What does it mean to give people fish?

Principle: The wolf will resolutely leave the little wolf when he is independent, because the wolf knows that if he can't be a wolf, he can only be a sheep.

Interpretation: There is a saying in Laozi: "It is better to teach people to fish than to teach them to fish. Giving people fish can only save a moment, and giving people fish can solve the needs of a lifetime. " This means that a fish can solve temporary hunger, but it can't solve long-term hunger; If you want to have fish to eat forever, you must learn how to fish. A deeper understanding is to teach others how to make a living, as well as the truth of being a man and living.

If my son is promising, he can earn his own food without my official package; If my son has no ambition, if he accumulates more money, he will commit more crimes. He will definitely tarnish my family's reputation in the future. So I made up my mind that I would never make a fortune by being an official or leave my money to future generations.

In his letter to his younger brothers, he said: the government does not accumulate wealth, so that children can understand that they cannot rely on their elders. If you don't work hard, you will be hungry and cold. Let the children work hard slowly and know how to stand on their own feet.

In a letter to his two sons, he warned that money and land are the easiest ways to encourage people's arrogance. My family can't accumulate money and never buy land. Your brothers study hard and are never afraid of going without food.

Zeng Guofan is a wise man who has experienced decades and is familiar with the gains and losses of human poverty. He summed up a rule: those who are not rich and those who have children are neither arrogant nor impetuous. He said: "As for aristocratic men, they don't have much money and clothes. Although things are small, they can do a lot." Because too much money is easy to be arrogant, easy to be extravagant, easy to be dissolute, and easy to be dissolute, which will inevitably lead to the destruction of the family.

Zeng Guofan abided by the principle of not leaving money for his children all his life. He has made it clear that the dowry for marrying his daughter cannot exceed 220 taels of silver. Zeng Guofan's first three daughters were all married according to this rule. Until the fourth daughter got married, Mrs Ouyang followed this rule.

So is marrying a daughter, and so is marrying a daughter-in-law. Xianfeng ten years, he sent home letters and two hundred and twenty pieces of silver, of which one hundred and twenty was used for Ceng Jize's marriage and the other one hundred and twenty was used for my nephew's marriage. It is really rare for such a big official flower 120 to hold a wedding.

In a letter to his younger brother, Zeng Guofan had such a passage: I heard that when Lin Wenzhong's three sons (namely Lin Zexu) separated, each had only 6,000 strings of money; Gong Lin has been the governor for 20 years, but his family is so poor and virtuous that it is beyond our reach. As officials, we should follow this style.

I attach great importance to gifts for two reasons. First, my family is so lucky that I have to be extra careful. This is the way to protect my interests. Once the old debt is paid off, the benefits will be too complete, and I am afraid it will be extremely profitable. If you don't pay your debts, you will feel a fly in the ointment and always remind yourself at home. The second reason is that relatives at home are poor and old, and they are not given help now. They don't know how to live. Although the debts at home are not paid now, they can always be paid later; Give gifts to your relatives and friends. If you don't do it now, I'm afraid it's too late to regret it later.

Zeng Guofan also said, don't say these gifts are his idea, but the opinions of parents and grandpa, which is in line with intimacy. After receiving the letter, Zeng Guofan's father thought it was a virtue, so he gave it to relatives and friends in full accordance with Zeng Guofan's list.

The Zeng family flourished, and every generation had outstanding talents. If he became an outstanding diplomat, he had profound attainments in mathematics and was a famous poet. This result is largely due to Zeng Guofan's family precepts.