Most of the family members who came to the military camp said that you were generous, and I felt a little comforted. Most ordinary people want their children and grandchildren to be big officials, but I don't want to be a big official. I just want you to be gentlemen who learn and understand. Diligence and self-control, accustomed to hard work, can be at ease and frugality, this is the gentleman.
I have been an official for 20 years, and I have never dared to get infected with any bureaucratic habits. I still follow a simple family style. I can be frugal or a little rich, but I dare not enjoy it if I am too rich. It is easy for any official to move from frugality to luxury, but it is quite difficult to move from luxury to frugality.
You are still young, don't covet luxury, and don't get used to laziness. I have to study, get up early, and lose the family traditions handed down by my great-grandfather, great-grandfather, grandfather and my father.
Original text:
Campers at home often say that you are generous, but others are not so comforting. Mortals prefer their descendants to be big officials, and I don't want to be big officials. I hope to be a sensible gentleman. Diligence and self-control, hard work and hardship, can be happy and can be controlled. This gentleman also. I have been an official for 20 years, but I dare not get a little bureaucratic habits. I have maintained a cold and simple family style in eating and living. I can be extremely frugal or slightly rich.
If it is too rich, I dare not. Every official, from frugality to luxury, from luxury to frugality. You are still young, you must not be greedy and lazy. I can't stop reading and writing. I have to get up early in the morning. Don't fall into the family tradition handed down since Zeng Gaozu took the exam.
Letter from Zeng Guofan Zeng Guofan
Extended data:
Letters from Zeng Guofan is a collection of Zeng Guofan's letters in the middle of Qing Dynasty19th century. This collection of letters records Zeng Guofan's Hanyuan career and military career from 30 years of Qing Daoguang to 30 years of Tongzhi 10, with nearly 500 letters. The content involved is extremely extensive, which is a vivid reflection of Zeng Guofan's main activities and the way of governing politics, family and learning.
Zeng Jiashu's writing is calm, free in form, free in thought and writing, full of true knowledge and good words in plain daily life, and has strong persuasiveness and appeal. Although there are few works handed down from ancient times, there is only one family letter that can reflect his knowledge and moral cultivation. As a famous Neo-Confucianism and litterateur in Qing Dynasty, Zeng Guofan was very particular about the format of letters, which showed his sincere and rigorous style.