Draw wisdom from history to understand the Way; put words into action to achieve lasting success.

On the afternoon of April 29, the Group held a symposium and quarterly corporate culture work conference titled “Viewing ‘The Peaceful Years’ and Comprehending the Humon Way.” Nearly 30 representatives from various companies gathered to share their insights on the popular TV series “The Peaceful Years,” their understanding of the Chairman’s annual address, and their own work practices. They discussed their takeaways, identified gaps, and clarified directions, thereby achieving a “tempering” of their thinking, a “refining” of their spirit, and a “benchmarking” of their management.

Watching the Play: Using History as a Mirror to Reflect on Ourselves

The historical choices made at each stage in “The Peaceful Era” have become frequent keywords and highlight moments throughout the entire discussion.

One delegate, starting from the “wisdom of making choices,” contrasted the current harsh realities of industry reshuffling and economic downturn, frankly stating: “It’s better to make clear-cut, informed choices than to stubbornly persevere blindly. At this historic juncture, we must see the bigger picture and keep our footing.” Another focused on the “way of embracing change,” sharing a managerial transformation from “brute force” to “strategic planning,” and reflecting with emotion: “Hiding doesn’t mean retreating; it means settling down and honing one’s inner strength. Changing doesn’t mean acting rashly; it means proactively adapting to the environment.” Yet another delegate used the line from the drama—“You have to take action to know”—to engage in self-reflection, questioning the “wait-and-see, rely-on-others, demand” mentality in work: “Peace and stability aren’t handed to us; they’re achieved through the concerted efforts of generation after generation.” The sustained development of Humon’s business is likewise the result of the tireless efforts of countless Humon employees across generations.

The scene in the drama in which Guo Wei pays homage at the Confucius Temple and reveres the sages has also sparked widespread discussion. As one representative put it: “He isn’t just observing—he’s learning, and then applying what he’s learned to govern the country and ensure its stability. The same goes for us when we watch the series: we need to reflect on ourselves and take personal responsibility; we can’t simply remain passive spectators.”

“We don’t watch dramas for the spectacle; we watch them to see ourselves and to glimpse the future.” This sentiment was universally agreed upon.

Enlightenment: Uphold the Right Path while Innovating, and Integrate Knowledge with Action.

During the symposium, participants interpreted the rich connotations of the “Humon Way” from different perspectives, drawing on the chairman’s annual address and their respective job practices, thus presenting a vivid “picture of enlightenment.”

Some share how they grew after “making a fool of themselves”: moving from fear of making mistakes to the courage to take risks; from reluctance to step forward to taking initiative and assuming responsibility—demonstrating that “making a fool of oneself” is ultimately a catalyst for positive change and accelerated growth. Others recount their experiences in team building: assigning challenging responsibilities, providing ample opportunities, and enabling young employees to hone their skills through hands-on experience and rigorous real-world trials, thereby nurturing talent through adversity. There are also technical professionals who have long been stationed overseas, braving altitude sickness, flash floods, and sandstorms to resolve customers’ most pressing challenges on the front lines, embodying through their actions the craftsman’s spirit of “throwing oneself into the work and shouldering full responsibility.”

Cases of sales personnel breaking conventional thinking and securing product orders amid market challenges serve as vivid illustrations of “change.” Delegates unanimously agreed that the “way” of Humon can be summarized in three dimensions: upholding integrity—only with a righteous heart can one achieve success; staying on the right path and adhering to bottom lines; being pragmatic—making steady, solid progress without unnecessary upheaval; and evolving—correctly balancing the dialectical relationship between tradition and inheritance, as well as between tradition and development, embracing the philosophical wisdom of “secrecy and change,” and continuously renewing and breaking through oneself throughout economic cycles.

Putting into practice: One must act to truly understand.

Realizing the Way hinges on putting it into practice. Centered on “taking action,” the Group has set forth four expectations for its management team: engrave “transforming the hidden into wisdom” in your heart; embed “rules and standards” in your daily work; shoulder the responsibility of “team building”; and make “learning and self-cultivation” a habitual practice.

The meeting calls on all managers to: first, engrave three words in their minds—“must be done.” Stop waiting for conditions to be perfect; go back and get to work, and start changing now. Second, hold up a clear mirror—reflect inward. Stop focusing on others’ shortcomings; instead, ask yourself whether you have ever backed down, hesitated, or made exceptions. Third, lead a strong team—not go it alone. When the team prospers, we all prosper; when the team suffers, we all suffer. Let’s lift the team and boost morale.

All participants unanimously agreed to take this symposium as a new starting point: uphold fundamental principles without clinging to the past, pursue practical action without reckless overreach, move forward without impetuous haste, dare to innovate without losing sight of order, and truly commit ourselves, lead our teams, and deliver results.

You have to do it to know. Only by working together can we see the outcome. This is not only the “Humon Way” learned from “Taiping Years,” but also the answer sheet that this generation of Humon people is earnestly presenting.