Zengzi counsels newly appointed judge Yang Fu: rulers’ abandonment of the Way has long driven people to crime. When uncovering offenders’ truths, judges must hold compassion instead of pride, embodying Confucian benevolent and reflective justice.
Duke Ding asked, “Is there really a single saying that can bring prosperity to a state?”Confucius replied, “Words cannot be taken so absolutely. Yet people often say, ‘It is difficult to be a ruler; it is not easy to be a minister.’ If a ruler truly understands the difficulty of rulership and remains cautious…
Mencius said: “Speech without factual basis brings misfortune. And the one who bears the consequences of this misfortune is the person who blocks or suppresses the worthy.”