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Being towards death

Heed not to the tree-rustling and leaf-lashing rain, Why not stroll along, whistle and sing under its rein. Lighter and better suited than horses are straw sandals and a bamboo staff, Who's afraid? A palm-leaf plaited cape provides enough to misty weather in life sustain. A thorny spring breeze sobers up the spirit, I feel a slight chill, The setting sun over the mountain offers greetings still. Looking back over the bleak passage survived, The return in time Shall not be affected by windswept rain or shine.
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The Twelve Daily Lessons Set by Zeng Guofan

#读书摘要109
AI Translation
This post is translated from Chinese into English through AI.View Original
AI-generated summary
This passage outlines a set of principles and practices for self-discipline and self-improvement. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining composure, engaging in daily meditation, waking up early, reading consistently, studying history, speaking cautiously, cultivating energy, taking care of oneself, recording daily reflections, writing poetry, and avoiding unnecessary outings at night. The passage also mentions the challenges of putting these principles into practice and the example of Wang Yangming and Zeng Guofan in their efforts to self-analyze and seek advice from others. The passage concludes with an unrelated mention of a screenshot.

  1. Main Stillness: When there is nothing to do, be neat and serious, with a calm mind; when dealing with matters, be focused and undistracted, with a single-minded heart.

  2. Sitting in Stillness: It is necessary to sit in stillness every day, experiencing the tranquility that brings forth a benevolent heart, maintaining a proper position and a concentrated mind, like a stable tripod.

  3. Early Rising: Rise at dawn without lingering in bed.

  4. Reading without Deviation: Do not read other books before finishing the current one, read ten pages every day.

  5. Reading History: Read at least ten pages of the Twenty-Three Histories every day, without interruption even if there are other matters.

  6. Be Cautious in Speech: Speak cautiously, always keeping in mind the saying "disaster comes from the mouth."

  7. Cultivate Qi: Store Qi in the lower abdomen, cultivate oneself and nurture one's character.

  8. Preserve One's Well-being: Moderate labor, desires, and diet, always treating oneself as if one were taking care of an illness.

  9. Daily Knowledge of One's Deficiencies: Record a casual conversation every day, divided into categories of moral conduct, knowledge, economy, and art.

  10. Never Forget One's Capabilities: Write several poems or essays every month, avoiding excessive delay, as it is easy to lose one's ambition.

  11. Calligraphy Practice: Practice calligraphy for half an hour after breakfast, considering all calligraphy activities as part of one's studies, without leaving them for the next day.

  12. Do Not Go Out at Night: Exhausting oneself and depleting one's spirit, strictly avoid it!

In fact, Wang Yangming also mentioned this in the "Record of Transmitting Learning": When it is time to act, act; when it is time to stop, stop; when it is time to live, live; when it is time to die, die. However, although we know so much about these principles, it is still difficult to put them into practice.

When Zeng Guofan encountered such situations, he constantly analyzed himself. Although he was aware of the problem, sometimes it was difficult to align his actions with his knowledge. He recorded these experiences in his diary, not only for his own reflection but also for his friends to read and provide suggestions.

Screenshot_4_upscayl_4x_realesrgan-x4plus

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