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Quote by Zicheng Hong

“People know that fame and position are pleasant, but they do not know that the pleasure of anonymity is most real. People know that hunger and cold are distressing, but they do not know that the distress of not experiencing cold or hunger is greater.”

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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“If you fear that people will know if you do something bad, then there is something good in bad. If you are eager for people to know when you do something good, then there is something bad in good.”

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“The workings of heaven are unfathomable-sometimes encouraging, sometimes suppressing. All this makes sport of heroes and tumbles the great. Enlightened people take adversity in stride and are prepared for trouble even when at ease; therefore, they are not at the mercy of fate.”

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“One should not seek happiness, just nurture the spirit of joy as the basis of summoning happiness. One should not try to escape misfortune, just get rid of viciousness as a means of avoiding misfortune.”

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“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

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“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.”

People Should Water Accepting Clear Produce Capacity Fishes Soil Enlightened Taoism Solitary Crops Perfectionist Manure Impurity

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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

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

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“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.”

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“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.”

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“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.”

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