A virtuous man is like an archer. The archer adjusts himself and then shoots. Should he miss, he is not jealous of those who defeat him. He simply examines himself to find out why he has not won. （Mencius）

If others do not reciprocate your kindness towards them, you should think about whether your kindness is true or not. If you govern unsuccessfully, think about whether your governance philosophy is sound or not. If others do not reciprocate your courtesy towards them, think about whether your courtesy is sincere or not. Whenever you fail to achieve the desired result, you need to conduct retrospection to find out the cause. If you conduct yourself honorably, all the people will pledge allegiance to your rule. （Mencius）