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Someone asked Confucius about Zi Chan. The Master said, “He was a man who showed kindness to the people.”He then asked about Zi Xi. Confucius replied, “That man! That man!” (a dismissive and evasive expression).He further asked about Guan Zhong. Confucius said, “He was a true man! He confiscated three hundred households of Bo…
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The Master said, “To send the people into battle without first instructing them is to abandon them.”
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What is meant by “governing the state must begin with regulating one’s family” is this:There has never been anyone who could not teach his own family yet was able to instruct others.
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Following in the footsteps of Confucius, Mencius (Mengzi, 372–289 BCE) stands as the second great sage of Confucianism, whose teachings solidified and expanded the philosophical system laid by his predecessor. His work, Mencius, a collection of dialogues, debates, and moral arguments, is not merely a supplement to The Analects – it is a foundational…
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Chunyu Kun asked Mencius: “Is it true that, according to ritual propriety, men and women should not directly hand things to each other?”
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Mencius said: “A truly respectful person never humiliates others;a truly frugal person never takes what belongs to others.Yet some rulers humiliate their people and seize their wealth,all while fearing that others won’t obey them.How can such people be called ‘respectful’ or ‘frugal’?Can respectfulness and frugality really be faked through tone of voice, smiles, and…