The theory of ambition is constantly mentioned and deepened in Confucian classics.
Zeng Guofan has two most important requirements for perseverance: perseverance and dedication.
Let's talk about perseverance first:
"If you don't persevere in your virtue, you will be ashamed of it." This is the hexagram of the Book of Changes, which means that if a person has no perseverance and cannot maintain his virtue forever, he will inevitably be humiliated. Confucius said, "Don't take it." Zheng Xuan commented: "Yi therefore accounts for good or ill luck, and those who have no constancy will not be accounted for by Yi." If a person has no perseverance, and the principle of doing things often wavers and cannot be consistent, then you don't have to go to divination to predict whether your things can be done, because it will definitely not be done! What are you doing with divination? I ching is useless to you!
Secondly, concentrate on it:
In The Analects of Confucius, Confucius said, "Studying for three years is not difficult to get." Learning is for yourself, not for others, not for food, and the real ambition is great. Learning is for yourself, not for others. Learning is to improve myself, to understand the truth by myself, to be practical and purposeful in my heart; Have a direction, stop at the best, and stop at peace of mind. Pursuit is the pursuit of Tao, the pursuit of mission, not the pursuit of wealth. Work and study are the same truth, especially for graduates and young people who have just stepped into society.
It reminds me of a passage in Collins's book "From Excellence to Excellence" that I spent a long time ago. "As long as you don't care about utility, you can accomplish anything"-Harry S. Truman. This passage has been guiding my 16 years of work, study and life, and encouraging everyone.
From the beginning of "The University", I talked about "Zhi Zhi", that is, the question of ambition. The original text is as follows: "The way of a university is to be virtuous, to be close to the people, and to stop at perfection. Zhi Zhi then has a decision, then he can be quiet, then he can be quiet, then he can be safe, and then he can think about it, and then he can get it. Things have a beginning and an end, and things have a beginning. If you know the sequence, you will be shortcut. " Only when you know where you want to go can you determine your ambition and know how your company will develop. Only in this way can we aspire to and determine our learning goals.
in Wang Yangming's "Biography", "I'm trying to learn from nothing. Gentlemen need to be trustworthy. Just determined. A scholar's ambition to be good is like planting a tree, but don't forget to help, just cultivate the future. Nature grows day and night. When the anger is over, the branches and leaves are flourishing. When a tree is born, it branches. It must also be published. Then the roots can be big. The same is true for beginners. So I am determined to be single-minded. " Confucianism says that learning comes first and determination is the key. After making up your mind, you just ask about cultivation, not about harvest. The only reason why you don't understand or can't "just ask about cultivation, don't ask about harvest" is that you have no ambition. Say, "Where there is a will, there is a way." This is not what an aspiring person says, because what he thinks about is "success", not "ambition".
The original
All talents compete with each other, depending on their interests. The humble settle down to vulgar and vulgar rules, and become increasingly dirty; The highest man yearns for the path of prosperity, while the day is brilliant. Whether a sage is wise or stupid depends on the area.
A talented person always depends on his interest. People with low interests are generally content with vulgar and mediocre stereotypes, so they become more and more humble and humble; People with high interests admire the style and actions of sages and philosophers, so they become more and more sophisticated. Therefore, the quality of talents can be distinguished.
in Zeng Guofan's way of employing people, he hates two kinds of people most, one is a boaster, and the other is a frivolous person. These two kinds of people are basically hard to reuse. Because a boaster is arrogant, a bottle is less than half a bottle. In school, teachers often use this sentence to warn us that we should be conscientious in doing things and studying, regardless of short-term utilitarianism, and we will make rapid progress.
The original
A gentleman's ambition also has the wealth of the people, the industry of being a sage inside and a king outside, and then he doesn't care about his parents' life, so he deserves to be a perfect man in heaven and earth. Therefore, it is a worry, and it is not as good as Shun and Duke Zhou, and it is also a worry that virtue does not study and does not speak. Therefore, stubborn people worry about it, barbarians worry about it in summer, villains worry about it if they are in power, and ordinary women worry about it if they are not self-satisfied. The so-called sad fate and compassion for the poor are also the worries of this gentleman. If the husband is bent and stretched, the family is hungry, the worldly honor and disgrace gains and losses, the dignity and disgrace, the gentleman is too worried to worry about this.
a gentleman is determined that he should speak on behalf of the sages, understand the principles of the sages, and do the sage's trip. Only in this way can he be worthy of being born to his parents and be a perfect person in the world. Therefore, worry comes from the heart, worrying about being inferior to saints like Yao Shun and Duke Zhou, and worrying about not being able to enter Germany to study and be preached. Therefore, stubborn unruly people are difficult to influence, so they are worried; Savage barbarians and slippery summers can't be conquered, so they are worried; The villain is in office, and the sage is far away, so he is worried; Ordinary women are worried if they don't get their own grace. This is what is usually called sad fate and pity for the poor people. This is a gentleman's worry. It's like a person's grievances and grievances, a family's hunger and satiety, worldly honor and humiliation, gain and loss, expensive and cheap, and ruin and reputation. A gentleman hasn't had time to worry about these.
