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Zicheng Hong Quotes

Philosopher

Zicheng Hong was a prominent philosopher during the Ming and Qing dynasties in China. He is known for his contributions to Neo-Confucian philosophy, particularly his work on the nature of human nature and moral cultivation. His teachings have had a lasting impact on Chinese intellectual history.

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All Taoism People Ifs Mind Should Enlightened May Way Desire Knows Giving Feelings Careful Clear Fortune Humans Pure World Arise Dies

Famous Zicheng Hong Quotes

“When the mind is possessed of reality, it feels tranquil and joyous even without music or song, and it produces a pure fragrance even without incense or tea.”

Feels Mind Reality Song Music Produce Pure Tea Possessed Fragrance Joyous Tranquil Incense Without Music

Book:A Chinese Garden of Serenity: Epigrams from the Ming Dynasty

Source: A Chinese Garden of Serenity: Epigrams from the Ming Dynasty

“A drop of water has the tastes of the water of the seven seas: there is no need to experience all the ways of worldly life. The reflections of the moon on one thousand rivers are from the same moon: the mind must be full of light.”

Way Life Needs Mind Light Spirituality Water Sea Taste Thousand Moon Reflection Rivers Seven Gardening Worldly Worldly Life Drop Of Water

Author:Zicheng Hong

“When you are constantly hearing offensive words and always have some irritating matter in mind, only then do you have a whetstone for character development. If you hear only what pleases you, and deal only with what thrills you, then you are burying your life in deadly poison.”

Ifs Mind Matter Character Deals Development Please Hearing Poison Taoism Offensive Irritating Character Development Burying

Author:Zicheng Hong

“Late at night, when everyone is quiet, sit alone and gaze into the mind; then you notice illusion ending and reality appearing. You gain a great sense of potential in this every time. Once you have noticed reality appearing yet find that illusion is hard to escape, you also find yourself greatly humbled.”

Mind Hard Reality Night Quiet Late Illusion Gains Taoism Finding Yourself Appearing

Author:Zicheng Hong

“Conceit and arrogance are acquired states of mind. Conquer acquired states of mind, and basic sanity can unfold. Passion and willfulness are part of false consciousness; erase false consciousness, and true consciousness will appear.”

Mind States Passion Consciousness Conquer Arrogance Taoism Sanity State Of Mind Conceit Erase Willfulness

Author:Zicheng Hong

“To conquer demons, first conquer your mind. When the mind is subdued, demons withdraw obediently. To control knaves, first control your own mood. When your mood is balanced, scoundrels cannot get at you.”

Mind Firsts Mood Conquer Demon Taoism Balanced Scoundrels Knaves

Author:Zicheng Hong

“There is no greater fortune than having few concerns, no greater misfortune than having many worries. Only those who have suffered over their concerns know the blessing of having few concerns. Only those who have calmed their minds know the misfortune of having many worries.”

Knows Mind Worry Greater Blessing Concern Fortune Taoism Misfortunes

Author:Zicheng Hong

“In the mind engaged in struggling with hardship, one always finds something delightful. The sorrow of disappointment arises in the complacency of satisfaction.”

Mind Struggle Sorrow Disappointment Satisfaction Arise Engaged Taoism Hardship Delightful Complacency

Author:Zicheng Hong

“If the mind is illumined, there is clear blue sky in a dark room. If the thoughts are muddled, there are malevolent ghosts in broad daylight.”

Ifs Mind Dark Rooms Clear Sky Blue Ghost Taoism Broads Daylight Blue Sky Dark Room Clear Blue Sky

Author:Zicheng Hong

“The road of truth is broad; set the mind on it, and you feel expansive openness and broad clarity. The road of human desires is narrow; set foot on it, and you see brambles and mire before you.”

Feels Mind Humans Desire Feet Truth Is Clarity Taoism Broads Openness

Author:Zicheng Hong

“The eyes and ears, seeing and hearing, are external plunderers; emotions, desires, and opinions are internal plunderers. But if the inner mind is awake and alert, sitting aloof in the middle of it all, then these plunderers change and become members of the household.”

Ifs Mind Eye Desire Emotion Opinion Seeing Middle Members Sitting Ears Hearing Awake Internals Taoism Household Aloof

Author:Zicheng Hong

“A clear sunny day can suddenly shift to thunder and lightning, a raging storm can suddenly give way to a bright moonlit night. The weather may be inconstant, but the sky remains the same. The substance of the human mind should also be like this.”

Way Giving Should Mind Humans May Night Clear Sky Remains Storm Rage Weather Substance Taoism Human Mind Lightning Thunder Sunny Sunny Day Thunder And Lightning

Author:Zicheng Hong

“Unexpected hardship refines people; if you can accept it, both mind and body will benefit. If you cannot accept it, on the other hand, both mind and body will be harmed.”

People Ifs Mind Body Hands Accepting Benefits Unexpected Taoism Hardship Mind And Body

Author:Zicheng Hong

“When water isn't rippled, it is naturally still. When a mirror isn't clouded, it is clear of itself. So the mind is not to be cleared; get rid of what muddles it, and its clarity will spontaneously appear. Pleasure need not be sought; get rid of what pains you, and pleasure is naturally there.”

Needs Mind Stills Pain Water Pleasure Clear Mirrors Clarity Taoism Clouded Muddle

Author:Zicheng Hong

“The substance of mind is the substance of heaven. A joyful thought is an auspicious star or a felicitous cloud. An angry thought is a thunderstorm or a violent rain. A kind thought is a gentle breeze or a sweet dew. A stern thought is a fierce sun or an autumn frost. Which of these can be eliminated? Just let them pass away as they arise, open and unresisting, and your mind merges with the spacious sky.”

Mind Kind Heaven Stars Sun Sky Sweet Rain Angry Clouds Violent Arise Substance Gentle Taoism Autumn Fierce Joyful Breeze Dew Passing Away Frost Thunderstorm Kind Thoughts

Author:Zicheng Hong

“Observe people with cool eyes, listen to their words with cool ears. Confront feelings with cool emotions, reflect on principles with a cool mind.”

People Mind Feelings Eye Emotion Principles Ears Taoism

Author:Zicheng Hong

“Attention is the mind's feet; if you do not control your attention strictly, it runs into misleading pathways.”

Ifs Mind Running Attention Feet Taoism Mislead Pathways

Author:Zicheng Hong

“Even if you can't get rid of the heat, as long as you can get rid of bother with the heat, your body is always on a cool terrace. Even if you can't get rid of poverty, as long as you can get rid of the sadness of poverty, your mind always lives in a comfortable abode.”

Ifs Mind Long Body Poverty Sadness Comfortable Your Body Bother Heat Taoism Abode Terrace

Author:Zicheng Hong

“Those who like tranquility and dislike clamor tend to avoid people to seek quietude. They do not know that when one wishes there were no one around, that is egotism; and when the mind is attached to quietude, that is the root of disturbance. How can they reach the state where others and oneself are seen as one, where disturbance and quietude are both forgotten.”

People Knows Mind States Wish Roots Forgotten Oneself Taoism Dislike Tranquility Egotism Disturbance Clamor

Author:Zicheng Hong

About the Author

Born: 1593
Died: 1665
Known for: Philosopher
Quotes: 95

Related Topics

Taoism People Ifs Mind Should Enlightened May Way Desire Knows Giving Feelings Careful Clear Fortune Humans Pure World Arise Dies

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

A Chinese Garden of Serenity: Epigrams from the Ming DynastyRelated source material

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