menu

Confucius

(46 quotes)

Confucius

Confucius (Qufu, 28 september 551, Qufu, 479 BC) was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. The philosophy of Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. His followers competed successfully with many other schools during the Hundred Schools of Thought era only to be suppressed in favor of the Legalists during the Qin Dynasty. Following the victory of Han over Chu after the collapse of Qin, Confucius's thoughts received official sanction and were further developed into a system known as Confucianism.

Thursday Jul 13, 2023

Confucius: Time

Time flows away like the water in the river.

Monday Jul 3, 2023

Confucius: Your plans

If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.

Tuesday May 23, 2023

Confucius: How to put the world in order

To put the world in order,
we must first put the nation in order;

to put the nation in order,
we must first put the family in order;

to put the family in order;
we must first cultivate our personal life;

we must first set our hearts right.

Tuesday May 16, 2023

Confucius: Speech and actions

A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.

Friday May 12, 2023

Confucius: Beauty

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

Wednesday Apr 19, 2023

Confucius: Do right

To see what is right, and not do it is the worst cowardice.

Tuesday Apr 11, 2023

Confucius: Don't stop

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

Friday Mar 17, 2023

Confucius: Don't complain

Don't complain about the snow on your neighbor's roof when your own doorstep is unclean.

Wednesday Feb 15, 2023

Confucius: What do you know?

To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.

Tuesday Dec 20, 2022

Confucius: Superior, and small men

What the superior man seeks in himself; is what the inferior man seeks in others.

Friday Dec 16, 2022

Confucius: Real knowledge

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.

Wednesday Dec 7, 2022

Confucius: How to save someone's life

Give a bowl of rice to a man
and you will feed him for a day.
Teach him how to grow his own rice
and you will save his life.

Monday Nov 28, 2022

Confucius: Music

Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.

Wednesday Nov 2, 2022

Confucius: How to think

When you see a good person, think of becoming like her/him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points.

Wednesday Aug 31, 2022

Confucius: Talking and silence

If what one has to say is not better than silence, then one should keep silent.

Monday Aug 22, 2022

Confucius: Speak after action

The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action.

Tuesday Jul 5, 2022

Confucius: Silcence

Silence is a true friend who never betrays.

Wednesday Jun 15, 2022

Confucius: Moving stones

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

Monday Mar 28, 2022

Confucius: Your job

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

Friday Mar 11, 2022

Confucius: Appreciating abilities

It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs.

Monday Jan 31, 2022

Confucius: Respect yourself

Respect yourself and others will respect you.

Friday Jan 14, 2022

Confucius: Asking questions

The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.

Friday Jan 7, 2022

Confucius: Questions and answers

He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

Friday Aug 6, 2021

Confucius: Your example

Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs.

Friday Mar 5, 2021

Confucius: Three learning methods

By three methods we may learn wisdom:

First, by reflection, which is noblest;

Second, by imitation, which is easiest;

and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

Thursday Sep 17, 2020

Confucius: Friction and trials

The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.

Thursday Jun 11, 2020

Confucius: hearing, seeing and doing

I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.

Friday Mar 13, 2020

Confucius: The evel in yourself

Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.

Thursday Feb 6, 2020

Confucius: Be careful with what you impose on others

Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.

Thursday Jan 30, 2020

Confucius: Look into your own heart

If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?

Tuesday Jan 21, 2020

Confucius: Anger and consequences

When anger rises, think of the consequences.

Thursday Jan 2, 2020

Confucius: Your teachers

If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.

Thursday Dec 26, 2019

Confucius: Falling and Rising

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

Thursday Nov 28, 2019

Confucius: People are equal

In their nature all people are equal, it is their habits that make the differences.

Thursday Apr 11, 2019

Confucius: Persons of worth

When we see persons of worth, we should think of equaling them.

When we see persons of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.

Tuesday Feb 26, 2019

Confucius: Good thoughts

The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.

Wednesday Feb 21, 2018

Confucius: With all your heart

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

Monday Nov 6, 2017

Confucius: Life is Simple

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

Tuesday May 31, 2016

Confucius: What are we ashamed of

In a country well governed,
poverty is something to be ashamed of.

In a country badly governed,
wealth is something to be ashamed of.

Friday May 20, 2016

Confucius: A black cat in the dark

The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat.

Friday Apr 29, 2016

Confucius: Imposing on others

If you don't want to do something, don't impose on others.

Friday Mar 4, 2016

Confucius: It starts with education

Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.

Tuesday Sep 8, 2015

Confucius: The lion and the tree

A lion chased me up a tree, and I greatly enjoyed the view from the top.

Monday Dec 1, 2014

Confucius: The Mistake

If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.

Tuesday Mar 18, 2014

Confucius: Goals

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.

Friday Oct 25, 2013

Confucius: How to open de door to personal excellence

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.