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Quotes by Chinese Authors
"Be the chief but never the lord."
"To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."
"To succeed in life in today's world, you must have the will and tenacity to finish the job."
"The sage does not hoard. The more he helps others, the more he benefits himself, The more he gives to others, the more he gets himself. The Way of Heaven does one good but never does one harm. The Way of the sage is to act but not to compete."
"The principle on which to manage an army is to set up one standard of courage which all must reach."
"To realize that you do not understand is a virtue; Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect."
"Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished."
"If the Great Way perishes there will morality and duty. When cleverness and knowledge arise great lies will flourish. When relatives fall out with one another there will be filial duty and love. When states are in confusion there will be faithful servants."
"No lake so still but it has its wave.No circle so perfect but that it has its blur.I would change things for you if I could, As I can't you must take them as they are."
"In the history of literature there are many great enduring works which were not published in the lifetimes of the authors. If the authors had not achieved self-affirmation while writing, how could they have continued to write?"
"If you look at their intentions, examine their motives, and scrutinize what brings them contentment " how can people hide who they are? How can they hide who they really are?"
"Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain."
"Just remain in the center, watching. And then forget that you are there."
"The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself."
"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."
"How to play music may be known. At the commencement of the piece, all the parts should sound together. As it proceeds, they should be in harmony while severally distinct and flowing without break, and thus on to the conclusion."
"When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteoousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders'."
"Words are the voice of the heart."
"As soon as you have made a thought, laugh at it."
"Choose food, clothing, and shelter that accords with nature.Rely on your own body for transportation. Allow your work and your recreation to be one and the same. Do exercise that develops your whole being and not just your body. Listen to music that bridges the three spheres of your being. Choose leaders for their virtue rather than their wealth or power. Serve others and cultivate yourself simultaneously. Understand that true growth comes from meeting and solving problems of life in a way that is harmonizing to yourself and to others. If you can follow these simple old ways, you will be continually renewed."
"Don't grieve when people fail to recognize your ability. Grieve for your lack of ability instead."
"If the people never fear death,what is the purpose of threatening to kill them?If the people ever fear death,and I were to capture and kill those who are devious,who would dare to be so?If the people must be ever fearful of death,then there will always be an executioner.Now,To kill in place of the executionerIs likeHewing wood in place of the master carpenter;Few indeed will escape cutting their own hands!"
"The future may be made up of many factors but where it truly lies is in the hearts and minds of men. Your dedication should not be confined for your own gain, but unleashes your passion for our beloved country as well as for the integrity and humanity of mankind."
"In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity."
"Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles."
"The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has."
"We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country -- its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps."
"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."
"When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it - this is knowledge."
"What the superior man seeks is in himself what the small man seeks is in others."
"Attain complete emptiness,Hold fast to stillness.Understanding the ordinary: Mind opens.Mind opening leads to compassion,Compassion to nobility,Nobility to heavenliness,Heavenliness to TAO. TAO endures. Your body dies.There is no danger."
"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated."
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