Guide them by edicts, keep them in line with punishments, and the common people will stay out of trouble but will have no sense of shame. Guide them by virtue, keep them in line with the rites, and they will, besides having a sense of shame, reform themselves.

Among us, in our part of the country, those who are upright are different from this. The father conceals the misconduct of the son, and the son conceals the misconduct of the father. Uprightness is to be found in this.

We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.

Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.

Make fair agreements and stick to them

When we see persons of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see persons of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.

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