Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi Quotes

“Once Zhuangzi dreamed he was a butterfly. A joyous butterfly, doing as he chose. He did not even know there was a Zhuangzi. Suddenly he awoke, and then he seemed to be Zhuangzi. Yet he could not tell if he was Zhuangzi dreaming of being a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming of being Zhuangzi. Still there must be a distinction between Zhuangzi and a butterfly. This is called “the transformation of things.” (Chapter 2: “Discussion on Making Things Equal” [Qiwulun])”
― Michael Puett, Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi: Selected Passages from the Chinese Philosophers in The Path

“five virtues are goodness, propriety, ritual, knowledge, and sagacity.”
― Michael Puett, Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi: Selected Passages from the Chinese Philosophers in The Path

“If you use a chariot and horses, your feet have not improved one bit, but you can travel a thousand li. If you use a boat and paddle, you haven’t learned to swim, but you can still cross the rivers and seas. One who is cultivated is no different from others at birth; he is simply good at making use of”
― Michael Puett, Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi: Selected Passages from the Chinese Philosophers in The Path

“Do not listen with your ears but listen with your heart; do not listen with your heart but listen with qi. . . . You have heard of using knowing to know; you have not heard of using not knowing to know. . . . Allow your ears and your eyes to penetrate on the inside, and place the understanding of the mind on the outside.”
― Michael Puett, Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi: Selected Passages from the Chinese Philosophers in The Path

“One who is not good can neither endure adversity nor feel enduring joy. Those who are good feel at home in goodness; those who are crafty seek profit from goodness.”
― Michael Puett, Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi: Selected Passages from the Chinese Philosophers in The Path

“To learn and then at the appropriate time put into practice what you have learned: Is this not a pleasure? To have friends arrive from afar: Is this not a joy? To be patient even when others do not understand: Is this not the way of an accomplished person?”
― Michael Puett, Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi: Selected Passages from the Chinese Philosophers in The Path