Kung Fu Tzu (551 – 479 BC) or “Confucius” was the most influential philosopher-political thinker in China during the Asian feudal era. The son of a noble family in decline, he struggled to make his place in the ruling class of his time in the kingdom of Lu, China.
Known as Confucius in the West, This Eastern thinker formulated what would be known as Confucianism, an idea that he proclaimed for good government. Its bases resided in tolerance, respect, altruism and ethics.
20. Before the North Star, all the other stars bow before it
Before the good ruler, as mentioned, everyone follows him if he is virtuous.
21. I do not try to know the questions; I try to know the answers
Asking is easy, solving them is the complicated part.
22. Artful language and flattering behavior rarely accompany virtue.
There is nothing more empty than superficial talk.
23. The only ones who don’t change are the first-rate wise people and the completely idiotic ones.
The extremes always tend to be rigid.
24. Demand a lot from yourself and expect little from others
Expecting others to behave the same as us is wasting time.
25. If you already know what you have to do and you don’t do it then you are worse than before
One has to act if he knows what he wants. If not, he won’t find the way.
26. Know that you know what you know and that you do not know what you do not know; here is the true knowledge
Having clear objectives is essential in this life.
27. Men are distinguished less by their natural qualities than by the culture they provide themselves
Man was born wanting to know.
28. Education makes us different and distances us
Socialization lacks collective commitment, and often classifies people as different from one another.
29. Evil is not in having faults, but in not trying to amend them
Making mistakes is human, rectifying is wise.
30. The noble man has a broad and unprejudiced mind
Ethical awareness was an important topic for Confucius.
31. How can someone who does not know how to govern himself know how to govern others?
We always have to control our destiny and thoughts if we intend to lead the masses.
32. The true gentleman is the one who only preaches what he practices
Once again, Confucius resorts to the coherence between action and saying.
33. You shouldn’t complain about the snow on your neighbor’s roof when it also covers the threshold of your house.
Before complaining about other people’s things, we have to clean up after ourselves.
34. The inferior man is prejudiced and lacks a broad mind
There are always exploiters and exploited.
35. What the wise man wants, he seeks in himself; the vulgar, they look for it in others
It is the difference between successful people and unsuccessful people.
36. Wisdom is careful to be slow in its speeches and diligent in its actions
Soft words, strong actions.
37. The cautious are rarely wrong
Caution is a privilege for people.
38. Learn to live and you will know how to die well
You don’t have to fear death if you love life.
39. No matter how far the spirit goes, it will never go further than the heart
Passion makes us reach unsuspected heights.
40. Silence is the only friend that never betrays
It is better to be quiet and work like an ant.
41. They told me and I forgot; I saw and understood; I did it and I learned it
We have to learn to listen to others.
42. It is easier to seize the commander-in-chief of an army than to deprive a wretch of his freedom
Freedom is what sustains the existence of people.
43. He who, by returning to the old path, learns the new path can consider himself a master.
Interesting thought for meditation.
44. Do not try to put out a fire with fire, nor remedy a flood with water.
You have to know how to find the right solutions for each problem.
45. The man who has made a mistake and does not correct it commits another greater mistake
It’s not bad to be wrong. The bad thing is doing it again.
46. Study the past if you want to predict the future
From the past we learn to form a better future.
47. Some money prevents worries; a lot, it attracts them
Money has always been a complexity in human beings.
48. A strong voice cannot compete with a clear voice, even if it is a simple murmur.
By raising our voices we are no more right.
49. Conduct the state as you conduct the family, with authority, competence and good example
For some, the government is the reflection of the people and the family.
50. If you do not yet know life, how can it be possible to know death?
The death is part of life.
51. When you see a man devoid of virtue, examine yourselves
We always see our own defects in others.
52. Human nature is good and evil is essentially unnatural
Are we good people by nature?
53. If you do not respect the sacred, you have nothing to fix your behavior on
Customs and traditions were essential for Confucius.
54. The superior man always thinks of virtue; the vulgar man thinks of comfort
The comfort zone is reserved for the complacent.
56. When you see a wise man, think about matching his virtues
You have to copy the other virtuous people, take an example from the good ones.
57. Work to prevent crimes so as not to need punishments
Society needs education for good behavior. This is how violence is avoided.
57. The elevated man is the one who acts before speaking, and practices what he professes
We have to practice what we preach.
58. The wise man knows that he ignores
The wise man knows everything.
59. It is not the weeds that choke the good seed, but the negligence of the farmer
It is in each person’s hands to solve the problems.
60. The superior man is persistent on the true path
The superior man as the good, the ethical and kind.
61. Only the virtuous is competent to love men
We have to know how to love others to be an example to society. Loving yourself is easy.
