His original name was K’ ung Ch’iu and was born in 551 B.C. He married at the age of 19 and had one son and two daughters. Although he was poor he was well educated. He held many jobs but he was known for his sense of justice and philosophical teachings. He was thrown out of state by political rivals. He returned to his home in Lu and died there in 479 B.C. Years after his death his disciples compiled the Lun Yu (Analects), which is considered the most reliable source of information about his life and teachings. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

1. Have you ever seen virtue kill a man like fire or water can?

2. What the better man seeks is in himself, what the lesser man seeks is in others.

3. Do not do to others what you do not want done to you.
4. When you know a thing and accept that you know a thing, and when you do not know accept that you do not , that is knowledge.

5. Coarse rice for my hunger, water to quench my thirst and my bent arm for a pillow is joy for me – any riches acquired through wrong doing is just a floating cloud (it will disappear).

6. Envy like an ulcer will eat your insides.

7. Do get married for if your wife is good you will be happy, if not you will become a philosopher.

8. Coarse rice for my hunger, water to quench my thirst and a bent arm for a pillow these give me joy.

9. Wealth gained by unrighteous means are like a floating Cloud ( it will disappear).

10. A good reputation is your richest jewel for like fire it is difficult to kindle but is easily put out.

11. If you know a thing and accept that you know  a thing – and if you do not know a thing and accept that you do not know – that is knowledge.

Photo: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~vsdb/confucius.jpg