In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, Zeng Guofan, a man of the hour, became a famous minister by virtue of his outstanding political and military talents. In his private life, Tsang's strict upbringing and overemphasis on "women's morality" had a profound impact on his daughters. During this period, Chinese society was in a state of violent turmoil, with conservative social concepts, low status of women, and marriage was mostly determined by the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers. Tsang's upbringing and marriage conceptions, although seen at the time as strict and responsible, actually suffered from it.
In Zeng's mansion, Zeng Guofan had strict requirements for his children's education, especially his daughter's marriage. Zeng Guofan's eldest daughter, Zeng Jijing, was instilled from an early age that she must strictly abide by women's morals in preparation for marrying into a high family. Zeng Guofan believes that the value of a woman lies in whether she can bring glory to the family through marriage. When there was an opportunity to marry Zeng Jijing to the son of a scholarly Yuan family, Zeng Guofan readily agreed, without delving into Yuan Yusheng's personal character.
Yuan Yusheng, described as a "tiger head and tiger brain", is handsome and chic in the eyes of outsiders, but in fact he is a gentleman who does not learn and has no skills. Before marriage, he had already taken a concubine, and he was often idle and indulged in wine. Zeng Jijing soon felt her husband's indifference and irresponsibility after marriage, and she cried to her father many times, hoping to be rescued.
Although Zeng Guofan was angry in his heart, he decided to train his son-in-law himself because of the reputation of his family and personal interests. In Zeng's mansion, he strictly supervised Yuan Yusheng, hoping to transform him into a qualified husband and official. Yuan Yusheng, whose habits were difficult to change, not only did not repent, but behaved more presumptuously, and even openly solicited prostitutes outside, and was finally severed by Zeng Guofan due to corruption.
After experiencing countless frustrations, Zeng Jijing finally chose to return to her parents' home, hoping to be sheltered. Zeng Guofan insisted that his daughter was already the daughter-in-law of the family, and she should return to her husband's house to "do her best". This decision made Zeng Jijing feel deeply desperate, she suffered humiliation in the Yuan family, and finally ended her young life in despair.
Zeng Guofan's third daughter, Zeng Jichen, has a strikingly similar experience to her eldest sister. Although her husband's family background is prominent, her husband is also of bad character. Zeng Jichen also suffered from her husband's neglect and abuse, and finally broke down physically and mentally and left this world.
The occurrence of these tragedies made Zeng Guofan begin to reflect on his marriage arrangements and family education methods for his daughters. His youngest daughter, Zeng Jifen, was treated more cautiously because of this. Zeng Guofan was more cautious in her choice of marriage, no longer only considering the family, but more about the man's character and conduct. Zeng Jifen was not engaged until she was 18 years old, and she was officially married at the age of 24, which was extremely rare at the time. Her marriage was relatively happy, which also gave Zeng Guofan a new understanding of "women's morality" and family education.
Although Zeng Jifen's marriage was late, it can be said to be lucky compared to her sisters. Although her husband came from an ordinary family, he was very affectionate, valued his wife, and respected her opinions and freedoms. Zeng Guofan was extremely relieved to see that his daughter was finally able to have a happy marriage. In his later years, he often reflected on his approach to education and his views on women, becoming aware of past mistakes and prejudices.
Zeng Guofan's tutoring story is a microcosm of an era. It reflects not only the expectations and constraints of traditional society on the role of women, but also the mistakes that even the most talented politicians can make in their private and family lives. These stories remind us that education and family values in any age should be based on respect and understanding, and avoid being led astray by the constraints of tradition. Zeng Guofan's final awakening, although late, has its profound historical significance, reminding future generations to find a balance between inheritance and reform.