62. He who knows the truth is not the same as he who loves it
Many know the truth but do not want to discover it.
63. Virtue does not live in solitude: it must have neighbors
The human being is sociable and was born to understand others.
64. Better than the man who knows what is just is the man who loves what is just
To be moral in this life, we have to keep justice in mind.
65. A scholar who is not serious will not inspire respect
Intellect and science require seriousness.
66. He who governs a people by giving a good example is like the North Star
Confucius made this simile for the good ruler.
67. Knowing how to govern is to rectify
Governing is not only the art of knowing how to command.
68. There is nothing colder than advice whose application is impossible
You have to be realistic and not just a utopian.
69. One who does not know how to govern himself, how will he know how to govern others?
A good question that we can ask about ourselves or about other people.
70. Every thing has its beauty, but not everyone can see it
Beauty can be found in the most unexpected places.
71. A house will be strong and indestructible when it is supported by these four columns: brave father, prudent mother, obedient son, complacent brother
This great thinker left us a large number of phrases and precepts for everyday life.
72. No matter how many favors you do, in the end they will judge you for the one you didn’t do
Some of his phrases are still fully relevant in today’s world.
73. Do you ask me why I buy rice and flowers? I buy rice to live and flowers to have something to live for
One of the most beautiful images of this great thinker.
74. Where there is education there is no class distinction
Education must be extended to all social classes.
75. Vices come as passengers, visit us as guests and stay as masters
A great plea against vices and in favor of righteousness.
76. You should always keep your head cold, your heart warm and your hand out.
One of his most remembered phrases, for its eloquence.
77. Silence is the only friend that never betrays
Both balance and silence are highly valued values in Chinese culture.
78. Life is really simple, but we insist on complicating it
A very necessary phrase that can accompany us throughout our lives.
Few more concise and simple phrases that we can use in our daily lives.
80. Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life
Most of his quotes are true life lessons and statements of principles.
81. Virtue must be common to the farmer and the monarch
Millions of people in China continue to follow the precepts of this great thinker.
82. Wherever you go, go with all your heart
Few messages are clearer and full of positivity and emotion.
83. Dedicate more time to what makes you really happy.
His messages are still relevant in today’s Chinese society.
84. The man who moves mountains begins by removing pebbles
Persisting in trying and being perseverant is the path to success.
85. Whoever seeks constant happiness and wisdom must adapt to frequent changes
The wise man is one who can adapt to constant change.
86. Reading without thinking makes us have a disordered mind. Thinking without reading makes us unbalanced
Confucius placed special emphasis on the ability to achieve virtue through study and reflection.
87. It is the man who makes the truth great, and not the truth that makes the man great
A truly profound phrase that will make us reflect.
88. A man does not try to see himself in flowing water, but in calm water, because only what is calm in itself can give peace of mind to others.
Eastern philosophy has as its most important value the tranquility and balance of all things.
89. Knowing what is right and not doing it is the worst of cowardice
A phrase that we can use as life advice for the rest of our days.
90. The biggest mistake is to succumb to despondency; all other errors can be fixed, this one cannot
We must be constant on our path to success, without ever losing hope.
91. If a bird tells you that you are crazy, you must be, birds don’t talk
A phrase as true as it is humorous.
92. If you serve Nature, she will serve you
One of the most important maxims regarding the relationship we must have with nature.
93. Is there a precept that can guide the action of an entire life? Love
One of the most beautiful phrases of this great Chinese thinker.
94. Never give a sword to someone who is not able to smile and dance
This great thinker left us great vital advice to put into practice on a daily basis.
95. The superior man is courteous, but not low; the vulgar man is creepy, but not polite
Confucius knew how to perfectly define the society of his time.
96. Today it is not interesting to progress, but to be successful. I don’t expect to find the perfect man. I would be content to find a man of principles. But it is difficult to have principles in these times when nothing pretends to be something and the empty pretends to be full.
A phrase that remains perfectly valid today.
97. The value of your house is the price your neighbor wants to pay for it
An interesting way to conceive the value of material things.
98. The path of truth is wide and easy to find. The only drawback is that men don’t look for it.
Truth is one of the topics that this great Eastern thinker addresses most.
99. When the wise man points at the moon, the fool looks at the finger
A truly famous phrase that was spread to modern society.
100. Forgive everything to those who forgive themselves nothing
A nice way to live life is to forgive any offense.
I’m Emily Williams Jones, a psychologist specializing in mental health with a focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness. With a Ph.D. in Psychology, my career has spanned research, clinical practice and private counseling. I’m dedicated to helping individuals overcome anxiety, depression and trauma by offering a personalized, evidence-based approach that combines the latest research with compassionate care.
