Confucius said, “I have never seen anyone who loves virtue as much as they love beauty.”
Yan Hui sighed deeply and said, “The more I look up to the Master’s Way, the higher it appears; the more I delve into it, the firmer it becomes. Just when I think I see it ahead of me, suddenly it seems to be behind. My teacher guides people skillfully and step by step:…
Duke Ai asked about governance.The Master said:“The policies of Kings Wen and Wu are recorded in books and documents.Yet, when the right people are present, their policies flourish;when those people are gone, their policies cease.”
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…