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Quote by Zicheng Hong

“Soil with a lot of manure in it produces abundant crops; water that is too clear has no fish. Therefore, enlightened people should maintain the capacity to accept impurities and should not be solitary perfectionists.”

Quote by Zicheng Hong

Author

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. more

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“Even a wild horse can be tamed; even metal that is difficult to work eventually goes into a mold. If you take it easy and do not stir yourself, you will never make any progress. It has been said, "It is no disgrace to have many afflictions: I would worry if there never were any afflictions."”

Ifs Has Beens Said Easy Difficult Worry Progress Horse Taoism Metals Affliction Disgrace Mold Tamed Take It Easy Wild Horses

Author:Zicheng Hong

“...people of old deemed freedom from greed precious, and this is how they got beyond the world.”

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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

“Even if you do no work that is particularly lofty or far-reaching, if you can shed mundane feelings, that is a great achievement. Even if you do not strive much for progress in learning, if you can minimize the influence things have on you, you will soar into the realm of sages.”

Ifs Feelings Progress Influence Achievement Strive Realms Reaching Taoism Shed Soar Sage Mundane Lofty Great Achievement

Author:Zicheng Hong

“In whatever you do, if you leave a sense of incompleteness, then Creation cannot resent you, ghosts and spirits cannot harm you. If you insist on fulfillment in your work and perfection in achievement, you will become either inwardly deranged or outwardly unsettled.”

Ifs Spirit Creation Achievement Perfection Harm Ghost Fulfillment Taoism Resent Deranged Incompleteness Resent You

Author:Zicheng Hong

“If a poor house is well kept, or a poor girl well groomed, there is elegance if not beauty. If good people should come upon hard times, why should they immediately give up on themselves?”

People Ifs Giving Should Wells Hard Girl House Poor Giving Up Hard Times Taoism Good People Elegance

Author:Zicheng Hong

“If you are not lax when at leisure, you will be effective when busy. If you are not absentminded in tranquility, that will be useful in action. If you are not hypocritical in private, that will show up in public.”

Ifs Shows Action Busy Taoism Leisure Tranquility Hypocritical Lax

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“When thoughts arise, as soon as you sense them heading on the road of desire, bring them right back onto the road of reason. Once they arise, notice them, once you notice them, you can change them. This is the key to turning calamity into fortune, rising from death and returning to life.”

Reason Desire Keys Fortune Arise Rising Taoism Calamity Headings

Author:Zicheng Hong

“In adversity, everything that surrounds you is a kind of medicine that helps you refine your conduct, yet you are unaware of it. In pleasant situations, you are faced with weapons that will tear you apart, yet you do not realize it.”

Kind Helping Realizing Situation Tears Weapons Adversity Medicine Pleasant Taoism Surround

Author:Zicheng Hong

“Delicious foods are drugs that will inflame the gut and rot the bones, but there is no harm if one eats moderately. Delightful things are all purveyors of destruction and decadence, but there is no regret if one enjoys them moderately.”

Ifs Enjoy Regret Drug Destruction Bones Harm Guts Taoism Delightful Delicious No Regrets Decadence Delicious Food Delightful Things

Author:Zicheng Hong