Xun Xun Quotes & Sayings

I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study. — Xun Zi

I think there are many faces to everyone. I also have my bad sides. Also I think everyone is trying to improve their shortcomings to become more wholesome. — Zhou Xun

A woman has so many parts to her body, life is very hard indeed. — Lu Xun

A person is born with feelings of envy and hate. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to violence and crime, and any sense of loyalty and good faith will be abandoned. — Xun Zi

Some critics argue about the exact number of millions of people murdered in the socialist Wholecaust (of which the Holocaust was a part) under Stalin, Mao, Hitler, and other socialists. I remember the retort of the historian Dr. Rex Curry: a million murdered here, a million murdered there, pretty soon you are talking a lot of people. — Lin Xun

Being an actress in China, I'm actually a very lucky actress ... Especially now that Chinese movies are becoming more diverse with more viewers overseas. — Zhou Xun

Let those who hanker after the past return to the past! Let those who want to leave the world leave the world! Let those who want to ascend to heaven do so! Let those whose souls want to leave their bodies expire quickly! The earth today should be inhabited by man with a firm hold on the present, a firm hold on the earth. — Lu Xun

Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same; conversely the petty man is loathed all the same. — Xun Zi

If the quickness of the mind and the fluency of the tongue are too punctilious and sharp, moderate them in your activity and rest. — Xun Zi

Since someone ate crabs, others must have eaten spiders as well. However, they were not tasty. So afterwards, people stopped eating them. These people also deserve our heartfelt gratitude. — Lu Xun

But if a few awake, you can't say there is no hope of destroying the iron house. — Lu Xun

People with good memories are liable to be crushed by the weight of their suffering. Only those with bad memories, the fittest to survive, can live on. - Lu Xun — Peter Hessler

Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing. — Xun Zi

Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them. — Xun Zi

True fighters dare face the sorrows of humanity, and look unflinchingly at bloodshed. What sorrow and joy are theirs! But the Creator's common device for ordinary people is to let the passage of time wash away old traces leaving only pale-red bloodstains and a vague pain; and he lets men live on ignobly and amid these, to keep this quasi-human world going. — Lu Xun

When a great man has become petrified, and everyone begins to proclaim his greatness, he has already turned into a puppet. — Lu Xun

A person is born with a liking for profit. — Xun Zi

Human nature refers to what is in people but which they cannot study or work at achieving. — Xun Zi

If the impulse to daring and bravery is too fierce and violent, stay it with guidance and instruction. — Xun Zi

If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one's desires are many, what harm would they be to good order? — Xun Zi

The most painful thing in life is to wake up from a dream and find no way out. Dreamers are fortunate people. If no way out can be seen, the important thing is not to awaken the sleepers. — Lu Xun

I have an idea I want to test, for combining old peoples' homes and orphanages. Old people are lonely without children, children are lonely without parents. Why not bring them together? — Zhou Xun

I say that in learning nothing is more profitable than to associate with those men who are learned, and of the roads to learning, none is quicker than to love such men — Xun Kuang

As long as there shall be stones, the seeds of fire will not die. — Lu Xun

I entreat fresh visions from the painters. Be lavish with your vermilion to portray the mountains in the spring. — Lu Xun

Thus, that one can find no place to walk through the breadth of the earth is not because the earth is not tranquil but because the danger to every step of the traveler lies generally with words. — Xun Zi

Lies written in ink cannot disguise facts written in blood. — Lu Xun

When you locate good in yourself, approve of it with determination. When you locate evil in yourself, despise it as something detestable. — Xun Zi

If the blood humor is too strong and robust, calm it with balance and harmony. — Xun Zi

In China, we think that if you want something to happen, you don't talk about it. So I will keep who I want to work with as my secret. — Zhou Xun

You have to reform yourself before reforming society and the world. — Lu Xun

But anyone who thinks themselves genuinely unbiased is bound to be taken in. — Lu Xun

Is that it?" Jack asked. "No. That is the Xing zheng yuan Hui an Xun fang Shu." "I was just going to say that," Tessa said. — Richard Paul Evans

When people lack teachers, their tendencies are not corrected; when they do not have ritual and moral principles, then their lawlessness is not controlled. — Xun Zi

No one should stand for nor chant the Pledge of Allegiance because it was the origin of the Nazi salute and Nazi behavior (see the discoveries by the historian Dr. Rex Curry in the many books that cite his academic work) — Lin Xun

Human nature is such that people are born with a love of profit If they follow these inclinations, they will struggle and snatch from each other, and inclinations to defer or yield will die. — Xun Zi

