If one wishes to understand Chinese culture, values, and the way of thinking that has shaped billions of people for over 2,000 years, The Analects (Lunyu in Chinese) is an indispensable book. Compiled by the disciples of Confucius (Kongzi, 551–479 BCE) and their followers, this collection of dialogues, sayings, and anecdotes is not just…
Mencius said: “The Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties gained the empire through benevolence, and they lost it when benevolence was abandoned.The rise, fall, survival, or collapse of any state follows the same principle.”
Mencius once asked King Xuan of Qi: “Suppose one of Your Majesty’s ministers entrusted his wife and children to a friend before traveling to Chu state. When he returned, he found them freezing and starving. What should be done about such a friend?”
Mencius went to see King Hui of Liang, who said, “Venerable sir, you have traveled a thousand miles to see me – surely you must have some way to benefit my state?”
In Chapter 43 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as Zhuge Liang arrives in Chaisang to persuade Sun Quan to form an alliance against Cao Cao, he is confronted not by soldiers, but by scholars.
In the chaotic final years of the Eastern Han dynasty, the struggle for supremacy hinged not merely on military might, but on governance, leadership, and strategic vision.
“The Analects,” is an ancient Chinese text that is one of the most important works in Confucianism. It is a collection of sayings and ideas attributed to Confucius and his disciples, compiled by his followers after his death. The book covers a wide range of topics including ethics, morality, justice, sincerity, as well as…