The original
Mindfulness, being close to the people, and striving for perfection are all my internal affairs. If reading can't be considerate to my body, it means that these three things have nothing to do with my body, so what is the use of reading? Although he can write and write poems, Boya boasts that he can only be regarded as a literate herdsman, pig and slave! Can you call it a reasonable and useful person? The imperial court chose scholars by making arts, which means that it can speak on behalf of the sages, understand the principles of the sages, and make a trip to the sages, so that it can stay in the official position and lead the people. If we take Mingde and Xinmin as special things, we can be literate and poetic, but we don't know how to cultivate ourselves and govern others. Why is it different for the court to use these people as officials and use pig slaves as officials?
If someone just doesn't study, as long as he calls himself a scholar, he must be engaged in "University". There are three points in the outline of the university: moral integrity, new people and perfection, all of which are our duties. If reading can't be considerate to the body, saying these three points has nothing to do with me, then what's the use of reading? Although he can write and write poems, he is knowledgeable and boastful, and he is only a literate shepherd boy. How can he be called a reasonable and useful person? The imperial court admitted scholars by making arts, which means that he can take the place of sages and sages, and must understand the truth of sages and act like sages, so that he can manage the people for officials and lead the way. If you think that Mingde and Xinmin are foreign affairs, you can be literate and poetic, but you don't understand the truth of self-cultivation and governance. The court uses such people as officials; What's the difference between using a shepherd boy as an official?
The way to a university lies in yourself first, showing your virtue clearly, and then pushing yourself and others. In Xinmin, you should help others make progress. Mingde and being close to the people are two different levels of requirements, one is to cultivate one's morality, and the other is to help others. Personally, I think that only by doing oneself well can we educate and help others.
the same is true for each of us to make progress in our own study. There is a saying that "people who are too busy can't succeed". This statement is quite right! Why are you so busy? Because I don't know where to stop, and I don't know the perfect place, I just try to catch opportunities everywhere, look for opportunities, seize opportunities, and don't want to miss any opportunities. If you can be purposeful and clear about your mission, you will do something and not do something.
the original
if you are rewarded for running for months, you can still attend classes without disorder, but you can make progress every day. Life is always the first virtue. In my early years, I wrote a word together, but I also tried my best, and I finally achieved nothing. In recent days, I have been imitating the DPRK for a long time, and I feel that the months are different and the years are different. It can be seen that there is no difference between old and young, and nothing is difficult, but it is constant, and it is easy to plant trees and raise animals, and it is getting bigger and bigger. Make great progress and persevere, but after a year or two, you will be diligent and unaware. If you are slow in speech and heavy in manners, you will be virtuous. If the composition is vigorous and quick, the career will advance.
Zeng Guofan has two most important requirements for his disciples: perseverance and dedication.
Zeng Guofan's later achievements have a strong causal relationship with his ambition. Determined to be a scholar, determined to be a Neo-Confucianism scholar, determined to be a great official, determined to clarify the world, determined to suppress the "Guangdong bandits", determined to wash away the shame, determined to run westernization ... These ambitions were all adapted to the big environment at that time. After having these great ambitions, he tried to follow the direction leading to great ambitions and eventually became a strategist, politician and leader of the Westernization School, which had to be admired by us.
Being busy with social activities for many years, and being able to persist in studying, should have a bright future. In life, perseverance is the first virtue. In my early years, I also tried hard to explore calligraphy, but I didn't achieve anything. In recent days, I have been copying every day, never stopping, and I feel that I am changing with each passing day. It can be seen that no matter how old you are, no matter how difficult things are, as long as you persevere, just like planting trees and raising livestock, you can watch it grow up every day without feeling it. Do your best and persevere, but after one or two years, you will naturally make intangible progress. If you are slow in speech and heavy in manners, your character and temperament will improve. If the article is full of pride, then your studies will improve. ? Zeng Guofan often wrote letters from home and kept a diary. The insider said that he was sharpening his ambition. His letters from home cover a wide range of topics, ranging from studying in countries and latitudes, entering Germany as an official, conducting state affairs and military affairs, and pursuing academic pursuits and self-cultivation; From family life to interpersonal trivia, everything is involved. Although many letters are trivial, they show his sincerity and enthusiasm everywhere, without worldly hypocrisy. His diary is carefully written, and he doesn't make comments. The main purpose is to remember, correct his own mistakes, and form a constant habit. Zeng Guofan's ethical thought is that being a man should take the word "cowardice without rigidity" as a great shame, so a man must be stubborn to stand on his own feet.