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While in Chen, Confucius and his followers ran out of food. His disciples fell ill from hunger and could not get up. Zilu, visibly angry, came to see him and asked, “Can even a noble person (junzi) fall into such desperate straits?”The Master replied, “The noble person steadfastly endures poverty; when the petty person…
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Duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about military formations. Confucius replied, “I have heard about matters of ritual vessels and sacrifices; as for military affairs, I have never studied them.” The next day, he left Wei.
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The Master said, “The most virtuous withdraw from the world entirely; the next withdraw from a particular state; the next avoid disrespectful looks; and the next avoid offensive words.”The Master added, “There have already been seven such people.”
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Zilu asked Confucius, “What kind of person can be called a ‘complete person’ (a morally and intellectually fulfilled individual)?”The Master said, “If someone possesses the wisdom of Zang Wuzhong, the lack of desire of Gongchuo, the courage of Bian Zhuangzi, and the talents of Ran Qiu – and is further refined by ritual and…
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The Master said, “When the state is well governed, speak uprightly and act uprightly; when the state is poorly governed, act uprightly but speak modestly and cautiously.”
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Yuan Xian asked Confucius what constituted “shame.”The Master said, “When the state is well governed, it is right to draw a salary as an official; but when the state is poorly governed, to still draw a salary is shameful.”Yuan Xian then asked, “If someone can suppress competitiveness, boastfulness, resentment, and desire, can he be…
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The Master said, “The noble person (Confucian gentleman) is easy to work with but hard to please. If you try to please him in ways that violate the Way (Dao), he will not be pleased; yet when he employs others, he uses them according to their abilities. The petty person is hard to work…