The Master spoke of Gongzi Jing of Wei, saying, “He was good at managing his household. When he first had a little, he said, ‘It’s sufficient enough.’ When he had a bit more, he said, ‘It’s complete enough.’ When he became wealthy, he said, ‘It’s beautiful enough.’”
Nan Rong repeatedly recited the lines from the Book of Odes: “A flaw in a white jade tablet can still be polished away; but a flaw in one’s speech can never be undone.” Because of this, Confucius gave his elder brother’s daughter to Nan Rong in marriage.
Among Confucius’s disciples, each excelled in different areas: Yan Yuan, Min Ziqian, Ran Boniu, and Zhong Gong stood out in moral character; Zai Wo and Zi Gong were gifted in speech (diplomatic eloquence and debate); Ran You and Ji Lu (Zilu) were skilled in state affairs; and Zi You and Zi Xia excelled in…
Confucius said, “Only when the year turns cold do we know that the pine and cypress are the last to shed their leaves.”
7.6 The Master said, “Set your heart upon the Way, support yourself by its power, lean upon Goodness, seek distraction in the arts”
When a piece of writing reaches the acme of perfection, it is not because it contains some miraculous ingredient, but because it is written in exactly the right way.
When judging a person who has encountered misfortune and hardships, it is necessary to understand the aspirations and ambitions he set out with.