I was deeply impressed to hear Professor Li Bo's comments on Zeng Guofan's family precepts in the lecture room. Su Dongpo has a famous saying, "You can eat without meat, but you can't live without bamboo." Zeng Guofan changed it to: You can't study for a day. Zeng Guofan said this and did the same. In the decades when he made a vow to study, he really didn't study every day. In his later years, he was blind in one eye and still insisted on reading.

You may be shocked or puzzled when you see this. There are many people who love reading, but few people in history can insist on reading every day, right? In retrospect, modern people often say self-discipline. After reading Zeng Guofan's family instructions, I think it is not too much to call Zeng's adult the originator of self-discipline.

Of course, he loves reading, and he keeps reading every day. There must be a source.

The origin has to start with Grandpa Zeng Guofan. His name is Zeng Yuping. When he was young, he was also an idle person, but once he was criticized by his elders for his ignorance and was stimulated internally. From then on, he repented and made a great wish to farm and study. "I don't want to be a rich man from generation to generation. I hope that generations of scholars. Committed to cultivating children's reading education.

In such a family environment, it is reasonable for children and grandchildren to love reading. But why didn't Zeng Guofan study every day? It was his father who passed the 17 imperial examination that he was admitted to the scholar. Although he was not satisfied with the imperial examination, he showed extraordinary wisdom in Zeng Guofan's education.

Scholar Zeng Guofan was ambitious and went to Beijing to take the exam. After two years of hard preparation, I spent all my savings and was penniless. As a result, I failed the list twice.

Zeng Guofan, who failed the list for the second time, felt very painful in his heart, but he didn't want to go home, so he wandered around Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Down and out, he had to borrow 100 silver from his father and friends. After having the money, I didn't expect to make the bookish mistake again, and bought all the borrowed possessions in exchange for the engraved twenty-three histories.

On his way home, Zeng Guofan felt uneasy and didn't know how to explain it to his father. Finally, I had to tell my father the truth in detail. Father didn't blame him when he learned the situation. He just said simply, "It's good to borrow money to buy books. I am willing to pay your debts, but I hope you will not forget the original intention of buying books and study them carefully. " At that time, 100 silver was a huge sum of money for this family. Zeng Guofan listened to his father's words, did not criticize him for failing the exam twice, but also taught him how to spend 100 on books impulsively. Zeng Guofan was greatly encouraged and made an oath from now on. It would be unfilial if he didn't finish reading the book he bought. Since then, I have started a life journey without reading every day.

Zeng Guofan read widely all his life. Zeng Guofan also has his unique views on book selection and reading methods.

He mentioned in the family precepts:

1. When studying, read classics. A book that has stood the test of time and been precipitated by thought is a really good book. Only by reading a good book can we absorb the essence of the book, thus establishing a correct personal belief and learning the way to settle down.

2. Don't read a new book if you can't finish reading it. This is an immersive reading method advocated by him. At this point, many people have committed the problem of inattention and inattention. I remember when I was in college, every time I went to the library, I always felt that there were too many good books, and I borrowed several at a time. When you finally return it, you often haven't finished reading a book, or each book has only turned a few pages. I haven't really finished reading a few books in these four years. If we can learn Zeng Guofan's reading method at that time, read only one book at a time and read through one book thoroughly, we can not only understand and appreciate the essence of books, but also read more books and really enjoy the pleasure of focusing on the present.

We must cultivate personal reading interest and direction.

Zeng Guofan is a great master of literature and history and a beneficiary of the imperial examination. However, he said that reading is definitely not just for the imperial examination, but must cultivate personal interest and direction in reading.

Zeng Guofan's attitude towards his son's reading education is like this.

Ceng Jize, the eldest son of Zeng Guofan, was the most famous diplomat in the late Qing Dynasty. I took the imperial examination when I was young. I don't want to take the exam, and my family feels incredible. After Zeng Guofan knew it, he not only didn't object, but respected his son's preferences and let him choose his own interests and learn western learning.

His other son, Zeng, doesn't like literature and history, but likes math. Zeng Guofan also fully supported him. Zeng Guofan didn't understand it because he wanted to guide his son, so he also found this book to study. It's really commendable. Finally, I have cultivated two sons who are different from their parents but equally outstanding.

In his later years, Zeng Guofan said to his son Ceng Jize, I have nothing to be proud of in my life, but there is one thing I can be proud of, and that is that I have never studied in my life. This sounds really great!

Zeng Guofan didn't study every day, encourage everyone!

Yin Fei