Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature
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Yuan Rang was sitting with his legs sprawled open, waiting casually for Confucius. The Master said, “When you were young, you showed no modesty or respect for elders; when you grew up, you achieved nothing worth mentioning; now that you are old and still refuse to die, you are nothing but a pest!” With…
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The Ji family was richer than the Duke of Zhou, yet Ran Qiu, one of Confucius’s disciples, helped them amass even more wealth by collecting taxes and enriching them further. Confucius angrily said, “He is no longer my disciple! You young men may beat the drum and openly denounce him.”
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When Confucius asked someone to convey his regards to a friend in another state, he would bow twice respectfully before sending the messenger off. When Ji Kangzi sent him medicine, Confucius bowed and accepted it, but said, “I do not yet understand its nature; I dare not taste it.”
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5.25 Once when Yan Hui and Zilu were waiting upon him the Master said, “Suppose each of you were to tell his wish.”
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2.22 The Master said, “I do not see what use a man can be put to, whose word cannot be trusted. How can a waggon be made to go if it has no yoke-bar or a carriage, if it has no collar-bar?”
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The great officers of the court must foster in themselves a bit of the mindset of the hermit who lives in the mountains and forests.
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In dealing with other people, a person must be broad-minded and tolerant, so as not to make them sigh with resentment.