“Faithfulness and sincerity are the highest things.”

“Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.”

“To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.”

“Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being regulated, their States were rightly governed. Their States being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy.”

“The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith.”

“It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.”

“When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it--this is knowledge.”