This phrase, from The Analects, stands for extrapolating many things from one. It describes a state of learning that Confucius (551-479 BC) hoped his students would reach. The concept entails understanding the underlying principles of a single matter and using that knowledge to discern other matters that follow the same principles. Confucius used th…

Water can carry a boat, but can also overturn it. Here, water is compared to the people, while the boat is compared to the ruler. The phrase, “carry or overturn the boat,” reveals the importance of popular support: people are the critical force that decides the future of a regime and a country. This is consistent with such political doctrines as “…

This term refers to an artistic state wherein a calligraphic artist pursues a unity between body and soul through calligraphic creation, so that he may embrace the truths about the universe and life. It was influenced by Confucius (551-479 BC) who said: “[Cultivated people] should follow dao, adhere to virtues, embrace benevolence, and are well ver…

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