Confucius: Doing

Confucius was Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher. Explore interesting quotes on doing.

Confucius: 538 quotes101 likes

“Be loyal and trustworthy. Do not befriend anyone who is lower than yourself in this regard. When making a mistake, do not be afraid to correct it.”

Source: The Analects, Chapter I

“A young man should serve his parents at home and be respectful to elders outside his home. He should be earnest and truthful, loving all, but become intimate with humaneness. After doing this, if he has energy to spare, he can study literature and the arts.”

Source: The Analects, Other chapters

“When your father is alive, observe his will. When your father is dead observe his former actions. If, for three years [after the death of your father] you do not change from the ways of your father, you can be called a 'real son (xiào/hsiao).”

The Analects, Chapter I, Chapter IV

“Chi Wan thought thrice, and then acted. When the Master was informed of it, he said, "Twice may do."”

Source: The Analects, Chapter V

“I know how it is that the path of the Mean is not walked in — The knowing go beyond it, and the stupid do not come up to it. I know how it is that the path of the Mean is not understood — The men of talents and virtue go beyond it, and the worthless do not come up to it.”

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

“Men do not stumble over mountains, but over molehills”

Reported in: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Agriculture (1973) Hearings Before the Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, Ninety-second Congress. p. 21
Attributed

“I am not bothered by the fact that I am not understood. I am bothered when I do not know others.”

Source: The Analects, Chapter I