation, persuasion, financial management, emergency, making friends, employing people, marching, traveling and chores, *** 10.
The Zeng family has always been very strict and well-behaved. Zeng Guofan was influenced by his family style and was strict with his children. His guiding ideology of family education has many merits. For example, they inherit and carry forward the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation in teaching their children to study, study, work hard, be thrifty, be self-reliant, be persistent, cultivate themselves and be officials.
Zeng Guofan was the first person who really "opened his eyes to see the world" and actively practiced it in the history of China. Under his guidance, he built the first ship in China and opened the voice of modern manufacturing. The establishment of the first ordnance school initiated the modern higher education in China. The first translation and printing of western books not only laid the scientific and technological foundation of modern China, but also greatly broadened the horizons of Chinese people. Arranging the first batch of overseas students to study in the United States has trained a large number of outstanding talents for the country, among which Tang, the first Prime Minister of the Republic of China, Zhan Tianyou, the "father of railways" in China, and the first president of Tsinghua University are outstanding.
Since ancient times, China has said "three immortals", such as making contributions (accomplishing great things), becoming a spiritual model of the world, and making a statement (leaving a theory for future generations), but few people can really do it, and Zeng Guofan is one of them. He defeated the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and saved the land of the Great Qing Dynasty. He was the "savior" of the Qing Dynasty. He "saved the time", purged the political style and learned western culture, which contributed to the emergence of "Tongzhi Zhongxing" in the late Qing Dynasty. He is strict with himself, advocates integrity, flaunts morality and practices himself, and has won unanimous support from top to bottom. His academic articles are eclectic, extensive and profound, and he is a master of modern Confucianism. "His works are required reading for any politician" (Chiang Kai-shek) has achieved the Confucian "Three Immortals" cause of self-cultivation, keeping the family in order, governing the country, making meritorious deeds, establishing morality and making statements, and is worthy of being "the first perfect person in China since ancient times".
"Learn from Zeng Guofan politically and Hu Xueyan commercially." Zeng Guofan was regarded as a "model of officialdom" by politicians in modern times. He is familiar with the history of China, knows the way of officialdom, and has accumulated a set of unique skills in officialdom, which he applied to the officialdom in China and was invincible.
Zeng Guofan is the best son, who can reassure his parents; Is the best brother, teaching and taking care of siblings, considerate; Zeng Guofan is a kind father and a good example for children. His letters from home emphasize the ideal of life, spiritual realm and moral cultivation. In the modern society where family ties are becoming more and more indifferent and neighbors are strangers, they really have the value of persuading the world to change their customs and are worth reading. Most official families did not last for three generations, but the Zeng family was full of talented people, and a number of famous diplomats, poets, educators, scientists and senior cadres appeared.
Zeng Guofan has profound knowledge and accomplishment, and he is a "man who works (does business) and preaches (leaves thoughts and theories behind)" (Mao Zedong). He studied hard all his life, respected Confucianism and emphasized practical application, and became another "Confucian master" after Confucius, Mencius and Zhu. He innovated the literary theory of Tongcheng School, and his poems and essays presided over the literary circles of Taoism (light), Xianfeng (prosperity) and Tongzhi (governance), which can be described as "the highest generation of moral articles".