Translation of Zeng Guofan’s family letters in classical Chinese
1. Please translate the following Zeng Guofan’s family letters from Ji Hongjize:
Today I sent a special person to deliver the family letters. I just set off and picked up the family letters. To the letter brought by Wang Huisi and others on April 10th. One letter each from you and one letter from Uncle Cheng. This way I know everything. The words you write are weak and have no strength. The characters are not full enough, which is consistent with your own lack of attention to calligraphy. You should use oil paper to copy the Guo Temple Stele of Yan Zhenqing, the Langya Stele of Liu Gongquan, and the Yuanmi Pagoda Stele to correct your mistakes. Pay attention to writing thick and full words every day. Otherwise, the character will be thin and the person's temperament will become thin and frivolous. Because human temperament is innate, it is difficult to change. Only reading can change your temperament. The ancient Jingxiang method also said that reading can change the bone phase. If you want to find a way to change your temperament, you always need to first establish a firm ambition. Take my life as an example. Before the age of 30, I loved smoking most and couldn't live without it for a moment. On November 21, the Renyin year of Daoguang, I decided to quit smoking. To this day, I have never smoked again. Before the age of forty-six, I could not do things consistently. In the past five years, I have thought it was a commandment that I have strictly followed. Now I can persevere in both big and small things. Just these two things show that nothing can be changed. You must aspire to be thick. In ancient times, there was a saying that the golden elixir can change one's bones. I think determination is the golden elixir that can make a person reborn. This is my instruction.
2. In a letter from Zeng Guofan's family, "Translation of the Family of Officials and Officials: For those who are officials, it is easy to live a frugal life, but it is difficult to return to a frugal life from luxury. You are still young, so remember not to You can love luxurious things, but laziness cannot become a habit. Regardless of whether you are a big family or a small family, officials, farmers, workers, or businessmen, those who work hard and are frugal will not prosper, and those who are proud, luxurious, and lazy will be ruined.
You must read and write without interruption. You must get up early in the morning, so as not to fall into the family tradition passed down by your ancestors. Our uncles and fathers all got up at dawn, as you all know.
I have the ambition to learn to become a sage. When I was young, I lacked the ability to be quiet. Even now, I still can't help but sometimes act like a child. You should correct your behavior and don't talk casually. This is the cornerstone of human morality. .
Original sentence: It is easy for an official to move from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to return from luxury to frugality. You must not be greedy for luxury, and you must not be accustomed to laziness. Farmers, workers, and merchants are hardworking and thrifty, and they are not unlucky. They are not unbeatable because of arrogance and luxury. You must not stop reading and writing. You must get up early in the morning. Do not fall into the family tradition passed down by my great-great-grandfather. They all get up at dawn. , that’s what you know.
All wealth and fame are determined partly by human power and partly by heaven. However, learning to be a sage is entirely up to oneself and does not interfere with destiny. He studied as a sage, but when he was young, he lacked the ability to respect others. Even now, he still occasionally makes jokes. It is advisable to behave dignifiedly and not speak recklessly, which is the foundation of morality.
From: Zeng Guofan [Modern Times] "Zeng Guofan".
Extended information:
Historical background of the article
Zeng Guofan devoted himself to learning in his early years, and his academic research ranged from history, ancient Chinese to calligraphy, Neo-Confucianism and various classics. system.
He longed to learn more and be comparable to famous scholars such as Mei Zengliang and He Shaoji, but he ultimately did not become a prolific scholar. The main reason was that he had not had time to write. Shu Li said that he had been promoted to a second-rank official, and he was busy with officialdom disputes, and later devoted himself to military campaigns, which made it impossible for him to stick to the book garden and concentrate on studying knowledge.
Nan Huaijin, a famous contemporary scholar. In "The Analects of Confucius" it is said: "Zeng Guofan, a famous minister in the Qing Dynasty who resurgence, had thirteen sets of knowledge, and two sets have been handed down, one of which is "Zeng Guofan's Family Letter". "People today can study and study Zeng Guofan's Family Letters. It records the main activities of Zeng Guofan's life and his main thoughts on politics, family management, scholarship, and military management. It is a valuable material for future generations to study Zeng Guofan's thoughts.
After Zeng Guofan conquered Tianjing, he became extremely powerful and accomplished, and the Qing Dynasty was extremely worried about him. Emperor Xianfeng once sighed when the Hunan Army conquered Wuhan: "Half of Hong Xiuquan left, but Zeng Guofan came."
