Chapter 24 9. May the children and grandchildren be the family of filial friends who are farming and studying, and do not want them to be the family of officials

The selection in this article involves the three family letters Zeng Guofan wrote to his four younger brothers and to his fourth brother and his son Ji Hong separately. The former letter said that he did not want his descendants to be the family of officials but the family of filial piety friends. The letter said that he did not want his descendants to be officials. ancestry.As for the reasons, he explained clearly in the first letter. First, he came to the conclusion that the first two types are short-lived and the latter two long-term after comparing the four types of families: official family, merchant family, farming-study family, and family of filial friends. The second is to consider that I rely on the virtues accumulated by my ancestors, but I am young but have a good official career. I am afraid that the blessings are only for myself to enjoy in my life.It can be seen that Zeng Guofan's sense of urgency has a long history and deepens over time.

The family of officials, most of the generations enjoy it Marquis Cheng, Wen Fu, Zi Zhi, and Ji Hong: The grandfather's illness is getting worse day by day, and the children and grandchildren are thousands of miles away.If Brother Wen hadn't returned last year, he would not be safe in Beijing at this moment.All brothers look up at the pure filial piety of their fathers and uncles, that everyone can do their best to serve the hall, this is the first auspicious thing in my family.I live in the capital, eat cream and dress well, but I can't do the work of my grandson; my wife can sit and enjoy it, and I can't share the mother's work.Every time I think about it, I feel sweaty.

I think carefully about all the families of officials and officials in the world, most of them enjoy it for only one generation.A family of merchants can last for three or four generations; a family of farming and studying can last for five or six generations; a family of filial friends can last for ten or eight generations.Today I rely on the accumulation of my ancestors. I was born early when I was young, and I am afraid that I will enjoy it all with one body. Therefore, I teach my younger brothers and generations that I hope that it will be a family of filial friends who are farming and studying, and I do not want it to be a family of officials.Brothers must study a lot, study hard, and must not always be for the sake of officials in the Kedi.If you can't see through this level of truth, even though you are a great official, you can't be regarded as a virtuous grandfather and a hero of my family;

Every time brother Cheng thinks that I am poor in promotion, he calls me a descendant of Xiao Xiao, but he does not know that this is not a good Xiao.If this is regarded as a virtuous person, then Li Linfu, Lu Huaishen and others are not extremely human ministers, who can be called a virtuous person after playing games for a while?I asked myself with little knowledge and little knowledge, falsely pretending to be a high position, but those who pay attention all the time, even though they are in the officialdom at this time, they always plan to go ashore.On the day when you are dismissed from office and go home, you can be indifferent to yourself, your wife can serve you, you can treat your grandfather and brothers, you can treat your clan and township party, that's all.Brothers see that my determination and deeds do not match what I have said, and it is very important to always practice the precepts.

(April 16th, the twenty-ninth year of Daoguang, May 8th, 1849 AD) Marquis Cheng, Wen Fu, Zi Zhi, and Ji Hong: My grandfather's condition is getting worse day by day, how can I let go of my heart being thousands of miles away as a descendant!If Brother Wen hadn't gone back last year, he would still be staying in the capital at this time, and he wouldn't be at peace for a moment.The younger brothers see the sincere and filial conduct of their father and uncle, and they can do their best to serve the elderly. This is the most auspicious performance of my family.At home in the capital, I eat exquisite food and wear silk embroidered clothes, but I can't fulfill my responsibilities as a grandson; my wife and children are sitting at home and enjoying themselves, and I can't share the mother's hard work.Every time I think of this, I feel ashamed and sweat.

I thought about it carefully, most of the official families in the world can enjoy it in only one generation. Their children and grandchildren started to be extravagant and lustful, and then became dissolute and unrestrained. Those who are diligent and thrifty can last for three or four generations; those who are prudent and honest can last for five or six generations; the family of filial friends can last for ten or eight generations.Now I am relying on the virtues accumulated by my ancestors, I am young but I am well-versed in official career, I am afraid that this situation will only be enjoyed by me in my lifetime, so I teach my brothers and sons, I hope they will become a family of farming and filial friends, and I don’t want them to become a family of officials .Brothers, you must study a lot, and you must work hard. You must not only think about taking the imperial examination and becoming an official all the time.If you can't see through this level of truth, even if you are a senior high school official during the imperial examination, you can't be regarded as a worthy descendant of your grandfather, nor can you be regarded as a meritorious person in our family; if you can see through this level of truth, then I I admire you very much.

