Chinese Philosopher Quotes

Confucius

Lao Tzu

Sun Tzu

Mencius

Zhuang Zhou

Hu Shih

Mozi

He who is not sage and wise, humane and just, cannot use secret agent.s. And he who is not delicate and subtle cannot get the truth out of them.

While the gentleman cherishes benign rule, the small man cherishes his native land. While the gentleman cherishes a respect for the law, the small man cherishes generous treatment.

In caring for others and serving heaven,
There is nothing like using restraint.

Knowledge is the beginning of practice; doing is the completion of knowing.

The fish trap exists because of the fish: once you have gotten the meanings, you can forget the words.

As for the formation of matter, it is never the product of sudden events, but always the outcome of gradual change.

He who is the ruler of men takes non-action as his way and considers impartiality as his treasure. He sits upon the throne of non-action and rides upon the perfection of his officials.

Where there is cinnabar above, yellow gold will be found below. Where there is lodestone above, copper and gold will be found below. Where there is calamine above, lead, tin, and red copper will be found below. Where there is haematite above, iron will be found below. Thus it can be seen that mountains are full of riches.

Be a master everywhere and wherever you stand is your true place.

Even the absolute universality of the law of causality does not necessarily limit a person's freedom, because the law of causality not only enables him to explain the past and predict the future, but also encourages him to use his intelligence to create new causes and attain new results.

When thoughts arise, then do all things arise. When thoughts vanish, then do all things vanish.

The capacity of the mind is broad and huge, like the vast sky. Do not sit with a mind fixed on emptiness. If you do, you will fall into a neutral kind of emptiness. Emptiness includes the sun, moon, stars, and planets, the great earth, mountains and rivers, all trees and grasses, bad people and good people, bad things and good things, heaven and hell; they are all in the midst of emptiness. The emptiness of human nature is also like this.

Remote fountains are of little help to nearby fires.

The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.

If every one in the world will love universally; states not attacking one another; houses not disturbing one another; thieves and robbers becoming extinct; emperor and ministers, fathers and sons, all being affectionate and filial — if all this comes to pass the world will be orderly. Therefore, how can the wise man who has charge of governing the empire fail to restrain hate and encourage love? So, when there is universal love in the world it will be orderly, and when there is mutual hate in the world it will be disorderly.

Heaven sees as the people see. Heaven hears as the people hear.

Not having heard something is not as good as having heard it; having heard it is not as good as having seen it; having seen it is not as good as knowing it; knowing it is not as good as putting it into practice.