Zeng Guofan had rich political experience and historical knowledge, and was familiar with the anecdotes of the past dynasties. Therefore, he defeated the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom one day later. On the one hand, he suppressed the Hunan Army, and on the other hand, he published family letters to show his loyalty to the Qing court and to silence the jesters.
Zeng Guofan’s family letters have been popular since then and have endured for a long time. After many selections and adjustments, various versions were formed.
In total, there are more than 1,400 of his family letters, which lasted for 30 years from the 20th year of Daoguang to the 10th year of Tongzhi. The contents include self-cultivation, educating children, running a household, making friends, employing people, conducting life, Financial management, scholarship, military management, politics, etc.
These family letters are true and detailed, ordinary and profound. They are a real and vivid guide to life.
"Zeng Guofan's Family Letter" is an important material for studying Zeng Guofan and the late Qing Dynasty society. After the Tongcheng School, Zeng Guofan traced the classics and history, and established the Xiangxiang School. His writing was calm and free in form. He saw the true feelings and contained conscience in every bit of real life, which fully reflected his reputation as "the best of the generation in moral articles".
Zeng Guofan (November 26, 1811 - March 12, 1872), Han nationality, was originally named Zicheng, given the courtesy name Bohan, and given the nickname Disheng. He was the 70th grandson of the sage Zengzi.
A modern Chinese politician, strategist, Neo-Confucianist, writer, and the founder and commander-in-chief of the Hunan Army. Together with Hu Linyi, he is known as Zeng Hu, and together with Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang, and Zhang Zhidong, he is known as the "Four Famous Officials of the Late Qing Dynasty". He was promoted to the governor of Liangjiang, the governor of Zhili, and the bachelor of Wuyingdian. He was awarded the first-class title of Yiyong Marquis, with the posthumous title of Wenzheng.
3. Ask for the translation of Zeng Guofan's family letter "Zi Yu Ji Hong'er": "Zi Yu Ji Hong'er": Most of the people who came to the camp from home praised your generous behavior. I am a little gratified by this. .
Many people in the world hope that their descendants will be high officials. I don’t want my descendants to be high officials. I just want them to be well-informed and sensible gentlemen. Being diligent and thrifty, self-reliant and managing the household, accustomed to hard work, being both happy and frugal, this is a gentleman.
I have been an official for twenty years, and I don’t dare to be tainted by official habits. I still abide by the humble family tradition in my diet and daily life. I can be extremely frugal, or a little rich. If it is too rich, I will Don't dare anymore. For an official, it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury back to frugality.
You are still young, so you must not covet luxury or develop lazy habits. Regardless of whether they are large or small families, whether they are scholars, farmers, industrialists or merchants, as long as they are diligent and frugal, their agriculture will not fail to prosper; if they are arrogant, extravagant and tired, their family business will not fail to decline.
You must not stop reading and writing, get up early in the morning, and do not lose the family tradition passed down from your great-great-grandfather. My father and uncle both got up at dawn, as you know.
All wealth and fame are destined by fate, half of which depends on human power and half of which depends on destiny. Only when you learn to be a sage can you make your own decisions and have nothing to do with destiny.
I aspire to learn to be a sage, but when I was a child, I lacked the skills to be polite and courteous at home, so even now I still have to make jokes and joke around. You should behave dignifiedly and not speak casually. This is the basis for cultivating morality.
(September 29th, Xianfeng Sixth Year) Since typing is really slow, I typed this article for two days, and I am currently typing another article. I hope it will be useful to you.
4. Ask for the translation of Zeng Guofan's family letter "Zi Yu Ji Hong'er"
Zi Yu Ji Hong'er:
People from home who come to the camp, Most of them complimented you on your generous behavior, which I was slightly pleased with. Many people in the world hope that their descendants will be high officials. I don’t want my descendants to be high officials. I just want them to be well-informed and sensible gentlemen. Being diligent and thrifty, self-reliant and managing the household, accustomed to hard work, being both happy and frugal, this is a gentleman.
I have been an official for twenty years, and I don’t dare to be tainted by official habits. I still abide by the humble family tradition in my diet and daily life. I can be extremely frugal, or a little rich. If it is too rich, I will Don't dare anymore. For an official, it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury back to frugality.
