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Confucius Quotes
551 BC–479 BC China
Confucius (traditionally 28 September 551 B.C. – 479 B.C.) was a Chinese social philosopher, whose teachings deeply influenced East Asian life and thought. "Confucius" is a latinization of the Chinese 孔夫子, Kong Fu Zi or K'ung-fu-tzu, literally "Master Kong", but he is usually referred to in China with a simpler version of this honorific as 孔子, Kongzi, or Kǒng Zǐ.
China Editors Educators Historians Philosophers Also known as: Confucianism, Confucianist, Confucious, K'ung-fu-tzu, Kong Fu Zi, Kongzi
Random Confucius quote
163 quotes
Being in humaneness is good. If we select other goodness and thus are far apart from humaneness, how can we be the wise?
What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
There is the love of knowing without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind.
The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell.
The superior man loves his soul; the inferior man loves his property.
To rank the effort above the prize may be called love.
The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration: this may be called perfect virtue.
When a man at forty is the object of dislike, he will always continue what he is.
It is not truth that makes man great, but man that makes truth great.
The Importance of Living (1937)
When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.
Recompense hatred with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.
There are only the wise of the highest class, and the stupid of the lowest class, who cannot be changed.
Of all people, girls and servants are the most difficult to behave to. If you are familiar with them, they lose their humility. If you maintain a reserve towards them, they are discontented.
A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.
Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know men.
When anger rises, think of the consequences.
Yu-p'u Wang The Sacred Edict: Containing Sixteen Maxims of the Emperor Kang-He (1817)
The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.
The superior man (Junzi) is quiet and calm, waiting for the appointments of Heaven.
A man's character is formed by the Odes, developed by the Rites and perfected by music.
Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.
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