Tags :Ancient Chinese psychology

君子求诸己，小人求诸人。——孔子(jūn zǐ qiú zhū jǐ, xiǎo rén qiú zhū rén — Kǒngzǐ) Translation: “Nobles seek within; plebeians seek without.” Explanation: Confucius’ psychological axiom “君子求诸己(jūn zǐ qiú zhū jǐ), 小人求诸人(xiǎo rén qiú zhū rén)” (Nobles seek within; plebeians seek without) establishes humanity’s earliest locus of control theory. The character 求(qiú)—composed of 衣(yī, clothing) and 又(yòu, hand)—depicts self-reliance as grasping one’s own garments for warmth rather than demanding others’. This philosophy shaped 《论语》(lún yǔ)’s introspective practices, where scholars journaled nightly to identify personal growth areas instead of blaming external circumstances. Warring States military strategists operationalized 求诸己(qiú zhū jǐ) through “mirror drills”—commanders analyzing their own tactical errors after defeats rather than scapegoating soldiers. Modern psychology mirrors this: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques like...

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君子泰而不骄，小人骄而不泰。——孔子(jūn zǐ tài ér bù jiāo, xiǎo rén jiāo ér bù tài — Kǒngzǐ) Translation: “Nobles are secure without arrogance; plebeians arrogant without security.” Explanation: Confucius’ psychological axiom “君子泰而不骄(jūn zǐ tài ér bù jiāo), 小人骄而不泰(xiǎo rén jiāo ér bù tài)” (Nobles are secure without arrogance; plebeians arrogant without security) establishes humanity’s earliest model of emotional equilibrium. The character 泰(tài)—combining 大(dà, expansive) and 水(shuǐ, flowing water)—depicts cosmic confidence akin to rivers nourishing plains without dominance. This contrasts with 骄(jiāo) (arrogance), where the 马(mǎ, horse) radical symbolizes unbridled ego. The philosophy shaped 《大学》(dà xué) (Great Learning)’s leadership protocols, mandating rulers to cultivate 泰(tài) through agrarian rituals that connected personal stability with societal harmony. Tang Dynasty diplomacy operationalized this principle. Envoys trained in...

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