Zeng Guofan, one of the four important ministers of the late Qing Dynasty, was known as "Ten Thousand Ages", and this glory is rare in the long history. He was born into a famous family, the seventieth grandson of Zengzi, the representative of Confucianism, and showed a thirst for knowledge from an early age. At the age of six, he entered a private school to study, and at the age of eight, he was able to recite the Four Books and the Five Classics. However, Zeng Guofan's road to the imperial examination was not smooth.
In order to go to Beijing to participate in the imperial examination, Zeng Guofan went through ups and downs, not only bumpy roads, but also disputes with fellow villagers. What is even more regrettable is that Zeng Guofan went through three times in the imperial examination before he was selected. After stepping into the promotion, Zeng Guofan worked hard and studied under the Qing Dynasty minister Mu Zhang'a, and thus entered the official career, and his official position gradually climbed. In the end, Zeng Guofan became one of the four famous ministers of the late Qing Dynasty, which was probably unexpected for him who was promoted three times at the beginning.
People who achieve the extraordinary are often exceptional in every way. Zeng Guofan established for himself the life principle of "self-cultivation and self-discipline, seeking officials with virtue, and giving priority to etiquette". In terms of self-cultivation and self-discipline, Zeng Guofan adhered to the concept of governing the country and leveling the world with the Qi family, advocating diligence and thrift, and not being proud of officials. In his personal life, Zeng Guofan is more demanding of himself.
In the face of beauty, what kind of abstinence did Zeng Guofan take?It is recorded in "The Biography of Zeng Guofan" that Zeng Guofan once went to a friend's house as a guest, and looked at his friend's wife many times, feeling rude. Seeing other people's concubines once again looking at them incorrectly, Zeng Guofan deeply regretted his actions. He is well aware of the disadvantages of lust to the body, so he clearly stated in the "Book of Zeng Guo's Family": "Knowing that the body is weak, but not knowing moderation, it is not filial piety." In order to quit the disadvantages of lust, Zeng Guofan really worked hard.
Zeng Guofan has a strong sense of self-discipline, and in order to quit lust, he thought of writing a diary to reflect on himself. Even in his diary, Zeng Guofan once reprimanded himself, thinking that he was like a beast. Such self-reflection and abstinence from sex finally allowed Zeng Guofan to successfully defeat the lustful disease. The method of keeping a diary is extremely effective for him, but for us ordinary people, it is quite a difficult task to write a diary every day to reflect on ourselves. The hustle and bustle of today's society makes it difficult for us to settle down, even if we read a book quietly.