Zhongni

  • The Hunchback Catching Cicadas

    This interprets the hunchback catching cicadas parable from Zhuangzi ‑ Da Sheng chapter. Through disciplined pellet stacking practice, the hunchback gains supreme skill via undivided focus, showing how humble craft can evolve into alignment with the Dao.

  • Chapter 13. The Way of Heaven (Tian Dao)

    This Zhuangzi ‑ Tiandao excerpt highlights wu‑wei and inner stillness as governance’s root. It includes Wheelwright Bian’s famous parable arguing books hold only ancient dregs, and debates over artificial benevolence and righteousness.

  • The Analects – Chapter 19.24

    Zigong defends Confucius against slander. Ordinary virtuous men are mere hills one may climb, yet Confucius equals the unrivaled sun and moon. Slander cannot harm him; it only reveals the critic’s ignorance and lack of self-awareness.

  • The Analects – Chapter 19.25

    Zigong warns hasty words expose ignorance and compares Confucius to unreachable heaven. He depicts Confucius’ unmatched moral governance power: people would thrive, submit and unite under his rule, making him irreplaceable.

  • Mencius – Chapter 1.7 From Compassion to Kingship

    This article analyses Mencius 1.7’s dialogue with King Xuan of Qi. It argues innate compassion ought be extended to common people, differentiates unwillingness from incapacity, and proposes concrete benevolent‑governance rather than violent hegemony.

  • The making of a sage: Confucius [Spring & Autumn]

    This article traces the formative years of Confucius, detailing his journey from a humble birth to a renowned sage. It recounts his early tragedies, including the loss of his father at age three and his mother at seventeen, which instilled a deep devotion to filial piety. The narrative highlights his resilience against social rejection,…