Brother Cheng often thinks that I am a filial son and virtuous grandson because of my poor promotion. Don't you know that this is not a virtuous grandson and filial son.If this is regarded as a virtuous Xiao, then Li Linfu, Lu Huaishen, etc., are not the highest status among the ministers, and they are prominent for a while, can they be called a virtuous Xiao?I questioned myself and knew that I had little knowledge and was in a high position, but what I never forgot was: Although I am in the officialdom now, I always plan to go ashore.In the days of returning home after resignation, I can be calm and ascetic, my wife and children can work, I can be worthy of my grandfather, father and brothers, I can be worthy of my relatives and neighbors, that's all.The younger brothers found that there was a discrepancy between what I said and what I said, and hoped to persuade me at any time. This is extremely important.

do not want descendants to be officials Words to Ji Honger: When family members come to the camp, they often say that you behave generously, and others are less comforted.Ordinary people expect their descendants to be high-ranking officials, and I don't want to be high-ranking officials. I hope to be a gentleman who reads and understands.Diligent and self-sufficient, hardworking and hardworking, able to have fun and treat appointments, this gentleman is also. For twenty years in the Yufuguan, I dare not get a little bit of official habits, eat and drink, and keep the family style of modesty. I can be extremely frugal or a little rich, but I dare not do it if it is too rich.For a family of officials, it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but it is difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.You are still young, you must not be greedy for luxury, and you must not be used to laziness.No matter whether you are a small family, a scholar, a farmer, a businessman or a businessman, you are hardworking and thrifty, and you are never unhappy, arrogant, extravagant and tired, and you are never invincible.You can't stop reading and writing. You have to get up early in the morning.My father and my uncle both rise at dawn, as you know.

All wealth and fame are destined, half by manpower and half by heaven.But learning to be a sage is all up to oneself and does not interfere with the destiny.I have the ambition to learn to be a sage, but when I was young, I didn't pay much attention to respect, and I still have occasional jokes and jokes.It is advisable to behave dignifiedly and not speak rashly, which is the foundation of virtue. On the night of September 29th, the manuscript was outside the gate of Fuzhou, Jiangxi. (September 29th in the sixth year of Xianfeng and Ji Hongshu on October 25th, 1856 AD) Words to Ji Honger:

I am a little relieved that most people who come to the camp from home praise you for your good manners.People in the world hope that their descendants can be high-ranking officials. I don't want my descendants to be high-ranking officials. I just want to be a gentleman who is well-read and reasonable.Diligent and thrifty, self-supporting and housekeeping, working hard and suffering, can be in peace and prosperity, can be in thrift, this is a gentleman. I have been an official for twenty years, and I dare not get a little bit of officialdom. My diet and daily life, I still abide by the family tradition of modesty.For an official family, it is easy to go from frugal to extravagant, but it is difficult to go from extravagant to frugal.You are still young now, so don't covet luxury, and don't develop the habit of laziness.Regardless of whether it is a large family or a small family, a scholar, a farmer, a businessman or a variety of people, as long as they are diligent and thrifty, no family business will not prosper; no family business will not decline if they are arrogant and lazy.Don't stop reading and writing; get up early in the morning, and don't lose the family tradition passed down by your great-great-grandfather.My father and my uncle were up at dawn, you know that.

All wealth and fame are predestined by fate, half of which is due to manpower, and the other half is due to destiny.Only learning to be a sage, relying entirely on oneself, has nothing to do with the destiny.I aspire to learn to be a sage, but when I was a child, I lacked respect at home, so even now I still have occasional jokes and jokes.You should behave in a dignified manner and not talk indiscriminately, which is the basis of moral cultivation. On the night of September 29th, the manuscript was written outside the gate of Fuzhou, Jiangxi. Daughter married, not necessarily rich Around Chenghou's fourth younger brother. People in modern times are accustomed to arrogance and extravagance as soon as they enter the official career. I deeply take this as a warning.The third daughter, Xu Zi, intends to choose a frugal farming and studying family, not necessarily a rich and famous family. (On the seventh day of November in the sixth year of Xianfeng and the fourth brother Guohuangshu on December 4th, 1856 AD) Around Chenghou's fourth younger brother: In modern times, as soon as people become officials, they develop the habit of arrogance and extravagance. I often take this as a warning.The third daughter is married, and she wants to choose a family that is frugal in farming and studying, not necessarily a wealthy family.