The superior man honors his virtuous nature, and maintains constant inquiry and study, seeking to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to… - Confucius

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Engraved portrait of Confucius

The superior man honors his virtuous nature, and maintains constant inquiry and study, seeking to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to omit none of the more exquisite and minute points which it embraces, and to raise it to its greatest height and brilliancy, so as to pursue the course of the Mean. He cherishes his old knowledge, and is continually acquiring new. He exerts an honest, generous earnestness, in the esteem and practice of all propriety. Thus, when occupying a high situation he is not proud, and in a low situation he is not insubordinate. When the kingdom is well governed, he is sure by his words to rise; and when it is ill governed, he is sure by his silence to command forbearance to himself.

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About Confucius

Confucius (traditionally 28 September 551 B.C. – 479 B.C.) was a Chinese social philosopher, whose teachings deeply influenced East Asian life and thought. "Confucius" is a latinization of the Chinese 孔夫子, Kong Fu Zi or K'ung-fu-tzu, literally "Master Kong", but he is usually referred to in China with a simpler version of this honorific as 孔子, Kongzi, or Kǒng Zǐ.

Biography information from Wikiquote · Portrait adapted from Wikimedia Commons, Anonymous Chinese painter of the Western Han period (Public domain / CC0)

Also Known As

Native Name: 孔夫子
Alternative Names: Confucio Konfuzius Cheu-kong Chung-ni Cong-tse K'ung Chung-ni K'ung Fu-tse K'ung-fu-tzu K'ung-tzu Kong Fu Zi Kong Fuzi Kong Qiu Kong Zhongni Kongfuzi Kongqiu Kongzi Kung Chung-ni Kung Fu Tzu Kung Fu-tse Kungfutse Zhongni

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Original (Chinese)
大哉,聖人之道!洋洋乎發育萬物,峻極于天。優優大哉!禮儀三百,威儀三千,待其人然後行。故曰:苟不至德,至道不凝焉。故君子尊德性而道問學,致廣大而盡精微,極高明而中庸。溫故而知新,敦厚以崇禮。是故居上不驕,為下不倍;國有道,其言足以興,國無道,其默足以容。《 詩 》曰:「 既明且哲,以保其身。 」其此之謂與!
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Additional quotes by Confucius

Let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct, and let him be respectful to others and observant of propriety:—then all within the four seas, all men are brothers. What has the superior man to do with being distressed because he has no brothers?

Let a ruler base his government upon virtuous principles, and he will be like the pole-star, which remains steadfast in its place, while all the host of stars turn towards it

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