Earth in Yellow Flower

The sayings of ConfuciusOn LearningHe who cherishes a love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.

If the scholar be not grave, he will not call forth any veneration, and his learning will not be solid.

A scholar whose mind is set on truth but who is ashamed of his bad clothes and bad food, is not fit to talk to.The five becloudingsThere is love of being benevolent without the love of learning.The beclouding here leads to foolish simplicity.

There is the love of knowing without the love of learning.The beclouding here leads to an injurious disregard of consequences.

There is the love of straightforwardness without the love of learning.The beclouding here leads to rudeness.There is the love of boldness without the love of learning.The beclouding here leads to insubordination.There is the love of firmness without the love of learning.The beclouding here leads to extravagant conduct.To be fond of learning is to be near to knowledge.To act with vigor is to be near to energy.To possess the feeling of shame is to be near to magnanimity.He who knows these three things knows how to cultivate his own character.Knowing how to cultivate his own character, he knows how to govern other people.Knowing how to govern other men, he knows how to govern the Empire with all its States and families.

The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith.He does not desire lands and territory, but considers the establishment of righteousness his domain.

He does not desire a great accumulation of wealth, but looks on many accomplishments as his riches. It is difficult to win him, but easy to pay him.It is easy to pay him, but difficult to retain him.

When a man of talents and virtue knows the difficulty and the ease in acquiring learning, and knows the good and bad qualities of learning, he can vary his methods of teaching.When he can vary his methods of teaching, he can be a Master indeed.

Shall I teach you what knowledge is?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.That is knowledge.