With the weight of four thousand years of cannibalism bearing down upon me, even if I was once innocent how can I now face real humans? — Lu Xun

The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere. — Xun Zi

Not to let what one is already holding harm what one is about to receive is called being "empty."12 The heart is born and has awareness. With awareness, there comes awareness of differences. These differences are known at the same time, and when they are known at the same time, this is to be two-fold. Yet, there is what is called being (180) "single-minded." Not to let one idea harm another idea is called being "single-minded." When the heart sleeps, then it dreams. When it relaxes, then it goes about on its own. — Xun Kuang

The petty man is eager to make boasts, yet desires that others should believe in him. He enthusiastically engages in deception, yet wants others to have affection for him. He conducts himself like an animal, yet wants others to think well of him. — Xun Zi

Now it is human nature to want to eat to ones fill when hungry, to want to warm up when cold, to want to rest when tired. These all are a part of people's emotional nature. — Xun Zi

Music is a fantastic peacekeeper of the world, it is integral to harmony, and it is a required fundamental of human emotion. — Xun Zi

I have a dream that I will fulfill. And nothing else will distract me from my path. — Lu Xun

Women have a mother-nature and a daughter-nature; there are no women with a wife-nature. The quality of wife is an acquired character; it is a combination of mother and daughter. — Lu Xun

Quarreling over food and drink, having neither scruples nor shame, not knowing right from wrong, not trying to avoid death or injury, not fearful of greater strength or of greater numbers, greedily aware only of food and drink - such is the bravery of the dog and boar. — Xun Zi

Creation, even when it is a mere outpouring from the heart, wishes to find a public. By definition, creation is sociable. Yet it can be satisfied with merely one single reader: an old friend, a lover. — Lu Xun

To be suspicious is not a fault. To be suspicious all the time without coming to a conclusion is the defect. — Lu Xun

Thus, the enlightened ruler is fond of what is essential, and the (565) benighted ruler is fond of the minor details. If the ruler is fond of what is essential, then the hundred affairs will be taken care of down to their minor details, but if the ruler is fond of the minor details, then the hundred affairs will be neglected. A true lord is one who judges the one right prime minister, sets out the one right model, and (570) makes clear the one right directive, so as to cover all, illuminate all, and then observes things flourish. A — Xun Kuang

It's not easy for Chinese actors to do foreign films, and it's not easy for foreign actors to do Chinese films. — Zhou Xun

If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity. — Xun Zi

Since the nature of people is bad, to become corrected they must be taught by teachers and to be orderly they must acquire ritual and moral principles. — Xun Zi

If men refuse to be kindled, sparks can only burn themselves out, just as paper images and carriages burn out on the street during funerals. — Lu Xun

Hope is a path on the mountainside. At first there is no path. But then there are people passing that way. And there is a path. - LU XUN — Jacqueline Novogratz

Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that. — Xun Zi

Whoever thinks he is objective must already be half drunk. — Lu Xun

Pride and excess bring disaster for man. — Xun Zi

It is in the nature of things that some people should be unlucky enough to get their heads chopped off. — Lu Xun

The coming of honor or disgrace must be a reflection of one's inner power. — Xun Zi

The sorrow and happiness of those people are not related.
I only find them noisy. — Lu Xun

Though science has given us many marvels, it has also spoiled many of our pleasant dreams. — Lu Xun

Human nature is what Heaven supplies. — Xun Zi

The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound. — Xun Zi

Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity. — Xun Zi

I naturally believe there will be a future, but I do not waste my time imagining its radiant beauty ... It seems to me that we ought to think first about the present. Even if the present is desperately dark, I do not wish to leave it. Will tomorrow be free from darkness? We'll talk about that tomorrow. — Lu Xun

Discontent is the wheel that moves people forward. — Lu Xun

Where are now the warriors of the world of the spirit? Where are those who raise their voices for truth, who lead us to goodness, beauty, strength and health? Where are those who utter heartwarming words, who will lead us out of the wilderness? Our homes are gone and the nation is destroyed, yet we have no Jeremiah crying out his last sad song to the world and to posterity. — Lu Xun

When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state. — Xun Zi

When the Chinese suspect someone of being a potential troublemaker, they always resort to one of two methods: they crush him, or they hoist him on a pedestal. — Lu Xun

Therefore, a person should first be changed by a teacher's instructions, and guided by principles of ritual. Only then can he observe the rules of courtesy and humility, obey the conventions and rules of society, and achieve order. — Xun Zi

Men who have not known the horror of death are not likely to be awed by it. — Lu Xun

