Jiang was originally named Yunfeng, a native of Hunan. After Jiang moved to Xiangxiang, his history was full of legends. It turned out that Jiang's grandfather saved a lot of money and was a famous local rich man.
Jiang's father, Jiang Honghui, is an overseas student in China. He has a chivalrous heart and a rich family business, so the neighbors in the distant village respect the Jiang family very much. Compared with the Zeng family, it is obviously much richer.
Due to many disappointments in the imperial examination hall, Jiang was determined to "abandon the farm house as the clan owner", so he "haggled over every ounce, never turned back, and his family fell behind." Ginger has the iron character of a mountain man. "Although poverty is rampant, his ambition has not been impaired."
When he betrothed his daughter to the Zeng family, he had high hopes for Zeng Linshu. He said, "If we study, can we learn from others? We won't learn from others, but we will learn from others?" I know that you are a capable scholar, and your descendants are successful enough to be the light of my Tao. When it comes to her. "This means that the development of a family and a person cannot be realized immediately, but must be passed down from generation to generation, just like running a relay race. This is the meaning of "further study".
Zeng Guofan's mother, Jiang, grew up in this environment, with a strong and open-minded personality and a deep understanding of righteousness. It can be said that it has concentrated many excellent qualities of traditional women in China. She grew up in a family of upbringing, and after entering Zeng's family, she was frugal and simple, virtuous and virtuous. Her family, like her grandfather, had a great influence on the Zeng Guofan brothers.
Jiang and Zeng Linshu have been married for more than 40 years and have had 9 children. Apart from her two dead daughters, she is the only food and clothing provider for more than a dozen people in her family.
For such a big family, it is very difficult to plan things like food and clothing, but she handles these things in an orderly way. From time to time, Zeng Linshu was depressed and troubled by the large population in his family, but Jiang often comforted him with a broad mind. This virtuous character benefits from what she learned from her mother's family, and has long been integrated into her blood, forming a very strong character. It is precisely because her family is a little poorer than Zeng Lin's calligrapher, plus her parents, two brothers and one younger brother that she has developed the mind of a large family with a large population and the habit of thrift. And brought this kind of ideological style directly to Zeng's family, and set a direct example for Zeng Guofan's brothers, which had a great influence.
Zeng Linshu has always admired Zhang Yue as much as his father Zeng Yuping. Therefore, he often takes his wife and children back to his home, which is not only an accident of visiting, but also a factor close to study. Another reason is that when Zeng Guofan was ten years old, he also went to study under his grandfather's door (Jiang set up a library at home and enrolled hundreds of students).
It is said that there is a well next to Jiang's house. Zeng Guofan once went to fetch water with his grandmother, huddled with his cousin and fell into a well. Fortunately, he was saved by Jiang. In his later years, Jiang Xin-fo thought it was a homophonic prediction that Jiang Jia and his great-grandfather repaid their gratitude and that his grandson almost drowned when he fell into a well: his grandson would definitely become a scholar in the future. This statement is superstitious, but it is related to Jiang's atmospheric, confident and humorous personality. Think about it, the child fell into the well and almost drowned, but didn't scare his family to death? !
Such a humorous remark did not free everyone from the shock. This is similar to accidentally breaking a plate and saying "Peace through the years".
Zeng Guofan's mother is not only diligent and strong, but also has become a strong body through constant work. For example, Zeng Guofan's father wrote to him and said, "Every time I tell him, I will give the couple strength." The brothers Kuansi (Guo Huang), Kuanliu (Guohua), Kuanjiu (Quanguo) and Houer (Bao Guo) also wrote to tell their brothers many times: "Mom is in good health."
In particular, Kuan Jiu wrote in a letter to his eldest brother on February 23, the second year of Xianfeng (1852): "Li Yueweng sent three baskets of fine tea and one basket of bamboo shoots. If it hasn't arrived yet, be sure to check it carefully. Two kinds of local products, mother adults are personally managed, which is quite meaningful ... "
I can see that Jiang is diligent and healthy, and I can see that my mother is worried about licking calves.
It's a pity that Jiang died laughing before seeing his son return to his hometown. Although this matter is taboo for the Zeng family, it is quite a mixed feeling for fear of damaging the image of the old mother. But history always leaves traces, and it is still discovered by people who care. The compilation is as follows:
Time: June 12th, Xianfeng two years, this day is a bit special. After receiving the imperial edict, Rikuanyi released the examiners of Jiangxi provincial examinations.
Venue: Lotus Pond in central Hunan, 3,000 miles away from Beijing.
Event: Mrs Jiang Tai, Zeng Guofan's mother, died suddenly.
Introduction: At that time, Jiang was under 68 years old, healthy and disease-free. Mrs. Jiang also wants to support her son.
Reason: Later, Mr. Zhu Yaojie, a writer in Shuangfeng County, recorded the story of Mrs. Jiang's "laughing into a fairy" in several couplets in his Miscellanies of Danlutang.
If you want to know what will happen, please see the next issue:
Different Zeng Guofan: the thirteenth time? Ouyang walked out of the scholarly family and learned from others.