Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang and Zhang Zhidong, were called the "Four Famous Ministers" of the late Qing Dynasty. His life was full of legends. During his tenure, he promoted Westernization Movement to encourage talents and actively learn advanced Western technologies.
Such a capable minister in the late Qing Dynasty did not come from a great family, but just an ordinary .
He has taken several imperial examinations before he passed the imperial examination. After more than ten years of ups and downs in the officialdom, he finally reached the second-rank . It is because Zeng Guofan once believed in a truth:
Men want to become great people, and their connections are second to !
Zeng Guofan also learned four truths from his life experience. If you can understand the truth, you may be able to stand out.
"Super" mantra
"Strong support, can build extraordinary careers."
During the feudal society, Zeng Guofan, who had no prominent background, could only rely on the imperial examination and become an official, and then he could do something.
His life is "心" . This "support" can be said to be the persistence of and perseverance of , or it can be the that stands up, brave and crafty .
Zeng Guofan failed the exam, but he did not give up because of several failures. Instead, he devoted himself to studying and worked harder to meet the next exam.
And God pays off on his heart, Zeng Guofan finally made his first pass and embarked on his career.
After he entered the court as an official, he did not rush forward rashly, but had a clear enough view of the overall situation, could distinguish right from wrong, stand up, and actively establish the Hunan Army, and made certain contributions to suppressing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement.
In his life, he encountered danger, but he was still tenacious and not easily discouraged. With the support of this belief, he would definitely ride the wind and waves and move forward.
No one’s life is smooth sailing. It’s just that on this thorny road, after countless failures and setbacks, can you overcome all obstacles and achieve success.
Therefore, men want to become great, not all rely on "connections" , but when encountering setbacks and hardships, the key to is to stick to and keep going.
"Spicy" word mantra
"Super sharp eyes and hands" .
Zeng Guofan once used this to evaluate his disciple Li Hongzhang, saying that he was decisive in doing things in , and could directly get to the point and grasp the most core part to implement it.
Zeng Guofan himself has the same attitude towards doing things. He is not afraid of the powerful and does not stick to feudal constraints, and directly expresses and implements his views and actions.
Therefore, many ministers in the late Qing Dynasty believed that Zeng Guofan was a vicious person .
If a man wants to become a great man, he naturally cannot show an overly weak, cowardly and indecisive personality, and remember to look at the problem with the kindness of a woman.
If a man hesitates and keeps wandering, he may miss the opportunity he is about to get.
So if a man wants to become a great man, he must make decisive choices with . must not be indecisive . As long as he is within the legal scope and does not go against his own wishes, he has made up his mind and sees the opportunity, he can execute it immediately.
"Respect" mantra
"Disrespect for others is disrespectful."
Since ancient times, China has been influenced by Confucian cultural thought. In terms of dealing with the world and dealing with people, it is to follow "Love and Respect" .
Zeng Guofan was also deeply influenced by him, and the word "respect" was reflected everywhere in his behavior.
Only by respecting others in interpersonal communication can you gain respect from others. This is basic common sense.
Man wants to become a great man and want to achieve a career, he must communicate and cooperate with others, which means he needs to establish friendly relationships with others.The prerequisite for getting along well with others is to learn to respect.
will not be treated differently based on its status, age, or appearance. And no matter whether the other person is useful to you or not, you should maintain a humble heart that respects others.
Zeng Guofan was also praised for treating others humbly and , respecting others, and being praised. He never treated people differently because of his official status. This shows that his attitude towards things has won him the praise of people around him.
"Forgive" mantra
"Tolerating others' shortcomings is a heroic act."
Zeng Guofan was humble throughout his life and treated others sincerely. Even if someone in the court and the country disagrees with him and targeted him everywhere, Zeng Guofan was not angry, and he still treated tolerantly treating .
Zuo Zongtang, a famous late Qing official who was as famous as it, once had no choice but to deal with Zeng Guofan. Zuo Zongtang opposed him in the court and often put forward opinions that were contrary to Zeng Guofan.
But Zeng Guofan was not angry about it, but instead used a sincere heart to resolve the conflict between the two.
Zeng Guofan did not change his view of Zuo Zongtang because of his targeting him everywhere, but instead appreciated Zuo Zongtang's talents and recommended him to help Zuo Zongtang many times.
A man wants to become a great man, and his ability is an important part, but he must learn to tolerate , and forgive others’ mistakes . Don't be too harsh, as this will cause mediocre people to disturb themselves and punish themselves with the faults of others.
Zeng Guofan’s four mantras make people understand that if you want to become a great person, it is not just about connections, but also about self-cultivation. Those who are capable of can actually become .
