SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

public opinion

  • The Analects – Chapter 19.20

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    Zigong notes King Zhou’s evils were overstated by later generations. He warns gentlemen to avoid a tainted moral standing; once reputations collapse, all worldly blame will unfairly fall on them.

  • The Analects – Chapter 16.2

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    Confucius said, “When the world is governed by the Way, rites and music and decisions on military campaigns originate from the Son of Heaven. When the world lacks the Way, they originate from the feudal lords. When they come from the feudal lords, rarely does their rule last beyond ten generations; when they come…

  • The Analects – Chapter 15.28

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    The Master said, “If everyone dislikes someone, you must investigate carefully; if everyone likes someone, you must also investigate carefully.”

  • The Analects – Chapter 15.25

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    The Master said, “When it comes to people, whom have I ever slandered? Whom have I ever praised lightly? If I have praised anyone, it was only after testing and verifying their character. It is precisely these common people who enabled the Three Dynasties – Xia, Shang, and Zhou – to follow the straight…

  • Mencius – Chapter 7.21 Undeserved praise and Unfair blame

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    Mencius said: “There is undeserved praise, and there is destructive criticism born of impossible expectations.”

  • Mencius – Chapter 2.7 The People’s Verdict

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    Mencius once said to King Xuan of Qi: “When we speak of an ‘ancient state’ – a nation with deep roots – it is not because it has towering old trees, but because it possesses generations of virtuous and capable ministers. Yet Your Majesty has no truly trusted advisors left. Those you promoted in…

  • Why Wang Yun executed Cai Yong? [Three Kingdoms]

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    In the final year of his life, Wang Yun, the loyal Han minister, accomplished two momentous deeds: