Confucius

The superior man governs men, according to their nature, with what is proper to them, and as soon as they change what is wrong, he stops.

Confucius

The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified ease.

Confucius

The superior man has nothing to compete for. But if he must compete, he does it in an archery match, wherein he ascends to his position, bowing in deference. Descending, he drinks the ritual cup.

Confucius

The superior man honors his virtuous nature, and maintains constant inquiry and study, seeking to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to omit none of the more exquisite and minute points which it embraces, and to raise it to its greatest height and brilliancy.

Confucius

The superior man is universally minded and no partisan. The inferior man is a partisan and not universal.

Confucius

The superior man limits his achievements.

Confucius

The way of the superior man may be compared to what takes place in traveling, when to go to a distance we must first traverse the space that is near, and in ascending a height, when we must begin from the lower ground.

Confucius

The way you cut your meat reflects the way you live.

Confucius

There are three degrees of filial piety. The highest is being a credit to our parents, the second is not disgracing them; the lowest is being able simply to support them.

Confucius

There are three unfilial acts: the greatest of these is the failure to produce sons.

Confucius