Ice Mirror's Heart Method

Author: Zeng Guofan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: When the Huai Army was first established, Li Hongzhang brought three people to pay a visit to Zeng Guofan. Coincidentally, Zeng Guofan was taking a walk after his meal. After Zeng Gong returned, Li Hongzhang requested an audience with those three people. Zeng Gong said, "No need." Li was startled and asked why. Zeng Gong said: "The first person lowered their head and dared not look up; they must be a meticulous, steady, and wise individual, suitable for holding ordinary official positions. The second person showed respect in front of him but looked around when out of sight; they must be a hypocritical person, not fit for employment. The other person glared fiercely, like an indestructible, with unwavering spirit; they are a loyal and righteous person, a military talent, and their achievements will not be inferior to ours." This military talent was Liu Mingchuan, a commander of the Huai Army. — Xiao Tianshi, Analysis of the Success Secrets of World Great Figures
From The Family Letters of Zeng Guofan, one can see that Zeng Guofan had unique insights in governance, military affairs, scholarship, and family management. The Ice Mirror reflects his art of observing people and his strategy for discerning talent, which is part of his comprehensive wisdom in governance, military affairs, and family management. His purpose in observing and discerning people was to select and appoint capable individuals, to discover and promote talent. He rejected the vulgar customs of the martial arts world, which emphasized appearance over spirit, the extraordinary over the ordinary, and technique over principle. His Ice Mirror emphasizes spirit while also considering form, the ordinary while distinguishing the extraordinary, and principle while guiding technique. It takes a holistic approach, evaluating people based on their appearance and spirit, capturing their essence from a static perspective, and observing their destiny from a dynamic one. It emphasizes balance and symmetry, proportion and harmony, moderation and appropriateness, harmony and coordination, primary and secondary roles, and so on. It is one of the theoretical works of ancient Chinese scholars specializing in literature, known as the "Studio School" or "Literati School."
The name "Ice Mirror" is derived from the idea of using ice as a mirror to discern the finest details. The original text, in limited space, encapsulates the essence of ancient Chinese Taoism, Yin-Yang philosophy, and medical wisdom. It is concise yet profound, with few words but deep meaning. However, its language is brief yet obscure, making it difficult to understand. This book, based on the original text, includes careful annotations and detailed explanations to facilitate reading.