Zeng Guofan: Making friends is like choosing tea. There are ten types of people you can befriend, and ten types you should beware of. Deep friendships are worth cultivating.

1. Be friends with people who are better than you and experts—not to flatter, but to see your own shortcomings. Their methods, their outlook on life, and their way of speaking will help you improve over time.
2. Good-hearted people are like red objects near cinnabar. Spending time with kind-hearted individuals will broaden your mind. These people are like tall trees—reliable in wind and rain.
3. Interesting people are not just those who tell jokes, but those who can turn tough days into sweet ones. Being around such people, even cloudy days can see the light.
4. People who are willing to suffer losses—those who rush to pay the bill at dinner or are not afraid to put in extra effort—are not fools but warm-hearted. Their blessings lie ahead.
5. Those who dare to speak the truth will remind you when you’re wrong; when you stray, they will pull you back. Honest advice may be hard to hear, but it can save your life.
6. People with a long-term vision don’t just focus on the immediate three acres; they can discuss plans five years into the future. Such friends can help you see broader horizons.
7. Those who send help in times of need—when you’re successful, they don’t seek to join in; when you’re down, they lend a hand—such friendship can be remembered for a lifetime.
8. Understanding people can see issues from your perspective and comprehend your difficulties. Interacting with such people is effortless and not draining.
9. People with principles do not take benefits they shouldn’t, no matter how big; they don’t do things they shouldn’t, even in tough situations. Being with such people is reassuring.
10. Calm and emotionally stable people don’t get anxious or impatient when problems arise; even in difficult times, they speak kindly. This calmness can influence everyone around them.

Ten types of people to stay away from early on:
1. People with different ambitions—if you want to climb a mountain and they want to row a boat, forcing together will only delay each other.
2. Flatterers—those who praise you to your face but may see you as a stepping stone in their heart. Too much flattery can make you arrogant.
3. Unforgiving people—if you help them, they forget quickly; if you offend them over a small matter, they remember for ten years. These are ungrateful wolves.
4. People who love to take advantage—always “forget their wallet” when dining out or “happen to be busy” when needed. They seek small benefits but lose their integrity.
5. Indecisive people—today they praise the east, tomorrow they praise the west. You can’t rely on them in critical moments, and they might lead you astray.
6. Disrespectful to parents—those who are unfilial to their own parents are unlikely to treat you well. This is the bottom line of human nature.
7. Rigid thinkers—if they thought a decade ago the same way, they still do now. Talking to such people is like shouting at a wall.
8. Those who kick you when you’re down—when you’re unlucky, they kick hardest. They are like ice—see-through but cold and disheartening.
9. People with low morals—willing to do anything for profit. Today they scheme against others for you; tomorrow, they will scheme against you for others.
10. Negative energy carriers—always complaining and seeing the bad in everything. Spending too much time with such people will turn your sky gray.

Friends are not about having many, but about having genuine ones. Be honest and discerning—spend your time with those worth it, and life will feel clearer.