But a people unable to reform will not be able to preserve its old culture either. — Lu Xun

When you talk with famous scholars, the best thing is to pretend that occasionally you do not quite understand them. If you understand too little, you will be despised; if you understand too much, you will be disliked; if you just fail occasionally to understand them, you will suit each other very well. — Lu Xun

I once tried standing up on my toes to see far out in the distance, but I found that I could see much farther by climbing to a high place. — Xun Zi

I think it's the same to be an actress anywhere because the profession is about attitudes towards events - it is a process to try to understand life. I think this is the case for actors across the world. — Zhou Xun

Why should young people look for guides who hang out gided placards to advertise themselves? They would do better to look for friends, unite with them, and advance together towards some quarter where it seems possible to survive. — Lu Xun

In China, especially in the cities, if someone fainted on the streets, or if someone was knocked over by a car, you'll find lots of gawkers and gloaters, but rarely will you find someone willing to extend a helping hand. — Lu Xun

The world is changing from day to day; it is high time for our writers to take off their masks, look frankly, keenly, and boldly at life, and write about real flesh and blood. It is high time for a brand-new arena for literature, high time for some bold fighters to charge headlong into battle! — Lu Xun

In order to properly understand the big picture, everyone should fear becoming mentally clouded and obsessed with one small section of truth. — Xun Zi

To protect myself from the rear, I have to stand slantwise. — Lu Xun

In antiquity the sage kings recognized that men's nature is bad and that their tendencies were not being corrected and their lawlessness controlled. — Xun Zi

If we want to work out a policy for the present, we must examine the past and prepare for the future, discard the material and elevate the spirit, rely on the individual and exclude the mass. — Lu Xun

There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men. — Xun Zi

The most horrible thing is not a government that stages public executions, but a government that secretly disposes of its victims. — Lu Xun

When a man sees something desirable, he must reflect on the fact that with time it could come to involve what is detestable. When he sees something that is beneficial, he should reflect that sooner or later it, too, could come to involve harm. — Xun Zi

The ability to forget the past enables people to free themselves gradually from the pain they once suffered; but it also often makes them repeat the mistakes of their predecessors. — Lu Xun

Hope cannot be said to exist, nor can it be said not to exist. It is just like roads across the earth. For actually the earth had no roads to begin with, but when many men pass one way, a road is made. — Lu Xun

Like students going to school, the planes on their bombing missions fly over Beijing each morning. And each time I hear their engines attack the air I feel a certain slight tension, as if I were witnessing the invasion of Death, though this heightens my consciousness of the existence of Life. — Lu Xun

A person is born with desires of the eyes and ears, and a liking for beautiful sights and sounds. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to immorality and lack of restriction, and any ritual principles and propriety will be abandoned. — Xun Zi

Despair is as hollow and deceptive as hope! — Lu Xun

If there are still men who really want to live in this world, they should first dare to speak out, to laugh, to cry, to be angry, to accuse, to fight-that they may at least cleanse this accursed place of its accursed atmosphere! — Lu Xun

Revolution is a bitter thing, mixed with filth and blood, not as lovely or perfect as the poets think. It is eminently down to earth, involving many humble, tiresome tasks, not so romantic as the poets think ... So it is easy for all who have romantic dreams about revolution to become disillusioned on closer acquaintance, when a revolution is actually carried out. — Lu Xun

Trust only him who doubts. — Lu Xun

Thus, anybody who follows this nature and gives way its states will be led into quarrels and conflicts, and go against the conventions and rules of society, and will end up a criminal. — Xun Zi

I could not blot out hope, for hope belongs to the future. — Lu Xun

All who have read a few old books have picked up the old tactics of considering every new idea a 'heresy' which must be rooted out. — Lu Xun

John Stuart Mill declared that tyranny makes men cynical. He did not know that a Republic makes them silent. — Lu Xun

If the gentleman has ability, he is magnanimous, generous, tolerant, and straightforward, through which he opens the way to instruct others. — Xun Zi

I felt that if a man's proposals met with approval, it should encourage him; if they met with opposition, it should make him fight back; but the real tragedy for him was to lift up his voice among the living and meet with no response neither approval nor opposition just as if he were left helpless in a boundless desert. — Lu Xun

Imagine an iron house without windows, absolutely indestructible, with many people fast asleep inside who will soon die of suffocation. But you know since they will die in their sleep, they will not feel the pain of death. Now if you cry aloud to wake a few of the lighter sleepers, making those unfortunate few suffer the agony of irrevocable death, do you think you are doing them a good turn? — Lu Xun