During the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.), turmoil brewed within the State of Jin, leading to the exile of Duke Xian’s son, Chong’er. One day, Chong’er sought refuge in the State of Chu, where King Cheng of Chu warmly welcomed him with a grand feast. Amid the banquet, after drinking several cups of wine, the king smiled and asked Chong’er, “When you return to the State of Jin and succeed to the throne, how do you plan to repay me?”

Today, let’s hear a story of respecting teachers. Zigong was an outstanding student of Confucius. Once, Ziqin asked Zigong, “When Confucius traveled to different states, did he actively seek information about their politics and customs, or did others voluntarily inform him?” Zigong replied: “The teacher is gentle, kind, respectful, moderate and humble. People respect these virtues and willingly share information about their states with him. Confucius’ charisma is unparalleled.”

Confucianism places special emphasis on the idea that to become a sage, one must wholeheartedly adhere to “the way.” Mencius was skilled in using metaphors. He shared a story about two students who were studying the game of Go under the guidance of their teacher, Yi Qiu, a highly proficient Go teacher at the time.

Once, Mencius met King Xuan of Qi and asked him, “Is it more joyful to appreciate music alone or with others?” The king replied, “Certainly, it is more joyful to appreciate music with others.”

In governance, one of the most beneficial skills is the ability to evaluate people. Zhuangzi, borrowing the words of Confucius, once stated the art of understanding people: To understand a person’s heart is more challenging than reaching heaven. Even heaven has patterns of the four seasons, day and night, while humans? They are complex and ever-changing, with emotions deeply concealed.

​Today, we’ll hear a story of the famous general Wu Qi. During the reign of Duke Wu of the Wei State in the 4th century B.C., Wu served as magistrate of Xihe. He wanted to conquer a military fortress in the neighboring State of Qin. However, his troops were insufficient, and it was difficult to recruit additional forces on short notice. What should he do?

Today, we will talk about Mozi’s non-aggression. First, let’s get to know about Mozi. His given name was Di, and he was from the State of Song. He was a very famous philosopher during the early Warring States period (475-221 B.C.).

Han Feizi believed that to govern a country, strict laws and harsh punishments must be implemented. The laws should not favor the powerful, the regulations should not be bendable, and rewards and punishments should be clear and trustworthy.