Despite the scientific and technological progress of mankind, often answers to spiritual questions remain inaccessible to man. This is where the wise sayings of China come to the rescue. Reading aphorisms, quotes and proverbs allows you to better understand yourself and the world.
About noble people from dysfunctional families
For many, Chinese quotes in the form of proverbs from the ancient times of the existence of the Celestial Empire to the present day will be interesting. Often they describe situations from everyday life. This description, despite millennia of history, does not cease to be relevant in our days.
For example, the following quote shows that a person’s future is not always determined by his origin:
And in the crow's nest phoenixes are born.
These words indicate that even in a family whose members are prone to vices and addictions, worthy individuals can be born. It cannot be said that these cases are natural — they are the exception rather than the rule. But the Chinese dictum says that this can happen as well - a person born in a dysfunctional family can manifest himself during his life radically different from other members of the genus.
About superfluous words for admonition
The wisdom of the Middle Kingdom helps to understand the most difficult circumstances, succinctly describing in a single phrase a number of possible situations. For example, this is the following proverb:
If one word does not make sense, one thousand words does not make sense.
This wisdom can apply to the case when you need to enlighten a stupid young man who is burning his youth, and, if necessary, direct the true one who does not want to work in a certain area that could bring significant income. These words will be useful to women who dream of admonishing their non-good-looking spouses. This Chinese dictum helps to clearly understand that where a person has to repeat the same thing a hundred times, in reality he does not hear the words addressed to him. Therefore, do not repeat the request more than once in vain - the result will be the same.
Aphorisms of Confucius
The Chinese sage Confucius is known for his sayings. He was the most ordinary person, although today his teachings are often associated with religion. The real name of Confucius is Kun Qiu. His ideas are based on morality and ethics, moral foundations of human interaction.
For example, the following wise saying of Confucius is known:
Before taking revenge, dig two graves.
A person who has undergone injustice from someone is often filled with a desire to take revenge, thus restoring justice. But in reality, even just retribution leads to negative consequences - the sage warns about this in his eloquent expression. It should be remembered to everyone who was undeservedly harmed. Forgiving the offender, a person first of all does good for himself. Forgiveness helps protect yourself from further evil that may be caused by revenge.
The golden rule of morality developed by Confucius is:
Do not do to another what you do not wish for yourself.
In many ways, this Chinese quote echoes the Christian teaching that one should relate to one's neighbor in the same way as one expects one to oneself. It is not always possible to translate this concept into reality. But such an attitude is bearing fruit and can make relationships between people much more positive.
The teachings of Confucius remained popular for almost twenty centuries. Many of his quotes relate to issues of personality development, gaining nobility. The Chinese sage said:
You can overcome bad habits only today, not tomorrow.
If a person constantly postpones work on himself until better times, then most likely they will never come for him. You can fight against bad addictions only “here and now” - otherwise, these attempts will be only empty dreams.
Sun Tzu's Wisdom of Achieving the Goal
The wise sayings of Sun Tzu, an ancient Chinese strategist and thinker, are known throughout the world. He is considered the author of the famous treatise "The Art of War", and quotes from this sage are still popular.
Many phrases of Sun Tzu reveal patterns of achieving goals and a successful life. In this regard, his phrases will be useful to modern readers. For example, the following Chinese quote belongs to this sage:
A thoroughbred horse with one jump will not be able to cover a distance of a thousand li. On nag you can overcome this distance in ten days, if you do not stop halfway.
Here, Sun Tzu metaphorically suggests that special conditions, such as talent or wealth, are not always necessary to achieve a specific goal. A person who does not have talent, but who is ready to work hard, will achieve his goal faster than a lucky man gifted in a certain field who does not want to work. Many fall into another misconception that the idea is that wealth is needed to succeed. Many successful people in their field have become such, without being financially secure at the beginning of their journey.
And those who do not have special talents, and those who do not have “golden mountains” to realize their goals, will be able to achieve what they want if they listen to this Chinese wisdom. This quotation shows that if every day you persistently move towards your goal, it will certainly be achieved. This will happen even if the speed of advancement to the desired is comparable to the speed of nags.
A statement about the need to maintain balance
The following Chinese quote from the wise Sun Tzu reads:
If you act too cruelly, you will fail; if you act too gently, you will find yourself in fetters.
These words remind us that, on the one hand, cruel people sooner or later also experience serious troubles. After all, the world is arranged harmoniously, and everything bad that comes from a person comes back to him sooner or later.
But you can not go to the other extreme, becoming too compliant. This also does not bring benefits to the person himself, although it can be quite convenient for others. If you are too soft where it is absolutely not required, you can fall into the trap yourself.
Chinese quotes about life
Life is often compared to a game, and the wisdom of the Middle Kingdom continues this metaphor:
An erroneous move by one piece - and the game is lost.
People often underestimate the importance of little things. It seems to them that if you close your eyes to what seems insignificant, you can still achieve success. This is not entirely true. Indeed, in life, as in a chess game, each of the moves has a meaning. Only considering each of its actions and planning the entire strategy in advance, one can count on success in a certain area.
The following quote teaches how to behave in any life situation:
Do not hold that which leaves, do not push that which comes.
Applying this wisdom in any sphere of life, one can count on success. Do not hold people or circumstances, clinging to them - it will only bring suffering. On the other hand, you should not resist change. Such an attitude to life will make any person happier and more harmonious.
Another proverb about life teaches the ability to find pleasant moments:
Learn to find joy in life - this is the best way to attract happiness.
If this is obtained by a person, over time there will be more and more pleasant moments in his life. But you need to start small, learning to find the good even in the most ordinary day.
About the will
Another proverb says that throughout life a person must cultivate the strength of will in himself. Life was given by mother and father, and perseverance and determination are those qualities that a person should educate in himself.
Parents gave you life - bring up the will yourself.
Often all that a mother and father can give is life. It is possible to instill a will in a person by means of external influence, but this is the duty of the person himself, and not of his parents. A Chinese proverb teaches this.
About parental love
The following proverb once again speaks of how blind parents can be in relation to their children:
The hedgehog finds the skin of his children soft.
This Chinese wisdom compares unconditional and often blind parental love with the hedgehog's attitude towards his cubs, who think that they have no thorns on their backs. In reality, this is not so. And if you avoid this attitude to your child, then in his life there will be much more truth than if the parent is blind to any of his shortcomings.
Chinese wisdom is an inexhaustible well of useful information for modern people. They help to solve pressing problems, to find peace in the soul, to better understand how the world works.