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Ji Kangzi asked, “Which of your disciples is most eager to learn?” Confucius replied, “There was Yan Hui, who was truly eager to learn – but unfortunately, he died young! Now there is no one like him.”
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Confucius said, “There are those with whom one can study together, but not proceed together on the Way; those with whom one can proceed on the Way, but not stand firm with; and those with whom one can stand firm, but not exercise discretion.”
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Confucius said, “Only when the year turns cold do we know that the pine and cypress are the last to shed their leaves.”
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Confucius said, “The commander of an army of three divisions may be taken away, but the will of an ordinary man cannot be taken from him.”
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Confucius rarely spoke about profit. He spoke much more often about fate (the Mandate of Heaven) and humaneness (benevolence).
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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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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…
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In the state of Qi, there was a man who lived with one wife and one concubine. Every time he went out, he always returned home full of wine and meat. His wife asked him, “Who did you eat and drink with?” He always replied, “All wealthy and noble people.”