You are still young, so you must not covet luxury or develop lazy habits. Regardless of whether they are large or small families, whether they are scholars, farmers, industrialists or merchants, as long as they are diligent and frugal, their agriculture will not fail to prosper; if they are arrogant, extravagant and tired, their family business will not fail to decline. You must not stop reading and writing, get up early in the morning, and do not lose the family tradition passed down from your great-great-grandfather. My father and uncle both got up at dawn, as you know.
All wealth and fame are destined by fate, half of which depends on human power and half of which depends on destiny. Only when you learn to be a sage can you make your own decisions and have nothing to do with destiny. I aspire to learn to be a sage, but when I was a child, I lacked the skills to be respectful and courteous at home, so even now I still cannot avoid making jokes and joking from time to time. You should behave dignifiedly and not speak carelessly. This is the basis for cultivating morality.
(September 29th, the sixth year of Xianfeng)
Since typing is really slow, I typed this article for two days, and I am typing another article. I hope it will be useful to you. .
5. The translation of Zeng Guofan's family letters begins with "The rift between Xueqin and Yuandi is already deep. The rift between Xueqin and Yuandi is already deep, and it is difficult for them to get along with each other in a short time. Xueqin's letter manuscript approved by Yuandi includes There are things that are right, but there are also things that are wrong. My brother said that Xueqin's voice and appearance are both powerful. She can see thousands of miles away, but she can't see her own eyelashes. She often suffers from being invisible to others in terms of her voice and appearance. I don’t know myself. Xueqin herself doesn’t know how harsh Xueqin is; I’m afraid Yuandi’s demeanor is not harsh, but I just don’t know it. I once complained about Luo Wenqi’s treatment of me in the winter of the seventh year of Xianfeng. Fu said: "My brother's expression often makes people embarrassed. "I also remember that in the spring of the eleventh year, Shutang deeply complained about Zhang Banshan's arrogance and disrespect. I said that Shutang's face was also repelling people thousands of miles away. Looking at these two examples, the stern look on Brother Yuan's face was not between Shutang and me. Likewise, don’t you understand yourself?
My family is at its peak; I am once again occupying the position of general and general. My brother Yuan leads an army of nearly 20,000 people, and my brother Ji leads an army of 4,000 to 5,000 people. , How many people have been like this in modern times? Brother Yuan has thanked you seven times in the past six months. How many people have been like you in recent times? The sun will set at noon, which means that when the moon is full, Guanzi said: "When the dendrobium is full, people will level it; when people become complacent, Heaven will level it." "I said that the leveling of the sky was invisible, or it was done by the hands of people. When the Huo family was full, it was leveled by Wei Xiang, and by Emperor Xuan; when Zhuge Ke was full, it was leveled by Sun Jun, and by Wu The Lord will level it. If you wait until others come to level it and then regret it, it will be too late.
My family is in a period of abundance. I will not wait for God to level it, nor will I wait for anyone to level it. Brothers, you should try to do it yourself. What do you mean by doing it yourself? It’s nothing more than the words Qing, Shen, and Qin. I recently changed the word Qing to Qian, and the word Qin. The word "work" is particularly clear and simple; there is indeed something to be done. In the past, Brother Yuan was not very cautious about the receipt and expenditure of money. Friends laughed at you and looked down on you. This is the root of why you should not take any money casually in the future. , don’t send money home, don’t send many gifts to relatives, this is the work of honesty. Others don’t know that the word modesty exists in the heart, but it is manifested in four aspects: one is the face, the other is the words, and the other is the letter. , one is the subordinates. Brother Yuan recruited 6,000 soldiers at a time, but Brother Ji did not report clearly. Recruiting 3,000 people by himself was something that other commanders could never do, but his younger brother could still do it, and it was quite easy. . And every time my brother writes to ask for tents, gunpowder, etc., he often uses sarcastic words and unfair words, and he still writes like this to Brother Yu, so it becomes even more obvious in his letters to others. I didn't notice his arrogance, facial expressions and words when interacting with others. Shenfu once said that his tone in the past years is still regrettable! He should make corrections in these aspects in the future. This is the Qianzi Kungfu. When you are tired of sleeping every day, you should silently count how many things you have to worry about and how many things you are struggling with that day, and you should work harder to do them. This is the work of labor.
Because my reputation is too great and my status is too high, I am often afraid that I will enjoy all the blessings accumulated by my ancestors and bequeathed to my generation, so I use the three words of hard work, humility, and honesty, and always be alert. I also hope that these two worthy brothers will use them to wake up and use them to smooth themselves out.