What to learn from Zeng Guofan?

When President Mao Zedong commented on Zeng Guofan, he said: Zeng Guofan is the most powerful figure of the landlord class. Historical materialism is a powerful cognitive tool to analyze historical figures and learn their wisdom. Chairman Mao Zedong positioned Zeng Guofan from the perspective of historical materialism, which provided a premise for us to learn from his wisdom and break through his class limitations. With this premise, we can learn some real skills from Zeng Guofan because of the superstition and blind obedience brought by the title of "eternal perfection and spiritual mentor". Zeng Guofan was a strategist, a philosopher, a politician, a calligrapher and a writer in the Qing Dynasty, and the founder of the "Xiangxiang School" of prose in the late Qing Dynasty. There are many remarkable places on the body, and naturally there are many things that can be used to educate future generations. It is said that Zeng Guofan has 1 sets of skills, and only two sets have been handed down to future generations, one is Ting Jing and the other is Bing Jian. At present, many people, quite a few of whom are government officials, study these two books. I have read both of these books. For the former, it is the embodiment of Zeng Guofan's spiritual realm as a strategist, a Neo-Confucianism scholar, a politician, a calligrapher, a writer and the founder of the "Xiangxiang School" of prose in the late Qing Dynasty. For the latter, it is a kind of insightful and talented reference book based on China's traditional physiognomy and personal experience. For these two sets of skills, the author's humble opinion is that you can't learn them without a certain foundation in Chinese studies, especially in Neo-Confucianism, and without a certain foundation in Yin and Yang studies. So Zeng Guofan's two sets of skills are not very easy to learn. Although it is difficult to learn Zeng Guofan's two sets of skills, there are ways to go. The author thinks that we should learn these things from Zeng Guofan. First, follow Zeng Guofan's life experience. Zeng Guofan's life experience can be roughly divided into two stages. The first stage: from the 16th year of Jiaqing to the 2nd year of Xianfeng, this stage is the evolution from an intellectual with a peasant background to a feudal bureaucrat. Zeng Guofan's experience in the first stage of his life can be divided into two parts. The first point is that the upper position depends on real skills. As we all know, Zeng Guofan was promoted as a feudal bureaucrat along the route of orthodox imperial examinations. The mantle of imperial examination has been continued in today's political life, especially in talent selection. Therefore, today's cadres still have to lock the basic point of their promotion in the selection examination. Although the examination is controversial, its fairness and fairness are not available in other selection methods. Therefore, we must adapt to this examination environment. This year, a Jiao Sanniu in Gansu Province was promoted by examination ability, so examination is not only a knowledge mastery ability, but also a political ability. Mastering the political ability of examination is a quality that cadres must have today. What to study is a manifestation of political acumen, and we should exercise extra. Zeng Guofan's achievements of Neo-Confucianism were tempered in this atmosphere of imperial examinations. This is an example for our cadres today. Examinations are real skills in ancient times and now, and government officials must develop such real skills. The second point is to follow Zeng Guofan in daily government affairs. Zeng Guofan is a generalist. Before the suppression of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement, he was already an assistant minister (equivalent to a deputy minister) of the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Punishment. At that time, the Qing government had six ministries, and Zeng Guofan had already worked in five ministries. This is of course related to the favor of the Qing royal family. Personally speaking, being brave and good at doing things is its remarkable feature. At present, many cadres are perfunctory in their duties and extra-obligations, shirking their responsibilities. Every day around the eyes of the leaders, around the interests. As the saying goes: there will be a place for you! Behind Zeng Guofan's five assistant ministers is a series of work achievements. This is what current cadres must learn from. Second, how to deal with social circles. Everyone has a certain social circle. Superiors, colleagues and subordinates are indispensable elements in the social circle of official tourists throughout the ages. Zeng Guofan did not flatter his superiors, but bullied his subordinates. He handled all kinds of relations with his colleagues in a lenient way, and selected and appointed a large number of capable people such as Li Hongzhang. The second stage in Zeng Guofan was from 3 years in Xianfeng to 11 years in Tongzhi. This stage is a glorious period for Zeng Guofan to participate in suppressing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and establishing westernization activities. Historical opportunities are very important for life. History gave Zeng Guofan an opportunity to suppress the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement. Zeng Guofan himself belongs to the teachers of the law, and he is not in the military field. However, he went on to have a resume as an assistant minister of the Ministry of War, gained a deep understanding of the military and accumulated military knowledge. But also recruited a group of military talents. On this basis, the Xiang army, which the late Qing government relied on as a pillar, was founded. In the face of historical opportunities, how to grasp them? Zeng Guofan grasped this historical opportunity when he changed from a scholar to a general. In the face of today's rare historical development opportunities, contemporary cadres should learn from Zeng Guofan's transformation of adapting to the situation and grasping opportunities, and can switch in political work, business, supervision and other positions. Seize the opportunity in the transformation, when this transformation is not a casual transformation, but a transformation on a certain basis. In addition, how