1. When three of us travel together, we must be our teacher.
From: "The Analects of Confucius: Shuer", which is a work written by Confucius and his disciples during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
Translation: There must be something worth learning from other people’s words and deeds.
2. Those who don’t know enough are eager to learn, and those who are ashamed to ask are complacent. One is a gentleman, the other is a villain, it’s up to you.
From: Song Dynasty Lin Bu's "Saving Mind Record".
Translation: A person who knows his own shortcomings and studies hard is a smart person, a person who is not easy to ask and is proud and complacent is shameful. One is a gentleman and the other is a villain. How about Congzhi?
3. There is nothing more unfortunate than being self-sufficient. Constant suffering is not enough, so it is not enough; thinking oneself is enough is not enough.
From: "Houcheng Miscellaneous Commandments" written by Fang Xiaoru in the Ming Dynasty.
Translation: Human misfortune is nothing more than self-satisfaction. I always feel unsatisfied, so I am worthy, and I think I am satisfied, so I am not enough.
4. Only by not being arrogant can you learn from others' strengths and develop your own learning.
From: "On Scholars Should Not Be Arrogant" by Tan Sitong of the Qing Dynasty.
Translation: Only by not being arrogant can one learn from others, and the understanding of self-contained learning is that only by not being arrogant can one learn the strengths of others and achieve oneself.
5. The road is in conflict, but it may not be profitable if you use it. Yuanxi is like the origin of all things.
From: "Tao Te Ching" of the Spring and Autumn Period of the Zhou Dynasty.
Translation: Tao is very effective but not full. It seems unfathomable, but it is the source of the birth of all things.