Confucius (551-479 BC) was a Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period who was traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages.

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I am grateful to BrainyQuote for sharing these observations by Confucius so that I can now share them with you.

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

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

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

o Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

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

o To know what you know is valuable. To know what you think you know but don’t is imperative.

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

o It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.

o Never give a sword to a man who can’t dance.

o What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.

o If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.

o Silence is a true friend who never betrays.

o The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.

o When anger rises, think of the consequences.

o Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.

o Study the past, if you would divine the future.

o Old age, believe me, is a good and pleasant thing. It is true you are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator.

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

o They must often change, those who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.

o A gentleman would be ashamed should his deeds not match his words.

o Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.

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

o An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.

o Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?

o It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.

o To see what is right and not to do it is lack of courage, or of principle. Often of both.

o The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.

o 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 worth possessing…and acknowledging.

o To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness.

o To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.

o Faced with what is right, what must be done, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.

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To learn more about Confucius, please click here.