to treat your political achievements and reputation. It is also worth learning from Zeng Guofan. As we all know, after the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement was suppressed, Zeng Guofan took the initiative to abolish the Xiang Army and turned to promote the Westernization Movement. This measure of keeping profits and protecting Thailand. At present, many cadres have made great achievements and organized a team of officers. Do you regard these achievements and team as your personal property or as the public property of the party and the country? Zeng Guofan made a wise choice for us with his own practice. When it comes to the Tianjin religious case, many people think it is a failure in Zeng Guofan's political career, which ruined his reputation all his life. In fact, Zeng Guofan put down his personal honor and disgrace, and made the Qing government avoid an armed attack by western powers and saved the Qing government. Politically speaking, it is pragmatic. This has certain guiding significance for today's cadres, who should play the leading role and the clown. Sometimes, in order to maintain local stability and unity, cadres are questioned and even criticized by public opinion, so they should have the mind and endurance to still be humiliated! Second, following Zeng Guofan's Mo Bao, Zeng Guofan is a universally recognized calligrapher. Zeng Guofan, Bao Shichen and He Shaoji are known as the three great calligraphers in the same period of Qing Dynasty. Zeng Guofan was also promoted by some calligraphers as one of the "Eight Masters" in Ming and Qing Dynasties. There is a saying that words are as they are. His calligraphy is the condensation of his life experience, academic accomplishment, political and military life. His two sets of skills, Ting Jing and Bing Jian, which have been handed down to later generations, can often be traced in calligraphy glyphs and calligraphy theory. For example, his book theory: To taste that everything in the world is based on the two hexagrams of Gankun, that is, to talk about it as a word, to act purely with God, to swell the atmosphere, to connect the veins, and to concentrate on turning inward, this trunk road is also; The structure is exquisite, there is a way to the north, and the fit is shortened, which is also the way of Kun. All dry words with air, all Kun words with form and quality. Rites and music must not go to the body, that is, this way, that is, the meaning of music; The slightest twist in the buckle is legal, that is, the meaning of ceremony is also. "Just like his Ting Jing: To taste the way of the Book of Changes, to examine the truth of false news, and to know people is indispensable. In the middle of the day, the moon is full, the moon is full, the sky is lonely, and the land is southeast. There is no one who is always full and not lacking. Those who "strip" and "recover" are also a few, and the gentleman thinks it is gratifying. "I" also, "I" gradually, the gentleman thinks it can be dangerous. Therefore, since it is auspicious, it tends to be fierce by being stingy; If you are fierce, you will turn from regret to luck. A gentleman knows but regrets. Those who regret, therefore, keep their shortcomings and dare not seek perfection. The villain is always seeking perfection; The whole person has it, and the meanness and fierceness follow. Is it unfair that everyone is often lacking, but one person is always complete, and heaven is bent and stretched? . Have the same strain. Calligraphy is a way for many cadres, especially some leading cadres, to cultivate themselves. Zeng Guofan's calligraphy and calligraphy theory are good learning materials. Why do you say that? As we all know, Hu Changqing, the vice governor of Jiangxi Province, has been brought to justice. His beautiful brush handwriting has become a tool for him to collect money. Zhao Gao in the Qin Dynasty, Cai Jing in the Northern Song Dynasty, Qin Gui in the Southern Song Dynasty and Yan Song in the Ming Dynasty also wrote beautiful and good words in history. These people are all good at calligraphy, but they are all notorious through the ages. Therefore, practicing calligraphy alone can't improve people's realm, while Zeng Guofan's calligraphy is his life resume. The concentration of academic cultivation, political and military life is to help people improve their academic cultivation and learn the wisdom of political and military life, which can help people improve their life realm. After the age of 4, Zeng Guofan paid attention to the study and absorption of the calligraphy styles of Ou Yangxun, Li Beihai and Huanggu, and his calligraphy style has made great progress. Its regular script is vigorous and straight, rigid, rigorous in structure, full of charm, revealing the charm of Tang cup, the grandeur of Han monument, and combining rigidity with softness. Its small script is fluent and natural, vigorous and elegant, and its charm is long. His running script is hard and fleshy, strong and handsome, fluent and elegant. This calligraphy style is certainly the key point for contemporary cadres to learn their skills through their calligraphy. We should get its spirit by trying to figure out its style. Below, the author chooses a pair of calligraphy works of Zeng Guofan to talk about specifics. This is a plaque written by Zeng Guofan. It is a plaque presented by Zeng Guofan to his friend Guo Songtao, the forerunner of Westernization Movement and the first foreign ambassador of China in modern times. It belongs to the list book type according to the style of the book. Stylistically, it has its respected "strokes as words, points as pearls, paintings as jade, bodies as eagles, and potentials as dragons, all of which are indispensable". Through his style, we can feel Zeng Guofan's bright and strong spirit and perseverance in his sutra. Through this plaque, we can see the friendship between Zeng Guofan and Guo Songtao, who had a "learned article" at that time. Then, I realized his knowledge of people in Bing Jian. From this, I realized the meaning of "nurturing knowledge" in calligraphy writing-constantly learning and increasing knowledge, and then speculated that Zeng Guofan was different from other Neo-Confucianism, and he was able to accept advanced western scientific knowledge and carry out the Westernization Movement with a broad mind.